The Open Doors program at the Next Generation Zone is celebrating 1,000 students receiving their High School Equivalence (GED). Since its inception in 2014, Open Doors has served opportunity youth of Spokane County and the surrounding areas with the mission of “Partnering with young adults on their pathway to a better tomorrow.”
“Putting youth first has always been the thing that matters most. We see the results of this through the success of the students we work with” shares Terrance Nixon, Program Director with Next Generations Zones Open Door Program.
The program’s faculty and staff focus on putting youth success first and building a relationship of trust and continuous support. This relationship is a large part of the student success at Next Generation Zone. Often students come to this program with major life barriers and little support, because of this there are times when students are not successful their first time with Open Doors. Through the relationship built with the team at Next Generation Zone, youth feel welcome to come back and try again until they succeed, knowing that the staff is always excited to see them return.
Next Generation Zone offers one of the few places many of these youth feel safe and supported by both staff and peers. This is an environment where students can connect with other youth also trying to change their story and their generational story.
For students that do want to change their story and find success, Next Generation Zone is prepared to do this beyond the GED. The center’s goal is to always find a way for students to succeed in life, not just in the classroom. For students who want to pursue secondary education, there is a natural progression as Spokane Community Colleges are a part of the Open Door Program. But for others, pursuing a college degree may not be an initial option, and instead, need to pursue short-term certifications or vocations. This means having strong partnerships built throughout the community to help these students succeed beyond obtaining their GED. Open Doors is a consortium of numerous school districts, Spokane Community Colleges, and Northeast Washington ESD 101. They also partner with many community organizations such as YouthBuild. Having strong community partners who cooperate to support these youth is key to success outside of the classroom.
“But it begins with obtaining their GED,” Shawn Wash, Open Doors Instructor/Case Manager explains, “often the GED is a screening tool and a glass ceiling. Without one, students often can’t attend college, join the military, and find difficulty getting hired or advancing in most jobs and apprenticeships. When you break the glass ceiling it goes away and there are all these paths young adults can take.”
To learn more about Next Generation Zone and the Open Door Program visit https://nextgenzone.org.
