Education

 A Lansing-based non-profit that works to improve the computer skills of teens and  young adults is getting a new home.  Local dignitaries were on hand to cut the ribbon officially opening ITEC’s new headquarters on Lansing’s eastside. 

ITEC stands for Information Technology Empowerment Center.  ITEC  works with Michigan State University and local I-T firms to provide instruction that will help young people hone their skills.  

The state Senate Education Committee will launch two days of hearings Tuesday focused on school choice and ways to encourage more charter academies. A Senate Republican education package would lift the statewide cap on the number of charter schools academies that can be sponsored by public universities. 

The Senate GOP package would also allow more online charter schools and make it easier for parents or teachers to ask a school district to convert a traditional school to a charter.  

Every week on What’s Working, we take a look at people and organizations that are changing lives in Michigan for the better. The Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center is targeting youth violence in Flint by getting kids involved in activities that improve their community.

Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES) is an after-school program run by the center that gives students the tools to initiate and manage community development projects. Today we speak with Susan Morrel-Samuels, the managing director of the Youth Violence Prevention Center at the University of Michigan, who tells us what’s unique about the YES program.