Extension Kenosha County and the Kenosha Public Library will host a “Career, College, and Leadership Fair” to connect youth in grades 8-12 with local employers, educational institutions, and leadership opportunities as part of the ongoing “Nia” program.
This event will be at the Kenosha Southwest Neighborhood Library, 7979 38th Ave., from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16. It is completely free of charge, and advanced sign up is encouraged but not required.
This fair will serve as an opportunity for youth from the Black community to connect with college representatives who work specifically with Black students as well as an opportunity for students from all backgrounds to explore career and college options. There will also be a networking workshop hosted by Building Our Future and an Interview and Resume Writing workshop given by the Kenosha Public Library.
Local institutions in attendance will include Kenosha County, the Kenosha Fire Department, the Kenosha Unified School District’s Youth Apprenticeship and Educators Rising Program, Carthage College, Gateway Technical College, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Herzing University, Education Youth Development Outreach, and more.
This event is a component of Nia: Pathways and Purpose for the Future, a collaboration between the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the historically Black university North Carolina A&T, to support Black and Brown youth in eighth through 12th grade across the two states to find their purpose after high school.
Following this event, Extension will continue to host Nia after-school events with local partner, Kenosha Public Library, from 4 to 6 p.m. every third Thursday of the month and will host a trip to Chicago on Saturday, March 25, to visit the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center and the Museum of Science and Industry.
Nia is a program focused on exploring Black culture and connecting youth with leaders from the Black community, and all youth who are interested are welcome to attend the events.
The sign up form for Nia can be found at https://kenosha.extension.wisc.edu/youth/nia-pathways-and-purpose-for-the-future-kenosha-county/. To learn more about the Nia program, the upcoming trip to Chicago, or about Extension’s other youth leadership initiatives, please contact Extension Educator Erica Ness at erica.ness@wisc.edu or 262-857-1934.