The Construction Science Expo event is a “School to Work Program” made available to Detroit students that pledge to be drug and violence free and complete all 15 “Navigation to Success” Life Skill Modules facilitated throughout Detroit Middle and High Schools by the Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan
The Navigation to Success Program is the largest school-based program of its kind in Michigan and is managed by Professor Nicole T. Stallworth.
An adolescent development program that launched in 1992, the program initially focused on providing adverse behavior resistance skills as tools to prevent alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use. The program evolved to encompass violence prevention and eventually as a pathway to “work readiness “
In 2010, Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan Chairman , KB Stallworth , Don O’Connel of Operating Engineers and Doug Needham of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association formed a collaboration with resulted in the creation of the Michigan Design and Construction Coalition. The result was the creation of a program that exposes drug free inner-city students to careers in engineering, design and construction. The program also offers the potential to move from school to work via summer and co-op employment as well as grants and opportunity for employer sponsored college scholarships and ultimately employment. These program benefits are life changing incentives for students that have helped thousands avoid poor decisions and adverse high-risk behaviors.
The Annual Construction Science Expo is an important component of the Black Caucus Foundation’s “Bridges to Work Initiative “ which has led advocacy efforts to elevate Career Technical Education offered to inner city students, as well as driven public policy to improve access and participation by minority , women and disadvantaged individuals and enterprises in skilled craft opportunities particularly in infrastructure.