LEWISTON – Parents of grade 5-8 students are asked to attend a Dec. 5 meeting to help build an aspirations program at the Lewiston Middle School.

Billie Jo Brito, who teaches career preparation at the middle school, is building an aspirations lab similar to one led by Joan Macri at Lewiston High School.

The overall goal is to boost middle school students’ goals, help them focus earlier on college and careers, and understand how their middle and high school education can help them get there, Brito said.

Building the new middle school program, ‘Steps To Accomplishing Real-Life Transitions,’ Project START, will take about a year, Brito said. Before the program is created she said she needs help from parents.

“What would parents like to see as part of this program?” she asked. And parents can help with one of the program’s objectives, which is how can middle school students be better connected to their community.

It’s critical to involve parents in boosting student aspirations, Brito said.

“When kids see their parents involved they know it’s important,” she said. Parents have much to offer, she added. Parents have knowledge of the community. And their work and career experience and connections can help show students about career choices and how they can get there, Brito said. She’s also interested in involving businesses offering career modeling and mentoring to students.

While the middle school only teaches 7th and 8th grades, parents of 5th and 6th graders are invited because they’re future middle school parents, Brito said.

The aspirations lab at Lewiston High School is not a required course, but is there to help students, Brito said.

The middle school aspirations program will be required, she said. “I’m putting the pieces in place for the aspirations lab to be more effective, so students will know about an associate’s degree and a master’s degree. That they’re not finished with their education after high school.”

The meeting will be at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, in the middle school cafeteria.

For more information contact Brito by e-mail, [email protected], or phone, 795-4180, ext. 400.

– Bonnie Washuk