P-TECH and SMART Scholars Program
P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) Program
The New York State Pathways in Technology (NYS P-TECH) program is a unique partnership that brings together high school, college, and industry to reimagine the way that New York students are prepared for high-skills jobs of the future. The NYS P-TECH model is a 6-year program (grades 9-14) focused on developing students’ knowledge and skills needed for to today’s high-wage, high-skill, and high-demand career areas in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Students who successfully complete the program earn a high school diploma and an Associate of Applied Science degree in a high-tech field. Graduates are also first in line for a job with the participating industry partner(s).
Since 2015, Westchester Community College (WCC) has partnered with the Yonkers Public Schools (YPS) to offer P-TECH programs in cybersecurity and electrical technology at Riverside High School, civil technology/architecture at Saunders High School and health inforrmation Technology at Gorton High School.
SMART Scholars – NYS Early College High School (ECHS) Program
The SMART Scholars program is designed to provide students with an ‘early college’ high school experience by enabling them to earn up to twenty-four (24) college credits while still in high school. Westchester Community College (WCC) is partnered with the Yonkers Public Schools (YPS) to offer SMART Scholars programs at Roosevelt High School and Gorton High School.
The program is targeted to serve students who are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education and provide them with additional academic support and readiness activities to succeed in rigorous high school and college credit courses. This concurrent enrollment program serves to increase high school graduation and college completion rates.