The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a $250,000 grant to the Souderton Area School District to help promote food safety and spread the model of the district’s Pathway 360 program, writes Bob Keeler for Montgomery Media.
The $250,000 award is part of the $25 million Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli Coordinated Agricultural Project Grant.
“Eradication or limitation of E. coli from farm to fork is the language that they would use,” said Kyle Longacre, one of Souderton Area High School’s assistant principals.
Pathway 360 is designed to help high school students make career decisions by giving them as much work-based experience as possible. While it has been in the works for several years, last year’s graduates were the first to complete the full program and over 330 students have chosen to participate in a 20-hour mentorship.
Schools across the state and the country have shown considerable interest in developing a similar program. Longacre will be working them next year to develop their own version of Pathway 360, including programs for the Norristown and Upper Perkiomen school districts.
Read more about the grant from Montgomery Media by clicking here.
