Announcing the 2020 Employment Matching Award Recipients

2020 marks the fourth year of the Performance-based Standards (PbS) Employment Matching Award and with the support of the PbS Education and Employment Foundation we were able to celebrate by awarding more money. This application period was a little different: In addition to youths facing the realities of reentering the community without enough resources, the COVID-19 pandemic meant fewer employment opportunities were available to many youths. Thank you to all the youths and facility staff who submitted applications.

This year, PbS received 51 applications, the most applications we have received in one year to date, representing a variety of employers and work opportunities. The youths’ applications included motivational responses about furthering education, personal experiences, making personal connections and working toward goals. Narrowing down the applications to several finalists for review by the PbS Education and Employment Foundation’s Advisory Board was a difficult yet rewarding task.

Congratulations to the following recipients, selected by the PbS Education and Employment Foundation Advisory Board, who will each receive a match of up to $1,000 for earnings between July 1, 2020 and Sept. 1, 2020:

• One youth from Ferris School, Delaware Youth Rehabilitative Services Division;
• Two youths from Camp Florence, Oregon Youth Authority;
• One youth from Camp Tillamook, Oregon Youth Authority;
• One youth from Coventry House, Community Solutions, Inc.;
• Six youths from Green Hill School, Washington Juvenile Justice and Rehabilitation Administration;
• Two youths from Naselle Youth Camp, Washington Juvenile Justice and Rehabilitation Administration; and
• One youth from Kenneth "Honey" Rubenstein Juvenile Center, West Virginia Bureau of Juvenile Services.

We thank all of the youths who showed perseverance and were able to complete their application despite the hardships presented by the pandemic. All are worthy of this award.