(The following report appeared on the Philadelphia Inquirer website on October 29.)
PHILADELPHIA — NJ Transit officials yesterday announced the agency’s Transit Academy, a program meant to prepare high school students early for a possible career in a transportation-related field.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which officially ended Oct. 15, officials gathered at the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden to announce that the academy’s first “class” would be made up entirely of students of Hispanic origin. The 24 juniors and seniors, all picked for their academic records and interest in transportation-related fields, were recommended by their high school counselors in cities across the state, including Camden. The first class will end in May 2004.
The students will be paired with agency workers – from mechanics and engineers to public-relations staff – in a mentoring program. The program also will offer field trips, including one to visit members of Congress and the chief of the Federal Transit Administration in Washington.