May 12, 2022-- Project SPEAR-IT (South’s Pre-Vocational Educational Alternatives Resource Institute) was founded as a result of the Youth Career Pathways grant from the United Way of Monmouth and Ocean Counties (UWMOC), and has been hosted at High School South since 2019. However, since that time, thanks to a global pandemic, High School South and its funding partner have not been able to properly celebrate the program. That changed today.

What was originally scripted as a "grand-opening" event became a celebration and acknowledgement of a super-successful program now completing its third year. The CTE course-- led by teacher Tim O'Leary, and which teaches students hands-on skills from carpentry to electrical work to plumbing-- has received much attention of late, most notably through a documentary produced by Colossus Media Group, and today's event was a welcome, in-person culmination of that well-deserved attention.

"This program has been remarkable for this school, our district, and of course of our students," said Superintendent Mike Citta as the event kicked off. "We have the United Way of Monmouth and Ocean Counties to thank for that. You have funded this program from the start-- everything, from soup to nuts. Thank you."

This year's Project SPEAR-IT students' capstone project was building nine lifeguard stands for Ortley Beach, a mutually-beneficial arrangement initiated by Toms River Township, which contributed funding for all of the supplies while O'Leary guided his students throughout the building process. Those lifeguard stands lined the back of HSS's baseball field, and the highlight of the event was when UWMOC representatives watched students affix their branded nameplates to the stands.

The event began with a tour of the space for UWMOC leaders, board members, and volunteers, although several of those reps enjoyed a sneak peek of the space back in March. Then, everyone gathered on the field, where Superintendent Citta (who helped implement the program originally as HSS principal), UWMOC President and CEO Lori-Ann McLane, and UWMOC Community Impact Committee Chairperson Tom Hayes spoke about what the program has meant to students and the community. In attendance were district administrators, board members, HSS staff and, of course, SPEAR-IT students, who donned new sweatshirts branded with the program's logo.

The program has become the signature CTE program within the district, and helped kickstart Toms River Regional Schools' pursuit of federal Perkins CTE funding and a multi-year state grant introducing intermediate students to CTE pathways. Several years of funding from UWMOC totaling $60k have helped the program secure the tools, equipment, and supplies it needs to sustain itself-- in addition to individual donations from the township, Lowe's, and Central Ocean Rotary-- and the district is hoping to achieve ultimate sustainability for SPEAR-IT by having it approved as a three-course sequence, and expanding it to another building.

However the program advances in the future, today served as a proper recognition of its remarkable progress thus far. Dozens of High School South students since 2019 have developed new or improved existing trade skills; many, through the program, have come to the realization that the CTE pathway is their calling; and some have already, or have plans to graduate to Ocean County Vocational and Technical School. Something worth celebrating, indeed.