NASHUA - Gov. John Lynch announced today that the MY TURN (America's Youth Teenage Unemployment Reduction Network) programs at Nashua High School North and Nashua High School South will receive $331,650 in grants from the Workforce Opportunity Council and the NH Department of Education to help prepare Nashua area youth to compete in the workforce and encourage them to stay in school.

"The demands of a changing economy require a highly skilled and educated workforce. Most new jobs require a college education. The first step in making sure New Hampshire has a strong economic future, and that our children have the bright future that they deserve, is encouraging more students to graduate from high school and giving them the preparation they need to compete in the workforce," Gov. Lynch said.

"Supporting innovative, community-based programs is key to reaching that goal," Gov. Lynch said.

The two-year grants from the NH Department of Education will go to support MY TURN, Inc. programs at both Nashua High Schools. MY TURN Inc. will receive a $166,182 grant for the Nashua High School North program and a $165,468 grant for the program at Nashua High South.

MY TURN, Inc. provides case management, career guidance, employment skills assistance and job placement to at-risk youth. MY TURN works with schools across Massachusetts and in Nashua and Manchester, New Hampshire. The Nashua programs help young people ages 14-21 to identify and develop their skills, goals and self-confidence through career exploration, employment training and post-secondary planning. Nashua North ran a program with 19 students over the summer and will be working with 35 student participants this fall. The Nashua South program will aid an additional 35 students this fall and also worked with 9 students over the summer.

For more information on MY TURN, Inc., contact: Jill Conlon, 508-580-2659.

The U.S. Department of Labor funds the Workforce Opportunity Council grants. The workforce Opportunity Council contracts with the NH Department of Education for the Statewide contracting of WIA youth funded programming, technical assistance and oversight of these programs.