The 12 for Life program serves the community by providing opportunity, education and employment for at-risk youth, emphasizing that education opens doors to success. The 12 for Life program combines traditional classroom instruction with jobs inside a modified Southwire manufacturing environment. Students earn wages for their work and, most importantly, learn skills they will need after graduation. Since the program’s inception, our partnership expanded to include the Florence Schools in Alabama, and other companies have replicated the 12 for Life program model. For example, Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc. collaborated with the Richmond County School System on the Reaching Potential Through Manufacturing (RPM) program. The state of Georgia and the White House also adopted 12 for Life as a model for increasing graduation rates.
12 for Life students are evaluated in three areas of their work experience to achieve their WBL grade. The three areas that are evaluated are weekly worked hours, CTAE Job Training Plan, and work behavior. Weekly worked hours account for 60%, CTAE Job Training Plan accounts for 20%, and work behavior accounts for 20% of the final nine weeks grade. Below, you can see several of our Carrollton High School students that participate in the 12 for Life Program.