Shelly Cox

EDUC 650
8.35 A B or D Community Resources

The Wheeling community provides many types of resources for the students at Wheeling Park High
School. These partnerships range from addiction recovery to foster care for area youth. The school
counselors work very closely with the students and serve as a contact between the outreach programs and
our students. These services are also suggested when applicable during meetings and shared with students
and their parents.

This a list of current services that are provided for students at Wheeling Park High School: Youth
Services System, Regional Youth Intervention Specialists, House of the Carpenter, Harmony House
Children’s Advocacy Center, Job Corps, Young People in Recovery, West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation
Services, Northwood Health Services, Robert C. Byrd Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health Center,
Wellspring Family Services, Mountaineer Challenge Academy, YWCA, Crittenton Services, Work Force WV
Job Service, Laughlin Memorial Chapel, Children’s Home of Wheeling, Pressley Ridge, and St. John’s Home
of Wheeling.

Wheeling Park High School currently has twelve partners in education. These partners have the
potential to provide may opportunities for our students. The partners in education are: Orrick, Harrington,
and Sutcliffe, Wheeling Hospital, Wheeling YWCA, WTOV-9, WTRF-7, Wheeling Human Rights Commission,
Cabela’s, Wheeling Jesuit University, Howard Long Wellness Center, Wheeling Park Commission,
MedExpress, and the Wheeling Nailers.

Many of these businesses have been partners with Wheeling Park since the 1990s. No new
partnerships have been created since 2010. The partnerships could use some sprucing up. There are
numerous benefits that many are not aware of or taking advantage of. Majority of our staff and students
likely couldn’t name even three of our partners in education. This partnership is something that needs
restructured. While financial support for various programs would be beneficial, I realize this isn’t always
possible. Perhaps our students could instead shadow or internship at one of businesses. We need to work
together to get the students involved with these partners, whether through employment, activities,
memberships, or through incentives. The school should also be actively seeking new partnerships. There
are many new businesses in the area that would be able to provide benefits for our staff and students. A
major retail venue was not even constructed the last time a partner in education was added. Likeliness is ,
many of these businesses would probably be willing to join forces with our school to provided benefits and
enhance the education of students in our community. With the oil and gas industry coming to our area
within the past few years, chances are many of those companies would be willing to partner as well to
recruit future employees and donate to our school, as many of their employees children attend our
schools.