Westwood High School Students Gain Access to Free Google Certifications
The Westwood community in Memphis, Tennessee is celebrating a major milestone with the launch of the Grow with Google Scholarship program at Westwood High School. This partnership between Google and the Karen Hearts Foundation has provided access to the virtual CCTE (Career Certification Training and Education) program for 100 seniors and advanced juniors.
The program offers free, direct access to high-demand certifications in IT Support, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, and Project Management. These certifications would typically cost thousands of dollars at community colleges. Dr. Trenton Watson, Principal at Westwood High School, emphasized the importance of these resources, stating 'These resources and these scholarships are made available to our students so that they can get opportunities with Google to make some money, some real-time investment in their lives, and to really grow them as individuals.'
The Karen Hearts Foundation is a nonprofit organization that empowers individuals in underserved communities through employment and education opportunities. They named the program after Karen Denise Wright, the late mother of their Executive Director and President. The foundation plans to expand this partnership to other schools within the MSCS district.