Ritz Carlton Participates in Beyond School Walls Program

Through the generosity of Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and their leveraged grant, Big Brothers Big Sisters has launched five Beyond School Walls programs locally. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast and The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota recently launched the Beyond School Walls program in partnership with Booker High School that will help students gain a special learning experience outside the classroom.

The workplace mentoring program, called Beyond School Walls, allows high school students to interact with mentors in a business setting. Students experience what it means to work for a corporation, develop employment skills, learn business etiquette, and identify educational requirements for professional success. The program is designed to introduce local youth to the variety of career opportunities that The Ritz-Carlton has to offer. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast has matched students from Booker High School with Ritz-Carlton staff members. Students work with their mentor to craft a plan for the future that includes what is necessary to meet their career goals.

“Beyond School Walls matches at-risk students with professionals at partnering businesses, who will host their “Littles” on a regular basis at their workplace. For the students, opportunity abounds. Foremost, they gain an adult coach, confidante and friend at a critical point in their lives—the heart of any Big Brothers Big Sisters program. But they will also be exposed to diverse career options in a dynamically growing field,” said Dr. Mark Pritchett, President and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. “And they’ll experience what it means to work for a large business, including the elusive but vital “soft skills” that employers bemoan as missing from newer workers—think punctuality, professional dress and communication.”

“Through a collaborative partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation, we have extended the education of our youths beyond their school, to local corporations,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters President and CEO Joy Mahler. Gulf Coast Community Foundation transforms our region through their initiatives, allowing us to impact the lives of our youth. “We are also grateful for our relationship with The Ritz-Carlton. We invite other local businesses to take their lead and provide this workplace mentoring opportunity for their employees.”  

“Through a collaborative partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation, we have extended the education of our youths beyond their school, to local corporations,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters President and CEO Joy Mahler. Gulf Coast Community Foundation transforms our region through their initiatives, allowing us to impact the lives of our youth. “We are also grateful for our relationship with The Ritz-Carlton. We invite other local businesses to take their lead and provide this workplace mentoring opportunity for their employees.”