Heartwarming story arrived as a press release today.

SACRAMENTO -- Teacher's Assistant Desirae Zine Starts out as a Bystander in Transitional Skills Training Class, and Learns Essential Skills for College and Career

When Will C. Woods High School Business Department teacher Dr. Edward Murphy won a Teacher of the Year Award from Wal-Mart in 2005, he didn't spend his prize money on a vacation or a new, big-screen TV. He invested the money in his students by purchasing The Job Journey transitional skills training program.

Dr. Murphy taught The Job Journey as part of his business class curriculum. Dr. Murphy's teacher's aide for the class was Desirae Zine, a senior and star golfer at Woods High School.

On Zine's first day in the class, Barbara Dwyer, CEO and creator of The Job Journey, was guest teaching. Dwyer called on Zine for an interactive role-play. Zine participated, but felt unprepared if called on in future classes. As teacher's aide, Zine was not required to complete the coursework, but she studied the materials and completed the worksheets as homework.

Along with completing The Job Journey coursework, Zine practiced the skills she learned in class, including goal-setting, communication, leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork, all necessary to succeed in interviews and on the job. Zine also identified her strengths and her interests and defined her college and career path.

When offered a golf scholarship, Zine turned it down, stating that she didn't want to fall behind academically because of golf. Instead, she applied for academic scholarships through the Vacaville Rotary and the Boosters Clubs through her school's career center.

On May 18, 2006, Desirae Zine was awarded the William J. Carroll Memorial Scholarship by the Vacaville Rotary. On May 24, Desirae Zine was also awarded the Rachel Davis Memorial Scholarship at the senior scholarship awards ceremony at Woods High School. She credits The Job Journey with her readiness for the application and interview process. "I felt prepared because of what I had practiced in The Job Journey," recalls Zine.

After her graduation from high school in June, Desirae Zine will be the first member of her family to attend college. She plans to attend Sacramento State University and study business and criminal justice or forensic science.

"Too many students of this generation are leaving school alarmingly unprepared to begin their lives as young adults," says Ms. Dwyer. "Schools and businesses are beginning to wake up to this fact. Schools such as Will C. Woods High School are moving forward by offering soft skills training to their students, giving these young people a chance to learn essential advanced communication skills, to set goals and achieve them, and to be remarkably successful and competitive in the workplace."

About Vacaville Rotary
Chartered in 1944, the Rotary Club of Vacaville has nearly 120 members. While many Rotarians are in business, the club does not exist to promote trade between its members. Rotary's motto is "Service above self." Our club is part of the world's largest service organization, Rotary International, which supports 1.2 million members in 168 countries, on every continent. Rotary is a truly diverse organization, having admitted women since the 1980's. The club actively seeks members from varied cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

The Job Journey (www.TheJobJourney.org) is a Sacramento, California-based organization that helps prepare students to transition into the world of work. The intense and highly interactive career preparation program is offered as a turnkey solution for schools and youth service programs, or as an independent-study package of DVDs with accompanying study materials. The Job Journey is produced by a uniquely qualified and highly motivated team of human relations, communications, and education professionals with a diverse and comprehensive skill set and a passion for their audience. "Changing a generation by turning young adults into young professionals."

Gillian Parrillo
The Sacramento Executive