June 2025 - Marcella Cordrey, Madison Nicholson, and Shari Macario-De Leon, all North Caroline High School rising seniors, and Carlens Jean Baptiste, a rising senior at Colonel Richardson High School, all signed Apprenticeship contracts with the Residence at Eden Green in Denton.
Marcella, Madison, and Shari are all Academy of Health Professions students at Caroline Career & Technology Center (CCTC) and Chesapeake College, and will be CNA/CGA apprentices with the employer. Carlens is also at CCTC in the Advanced Manufacturing Program, and will follow with training from Penn Foster. He will be a Building Maintenance apprentice.
To finalize the apprenticeship agreement, a signing ceremony was held at Eden Green with all students and their families, and Eden Green Business Officer Director Jamie Delp, Executive Director Johanna Miller, Assisted Living Manager Krystal Foster, and Chesapeake Caregivers Management CEO Andrew Teeters. In attendance from CCPS were Superintendent Derek L. Simmons, Colonel Richardson High School Principal Jared Sherman, North Caroline Principal Matthew Spiker, and Coordinator of Career Readiness Eric Cook, and interpreters Carmen Vasquez and Gelard Merilus. In addition, Maryland Department of Labor Apprenticeship Navigator Jacqueline Trieu, Caroline Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tracey Snyder, and Caroline Economic Development Director Bob Zimmeroff attended.
Mr. Cook explained the process which began with Eden Green staff speaking with a group of 75 students about the opportunity. As a result, 24 students signed up for a site visit and tour of the facility, and subsequently all applied for apprenticeships. The Eden Green team conducted interviews at CCTC which resulted in four students being hired. Mr. Cook said, “They truly recognized the power of Apprenticeship and investing in students' potential early as opposed to investing in their training later.”
“We are very focused on serving the community and not just our residents,” Mr. Teeter said. “The first step to serving your community is finding great team members who have a “heart for service” and we saw that in (all of) you.”
For rising juniors or seniors who are interested in youth apprenticeship, or for general information about the Youth Apprenticeship Program, visit the CCPS Youth Apprenticeship page. Local businesses interested in partnering to develop their future workforce should contact Eric Cook, cook.eric@ccpsstaff.org.
All event photos may be viewed on the Caroline Flickr page.