Wait, what’s a Metallica Scholar? $75,000 awarded to Delaware Tech: Education roundup

Smells like teen spirit.

Wait wrong band. From teen support* to hard rock, Delaware outfits are landing new grants to support students.

TeenSHARP, the nonprofit based in downtown Wilmington, just landed new funding from WSFS Bank’s foundation. Delaware Tech just clinched a spot within the Metallica Scholars Initiative, further fueling support for workforce development. Yes, that Metallica.

In this weekly roundup, we’ll catch you up on these and other education updates you may have missed.

[Did we miss another good education story? Tell me about it: kepowers@gannett.com.]

TeenSHARP lands $300,000 grant to support Delaware students

One bank’s charitable arm just announced grants this summer.

The WSFS CARES Foundation selected two organizations in Delaware, totaling $500,000 in giving this quarter. One such organization is TeenSHARP, a national nonprofit based in Wilmington.

The program will receive $300,000 to continue providing high school students “assistance as they move to and through college, helping them navigate their professional careers to build leadership and decision-making skills, financial stability and independence,” WSFS Bank wrote in a July 15 announcement.

The bank’s foundation has long supported the program aimed at helping Black, Latino and lower-income students reach top schools – watching the program grow from just 10 students, to about 400. Founded in 2009, TeenSHARP supports such students through “intense academic preparation, support and advising,” according to its website, with various virtual programs available.

“The WSFS CARES Foundation continues to show up as a strong supporter of TeenSHARP for more than four years of our 15+ year run of opening the doors to opportunity and dynamic leadership for Black, Latino and low-income students across the Delaware Valley,” said Tamara Fentress, chief of staff at TeenSHARP, in a statement.

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Delaware Technical Community College joins Metallica Scholars initiative

Delaware Technical Community College just joined a new program connected to a famous rock band.

That’s the Metallica Scholars Initiative, and DelTech is one of 18 new colleges joining its ranks. The initiative was created by All Within My Hands, a non-profit created by both members and management of Metallica. Each school receives $75,000 to enhance workforce training programs, impacting some 8,000 students.

“When we launched the Metallica Scholars Initiative, it really spoke to me,” said James “Papa Het” Hetfield, Metallica guitarist and lead singer, in a press release. “A collective goal of breaking the stigma of trade skills. Trade skills are vital to society, and what’s even more important is to support the many folks who are trying to create a career by learning and using these skills. I am so proud — we all are — to see how this program is changing lives.”

The initiative offers workforce opportunities for students interested in gaining skills and training to find “meaningful and well-paying careers.” To date, All Within My Hands has invested more than $10.5 million in the workforce, according to the release.

“This generous funding will help us deliver on our mission of responding to the needs of Delaware’s employers through workforce training programs for our state’s high-demand jobs,” Delaware Tech President Mark T. Brainard said in a statement.

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ICYMI: Lawmaker calls for ‘comprehensive audit’ in Delaware child counselor hiring after failures

State Sen. Brian Pettyjohn called on the Department of Education to conduct a “comprehensive audit” of the credential verification process for child counselors in public schools. It comes in the wake of one Brandywine School District employee arrested this month on rape charges, amid previous allegations of sexual misconduct, as previously reported.

That school therapist, John Arnold, used a “bogus degree” to land his position, Delaware Online/The News Journal has learned.

In addition, according to interviews and documents obtained by Delaware Online/The News Journal, a parent and employees at Nemours Children’s Hospital raised concerns to district officials months before his arrest.

Such issues centered on Arnold’s qualifications – recently determined to have been fabricated – his treatment of a 6-year-old child in his program who was under Nemours’ care, his history of practicing without a license and his behavior toward staff. The concerns were first raised in April and reiterated in early May, as previously reported.

The Republican senator made a formal request to Secretary of Education Mark Holodick, according to the caucus’ communications team, to conduct the audit.

“As a State Senator and a member of the Education Committee, I am deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of our children,” Sen. Pettyjohn said in a press release. “The reported case highlights a significant oversight in the credential verification process, which not only endangers our children but also erodes public trust in our education and child welfare systems.”

Police told Delaware Online/The News Journal there is no current indication that Arnold, who was recently working at Lombardy Elementary School, victimized his students.

He’s accused of assaulting a 5-year-old girl, with claims dating back to 2022, according to court documents.

Delaware schools: Nemours raised concerns months before arrest of Brandywine school therapist

Got a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online/The News Journal and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on X @kpowers01.