The City of Tallahassee’s nationally recognized youth program, Tallahassee Engaged in Meaningful Productivity for Opportunity (TEMPO), will graduate 158 formerly at-risk students on June 27 at the Old West Enrichment Center. Among them are 89 General Education Diploma participants. They comprise the seventh cohort and largest number of GED recipients since it began in 2017 with 12 students.
In addition, 69 students will receive technical certificates from Lively Technical College, Tallahassee Community College and Florida Health Science Consulting, in such fields as welding, commercial driving, Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) and clinical assistant.
TEMPO is a public safety outreach initiative that identifies, engages and reconnects disconnected or at-risk youth to educational and employment opportunities. By tapping them into this network, TEMPO has been described by past participants as “a lifeline.”
“The City of Tallahassee’s TEMPO program makes us proud,” Mayor John E. Dailey said. “It has a proven track record over the years, successfully engaging more than 3,000 youth in educational and vocational pursuits.”
TEMPO’s target demographic – youth ages 16-24 who are out of work and out of school – represent, according to data, Tallahassee’s largest potential gun violence victims and offenders. The program offers guidance and a pathway toward a positive, prosperous future.
Infiniti Wesley, a current participant, will receive her GED this month. She started TEMPO several years ago and left before completing the program for personal reasons. “I didn’t think I would ever finish school,” Wesley said, “but my daughter was my push to get it done this time. I would like to thank TEMPO, my daughter and my significant other for supporting me.” For her next goal, she’d like to pursue a career in health care.
“Since its inception seven years ago, TEMPO has reached annual milestones, and this year is no different,” Mayor Pro Tem Curtis Richardson said. “We have achieved another 100-plus cohort class of graduates for a program that not only changes but saves lives, and I’m proudly looking forward to this year’s graduation ceremony.”
For more information about the City’s TEMPO program and how it offers viable alternatives by providing paths to economic opportunity for area youth, visit Talgov.com/TEMPO or call 850-891-8722.
