Progress Magazine Article-April 2020 Issue

"Establishing Partnerships to Help Build a Better Future"
Our schools have a tough task ahead of them: To educate our future workforce as well as to find the funding to provide stellar opportunities that enrich their growing minds. Should they figure it out all on their own? We don’t believe so.
At Stanislaus Partners in Education we believe that in conjunction with local businesses, non-profits, and community organizations, we can build a village to uplift our educators and ultimately the future workforce. To that end, we are elated to share a SPIE Business Champion story with you.
In the beginning of the school year, we met with Principal Lori Jonas from Hanshaw Middle School in Modesto. She shared with us that they have a new “Life Skills” elective. Students in this class learn a range of skills that will lead them into adulthood and potential careers with greater success. The students shared with their instructor that they were interested in working in the restaurant business. Lori Jonas asked SPIE to help build a partnership with a local chef who would be interested in hosting the Life Skills class, giving them a tour of the kitchen, teaching them some techniques, and sharing their journey into the restaurant business. Finding an individual like that who would be willing to give up so much time out of their busy life seemed impossible. But that’s where SPIE Business Champion Tye Bauer enters the picture.
Tye Bauer boasts a hefty resume with decades in the restaurant business. Tye currently owns and operates three restaurants—66 ½ Skillet & Grill in the McHenry Village; Bauhaus Tapas Lounge on Downey Avenue; and his latest adventure, Bauer’s Downtown Gastropub. Tye’s 66 ½ restaurant was featured on the popular Food Network TV Show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives hosted by celebrity chef Guy Fieri. Tye also participated on Fieri’s show Guy’s Grocery Games. When approached with the partnership possibility, he did not hesitate. Tye jumped on the idea and recently opened up his Downtown Gastropub to 20 Hanshaw Middle School students.
During their field trip, they learned about the history of spices, what spices pair well with different proteins. They learned how to steam asparagus and grill salmon. Tye and his staff graciously provided a hot meal for each student and teacher. Some students had never tried asparagus before. The overall takeaway for these students was not just that they had a fun field trip. They learned what was possible with passion and hard work. They learned that sometimes they can walk into the Gastropub and say hello to Tye by name, shake his hand, and strike up a conversation without fear. This is what building partnerships, community, and our future workforce is all about.
Many of our students, upon graduating, are leaving the county because they don’t have enough awareness about what jobs are available in the fields they want to work in. At SPIE, our goal is to work together—with schools and businesses—to give students hands-on opportunities and experiences that may change their lives for the better.
If you would like to join the ranks and become a SPIE Business Champion, please get in touch with SPIE Partnership Consultant Ruhi Sheikh at ruhi.spie@gmail.com, (209) 402-3099.  We would love to partner with you!