Courtyard by Marriott Partners with National Academy Foundation to Launch Success for Youth Program

BETHESDA, Md., March 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Courtyard by Marriott is excited to announce a national partnership with National Academy Foundation (NAF) launching its Success for Youth program that activates its commitment made to the Clinton Global Initiative, that promises to provide 30,000 volunteer hours and engage with 10,000 students in three years.  The announcement was made this week at the Courtyard by Marriott bi-annual General Managers Conference, in Washington, D.C.  where over 200 NAF students conducted informational interviews with 800 general managers who were in attendance.  The Success for Youth program will engage Courtyard hotels across the country with NAF students through a series of work-based learning activities. This partnership presents tremendous opportunities for NAF students to receive hands-on experience and mentorship from leaders in the hospitality industry.

The program has been piloted with six NAF academies in Washington, DC, Charlotte, NC and Seattle, Washington, and included worksite tours and job shadowing. This partnership has the potential to expand to over 500 NAF academies and nearly 900 Courtyard properties.

"Marriott has been invested in NAF since its inception over 30 years ago and this Courtyard partnership allows us to deepen the relationship and expand our interaction with the students," said Callette Nielsen, vice president and global brand manager for Courtyard.  "Enabling youth success is Courtyard's social responsibility platform and NAF's ability to innovate and deliver high quality experiences to thousands of young people makes them a perfect partner.  We are excited at this opportunity to help shape the future workforce through this partnership."

"NAF relies on corporate partners to drive our work-based learning practice.  Through work-based learning, students in NAF academies are able to make real-world connections between the classroom and the workforce.  Through this initiative, Courtyard by Marriott is delivering on the promise of providing more work-based learning opportunities to more students on a grand scale," said Rich Tulikangas, Director of Work-Based Learning for the National Academy Foundation.

NAF academies have been matched with nearby Courtyard by Marriott hotels across the country. Following the Success for Youth launch, students will engage with Courtyard employees through worksite tours, as guest speakers in the classroom, and will conduct informational and mock interviews and job shadowing at the hotels.

About Courtyard by Marriott

Courtyard by Marriott offers a refreshing environment that helps guests stay connected, productive and balanced. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests' needs for choice and control. With 1,000 locations in 38 countries and territories, Courtyard hotels participate in the award-winning Marriott Rewards® frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information or reservations, call the Courtyard toll-free number at 800-321-2211, visit courtyard. com, or engage with us on facebook.com/courtyard, twitter.com/courtyardhotels or instagram/courtyardhotels.

About The National Academy Foundation (NAF)

The National Academy Foundation (NAF) is an acclaimed network of career-themed academies that open doors for underserved high school students to viable careers. For more than 30 years, NAF has refined a proven model that provides young people access to industry-specific curricula, work-based learning experiences, and relationships with business professionals.  NAF academies focus on one of five career themes: finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences. Over 5,000 business professionals volunteer in classrooms, act as mentors, engage NAF students in paid internships, and serve on local advisory boards. During the 2014-15 school year nearly 82,000 students attended 667 NAF academies across 38 states, including D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2014, NAF academies reported 97% of seniors graduated.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141006/150429

SOURCE Courtyard by Marriott