What We Do:

Taking a student-centered approach, we add capacity to help provide learning opportunities that focus on career exposure, exploration, and experience, and the development of future-ready skills. To do this:

• Each school and teacher has the latitude to develop activities that work best for their students, staff, and families.

• We learn from students and teachers about existing opportunities and how we can enhance those to help incorporate authentic career education into existing curriculum.

• We provide additional human, financial, and community resources to design extended learning opportunities meaningful to teachers, their students, and our communities. 

• We share JMG, MELMAC, and other Aspire initiatives’ best practices to create learning communities to elevate all.

• We collaborate and celebrate the amazing work to amplify and expand opportunities to more students, teachers, and community partners.

Three Main Strategies:

1. Increase and encourage career and college aspirations of ALL students in grades pre-k through twelfth and beyond by fostering children's aspirational strengths and interests with ongoing exposure to and engagement with community partners.

2. Deepen and strengthen connections with business and nonprofit communities located within the school district to increase student access to and participation in authentic real-world learning experiences at all grade levels.

3. Enhance existing and develop new relationships with postsecondary training institutions to increase student access to and participation in post-secondary training experiences while still in the K-12 system. Partnerships include community colleges, universities, and recognized training providers that lead to a credential of value.