Feel Good Friday - Winning Futures

Happy New Year! January  is National Mentoring Month, making it the perfect time to spotlight Winning Futures and their transformative approach to helping students plan their futures.

Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the mission of Winning Futures is "to be an exemplary business-education partnership that inspires and prepares young people to be self-reliant and successful through workforce preparation, life skills, strategic planning, mentoring, and scholarship programs.” 

Winning Futures runs a unique seven-year Workforce Prep Mentoring Program that starts when students are in 10th grade and continues through four years of college, trade school, or other continuing education. Each student is paired with a volunteer career mentor from the business community who attends monthly sessions at participating schools across Metro Detroit—including Detroit, Harper Woods, Warren, Sterling Heights, Hazel Park, and Pontiac. This video explains more about what mentors do and the impact they have.

The program covers everything from career exploration and goal setting to financial literacy, emotional intelligence, and strategic planning. Students learn to create five-year academic and career plans, develop resumes, practice interviewing, and build the life skills they need to thrive. That means tackling topics like time management, overcoming obstacles, networking, and coping with stress—all the real-world skills that don't always get taught in traditional classrooms.

Winning Futures has had a big impact in the community. Since they began, they’ve worked with more than 50,500 students and awarded over $2.2 million in scholarships! In the 2024-25 school year alone, 98% of their seniors graduated from high school, and 92% of Year 3 students reported being more prepared to persevere through challenges. A University of Michigan study found that the program has a statistically significant and equitable impact across all races, income levels, and genders.

Winning Futures is the first and only mentoring program in Michigan to earn the National Quality Member designation from MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership—a testament to their commitment to excellence.

If you'd like to support Winning Futures, there are many ways to do so. You can volunteer as a career mentor or help with scholarship judging, make a donation and amplify their message on social media. Follow Winning Futures on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, or subscribe to their YouTube channel, and share their stories of student success with your network.