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.

Feel Good Friday - My Block, My Hood, My City

After watching the documentary film A Tiny Ripple of Hope in the Slamdance Film Festival this week, I was inspired to share the story of this organization in today’s Feel Good Friday.

The movie profiles Jahmal Cole, founder and CEO of My Block, My Hood, My City (MBMHMC), also known as M3. He created M3 in 2015 with a mission “to help teenagers overcome the poverty and isolation they face, boosting educational attainment and opening them to opportunities that make a difference in their lives.”

Chicago is the most racially segregated city in the United States and many young people don’t travel outside of their neighborhoods. M3 found that taking educational trips makes students more likely to be academically and financially successful, it influences their career choices and it increases their curiosity both in and outside the classroom. 

For these reasons, the main focus of M3 is the Explorer’s Program. Youth from under-resourced neighborhoods in Chicago are taken on trips around the city to explore new communities, cultures, and cuisines in an effort to gain a greater understanding of their city and to expand their vision of what is possible. Participating teenagers get access to 8 Explorations, which include food and transportation, as well as MBMHMC gear and access to internship opportunities with corporate hosts. In the 2019-2020 school year, My Block, My City, My Hood served 150 high school students!

 

Other direct-action programs run by M3 include a small business relief fund, services for seniors, block club training and a volunteer crew that shovels snow for seniors and people with disabilities.

 

If you’d like to support My Block, My Hood, My City in their efforts to help students in Chicago “Explore. Experience. Evolve.”, there are several ways to do so. Make a donation to the general fund or to the “I Gotchu” Scholarship Fund which supports Explorer alumni in post-secondary initiatives such as college or trade school. You can also shop for shirts, hats and masks and amplify their message by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @mbmhmc.

Feel Good Friday - College Track

Last week's Feel Good Friday blog focused on high school graduation. This week, we take the College Track.

Founded in 1997, College Track "is a unique, comprehensive 10-year college completion program that empowers students from underserved communities to graduate from college". They started with a group of 27 students in East Palo Alto, California and now have over 3,000 students around the country on the path to college graduation and beyond.

The mission of College Track is "to remove the academic, financial, and social-emotional barriers that prevent low-income and first-generation students from earning their college degree." They start working with students in 9th grade and stay with them through high school, college and post-graduation.

During their high school years, students attend one of the 12 College Track centers and participate in programs focused on academic affairs such as tutoring and SAT prep, student life engagement in service projects and wellness programs, and college completion where they are advised on filling out college applications and applying for financial aid.

While in college, students work with an advisor on academic and financial issues, and on building social-emotional skills. Students also participate in corporate residency programs, mentorships and internships. Post-graduation, College Track helps connect students with the resources they need to further their careers.

So, does it work? Yes! 79% of students are employed within 6 months of graduation and 95% have a job with employer-provided benefits. 75% borrow less than $30,000 in loans and the median salary for graduates age 25-34 is $62,500.

If you know a student who would benefit from this program, have them apply at this link. If you'd like to support all the students in College Track you can volunteer, donate, and spread the word on social media by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @collegetrack.

Feel Good Friday - #GraduateTogether

Another Feel Good Friday sheltering in place means coming up with more creative ways to share experiences that usually happen in person. #GraduateTogether is reimagining, you guessed it, graduation.

#GraduateTogether is a national, virtual ceremony honoring the 3 million students graduating from high school this year. As explained on the website, "Artists, athletes, musicians, commencement speakers, influencers, and cultural icons will show their support with performances and messages featuring students, teachers and their families from coast to coast."

It airs tomorrow, May 16th at 8pm ET/PT and 7pm CT/MT, on major broadcast channels and all your favorite social media platforms. But don't just watch, participate! There are options for you to get involved whether you're a student, teacher or family member. Submit a photo, a speech, a tweet, a note of appreciation or tell the world what the class of 2020 taught you. All entries are welcome.

If you want to plan a graduation ceremony in addition to tomorrow's celebration, there's also a toolkit full of ideas, resources and guidance on logistics. Download it here.

This program is brought to you by the Entertainment Industry Foundation (helping members of the entertainment industry find philanthropic opportunities), The LeBron James Family Foundation (investing in education for kids in Akron, Ohio) and the XQ Institute (rethinking the high school experience).

If you've got a graduate in the family, or you want to share in the excitement of graduation, be sure to tune in tomorrow. Help spread the word by liking the XQ Facebook page, following the event on Twitter @GradTogether and tagging all your posts with #GraduateTogether when you Tweet up a storm or submit your #GradWalkTikTokChallenge video. Congratulations!

Feel Good Friday - Fridays for Future Global Climate Strike

The Feel Good Friday blog has always been a friend of the environment which is why we're focusing today's post on Fridays For Future and the Global Climate Strike.

If you've been following the news you know that today people in 150 countries will join student activists in a climate strike to demand an end to the age of fossil fuels. You can read about activities and find a local march here.

These marches are organized by the student-led movement, Fridays For Future, which began "in August 2018, after 15 year old Greta Thunberg sat in front of the Swedish parliament every schoolday for three weeks, to protest against the lack of action on the climate crisis." Her actions went viral on social media and she decided to continue striking every Friday until the Swedish policies meet the standards in the Paris agreement.

Students across the world were inspired by Greta's actions. They used the hashtags #FridaysForFuture and #Climatestrike to spread her call to action and now they are walking out of school to bring attention to the issue of climate change. If you need more inspiration, you can watch this interview of Greta Thunberg on the Daily Show. She takes passion and commitment to the next level.

When you're ready to organize your own strike, you can find all the resources you need here. If you want to join a strike today, you can use this map to find one near you. Be sure to tag all your social media with #FridaysForFuture and #Climatestrike and stay current with future events by liking the Fridays For Future Facebook page and following them on Twitter @Fridays4future.

Feel Good Friday - unCommon Construction

I learned about today's Feel Good Friday organization from a tour guide I had in New Orleans. For every 5-star review he receives, his boss makes a donation to the charity of his choice, unCommon Construction.

Founded in 2015 by Aaron Frumin, the motto of unCommon Construction is "Building houses. Framing character."

This non-profit provides high school students with apprenticeships in the construction industry. Every Saturday students from four schools in New Orleans meet with experienced volunteers on a construction site to build a house from start to finish. The project is over at the end of the semester when the house is complete. While working, students get both hourly pay and school internship credit. Students also earn a matching "equity award scholarship" from revenue generated from the sale of the house. This can be used for further education, industry certification or tools.

This 4-minute video gives a great overview of the program and shows interviews with students on the worksite.

Not only are students who participate in the program earning money, credit and learning a trade, they also develop leadership and other soft skills through the process of working with the volunteers and other students.

If you'd like to support the work of unCommon Construction, you've got options. Those of you who live in New Orleans can hire them for a project or volunteer on a build. No matter where you are, you can shop for swag, make a donation and show the social media love by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @uCCNOLA.

Feel Good Friday - Year Up

Today's Feel Good Friday is all about an organization called Year Up. Why? Because on Monday, an intern from Year Up will be coming to work in my office!

Year Up, was founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 2000. It's an organization whose slogan is "closing the opportunity divide". And just what is that divide? As explained on the front page of their website, "6 million young adults are disconnected from stable career pathways" and "12 million jobs requiring post-secondary education will go unfilled in the next decade."

"Year Up's mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education." In a single year.

They do this through a mix of training. Six months of technical and professional skills training taught in the classroom followed by a six month internship with one of Year Up's corporate partners. Throughout the program, students earn college credit, receive a weekly stipend and get the support of staff advisors, professional mentors and a dedicated social services staff. You can learn more by watching this video.

Results are dramatic. Of the 14,000 young adults who have been through the program since it's inception, "85% of graduates are employed or enrolled in postsecondary education within four months of completing the program" and "over 90% of corporate partners would recommend the Year Up program to a friend or colleague."

There are locations throughout the US, including Year Up Bay Area, and many ways for you to get involved. Share this information with a student you know, become a mentor, or make a donation.

I'm looking forward to meeting our Year Up intern on Monday and to staying in the loop with the program by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @YearUp and @YearUpBayArea.

Feel Good Friday - Junior State of America

With the current U.S. presidential election season being so crazy interesting, how in the world do we convince young people to get involved in politics? Feel Good Friday knows how... the Junior State of America!

What is JSA all about? As stated on their website, "the mission of the Junior State of America and the Junior Statesmen Foundation (JSA) is to strengthen American democracy by educating and preparing high school students for life-long involvement and responsible leadership in a democratic society."

They do that with civics education and leadership programs for high school students. What began in 1934 at the Montezuma Mountain School for Boys in the Santa Cruz Mountains, has become a national organization with chapters all across the country and 500,000 alumni!

During the school year, students organize all aspects of this school-sponsored extracurricular club. That includes planning and executing political-awareness events, conventions and conferences at the local, state and national levels.

When the school year ends, there are a variety of pre-college summer programs for high school students. Activities include student debates, excursions to historic places, and presentations from influential leaders. You can read this breakdown of programs to see the costs and the offerings. For those of you with high school students (or who are high school students) in the Bay Area, there are classes at Stanford!

I feel good knowing there are young people who are interested in developing their leadership skills and making a difference in their communities. If you want to feel good about this on days of the week other than Friday, like the JSA Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @jsajuniorstate #bethepeople.

Feel Good Friday - Humanitas (Nursing Home/Dorm)

For most of us living in Western countries, gone are the days of multiple generations living in the same house, but that doesn't make a very compelling Feel Good Friday story. Here's what does... a nursing home in the Netherlands that gives college students free rooms in exchange for 30 hours of volunteer work per month!

I learned about Humanitas by reading this Daily Good article. The arrangement was inspired by the  combination of a student housing shortage and a decision to stop funding continuing care for citizens over 80 not in dire need. The result was less older people being able to afford nursing homes and rooms going vacant - enter the students.

Always on the lookout to save money, these students are able to live in the nursing home rent free by interacting with their neighbors. Some of their volunteer hours are spent teaching the elderly residents how to email, Skype and use social media. Not only does this keep the residents engaged by learning new skills, but they also gain the tools needed to communicate with their families. The model has gained in popularity and now there are two additional nursing home/dorm combos in the Netherlands, one in Lyon, France and one in Cleveland, Ohio!

If the program continues to be successful, I hope the students will help the residents set up Facebook and Twitter accounts. For now if you want to follow what they're doing, your best bet is a plane ticket. :)

Feel Good Friday - Student Diplomacy Corps

Every time September 11th rolls around, I think about how much nicer the world would be if people took the time to learn about and appreciate other cultures rather than assume different means bad. In today's Feel Good Friday, we visit an organization in New York City that offers a way for students to bridge the cultural divide.

I learned about the Student Diplomacy Corps (SDC) through this article on the Christian Science Monitor People Making a Difference page, a place I often go on a web surfing safari for a bit of inspiration.

Anthony Allen, Chris Frantz and John Meislin, used their 30 years of experience running cross-cultural education programs to conceive of and found SDC. According to the website, "The Student Diplomacy Corps (SDC) provides opportunities and scholarships for high school students from across the nation and around the world to access dynamic international education summer programs that build college readiness, deepen understanding of global issues and unleash the potential and creativity of youth."

These programs place groups of 10-12 students in Chile, China, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Spain, Turkey and Uruguay! Whether you're interested in The Importance of Being Basque or Sushi Dreams and Sustainability, there's something for everyone. You can get all details about their programs at this link but be warned, it will make you want to fill out application paperwork.

Of all the people that applied last year, 123 Student Diplomats were selected to participate in SDC and they received scholarships covering 85% of the tuition and travel costs. As the founders point out, insights and skills come not only from the program content but also from the application process.

Application Process:

• Prepares you for the rigors of the college application process.
• Develops writing and interview skills.
• Teaches you how to create a personal statement.
• Orients and prepares you for the program.

Program Content:

• Helps develop critical thinking and independent living skills.
• Increases cross-cultural competencies.
• Deepens civic engagement.
• Raises confidence and personal expectations.

All this while meeting new friends, seeing new places and making memories that will last a lifetime? Yes!

I've been fortunate enough to travel the world as an adult but oh, how I wish SDC was around when I was in high school! To support their work, you can donate online. To get the latest and greatest info, like their Facebook page.

Happy Feel Good Friday and may all your sushi dreams come true!