Earlier this month, we celebrated 15 remarkable participants as they successfully completed our first-ever virtual Summer Strengths Program. The participants, families, and our BroadFutures team gathered together for Final Presentations where we heard smart and confident speeches from the participants, reflecting on the five-week program.
It was an incredibly gratifying experience to see how our participants were able to build a strong and impactful community in a short period of time. We are very proud of their hard work and accomplishments!!
To all of our inspired participants, congratulations on completing the program and we wish you the best of luck in your next steps!!
Summer Participant Snapshots
Meet a couple of our Summer Strengths Participants
that we had the pleasure of working with this summer!
Tariq Gore
Age: 22
Hometown:Lumberton, New Jersey
Favorite part of the program:Mock interviews
Plans for the fall: Starting his senior year at Beacon College, where he is working towards a degree in Graphic Design & Marketing.
Grace Kroese
Age:
18
Hometown:Derwood, Maryland
Favorite part of the program:Working with Raymond
Plans for the fall:Starting school at Montgomery College to pursue an Associate's degree.
Oscar Held
Age: 23
Hometown:Ann Arbor, Michigan
Favorite part of the program:Making friends and new connections
Plans for the fall:Recently graduated from Landmark College. Oscar plans to enroll in online classes to increase his computer knowledge.
David Taylor
Age: 20
Hometown:Washington, DC
Favorite part of the program: Drama and yoga
Plans for the fall:David plans to return to West Virginia Wesleyan for his junior year, pursing a degree in Exercise Science.
Reflections from our Program Director, Ashley Bray
I have been fortunate to serve as the Program Director for the past year. What has been the most inspiring part of this work is seeing the success and transformation of our participants, where thinking differently is not only embraced, but encouraged. Innovation and transformation are at the very core of the work we do and true transformation comes from the ability to meet the moment. For so many young people, navigating the professional and academic worlds can be daunting. Adding in another layer of complexity of doing that exclusively online can be exceedingly challenging.
Enter our Summer Strengths Program. By refocusing our curriculum to specifically address the learning barriers that often arise in the virtual space, we were able to successfully create a community that met individuals where they were. Our curriculum was designed to enhance each person's unique journey, celebrate our diversity, and encourage us to come together as a community. One of the biggest concerns I had about a virtual program was that our sense of community would be lost. However, the way our summer cohort consistently supported each other was a privilege to witness. Whether it was in mock interviews, during our communications curriculum or when we were being silly playing games - there was a depth of honesty and trust that was shared. This allowed for peer-to-peer feedback and conversations centered around growth and development. I was amazed at how much each participant was able to accomplish because they had the support and strength of each other. The shared experiences and long lasting connections that they were able to create during the program were incredibly moving. For our first cohort in a fully virtual program, they did so much more than just meet the moment. They transformed themselves into leaders whose impact will reverberate far beyond the virtual world.
On July 26th, 1990, theAmericans with Disabilities Act(ADA) was signed into law. To celebrate this monumental occasion, we shared on social media thoughts from our Summer 2020 participants on why they are grateful for the ADA. This post features AJ from Florida. Check out our social media to see more reflections from our participants'#ThanksToTheADAmoments!
To ensure the success of young people with learning and attention issues, BroadFutures provides Support Services, serving as an additional resource for families on an as needed basis. Our mentoring and coaching program includes executive functioning support, as well as career and educational planning and preparation.
Please reviewthis flyerfor more information and reach out to us if interested.
We are thrilled to share our guest blog post on the Catalogue for Philanthropy's website.
"Continuing to Build Our Community Virtually" reflects on the successes and highlights of our first-ever virtual training program.
Spread the Word
Know someone who would be interested in what BroadFutures does?
Know someone who might be interested in applying?
Stay Connected!
Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and connect with us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on what we are doing here at BroadFutures.
Earlier this month, we celebrated 15 remarkable participants as they successfully completed our first-ever virtual Summer Strengths Program. The participants, families, and our BroadFutures team gathered together for Final Presentations where we heard smart and confident speeches from the participants, reflecting on the five-week program.
It was an incredibly gratifying experience to see how our participants were able to build a strong and impactful community in a short period of time. We are very proud of their hard work and accomplishments!!
To all of our inspired participants, congratulations on completing the program and we wish you the best of luck in your next steps!!
Summer Participant Snapshots
Meet a couple of our Summer Strengths Participants
that we had the pleasure of working with this summer!
Tariq Gore
Age: 22
Hometown:Lumberton, New Jersey
Favorite part of the program:Mock interviews
Plans for the fall: Starting his senior year at Beacon College, where he is working towards a degree in Graphic Design & Marketing.
Grace Kroese
Age:
18
Hometown:Derwood, Maryland
Favorite part of the program:Working with Raymond
Plans for the fall:Starting school at Montgomery College to pursue an Associate’s degree.
Oscar Held
Age: 23
Hometown:Ann Arbor, Michigan
Favorite part of the program:Making friends and new connections
Plans for the fall:Recently graduated from Landmark College. Oscar plans to enroll in online classes to increase his computer knowledge.
David Taylor
Age: 20
Hometown:Washington, DC
Favorite part of the program: Drama and yoga
Plans for the fall:David plans to return to West Virginia Wesleyan for his junior year, pursing a degree in Exercise Science.
Reflections from our Program Director, Ashley Bray
I have been fortunate to serve as the Program Director for the past year. What has been the most inspiring part of this work is seeing the success and transformation of our participants, where thinking differently is not only embraced, but encouraged. Innovation and transformation are at the very core of the work we do and true transformation comes from the ability to meet the moment. For so many young people, navigating the professional and academic worlds can be daunting. Adding in another layer of complexity of doing that exclusively online can be exceedingly challenging.
Enter our Summer Strengths Program. By refocusing our curriculum to specifically address the learning barriers that often arise in the virtual space, we were able to successfully create a community that met individuals where they were. Our curriculum was designed to enhance each person’s unique journey, celebrate our diversity, and encourage us to come together as a community. One of the biggest concerns I had about a virtual program was that our sense of community would be lost. However, the way our summer cohort consistently supported each other was a privilege to witness. Whether it was in mock interviews, during our communications curriculum or when we were being silly playing games – there was a depth of honesty and trust that was shared. This allowed for peer-to-peer feedback and conversations centered around growth and development. I was amazed at how much each participant was able to accomplish because they had the support and strength of each other. The shared experiences and long lasting connections that they were able to create during the program were incredibly moving. For our first cohort in a fully virtual program, they did so much more than just meet the moment. They transformed themselves into leaders whose impact will reverberate far beyond the virtual world.
On July 26th, 1990, theAmericans with Disabilities Act(ADA) was signed into law. To celebrate this monumental occasion, we shared on social media thoughts from our Summer 2020 participants on why they are grateful for the ADA. This post features AJ from Florida. Check out our social media to see more reflections from our participants’#ThanksToTheADAmoments!
To ensure the success of young people with learning and attention issues, BroadFutures provides Support Services, serving as an additional resource for families on an as needed basis. Our mentoring and coaching program includes executive functioning support, as well as career and educational planning and preparation.
Please reviewthis flyerfor more information and reach out to us if interested.
We are thrilled to share our guest blog post on the Catalogue for Philanthropy’s website.
“Continuing to Build Our Community Virtually” reflects on the successes and highlights of our first-ever virtual training program.
Spread the Word
Know someone who would be interested in what BroadFutures does?
Know someone who might be interested in applying?
Stay Connected!
Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and connect with us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on what we are doing here at BroadFutures.
