How Operation Fresh Start provides a new future for young adults in Dane County

The Future Project aims to give students the resources needed to define and fulfill their dreams and re-engage students in school. Dream Directors get teens motivated to act on their ideas and expand their abilities.

Nonprofits Manufacturing Renaissance and Youth Crossroads provide vocational training that Chicago's public schools have largely abandoned, particularly in disinvested communities. Manufacturing Renaissance runs free seven-week metalworking cohorts that include stipends, tools, job placement support, and an alumni network, and has trained more than 1,200 young adults since 1982. Youth Crossroads offers multiple workforce tracks, including HVAC certification and paid internships, and 88% of trade program graduates report feeling prepared to enter the workforce.

Brilliant Footsteps International Academy implemented an integrated education model that combines Islamic studies, vocational training, including barbing, calligraphy and culinary arts and hands-on STEM learning. The school uses problem-based, student-led projects to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills, while also focusing on gender inclusion in a region where girls are typically excluded.

The Aspirations Incubator supports rural Maine communities in creating youth mentoring programs using the Trekkers approach. The incubator gives organizations $600,000 over six years, plus extensive training in fostering belonging and developing leadership. Rather than replicating a one-size-fits-all program, each community develops an authentic program suited to local needs. A study tracking the first cohort of students from 7th grade through high school graduation showed they attended school more often, performed better academically, and enrolled in college at higher rates.

Educational Talent Search provides personalized college and career counseling to first-generation and low-income students. Counselors work with students from 8th grade through high school graduation, offering one-on-one support with college applications, financial aid forms, scholarship searches, and career planning. The program has seen nearly 90% of seniors enrolling in post-secondary education, far above its 56% target.

The Sebastian Indian Social Projects (SISP) works with socio-economically disadvantaged communities, providing social services like healthcare and employment assistance with a primary focus on educating youth. SISP has focused on educating the local female population, which has helped empower them economically and led to several women receiving jobs outside of their village. SISP has also educated several students who were forced to drop out of traditional school and provides supplementary activities along with their standard education, such as skating and coding clubs.

Twenty-five years ago, a Spanish teacher in Colorado noticed a troubling trend - many Latino students were dropping out before finishing high school. Leticia Alonso de Lozano started a dropout prevention program, offering students access to tutors, mentors, school supplies, and more. Now a quarter-century old, Adelante! has evolved beyond its original scope into a successful career and college readiness initiative.

High school graduation rates, especially for Black and Hispanic students, are alarmingly low, which led North High School in Minneapolis to rebuild the school model and foster a dramatic increase in the number of students graduating. Through daily advisory periods with teachers, a community of peer support, close contact between teachers and parents, and outside guidance, the school has seen overwhelming improvement.

Minnesota schools began a comprehensive program aimed at assisting children of minority groups to successfully navigate the college application process and push them towards higher education.

Since instituting a skills-based education model, which allows students to direct their own learning and spend part of the school week learning trades or completing internships, Heritage High School has seen attendance improve and enrollment rise from 67 students to 110.