High school students need mentoring and life skills development now more than ever, and Winning Futures is instrumental in helping them navigate both the short-term and long-term impact they will face due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As an industry leader for 26 years in empowering students for success, Winning Futures’ Workforce Prep program is uniquely and expertly qualified to help teens overcome challenges and prepare for life after high school.
Workforce Prep is an evidence-based, award-winning, and nationally recognized mentoring and career planning program that has successfully been implemented throughout Metro-Detroit including current programs in Detroit, Harper Woods, Pontiac, Southfield, Sterling Heights, and Warren. The program is well respected within the academic community and partners with businesses throughout the region.
Meet Jordan Manning, a Winning Futures program graduate from Pontiac who is now a student at Grand Valley State University. Jordan had many big ideas for his future while a student at Pontiac Academy for Excellence. His mentor, Jonathan Smet, automated driving validation engineer at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, helped him narrow down his interests and create a plan to achieve his goals. Jordan focused on improving his grades and won our Student of The Year award for Pontiac Academy for Excellence. Today, Jordan is a student at Grand Valley State University where he is studying graphic design.
“My Winning Futures experience helped make the building blocks that got me to where I am now,” said Jordan. “Having a mentor in high school motivated me to stay focused on my grades and helped me get into college. The lessons I learned in Winning Futures will stick with me throughout my life.”
Responding to challenges created by the current pandemic, the organization changed its programmatic model to allow for safe and impactful virtual mentoring. Since 1994, more than 49,000 students have been helped and more than $1.9 million in scholarships awarded. Your donation will help local students develop the critical life skills needed to succeed in an ever-changing work environment.
Visit WinningFutures.org for more details.