Things are starting off strong in 2020, and we are diving into some exciting new work to prepare all students for a promising future. In alignment with BVSD and consistent with the District’s  Strategic Plan, Impact on Education is funding two new initiatives this spring that will help students in our community meet the challenges and opportunities that await them. 

First, we are proudly piloting a new career exploration tool in five BVSD middle schools. We believe that providing students with many opportunities to explore careers from a young age will inspire and excite them. This program is unique because it features jobs that are projected to be in high demand in the future and allows students to explore these careers virtually through videos with actual Coloradans working in the field. Eighty-five percent of those featured on video are from underrepresented groups, and the program features information about clubs or electives that might help interested kids gain more opportunities to build their skills. We will gather information from students and teachers to determine if using this program achieves its goals and will use that data to inform future investments. 

Second, we’re developing an action plan with BVSD designed to reimagine the ways we are preparing students for their futures . Options for students to build skills, gain college credit or technical certifications, and access work-based learning opportunities while in high school are not as abundant in BVSD as they are in peer districts. Building upon successful best practices and then harnessing the talent and knowledge of our local community, Impact on Education expects that we’ll be able to offer new and exciting choices to all students K-12 in the coming years.

According to the World Economic Forum, 65% of children entering school will work in jobs that don’t yet exist. And another recent ManpowerGroup survey cites 45% of Human Resource Managers who say they are unable to find qualified workers for available jobs (“Talent Shortage Survey”, 2018). Ensuring that our schools are preparing students for successful futures is a focus of BVSD, so we are proud to fund both of these new efforts and look forward to seeing all of our students graduate and succeed in the future.