Author: Dannyelle Austin

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]With the help of the Catalyze Challenge grant funding, the Launchpad team has had the opportunity to pilot several components of our intended programming with a group of 10th and 11th grade students at Building 21 Philadelphia. Beginning in February, 14 students opted to participate in an after school program that was created in partnership with ASU (Arizona State University) to meet the following goals: [/vc_column_text][fancy-ul icon_type=”standard_dot” alignment=”left” spacing=”10px”]

• Offer an opportunity for participating students to earn college credit and financial incentives for participation and successful completion of the ASU course.
• Identify best practices and areas of improvement for the ASU partnership to ensure that at least 80% of future Launchpad participants can successfully pass their dual enrollment classes.
• Pilot sample LaunchPad experiences including the modules in the LaunchCode Discovery Course and the LaunchCode HackerRank test.

[/fancy-ul][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Luigi Loeun, a 10th grade student at Building 21 Philadelphia, is one of the many students enrolled in this course. When asked why he was interested in the after school program, he shared, “it was the opportunity to get college credits while being in high school. I’ve never taken a college class before.” Students are taking Identity, Service, and American Democracy through ASU’s online program. In this course, students like Luigi are learning about civic engagement and how people shape the world. They are gaining insight into how to become active and engaged members of their community. They will interview public service leaders, investigate local issues, and form the what, why, and how of civic engagement, which they will use to create a civic action portfolio. Luigi shares, “I also said yes because of the money that we can earn for meeting the goals of the after school program. It has a lot of benefits.”

The Catalyze Challenge funding allowed us to compensate students up to $500 for successful engagement in the after school program. Students aren’t just taking a college class, they are helping to inform critical programming elements that we will use to design the first two years of the Launchpad curriculum. 

When asked about his experience in the IT discovery course, Luigi talked about how much he realized that programming and coding is just like a “puzzle that you put together pieces to show the big picture.” The feedback from students about how best to expose young people to the fundamentals of programming and careers in the IT sector has been invaluable. Building21 students are essentially part-time curriculum designers as they are using their own experiences to help us shape the future of Launchpad. And, as Luigi said, the money is a great motivator along with all the other benefits students get from participating. The Catalyze Challenge funding is helping students get things they want and need and for students like Luigi, helping out family as he gave half of his first stipend to his mom. 

We are excited to continue the Civic Engagement class, which is scheduled to wrap up in May. Luigi is most excited about “working together with my classmates in the course and seeing their abilities as a group. I’m excited about digging deeper into our society and thinking critically about a community issue that I am most passionate about for my civic action portfolio.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/12″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” advanced_gradient_angle=”0″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”5/6″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”5px” column_border_color=”#00a3c1″ column_border_style=”solid” enable_border_animation=”true” gradient_type=”default”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1649688219579{padding-top: 15px !important;padding-right: 15px !important;padding-bottom: 15px !important;padding-left: 15px !important;}”]Stay tuned for more updates from Launchpad as we are preparing to kick off the official programing in the fall of 2022.

To learn more about Launchpad, visit our Launchpad page or contact Dannyelle Austin (dannyelle@b-21.org).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][split_line_heading animation_type=”default”]

At 14 years old, I wanted to be a hairdresser. Now I’m 35 and the Executive Director of Launchpad.

[/split_line_heading][vc_column_text]Launchpad is a new initiative from Building 21, that seeks to directly connect young people to living-wage paying jobs that offer upwardly mobile career opportunities, while providing them with the credentials, skills, mindsets, and experience to thrive in these roles.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1638989447370{margin-top: 30px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;padding-top: 50px !important;padding-right: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;padding-left: 50px !important;background-color: #00a3c1 !important;}”]Back when I was 14, I remember excitedly telling my mom that I wanted to be a hairdresser. “Hell no. You are too smart not to go to college,“ was her response. My mom was always pushing me to want more than she had. This moment was no different. As a hairdresser herself, my mom directed me to the only route to wealth that she knew. While college was certainly the right path for me, she pushed me towards it not because I was excited about college but because she did not have the exposure or language to help me understand other options. It’s not like there was an abundance of career pathway programming for high school students twenty years ago. We all thought college was the only way to thrive financially.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Standing here today, I am grateful that my mom forced me to go to college. It helped me find my way  to a rewarding career in academic and workforce development programming for youth in and around Philadelphia. (I still do hair on the side, though, as my mom also taught me the value of a good side hustle.) But, my heart hurts for every young person in the city of Philadelphia who may not be excited about college and who also doesn’t have access to a financially rewarding career pathway. About half of School District of Philadelphia graduates go right into the workforce. My work has always focused on positioning our Philly students as an untapped source of talent for corporations looking to diversify their labor force with highly skilled, highly motivated, and highly resilient young people.  [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As the incoming Executive Director of Launchpad, I am excited to breathe life into Building 21’s innovative brainchild and bring together networks of students, high schools, post-secondary institutions, and employers to co-create new pathways for young people that lead to good jobs in growing industries.

By integrating career-connected learning, authentic work experiences, and the development of “future ready” skills, Launchpad will harness the power of these networks to prepare students to thrive as they transition into full-time work. If we support students to mastery across future ready skills, help them acquire job/industry specific skills, create lower-stakes opportunities for students to do real work with real customers at Launchpad Inc., and place them in good-fit living wage roles, then students will be launched into the next phase of their lives, ready to thrive in their first role and along an upward career trajectory in a growing industry.  [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Certainly, no one can realize these grand ambitions alone. In the coming months, we will hire additional staff to further develop and refine our ideas and approach. We will also reach out to many individuals and organizations in our broader community and  seek their input, partnership, and support. Along these lines, I am thrilled to report that Launchpad was recently named an inaugural winner of The Catalyze Challenge. This grant will provide significant financial and programmatic support for our work.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”8913″ animation=”Fade In” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/2″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1638989519392{margin-top: 30px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;padding-top: 50px !important;padding-right: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;padding-left: 50px !important;background-color: #00a3c1 !important;}”]

As I step into my first Executive Director role, I reflect on that 14-year-old girl who was really upset with my mom when she told me I HAD to go to college. I reflect on the privilege of having someone in my life pushing me in the best way that she could given her experience and knowledge at the time. I reflect on how much gratitude I have for my mom whose decision 21 years ago was the start of my lifelong journey to be a catalyst for change in Philadelphia and to create meaningful opportunities that can transform the lives of young people across the region. 

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Growing up, I was told that college was my only option. While my mom made the right choice for me, I also understand the importance and urgency of ensuring that all young people in Philadelphia have real and meaningful choices that lead to an upwardly mobile career trajectory in a growing industry in our city. Our youth deserve access to the city’s growing economy and Launchpad will ensure that our graduates are the employers’ first choice.[/vc_column_text][split_line_heading animation_type=”default”]

We know that talent is equally distributed—we are starting Launchpad to make sure that opportunity is more equitably distributed for young people across Philadelphia and beyond.

[/split_line_heading][vc_column_text]I am excited and committed to bring together networks of students, schools, employers, and other community-based organizations to co-create new pathways for young people that lead to good jobs in growing industries.

Learn more about Launchpad here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]