On August 17, the network partnered with Junior Achievement of Northern New England for a round robin workshop in which alumni engaged with high school students for meaningful conversations about how to prepare for and excel in college and life after college. Five alumni traveled to Northeastern University to give a presentation called “Evolution of Life: Leaving the Nest” as part of Junior Achievement’s annual Summer Institute.
Junior Achievement (JA) is an organization that’s been around for nearly 100 years. Their mission is to ignite the spark in young people to realize the opportunities and realities of work and life in the 21st century. Using hands-on experiences, JA helps to prepare young people for the real world by teaching skills in financial literacy, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship. JA Summer Institute is a week-long opportunity for 50 high school students to discover their entrepreneurial spirit, explore career options, learn about personal finance, network with business leaders, and collaborate with peers from different schools in Greater Boston.
The “Evolution of Life: Leaving the Nest” was a round-robin format in which groups of 7-10 students would rotate between tables to have discussions regarding five different topics. Kevin Cavanaugh led a talk on budgeting, in which he discussed tips and tricks for saving money in college and post-college. John Charest discussed how to transition from high school to college and what roles and responsibilities students would soon be faced with.
Isaac Han taught the students about professional development, including strategies for getting internships and building relationships as well as ways to be prepared for employment post-graduation.
Nicole Foxworth talked about student life and ways to capitalize on all the various opportunities in college.
Sean McGrath offered up tips on time management and how best to manage time with all of the newfound independence students would soon be faced with.
Feedback from the event solidified our perceptions that we succeeded in making an impact on students.
As college interviews are approaching, I will be utilizing what I learned to make them remember me.”
Joscelyn P., Student Participant
Loved being able to talk to people about different aspects of college. Thank you for all the great information!”
Nathaly F., Student Participant
I loved talking to the recent UMass Amherst grads!”
Melissa H., Student Participant
I wanted to send out a HUGE and whole hearted thank you to you and iCAN for your participation last week at the JA Summer Institute. Your whole group really seemed to captivate students on Wednesday and Friday and I was really impressed with the dedication and preparation of your group.”
Phil Symons, Program Manager for Junior Achievement of Northern New England