Blog

Every month, America Forward highlights examples of the vital work our Coalition members do to support students, families, educators, workers, elected leaders, advocates, and communities across the country. If your organization has resources, an announcement, or a story you would like to see included, please send it to america_forward@newprofit.org.

City Year

This month, City Year premiered a brand new podcast, Why We Matter, that brings together education leaders, innovators, and experts to discuss challenges facing school communities and share critical strategies to help students learn, grow, and succeed – in school and beyond. City Year works to support student development while cultivating participants’ leadership, academic, and social skills to help them thrive.  In partnership with Student Success Coach Learning Network, Why We Matter will highlight success stories from across the country. You can listen on podcast platforms now.

Future Caucus

Future Caucus, a national organization dedicated to supporting and uplifting the voices of new generations of elected officials across the country, is once again hosting their annual Future Summit 2024 this July! Applications opened earlier this month to millennial and Gen Z lawmakers, and are due by June 14th. The convening will be the country’s largest bipartisan convening of young state and federal legislators ready to engage in collaboration, idea sharing, learning, and bipartisan productivity to advance innovative solutions and policy. Interested millennial or Gen Z lawmakers can apply online today. 

Jumpstart 

April 1st marked the start of Read for the Record 2024! Hosted by Jumpstart, Read for the Record brings together communities to celebrate and support early literacy with the world’s largest shared reading experience, as part of their mission to develop life-long readers. Over the past 19 years, more than 28 million people have participated in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record programming. Their 2024 Book selection is Piper Chen Sings, co-written by award-winning Hamilton actress Phillipa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran, and illustrated by Qin Leng. The book shares a touching story of a young girl finding confidence, managing emotions, and empowering young children. Join in the celebration, and follow along with Jumpstart for updates! 

Propel America

As our country faces a national labor shortage and the demand for a more diverse workforce, Propel America works to recruit, train, and coach high school graduates with the goal of helping them fill in-demand, middle-skill positions throughout the healthcare industry. They just released their 2023 Annual Report, which shares highlights of their impact, testimonials from team members and participants, and updates on their innovative programming and growth across the country. Their work supports a critical industry while fulfilling their mission of a viable path to prosperity for every high school graduate in the United States. Read their report today to learn more about how they are helping young people earn a living wage, build purpose-driven careers, and find success! 

Center for Whole-Child Education 

The Center for Whole-Child Education works to advance whole-child education approaches that focus on building equitable environments, advancing science-based research and development, and helping every student thrive. Recently, they released the second installment of their ongoing research series – Strengthening Coherence Across Initiatives: A Whole-Child Lens. The report will help guide educators, leaders, and lawmakers in understanding the positive impacts and results of initiatives currently being implemented across California, and how whole-child practices are positively impacting California secondary students. You can read the report now, or find resources for educators online today!