CFES Brilliant Pathways

It was so rewarding to host an incredible group of high school students from BILA and Eximius last week for a Resume Editing Workshop in collaboration with CFES Brilliant Pathways. Students learned to evaluate resumes, and understand what makes a resume truly stand out. The overarching goal was to emphasize that every experience, no matter how small, holds value. We're incredibly excited for more upcoming workshops! A special shout-out to Manaya Colon for sharing her expertise and leading this session with such passion. We couldn’t have done it without Manny Tejeda Sumaya Nishat Ella Hunt and Jelenny Baez thank you all for your invaluable support! A heartfelt thank you to Jin Lee CFES board member and Co-CEO of TransPerfect, as well as Amanda Ryan for giving Talent A the opportunity to foster this relationship with CFES and pay it forward. When we invest in young talent, we build the future. #TransPerfect #CFES #Payitforward #BuildingFutures

Great news for North Country students! Press Republican and CNHI report: “Ninety-eight percent of the more than 2,000 North Country teens in the Department of Education’s RPED, Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development, program for rural students expect to graduate high school, and three quarters of them plan to continue their education after high school, according to an annual evaluation of the program.” ?? Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e-xEHGTH At CFES Brilliant Pathways, we’ve been empowering students since 1991—helping 110,000 young people become college and career ready. And we’re just getting started! Our goal is to support another 100,000 students over the next decade. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d3SRhHc

Free and Low-Cost Pre-College Summer Programs - Spread the Word! Access to quality education and enrichment opportunities shouldn't be limited by financial barriers. That's why we're excited to share this infographic - a geographical map highlighting free and low-cost pre-college summer programs across the country! https://lnkd.in/gEsUA8Bb Let's continue to spread the word so more students and families can take advantage of these incredible opportunities!

Exciting results from RPED are in! CFES Brilliant Pathways’ Rural Postsecondary & Economic Development (RPED) program is in the second year of the three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education, and recent results from the annual outside review show the success of the program. The RPED program focuses on rural students in the North Country, a generally underserved and often overlooked group. The essential goals of RPED are to increase college enrollment and graduation success rates for college-bound students, as well as prepare students for high-wage, in-demand jobs in the region if that path is chosen. The project’s strategies are grounded in CFES’ 10-Point College & Career Readiness Plan —outlining the steps tested over 30 years that have helped 100,000 low-income regional youth enter college, 74% of whom have attained degrees on time. RPED serves students in eight high-poverty, grade 9-12 rural schools in Northeastern New York. Perhaps the most exciting results? from the review show that more than 98% in the RPED program expect to earn their diplomas this spring, and three quarters of those will continue their education after graduating high school. In addition, the review’ survey of 547 rural students indicated teens were optimistic about their future education plans, and also were more interested in a four-year degree — 37% had plans to attend a four-year institution in 2023-24, an increase from 31% over the year before. North Country schools currently participating in the RPED program include Boquet Valley CSD, BRUSHTON-MOIRA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, General Brown Central School, LaFargeville, Madrid-Waddington Central School, NORTHEASTERN CLINTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, Northern Adirondack Middle/High School and Norwood-Norfolk School. You can find out more at https://lnkd.in/eeRDxT5w

Preparing Students for Success! CFES Brilliant Pathways recently had the pleasure of supporting NAC students as they participated in mock interviews with?our?staff and SUNY Plattsburgh representatives. These students gained valuable interview experience, received constructive feedback, and built confidence in their communication skills—key steps in preparing for college and careers! Following the interviews, students explored State University of New York at Plattsburgh on a tour led by current students, giving them an inside look at campus life, academics, and the opportunities that await them in higher education. A huge thank you to our partners at SUNY Plattsburgh for providing this enriching experience and helping students take meaningful steps toward their futures. Together, we are empowering the next generation of college and career-ready leaders!

CFES Brilliant Pathways’ Young Men of Talent (YMT) gathered on the night of February 20 at ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, for an inspiring evening of networking, mentoring, and professional development. YMT Scholars, peer and career mentors engaged in discussions about available resources and worked on crafting their professional biographical statements—elevator pitches that will set them apart. YMT participants also received a tour of ECHO, where they learned about internship opportunities and got an exclusive sneak peek of the Lake Exhibit renovation—a behind-the-scenes look at the professional expertise required to maintain a 15,000-gallon aquarium featuring ECHO’s iconic lake sturgeon and other native fish. Leroy Nesbitt, CFES program director traveled up from Washington, D.C. to lead a discussion on Securing and Succeeding– Internships and Professional Opportunities.? Nesbitt urged YMT scholars to build their support networks: “Share your success and share your challenges with them.” From career guidance to hands-on learning, the night was filled with inspiration, connections, and new possibilities. Events like these highlight the power of mentorship and exposure to unique career pathways. A huge thank you to all participants—your ambition, curiosity, and dedication are what make YMT such a transformative program!

Early this month, several teams from Crown Point Central School (CPCS) received invaluable coaching from CFES Brilliant Pathways to help them prepare their entries for the Vermont Pitch Challenge, a global competition designed to inspire young entrepreneurs to develop innovative business ideas. The challenge offers participants the chance to win cash prizes or even a full scholarship to the University of Vermont (UVM). CFES partnered with UVM to create the Pitch Challenge, recognizing the importance of fostering entrepreneurial skills among students. “We need to support our students in developing entrepreneurial skills and exposure,” said Rick Dalton, Co-CEO of CFES. Students’ proposals—whether for businesses or nonprofits—must demonstrate demand for their product or service, outline potential funding sources, and prove long-term sustainability. Judges will also reward projects that have a positive societal impact. Business leaders Lee Maxey and Neely Fortune helped students gain valuable insights on how to craft compelling presentations. Those selected as finalists will have the opportunity to present their projects to UVM student-judges. Last year, a Ticonderoga student was among the five finalists invited to UVM to showcase her idea. The students presented unique and innovative concepts, ranging from a Pet Rescue Squad assisting families whose pets have been displaced by fires or natural disasters, to a stethoscope for the hearing impaired, or a digital basketball backboard that enhances player performance. Some are for-profit concepts and some are aimed at a societal good. Vermont Pitch Challenge project submissions were due February 15, with the ultimate pitch event scheduled for April 10. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/e-FGveJM

TransPerfect: Big Partner of CFES, Big Impact Global giant TransPerfect, the provider of language services with offices around the world and annual revenues topping $1 billion, might seem an unlikely partner in CFES’ mission to help underserved kids from urban and rural schools succeed in college and the workplace. But TransPerfect is a vital CFES Brilliant Pathways partner, whose sponsorship helped make the annual conference “The College & Career AI Revolution: Get Ready Now” the success that it was. TransPerfect’s strong presence at the conference came about in part because TransPerfect co-CEO Jin Lee (who serves on the CFES board) has found in CFES an ally in his conviction that all young people deserve access to a quality education. “Jin is super passionate about partnering with and supporting CFES,” said Dasha Ilazarova, manager of talent acquisition for TransPerfect. She added that, through networking and workshops, young people “are shown the possibilities in terms of careers.” When students visit the TransPerfect offices in New York City, their initial intimidation gives way to the recognition that they just might fit into this environment. “There are a lot of networking sessions at our offices where they meet the team,” Ilazarova said. “The kids say, ‘This person looks just like me, I could do this too.’” Six thousand miles away, team members from TransPerfect’s Honolulu office participate in monthly e-mentoring sessions with elementary students on Oahu, sharing their career journeys, highlighting the Essential Skills? that contributed to their success, and helping students prepare for future college and career opportunities. Exposure to opportunities is a critical component of a young person’s development, said Manaya Colon, senior talent acquisition specialist at TransPerfect: “These little seeds can grow into something big.” The partnership between TransPerfect and CFES Brilliant Pathways is also growing something big as well, preparing young people for successful futures in education and the workplace. Something big indeed. You can learn more about CFES Brilliant Pathways’ “The College & Career AI Revolution: Get Ready Now” conference speakers and discussions at https://lnkd.in/evhEjWJn

Don’t Fight It, Use It– AI in the Schoolhouse When it comes to using AI in the educational environment, Sabrina Pribek is still in the minority. Pribek, a guidance counselor at Madrid-Waddington Central School in Madrid, NY, understands though. She too was reluctant to try AI, but is now a believer. “I’m willing to let AI help me with paperwork,” she said. “It’s quick and efficient, so I have more face-to-face time with my students. There are AI graders and assessment protocols out there. I love AI, and I use it every day.” Many educators fear that with AI, students’ temptation to cheat is too great. Others have had their IT departments preemptively block AI. Still others believe it interferes with teaching to mandated standardized tests. For many, it’s the lack of available training that’s the stumbling point. But the most frequently cited issue for teachers to adopt AI in the classroom was a lack of time to familiarize themselves with AI’s capabilities. This is especially ironic, given AI's potential as a tremendous time-saver. At the recent CFES Brilliant Pathways conference “The College & Career AI Revolution: Get Ready Now” keynote speaker Seth Mattison said much work in education is taken up with process: executing tasks and handling problems encountered during execution. By contrast, very little time is spent imagining or creating better ways to teach. AI offers an opportunity to flip that model by allowing machines to handle mundane tasks, thus freeing up time for human creativity. “How much time do educators get to use their imagination?” Mattison asked. “We want to leverage AI tools to remove highly repetitive, lower-value work and to free us up to do the work that only we can do.” Several educators said that what they learned at the conference will affect their professional lives. “AI will be impacting my teaching practice in the very near future. It was refreshing to learn something new and actually reflect on the implications. That space for cognitive assimilation offered by the CFES conference is everything to me,” said Kelly Larrow, science and gifted teacher, Mulberry Middle School in Mulberry, FL. Learn more about this critical topic from conference speakers and discussions at https://lnkd.in/evhEjWJn

Vivacious and engaging, La-Toya Baird exudes optimism and positivity. “There are three C’s in life — changes, choices and chances.” she said. “That means you must take the chance to make a choice that will change your life.” She’s also a true believer in the power and value of CFES. Baird, a counselor at Brooklyn Institute for Liberal Arts (BILA) in New York City, represented BILA, a recipient of a 2024 CFES Decade of Distinction Award, awarded at the CFES annual conference this past November. BILA has partnered with CFES since 2011, and Baird has worked at the school for nine years.?“At BILA,” she explained, “the impact of the CFES program has been enormous.” She also credited BILA’s strong relationship with Brooklyn College and TransPerfect, a stalwart CFES partner. BILA has incorporated the CFES 10-Point Plan? into its curriculum for all 500 grade 9-12 students. The plan also forms the basis for a one-credit course, and students, beginning in grade 9, take the college and career readiness seminar all the way through graduation. “We are totally committed to the 10-Point Plan, because it works,” Baird stated. Implementing the plan requires total buy-in from the school staff, parents and students. In addition, much of the plan is executed by or with the assistance of volunteer mentors, who work one-on-one with individual students. “Parents are encouraged to take part and many do. Our external partners also play a big role. Everyone is on board,” Baird said Baird added that since BILA implemented the 10-Point Plan, “Our results have been spectacular—last school year we had a 90% graduation rate.” “Our students come to BILA as kids, most without much focus … and they go out as young adults with purpose, confidence and, above all, a plan. The entire experience is totally rewarding,” she said, beaming her trademark smile. Changes, choices and chances — that is the power of CFES, along with people like La-Toya Baird. Learn more about this critical topic from CFES Brilliant Pathways’ conference “The College & Career AI Revolution: Get Ready Now” speakers and discussions at https://lnkd.in/evhEjWJn