The Possible Project Inc

THE POSSIBLE PROJECT'S MISSION IS TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC EQUITY BY ENSURING YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, SKILLS AND NETWORKS TO LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL CAREERS. THE POSSIBLE PROJECT (TPP) OFFERS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BOSTON, MA A YEAR-ROUND, MULTI-YEAR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES A DYNAMIC, PROJECT-BASED CURRICULUM, STEAM EDUCATION, HANDS-ON WORK EXPERIENCE, AND INDIVIDUALIZED COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISING. TPP'S YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS LAUNCH THEIR OWN COMPANIES, LEARN DESIGN AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, INTERN WITH LOCAL CORPORATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND MAP THEIR POSTSECONDARY GOALS AND PLANS. IN THE PROCESS, THEY DEVELOP CAREER READINESS, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, AND TECHNICAL SKILLS AND STRENGTHEN THEIR PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY, PREPARING THEM TO SUCCEED IN ANY FUTURE PATH THEY CHOOSE.

TPZ'S PROGRAM IS A STEAM-INFUSED AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP-FOCUSED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER-READINESS PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM HISTORICALLY UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. THIS TUITION-FREE PROGRAM REPRESENTS AN INVESTMENT IN EACH STUDENT FOR 3+ YEARS, TAKING STUDENTS ON A JOURNEY THAT TAPS INTO THEIR CREATIVITY, CULTIVATES THEIR SKILLS AS DESIGNERS AND ENTREPRENEURS, BUILDS STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUPPORTIVE ADULTS AND PEERS, AND BROADENS THEIR SENSE OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE IN THEIR CAREERS.OUR MULTI-FACETED, TUITION-FREE PROGRAM USES: 1) AUTHENTIC, STEAM-INFUSED YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP; 2) HANDS-ON STEAM DEEP DIVES AND REAL-WORLD, WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WITH LOCAL COMPANIES AND IN TPZ'S IN-HOUSE ENTERPRISES; AND 3) PERSONALIZED COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISING TO INSPIRE STUDENTS' IMAGINATIONS, IGNITE THEIR PASSIONS, AND HELP THEM TO THRIVE IN LIFE AND CAREER. WHILE PARTICIPATING IN TPZ'S PROGRAM, EACH STUDENT CONCEIVES, LAUNCHES AND RUNS THEIR OWN BUSINESS VENTURE, PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN AUTHENTIC, REAL-WORLD WORK EXPERIENCE, WHILE ALSO RECEIVING PERSONALIZED ADVISING FOCUSED ON THEIR POST-SECONDARY AND CAREER OPTIONS. TPZ OPERATES ITS PROGRAM OUT OF ITS STATE-OF-THE-ART INNOVATION CENTER, WHICH OPENED IN EARLY 2022 IN THE JACKSON SQUARE COMMUNITY OF BOSTON.TPZ'S PROGRAM AND STUDENT SUPPORTS AIM TO FOSTER "ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT" AMONG STUDENTS, CHARACTERIZED BY: (1) A SENSE OF BELONGING, AGENCY, PURPOSE, AND POSSIBILITY; (2) CRITICAL SKILLS, MINDSETS, AND ASSETS THAT ENABLE DEEPER LEARNING, PROMOTE PRODUCTIVE RISK-TAKING, AND ULTIMATELY FOSTER SUCCESS IN ANY EDUCATIONAL OR CAREER PATHWAY; AND (3) THE STRONG RELATIONSHIPS AND NETWORKS (I.E., SOCIAL CAPITAL) NEEDED FOR LONG-TERM PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS. THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF TPZ STUDENTS REFLECT ITS COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING EQUITY, WITH THE LARGE MAJORITY (~70%) COMING FROM UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES AND THE VAST MAJORITY (~95%) IDENTIFYING AS STUDENTS OF COLOR. TPZ FOCUSES NEW STUDENT RECRUITMENT ON PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN BOSTON. DATA SHOW THAT THE LARGE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS (~78%) SERVED BY THESE SCHOOLS ARE CLASSIFIED AS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BY BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS (BPS) AND ALMOST ALL (~95%) IDENTIFY AS STUDENTS OF COLOR. MANY STUDENTS COME TO TPZ THROUGH A NOMINATION PROCESS COMPLETED BY HIGH SCHOOL PARTNERS; A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, TEACHER, SOCIAL WORKER, OR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDS STUDENTS WITH UNTAPPED POTENTIAL FOR THE PROGRAM. TPZ ALSO RECRUITS STUDENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY SURROUNDING ITS INNOVATION CENTER, VIA COMMUNITY RECRUITMENT EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AND COMPLEMENTARY YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA. STUDENTS WITHIN THE TPZ'S PROGRAMS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIP STIPENDS FOR ENROLLING AND PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM; STIPENDS ARE DESIGNED TO OFFSET THE COST OF THE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM. MANY STUDENTS USE STIPENDS EARNED THROUGH THE PROGRAM FOR BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION, FOOD, CLOTHING, OR ASSISTANCE WITH HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES.SINCE ITS FOUNDING, TPZ HAS SERVED MORE THAN 1,000 STUDENTS IN BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE, MA. INDIVIDUALLY OR IN TEAMS, STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN TPZ'S PROGRAM HAVE LAUNCHED MORE THAN 400 ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES. STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN TPZ'S PROGRAM HAVE REPORTED STATISTICALLY-SIGNIFICANT GROWTH ON THE VAST MAJORITY OF SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING COMPETENCIES MEASURED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN TPZ'S PROGRAM FROM THE ORGANIZATION'S LONGEST STANDING BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS PARTNER SCHOOL HAVE MATRICULATED IN COLLEGE AT A RATE 26 PERCENTAGE POINTS HIGHER THAN STUDENTS FROM THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL THAT DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN TPZ'S PROGRAM.