NEWS AND MEDIA
Maine Policy Review
Building Youth Resiliency and Aspirations During a Crisis:
Lessons Learned from Maine’s Aspirations Incubator During the COVID-19 Pandemic
EDUCATE MAINE CONFERENCE
A key component of the Aspirations Incubator model for raising youth aspirations in rural Maine is developing student leadership and resiliency skills by embedding a practice of engaging student voice and choice in program design and activities. Hear from 2 high school students about how applying the skills and experience they have gained from four years in their Aspirations Incubator program has created opportunities to see themselves as leaders and to be seen and valued in their schools and communities in new leadership roles. Also, learn from the Trekkers Training Institute about effective strategies your teams can take for engaging middle school and high school youth.
PASSWORD TO ACCESS VIDEO: EM2021
News Center Maine
Raising Aspirations, One Paddle At A Time
The Aspirations Incubator seeks to mentor middle and high school age students and open their eyes to possibility
Portland Press Herald
A philanthropy bets the farm on kids from rural Maine
By Bill Nemitz, Portland Press Herald, July 8, 2021
BLOG
Six Years Later: How the Aspirations Incubator Transformed Rural Maine Youth
The Aspirations Incubator pilot program has proven to be a game-changer for rural Maine youth, prompting the Rural Futures Fund to envision the creation of the Rural Youth Institute.
New initiative aims to help students continue education after high school
The mentoring program helps students build skills, along with other supports, that will aid them in seeking postsecondary education.
Lowering the Barrier – Deepening Relationships
Over the past few days I’ve been thinking about all of the students across our state and nation who are currently at home, and who have not had much interaction with the protective factor of caring adults outside of their homes whom they normally connect with on a daily and/or weekly basis.
Portrait of an AI Graduate
For this “Portrait”, we synthesize the program and mentoring progression info for each grade into 3-4 snapshot "experiences" that a student (named Katie) would have each year that represent the mix of activities and mentoring interactions that would be representative of a young person’s six-year experience in the program model.
Embracing the Opportunity to Innovate: 5 Youth Development Strategies that Should Survive After the Pandemic Ends
Last week, I received an e-newsletter from a local non-profit that referenced a recent article in the Financial Times from author Arundhati Roy. In the article, Ms. Roy states: “Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next.
The Hardest Thing About Making a Big Bet? Letting Go
On a Friday in February 2015, I invited 24 organizations to apply for funding, in response to letters of inquiry our foundation had solicited. The next day, our board held a retreat in order to evaluate the foundation’s grantmaking outcomes over the first 5 years.
Making a Big Bet and Moving from Transactional to Transformational Philanthropy
The Lerner Foundation had only been making grants for five years when the winds shifted—the Board of Directors decided it was time for a profound change in our priorities. Our founding purpose is simple and straightforward: “to further opportunity for the people of Maine.” Manny and Polly Lerner’s broad and hopeful intention for the foundation gave us the space to consider what opportunity we could further if we focused our resources on one big, bold idea: The Aspirations Incubator.
Funding a Free Youth Development Training Series
The Emanuel & Pauline A. Lerner Foundation is so pleased to announce a second round of funding for the Trekkers Training Institute for Youth Development, through a grant of $105,950.
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