On Saturday, May 18, 2024, the College Possible Minnesota team gathered together on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus to celebrate high school juniors and graduating high school seniors participating in our program. Our Launch! event is an important opportunity for our College Possible Minnesota students, coaches, and staff to come together as a community and celebrate their accomplishments from the academic year. The mission of College Possible is not only to get students into college, but also through college to earn a degree.
This year, more than 150 College Possible Minnesota students from 29 high schools across the Twin Cities metro area attended Launch! to celebrate their successes. Students were joined by their family members and friends to close out the 2023—2024 academic year. Students rated the event “very valuable,” and when asked to describe Launch! in one word, described the event as “fun, inspirational, exciting, amazing, and uplifting.”
This event consists of two parts: a program offered to all students and their guests, followed by breakout rooms. The morning program is a chance for everyone to come together to celebrate the past year, to elevate student voices through student speakers, and for students to win fun prizes. Students are then invited to join breakout rooms based on their plans for the fall. Juniors came together to learn more about the college application process and what to expect from their coaches in the coming year. Seniors broke off into groups based on their plans for fall 2024 to hear from our college program staff, meet peers attending the same or similar institutions, and ask current college students their burning questions. At the end of the event, everyone comes back together as a large group.
Kennedy High School graduate Asra’s favorite part of Launch! was hearing from other students, “Those words were so touching and just what I needed to hear!” Asra will be attending the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities next year. Humboldt high school rising senior Arianna also enjoyed hearing from college student experiences with College Possible, saying that it helped her feel more secure about the process and her future. “I really appreciated the breakout room experience,” said Roosevelt High School rising senior Ashley. “I learned so much and got to network a bit with my fellow College Possible classmates!”
For the past decade, Launch! has served as a community gathering. Students are invited to socialize and celebrate with others in the program, in hopes that they’ll leave the event knowing how College Possible will continue to support them through the summer and the next school year.
Do you want to support student programming and events like Launch!? Make your gift today to ensure College Possible is always free for students and their families!
