This past spring brought unprecedented challenges to K-12, higher education and national service. College Possible Washington, like many others, was impacted by the loss of funding for critical work in our local communities. As we assessed continued instability and lack of resources for our traditional service model, we knew we needed to make a change. Utilizing our network of College Possible sites across the nation as well as similar community-based organizations; we developed a clear path forward, centered on students.
Throughout our model change, our goal was to continue all high school partnerships and more importantly, to continue providing support for all College Possible Washington students. With much uncertainty facing young people today, we commit to being a consistent and supportive presence in our students’ lives as they pursue a college degree. We are fortunate that our staff now serving students have been with College Possible Washington previously, bringing years of experience and expertise to our student support services.
As we launched our new model, we also harnessed technology to further increase our impact. There are technological innovations happening every day and it is important for us to utilize these in the service of our students. Our AI platform had been in the pilot stage for over a year and was ready to be launched in our moment of need. It perfectly complements the impact of full-time staff, providing consistent, robust and real-time support for students when they need it most.
The start of a school year is one of my favorite times as it’s marked by fresh opportunities and new beginnings. Those sentiments feel even more true for College Possible Washington this year. With so many new beginnings for our organization, I’m excited to see how our model change and AI platform will enhance our work and enable us to grow new school partnerships and serve more students in the future. I am proud of the work our team has done this spring and summer to prepare for a strong start to the school year. I am also appreciative of all the champions we have at College Possible Washington. Your continued belief and investment in our work and students have remained steadfast. I look forward to another great school year and to the opportunities to connect with each of you throughout.
In community,
Lauren
