TPZ Celebrates Graduates
Congratulations Graduates!
Congratulations to the nearly 20 TPZ students who graduated high school this spring! Several of these teens began attending our program when we were still offering virtual classes at the end of the pandemic shutdown. They were the first students who experienced our new Entrepreneurship program and the state-of-the-art technology and tools at our then-new Innovation Center in Jackson Square.
While the students may have learned a lot during their two to three years, the TPZ team learned much from them, too. Many of these recent graduates enjoyed the Senior Celebration we hosted this month, during which achievements were acknowledged and a few tears were shed. All our new alumni received gifts from TPZ, including letterman-style jackets (modeled by graduates pictured above, from left to right): Isaiah Thomas-Edwards, Vismark Melo, Esperanza Knudson, Bruno Andrade, J’khia Bullock, and Tatiyana Melo.
Here’s where some of these young people are off to next:
- Maria de Sousa Abreu—Bryn Mawr College
- Bruno Andrade—YearUp
- J’Khia Bullock—Wentworth Institute of Technology
- Esperanza Knudson—UMass Amherst
- Janellys Martinez—Lasell College
- Tatiyana Melo—Framingham State University
- Vismark Melo—Berea College, Kentucky
- Kha’sye Peterson-El—Deciding between Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology and Bunker Hill Community College
- Edwarda Parkinson—Northeastern University
- Edwin Santos—Boston College’s Messina College
- Ty Stillwell—Apprenticeships in the Trades
- Isaiah Thomas-Edwards—Wentworth Institute of Technology
Student Ambassadors’ Spring Activities
The Spring Term was a busy one for our Student Ambassadors and we are proud of how they represented The Possible Zone! Student Ambassadors led tours for prospective students, co-led tours for guests and donors, greeted and instructed community members on STEAM activities during the May and June Sip ’N Create family-friendly evenings, and helped cook up food during Hot Dog Night for our neighbors at the Mildred Hailey Apartments. Under the direction of Northeastern University Co-op Intern Sean Odom, the Student Ambassadors networked, strengthened their communication skills, and reflected during a workshop focused on re-centering oneself and gaining confidence.
Student Ambassador Hamza Ibrahim explains how to use a button maker to two community members during the June Sip ‘N Create.
Student Ambassadors Kory Young and Ozzy Reid assist with an electronic block activity during the February Sip ‘N Create.
Fall Youth Entrepreneurship Summit
Plans are underway for the “Youth Entrepreneurship Summit” scheduled for Saturday, September 28, 2024, at The Possible Zone’s (TPZ) Innovation Center. Teens from across the
city will experience engaging and fun workshops during this day-long event. TPZ is proudly partnering with the Chica Project, the Center for Women & Enterprise, the City of Boston’s Offices of Youth Engagement and Male Advancement, and Love Your Magic to create a program that highlights and encourages young people to pursue entrepreneurship, business, and skill-building opportunities. This program builds off the last two years’ successful Girls’ Entrepreneurship Summits TPZ organized with partners. More information will be available on the TPZ website by mid-July.
TPZ Mid-Year Staff Retreat
This week, The Possible Zone (TPZ) team gathered for its annual mid-year retreat, during which the urgency of moving the mission-driven work forward was elevated and addressed. Staff explored and planned ways to strengthen Impact Culture across the organization, with guidance from Kotter International, change management consultants who have been working closely to help identify opportunities and priorities for TPZ. Additionally, the staff learned more about the comprehensive assessment and approaches TPZ is undertaking to help create students’ pathways to careers through internal programming and external education and industry partnerships. TPZ Advisor Elisabeth Reynolds, MIT Professor of the Practice and former Special Assistant to President Biden for Manufacturing and Economic Development at the National Economic Council, shared insights into industrial trends globally, nationally, and in Massachusetts to set the stage for the session. The retreat wrapped up with recognition of staff members who have marked tenure milestones and an inspired team geared up for TPZ’s continued work to advance economic equity for young people.
Alumni Corner: The Career Zone
The Possible Zone (TPZ) Work-Based Learning team will host The Career Zone, a career exploration event that will introduce TPZ students and alumni to vibrant career paths in Boston. Slated for Wednesday, July 31, from 2:00-4:15 p.m. at the Innovation Center, this program will offer young adults the opportunity to build valuable social capital and practice networking and communicating with potential future employers and colleagues; members of the local community and some of TPZ’s supportive industry partners will share their time and insights. The event will also feature a panel discussion centered around Clean Energy and a Speed Networking session. Alumni who are interested in learning more, can email Andrea Miranda, Director of Volunteers & Alumni Engagement.
TPZ Earns Platinum and Three-Star Ratings!
The Possible Zone (TPZ) is proud to have earned a 2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Guidestar—also known as Candid—and a Three-Star Rating from Charity Navigator, the premier resources for research on nonprofit financials, leadership, mission, and more. Now, even more prospective donors, funding agencies, partners, and members of the public can feel confident in TPZ’s value and may view key organizational information such as TPZ’s strategic goals, financial documents, and evaluation metrics through the Guidestar/Candid and Chari