Returning to classrooms this fall doesn’t mean reverting back to the “old way” of doing things. As many of us know too well, the “old way” was working for far too few of our young people. Instead, we are taking the lessons learned over the past year-and-a-half to better braid learning from work and school, forge stronger partnerships between educators and employers, and create a thriving, inclusive economy powered by our students.

HERE to HERE announced $600,000 in grant awards through their Braided Pathways Fund. The fund recognizes high-quality, existing programs as highlighted by the Key Distinguishers of Integrated Work-Based Learning (Key Distinguishers).

With temperatures rising, vaccines readily available, a robust mayoral race narrowing, and the City reopening, Summer 2021 is proving to be a season for growth, energy, and renewal. Amidst the frenzy of activity, HERE to HERE is not simply “returning to normal,” but instead “striving for better.”

We all are welcoming interns again through the fully reinstated SYEP program, the Braided Pathways Fund RFP is out—building on the work of the Key Distinguishers Task Force, the Pathways to Prosperity NYC campaign is underway, and we’re taking lessons learned from SY2021 to help support schools in our High School Network deepen their commitment to work-based learning (WBL) in the coming school year. In the field, you all are doing amazing work as well. Lehman’s Bronx Recovery Corps is expanding and has inspired the creation of a Brooklyn Recovery Corps, and NYC DOE is making a new investment in WBL this summer.

We are excited to share all of this great news in this edition of our newsletter.

HERE to HERE stands with the AAPI community in calling for an end to the violent words and actions that seek to shift blame, marginalize, and do harm to those who we count among our friends, family, and neighbors.

Welcome to our #2021Kickoff week, five days of mailings highlighting all the great work underway to braid critical job experience with academics and better position Bronx and NYC students for future success!