YS Foundations First Annual Convening - Recap!

On March 12, 2025, we hosted the first-ever YS Foundations Convening, bringing together over 50 educators, administrators, and career development professionals for a day of learning, collaboration, and inspiration.

Throughout the day, attendees engaged in interactive presentations focused on the five key areas of YS Foundations:

• Awareness & Culture Building – Dr. Chris Chopp shared how Comstock STEM Academy embeds career development into school culture through board policy and advisory board engagement.

• Direct Student Services – A panel featuring Charlie Mollett (Shelby High School), Bethany Stanton (Galesburg-Augusta High School), Crystal Fuller (Parchment High School), and Jason Luke (Kalamazoo RESA Career Connect) discussed their approaches to student services and how YS Foundations has helped shape their programs.

• Logistical Support – Alex Packer from Youth Solutions provided a preview of the upcoming STEP curriculum, which will soon be available to all YS Foundations schools!

• Communication & Messaging – Julia McBride from Pinckney Community High School highlighted how they have successfully implemented strategic messaging to engage stakeholders.

• Assessment & Data Collection – Gretchen Panicucci & Donna Rummel from Youth Solutions emphasized the importance of using data to drive continuous improvement in career development programming.

We were also honored to hear from Dorthy Switalski from the Office of Career and Technical Education at MDE on the relaunch of the Michigan Career Development Model. 

In addition to these impactful sessions, we celebrated leaders who have played a pivotal role in advancing YS Foundations and championing high-quality, career-focused education:

• Transformational Award – Shelby Middle School, Shelby High School, and Wendy Wells at West Shore ESD for their leadership in shaping and strengthening YS Foundations.

• Convener Award – Alyssa Merten at Oceana College Access Network for her dedication to bringing the right people together to expand career-connected learning opportunities.

It was truly an energizing and impactful day, and we are grateful to everyone who attended and contributed. Enjoy this brief video celebrating the event! 

[Recap Video Link]