College Success Foundation and Treehouse, in partnership with the Washington Passport Network, are excited to announce major changes and expansion for the college prep program Make It Happen!, which is now Way To Go and will be held in three regions. The updates are due to the recent expansion of the Passport to Careers program and the need to serve more students beyond youth who have experienced state foster care.
“While the old model was beloved, it’s critical that we reimagine and expand the program as demand grows,” said Fred Kingston of College Success Foundation. “We’re also pleased to announce our partnership with Treehouse, which has dramatically increased high school graduation rates for youth in foster care and continues to support youth into adulthood. They’re a perfect partner as we evolve and serve more youth.”
The changes include:
- Three regions: Rather than a single three-day event, Way To Go will be three regional one-day events: June 18 at Eastern Washington University (Cheney), June 25 at Saint Martin’s University (Lacey) and June 27 at Everett Community College (Everett). Transportation will be provided to all locations. The event is free to attend for eligible students.
- Tribal foster youth, unaccompanied refugee minors and unaccompanied homeless youth: Way To Go joins Passport to Careers as they expand to include the above youth. In order to attend, students must have experienced an out of home placement after age 13 or experienced unaccompanied homelessness in the past year.
- Focus on high school juniors and seniors: Curriculum and overall event design will be tailored to the needs of these students.
The goal of Way To Go is for students to tackle their education plans as they attend college readiness workshops, make connections and strengthen their networks.
