Michigan Educators Collaborate to Advance Career Development
Last week, Youth Solutions (YS) proudly hosted its first ever YS Foundations Convening at the Calhoun Area Career Center in Battle Creek. This groundbreaking event brought together more than 50 educators, including YS Foundations school partners, teachers, counselors, and administrators from across Michigan to collaborate, exchange best practices, and strengthen career development initiatives in schools. Launched in 2022, YS Foundations has impacted more than 8,085 students across 15 schools in Michigan, equipping educators with the tools they need to help the youth in their schools make informed decisions about their futures.
"Every young person deserves the chance to dream boldly and build a future filled with possibility," said Roger Curtis, Executive Director of Youth Solutions. "The Convening was an opportunity for educators, leaders, and changemakers to come together with a shared mission of ensuring every Michigan youth has access to high-quality, career-focused education.”
Throughout the day, attendees engaged in interactive sessions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, all designed to empower educators with the tools needed to foster high-quality, career-focused education for Michigan’s youth. The Convening centered around the five focus areas of the YS Foundations service:
Awareness & Culture Building
Direct Student Services
Logistical Support
Communication & Messaging
Assessment & Data Collection
The event was led by Gretchen Panicucci, Manager of Innovative Services at Youth Solutions and Lead Consultant of the Foundations service. In the first session, Chris Chopp, Principal of Comstock STEM Academy, shared his personal experience in implementing YS Foundations at his school. Chopp told the audience that he initially had reservations about implementing YS Foundations, afraid of adding extra burden to teachers who are already strapped for time.
“One of the biggest gifts we can give teachers is time—time spent intentionally on progress toward our goals,” said Chopp. “At first, I was skeptical and asked, ‘Gretchen, Billy, show me how this connects.’ But through that process, I saw how this work aligns with our vision and truly supports educators.”
Highlights from the event included a panel discussion and Q&A session facilitated by Billy Bosquez, School Success Manager for Youth Solutions. Billy led a panel of four YS Foundations partners, who shared how the service has helped them enhance direct student services aligned with the Michigan Career Development Model (MCDM) in their districts.
Panelists: Charlie Mellot – School Counselor, Shelby High School, Bethany Staton – School Counselor, Galesburg-Augusta High School, Crystal Fuller – Work-Based Learning Coordinator, Parchment High School, Jason Luke – Director of Career Awareness & Exploration, KRESA Career Connect
"We see the greatest opportunity for enhancement in moving away from random acts of career development…instead, we need to integrate career exploration into the curriculum," said Jason Luke, Director of Career Awareness & Exploration at KRESA Career Connect, a current YS Foundations partner. "By collaborating with the YS Foundations team, we can build a structured system that guides students through each phase effectively, creating lasting impact."
Youth Solutions also welcomed Dorthy Switalski, Education Consultant from the Michigan Department of Education Office of Career & Technical Education, who provided an update on the Michigan Career Development Model relaunch. Youth Solutions played a key role in shaping Michigan’s approach to career readiness through the development of the new model.
After lunch, Youth Solutions recognized outstanding partners who exemplify two of the organization’s core values through their dedication to student success. The Career Leadership Councils at Shelby Middle School and Shelby High School, along with Wendy Wells from West Shore ESD, were awarded the Transformational Award for being the first schools to sign on as a YS Foundations partner. Alyssa Merten of Oceana College Access Network was awarded the Convener award for her leadership in uniting key partners and driving the success of YS Foundations in her county.
“Today, I see a room full of pioneers,” said Curtis. “They are brave, they are passionate, and in many ways, they are fearless in their commitment to transforming education. They are challenging the status quo, breaking barriers, and reshaping what career-focused learning looks like for Michigan’s youth.”
School districts and ISD's interested in learning more about how YS Foundations can be integrated in their school systems can contact Youth Solutions through their website.