On Tuesday, June 3, 2025, the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL), in partnership with Seattle Public Schools, hosted the College and Career Access Networking event. The event provided opportunity for community-based organizations supporting Seattle middle and high school students in the area of college and career readiness to connect, share highlights of their work and build community. This event was funded by the Washington Student Achievement Regional Challenge Grant. DEEL received this grant in the Fall of 2022 in the amount of $1.25 million dollars. The grant has the end goal of building and sustaining regional partnerships to expand postsecondary access and attainment for BIPOC students. DEEL has identified three core strategies to achieving this larger goal: 1) Provide culturally specific mentorship and coordinated wrap-around support services for Black, Latinx, & Indigenous students from high school to postsecondary, 2) Grow paid opportunities for career-connected learning and internships during the academic year and summers., and 3). Increase and expand adult capacity to provide culturally relevant college and career readiness supports with students, families, and CBO staff at Garfield & Franklin High School.
Partners in the WSAC Regional Grant work include Seattle Public Schools (SPS), Seattle Colleges, Seattle Promise, Empowering Youth and Families Outreach (EYFO), El Centro de la Raza, Mentoring Urban Students and Teens (MUST), Brotherhood Initiative, Sisterhood Initiative, Project Baldwin, Seattle Youth Employment Program, Scholar Fund, and Right Standing Solutions.
Over 60 people attended the event, including community-based partners serving students and were able to network and share success stories and learnings. A panel of Seattle high school students mentored by the grantee organizations shared their experiences receiving mentoring services. Student panelists emphasized the importance of hands-on mentorship and how hearing from professionals in various careers inspired them to pursue higher education and pursue college.
Mentors and guests engaged with students to learn about the barriers they faced in school and areas of improvement to best support students’ college and career goals. Students said the supports they received from their mentors’ help set them on the path to success. Additionally, students also discussed the importance of intentional career and college exposure during advisory, increased exposure to culturally responsive mentorship, and exploratory learning via projects, field trips, internships and panel discussions.
To learn more about the WASC Regional Challenge Grant visit their website https://wsac.wa.gov/challenge-grants. To learn more about DEEL’s College and Career Readiness resources visit seattle.gov/education.
