Power in Connection: Beyond the Academics
Max, a high school senior who has been a part of our Future Urban Leaders programming for the past six years. Max will be graduating this Spring and is set to be a freshman next year at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) pursuing a degree as an engineer.
“FUL is all about providing access to opportunities. In middle school you begin exploring different experiences. Once you get into high school you have the opportunity to not only explore, but also to refine and build the skills you need to take yourself to that next level.”
When I joined FUL as a sixth grader, FUL was still in its earlier stages. We were small and there was definitely a family-like atmosphere amongst scholars and staff. As a middle schooler, FUL provided me access to many opportunities while also assisting me academically with my school work. As I moved into high school, I naturally became not only a Fellow, but also a leader amongst the other scholars.
As a Fellow, Future Urban Leaders is all about College and Career Readiness, ACT Prep, and helping to connect scholars with the resources they need to pursue the next step for them.
“For me personally, FUL has been able to help me make the best decision for me as to which college I wanted to attend. FUL connected me to individuals at a few campuses I was interested in, signed up for tours of campuses, and gave me all the tools I needed to make my decision. The Fellows program has also been huge in helping me prepare for the ACTs. I am happy and excited to be attending MSOE this Fall,” stated Max.
Future Urban Leaders is about more than just an after-school program. We are here to do whatever it takes to empower our scholars and support them to reach their goals. We hope that through our relationships with scholars and the opportunities we are able to connect them with that they are equipped with the tools they need to lead a life they are proud of, but also to be positive leaders in our society once they graduate and move onto their future endeavors.
“Student-wise Future Urban Leaders has helped me maintain my goals and academics with a 4.0 GPA. As an individual, FUL has helped me learn to be patient and observe situations. I now feel like I have the tools to analyze a situation and process how I should react. It has helped me in all types of relationships I have.
The relationships that I have built through FUL has been my favorite part of being involved. I never had Mr. Kreuger as a teacher, but I feel like he has been in my life for years. I really look up to him and I know he believes in me. He is always pushing me to my full potential. I have really enjoyed the family-like relationships that I have built,” explained Max.
The power of connection is one of the powers that FUL possesses that we believe truly sets us apart from other organizations with similar visions and missions as us. Connection and relationships are at the root of what we do at Future Urban Leaders. When a scholar joins FUL, they join the FUL family. As an organization, we are going to work to support and provide that scholar with whatever they need to pursue their interests and goals. We want to be at their high school graduation and beyond. We care deeply about each of our scholars, their interests, passions, and dreams. We want to empower them to achieve their full potential and to thrive in the life they choose to live.