Roads to Success Launches Pathways

PRESS RELEASE

Empowering educators through a virtual teaching and learning solution.

NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 - The New York City-based nonprofit organization Roads to Success has launched Pathways, a virtual learning solution designed to inspire youth to take control of their own futures. The program, which can be facilitated remotely, empowers educators to help students unlock their potential by guiding them through post-graduate options, financial aid resources, career goal setting, financial literacy, and more. Roads to Success, who has positively impacted thousands of youth spanning nearly two decades, delivers Pathways at a time when current events highlight a deep disparity in equity among Americans and COVID-19 has restricted the access of millions to beneficial, self-empowering programs.

Pathways is centered around Roads to Success’ pre-existing, guided curriculum. This successful, widely-used curriculum is downloaded and facilitated by hundreds of educators around the world every year for youth ages 12 and above. 

“This curriculum has been downloaded and used all over the world for years, but to offer it with a virtual learning service was a major priority, especially given the importance of remote learning now. There is so much debate and outrage in this country about equality, but this is how it gets done: empowering the young people to create their own future for themselves. We're excited to put this forward right now," says Bashan Fernandez, Chief Program Officer at Roads to Success.

As the pandemic has shifted classroom learning entirely to the digital space or a blended model, Roads to Success has found new ways to help educators to implement this curriculum:

• In addition to the free download, educators can sign up for custom training and support resource packages designed for self-paced learning for a small group, facilitated learning for a single classroom, or personalized learning for a series of classrooms or network sites. 
• Subscription packages offer coaching and training for teachers or online facilitators who can teach the curriculum - with a limited facilitator to student ratio ensuring that no one is left behind.
• Impact is measured through pre- and post-surveys indicating both Social Emotional Learning and College and Future Readiness using the youth development database tool, Hello Insight. All subscribers will have access to this data.
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Besides the highly regarded curriculum, Pathways stands out from other future-focused programs due to the availability of two ever-important features: live mentors and components infused with social emotional learning. While it is extremely important to immerse young people in college and careers, progressive education practices suggest that students bring their whole selves to school each day, including their emotions. In today's cities and lower income neighborhoods that often means a need for interpersonal support, even in a virtual setting.

“Never in a million years did any educator believe when they left school in March that they would still be in an online learning scenario today,” says Melissa Silva, who teaches at Arts HighSchool in Newark, New Jersey. “We’ve had to learn new skills overnight, adjust to new procedures and adapt to our student needs. It hasn’t been easy but in true teacher style, we have pulled through and have come out stronger than ever. What we must now focus on is not merely just surviving this epidemic but thriving in it. To do this, we must as educators create quality educational opportunities and also perhaps more importantly, address the trauma our students have endured.”

For more information on Pathways and to find out how you can sign up for a subscription, visit pathwaysbyroads.org.

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​About Roads to Success

Roads to Success empowers youth by providing them with mentors and resources that will support their own unique growth. We envision a future where youth from all backgrounds are given a fair and equitable chance to be inspired, connected, and to discover their own path to thrive. www.roadstosuccess.org

For media inquiries, please contact: 

Davis Connelly
Director of Development
(646) 205-7719
davis@roadstosuccess.org