AFH Education Team Propels Alums to New Levels of Success

Whether entering the professional world or advancing in their academic studies, the most recent Artists For Humanity (AFH) alums are set to enter new chapters with confidence and readiness. The stellar alums previously worked as teen employees in one of our seven creative studios, gaining professional experience working on client projects and public art, in collaboration with our studio mentors. High graduation rates and a record amount of scholarships awarded this year demonstrate the impact of AFH’s Education Department in fostering skills for success.

In addition to AFH’s studio-based mentorship, our cohort of volunteers tutor teens one-on-one in academic subjects after work, motivating them to graduate from high school. Our Education team aids teens in the college admissions process, as well as offering career advising for those entering professional work out of high school. By supporting young people in developing skills for academic and professional advancement, AFH works to create a more equitable future for Boston’s youth.

The AFH Education team has a demonstrated impact on teens’ futures, with a 100% high school graduation rate in 2024, along with a 100% acceptance rate to college or university of those who applied. Of the recent grads, seven are pursuing careers including freelance photography and videography, television production, carpentry, teaching English as a second language, retail, and becoming an assistant mentor at AFH. Two others will set off on gap years to travel and participate in language immersion programs. The other new alums will attend a variety of colleges and universities, with scholarships totaling more than $1,130,000, an increase of more than $359,000 in scholarships from 2023!

This year, along with aiding teens in the college application process, the Education team facilitated vast amounts of scholarships to support the alums’ intended paths. Among the awarded scholarships were the 2024 Lowell L. Richards III Memorial Scholarship, the Stephen Phillips Scholarship, a scholarship from Questbridge to attend Boston University, which covers full tuition, housing, and educational material costs, and a full tuition and housing scholarship to Maine College of Art and Design.

These achievements were made possible due to the support of the AFH College Advisor and AmeriCorps Massachusetts Promise Fellow and the AFH Education Director. The awarded scholarships, which make it possible to persevere past financial hurdles, illustrate the power of creativity in breaking barriers to success.

While we will miss working with these exceptional alums at AFH, their accomplishments and talent inspire our community. We are confident that their future is bright as they embark on their projected paths!

Enjoyed? Read more from our September 2024 issue of Mixed Media.