Big Thought

We’re thrilled to welcome these organizations to the Opportunity Youth Incubator! 🎉 Each is deeply committed to connecting young people with meaningful opportunities and transforming the systems that impact them. Help us welcome: ▪️ National Adoption Association – advancing best practices in adoption from foster care ▪️ YouthBuild Global – equipping opportunity youth with the skills and mindsets for lifelong learning, livelihood, and leadership ▪️ G.E.M.S. (Girls Embracing Mature Stages) – providing education and mentorship to uplift and empower teen girls ▪️ Nomi Network – working to end human trafficking by creating pathways to safe employment and economic independence Want to get involved? Learn more at our upcoming info session – details here: https://bit.ly/3DH80mm

Grateful for our partnership with Let The Beat Build — we love getting to work together to support youth through creativity and opportunity. Read more about their mission and impact here: https://lnkd.in/gNEEGRF2

Want to help shape best practices for connecting young people with workforce opportunities? We're partnering with nonprofits and community-based organizations to drive change, and we’d love for you to join us. Join our virtual info session on Wednesday, March 26 at 1 pm CST to learn how your organization can get involved. RSVP at https://bit.ly/3DH80mm

Partnership is power – whether it’s among organizations or between youth and adults working together to shape the future. At #NAA2025, our team and youth leaders will be leading two powerful conversations on building meaningful connections that drive impact: 🔸 Pathways to Partnerships – LeAnn Binford, Sr. Director of Consulting Services at Big Thought Institute, will explore how partnerships can expand opportunities for students and families, strengthen engagement, and create growth pathways for staff. 🔸 Tech, Future, and You – Three youth from our Community Action Team will lead a session on how young people navigate AI, mental health, and the role of adult support in building future-ready spaces. If you’ll be in Nashville, we’d love to connect! And whether you’re attending or not, we invite you to reflect on these questions: → What’s one key to a successful partnership? → How can adults better support young people in navigating technology and mental health?

We are incredibly grateful for our continued partnership with Sam's Club and the $1.5M grant they’ve provided to expand our Opportunity Youth Incubator initiative. This funding enables us to further close the skills gap and create meaningful career pathways for Opportunity Youth. As a collaborative anchor in DFW, we’re committed to using our incubator model to connect youth with employment opportunities and turn learnings into best practices for long-term success. Thanks to Sam’s Club’s support, we’re strengthening our ability to bring community-driven solutions to life and reshaping the future of work. Read more about how this partnership is creating lasting impact for Opportunity Youth: https://bit.ly/3DxuIx8 Learn how to get involved with our Opportunity Youth Incubator: https://bit.ly/41HNfAh

We’ve had *a time* at SXSW EDU this week! 🧡 This group of youth designers showcased and playtested The Porcelain Child, a game they ideated and built from the ground up. The game highlights both their skills and their hearts – they creatively found a way to demonstrate the impact and importance of youth-adult communication. A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by to play and learn more about their process! If you want to stay up to date on The Porcelain Child, sign up here: https://bit.ly/4kD8hYm Many thanks to History Co:Lab + iThrive Games for partnering with us to create this experience, Fit and Faithful Living for championing their youth’s participation, and Siegel Family Endowment for making this work possible.

Heading to SXSW EDU? Stop by and see us! History Co:Lab+iThrive Games, Big Thought, and young people from our communities will host a youth-led playtesting session of “The Porcelain Child,” a game designed by the youth themselves through a program made possible by Siegel Family Endowment. Register for the session at https://bit.ly/play-power

This is your invitation to join a conversation that shapes the future ✉ Our National Opportunity Youth Incubator brings together community-based organizations, nonprofits, and businesses to drive best practices for connecting young people with meaningful opportunities – and to reimagine the systems that impact them. Join us on Wednesday, February 26 at 1 PM CST to be part of the conversation. RSVP here: https://bit.ly/41xw9Fh

If you're going to be at ASU+GSV Summit 2025, you'll want to catch this session! ↓

Congratulations to all the districts awarded the LASO Cycle 3 Strong Foundations Grant! 👏 Big Thought is here to help you maximize your impact. As a TEA-approved provider in Math and RLA, we're ready to support your success through this next cycle. Book your consultation here → https://bit.ly/3QobsVO by May 15th to learn more about how we can support your LEA with this grant. Let's build Stronger Foundations together! Special congrats to our neighbors here in North Texas! A+ Academy, Avalon Independent School District, Bridgeway Preparatory Academy, Crandall ISD, Golden Rule Charter School, Inspired Vision Academy, Legacy Preparatory Charter Academy, Sherman Independent School District, Tom Bean Independent School District, BLUFF DALE ISD, Brazos River Charter School, Crosstimbers Academy, Gainesville Independent School District, Graford ISD, Mineral Wells ISD, North Texas Collegiate Academy, Pilot Point ISD, Sivells Bend ISD, Three Way ISD, Venus Independent School District, Walnut Bend ISD