Five Schools Receive Inaugural National Prize for Innovative Career Exploration Programs

National nonprofits Building Hope and Britebound name the first cohort of middle and high schools recognized as Future Forward Schools

WASHINGTON, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Building Hope and Britebound today named five winning schools in the inaugural Future Forward Schools Prize, awarding $250,000 to schools that are helping students – particularly those from under-resourced communities – explore and prepare for future careers beginning as early as middle school.

The Future Forward Schools Prize is a three-year national initiative recognizing schools that have built innovative, scalable models for connecting student learning to real-world careers. The winners were selected from a competitive pool of 256 national applicants. Each winner will receive prize funding and join the Future Forward Schools Fellowship, which offers retreats and pro bono advisory support.

"Too many of our nation's schools are still preparing students for a world that no longer exists," said Bill Hansen, President and CEO of Building Hope. "These five schools are doing something different — they're giving students, especially those from communities that have historically been left out of economic opportunity, the chance to discover what they're good at and what they want to pursue. That kind of early investment in career exploration isn't just good for students. It's good for the communities and workforce they'll one day help build."

"Research is clear that students want to connect what they're learning to where they're headed — and they want to start that process far earlier than we've traditionally allowed," said Julie Lammers, President and CEO of Britebound. "These winning schools are strengthening student engagement and purpose to better prepare young people for the future. We're proud to support them."

The five inaugural Future Forward Schools Prize winners are:

• Comp Sci High (Bronx, NY): This South Bronx charter school prepares students for economic independence through rigorous, real-world training in computer science, AI, app development, media, and cybersecurity. Every student completes three paid internships before graduation — with the Class of 2025 logging more than 22,000 hours of paid work experience and a 100% graduation rate. Prize funding will help launch a new alternative high school for out-of-school youth and expand its alumni support program.
  
  
• UP Academy Dorchester (Boston, MA): Through its Imagine Your Future program, UP Academy connects middle school students — 99% of whom are students of color — with leading Boston companies for hands-on career exploration, site visits, mentorship, and project-based learning. The program has helped UAD rank first in English Language Arts (ELA) growth among high-needs schools statewide and earn recognition as a Tier 1 school. Prize funding will help scale the model and deepen its research partnership to reach more students during the critical middle school years.
  
  
• Utica Shale Academy of Ohio (Salineville, OH): Serving at-risk students across four Appalachian counties, Utica Shale Academy embeds industry credentials in welding, robotics, and manufacturing directly into students' graduation pathways — with more than 900 certifications earned in a single year. Named the nation's top high school for employer collaboration by NC3, the Academy pairs rigorous technical training with wraparound support to help students achieve living-wage careers. Prize funding will launch a new Wheel Service and Alignment Certification program, adding another hands-on pathway for students.
  
  
• Old Brook High School Parma Campus (Parma, OH): Old Brook's student-centered model empowers students to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and industry-recognized credentials across culinary arts, healthcare, construction, and manicuring — including a four-year 100% cosmetology board pass rate. With 90% of graduates reporting strong employment or enrollment outcomes within a year, Old Brook combines individualized support with real-world experience to prepare students for careers and life after graduation. Prize funding will expand industry immersion experiences and provide financial support for graduates pursuing post-secondary education in their chosen field.
  
  
• New Mexico School for the Arts (Santa Fe, NM): NMSA is a tuition-free statewide charter school offering 2,000+ hours of pre-professional arts training alongside rigorous academics, achieving a 97% graduation rate well above the state's 77% average. Its newly launching Film & Cinematic Storytelling Department will prepare students from 55 communities across New Mexico to enter the state's booming film industry. Prize funding will support the department's critical first year of operations.

"Our students don't lack potential — they arrive lacking access, exposure, and opportunity," said Megan Foster, Principal, Old Brook High School Parma Campus. "I know that story personally: a single teacher changed my trajectory by making me believe in my own future, and that's exactly what Old Brook does every day. This prize means we can do even more of that work, for even more students."

For more information about the Future Forward Schools Prize, visit buildinghope.org/futureforwardschools.

About Building Hope

Building Hope is a national nonprofit that empowers advancements in education through our work with schools and communities by providing unparalleled facility financing, real estate development, and operational services. We believe a facility should never be the barrier preventing a child from attending a great school. During our 22-year history, Building Hope has supported more than $2 billion in charter school projects. For more information, visit www.buildinghope.org.

About Britebound

Britebound™, formerly American Student Assistance (ASA), is a national nonprofit whose mission is to inspire young people to explore their passions, experiment with careers, and navigate a path to a meaningful and rewarding future, through access to career readiness information, resources, and experiences for all. Britebound helps middle and high school students to know themselves—their strengths and their interests—and understand their education and career options so that they can make informed decisions. Britebound fulfills its mission by providing free, digital experiences including Futurescape®, Future Network, and GoZig, directly to millions of students, and through advocacy, impact investing, research, thought leadership, and philanthropic support for educators, intermediaries, and others. Britebound fosters a generation of confident, crisis-proof young people who are ready for whatever path comes next after high school. To learn more about Britebound, visit www.britebound.org.

Contact:
Karen Swan
[email protected]

SOURCE Building Hope