September 2026 Edition

Dear Friends of Avenue Scholars,

I know the calendar would tell us otherwise, but I like to think of fall as a season of new beginnings. Crisp air, cooler temperatures, and those first few months of a school year that promises new friends and new experiences.

That’s especially true for our newest high school Scholars, many of whom will spend the season taking their first steps toward their futures. 

Every fall, we host our Career Awareness program in which we shuttle our junior Scholars to in-person exploratory experiences with our business partners, giving Scholars a firsthand look at a field they’re interested in. This is their chance to find out if the career path they envisioned for themselves is truly something they want to do. 

The freedom to explore different interests, try new things, and change your mind is part of being young. That’s why we build exploration into the Avenue Scholars experience. We want our Scholars to land in a career that combines their skills with their passion. To do that, we give them the chance to meet with professionals in the field to discover what they would like — and, just as importantly, wouldn’t like — about potential careers. 

You’ll read more about our Career Awareness program in our September Pathway newsletter. But before you dive in, as we enter this season of beginnings, I invite you to think about the different paths your life could have taken, and about the people or programs who helped you become who you are today. 

Chances are, someone opened a door for you along the way. That’s what we want to do for our Scholars — and with your support, we are.


With Gratitude,

Lindsay Decker

CEO

Career Awareness Program Introduces High School Scholars to Their Futures

The Avenue Scholars Career Awareness program is an annual series of opportunities where Scholars take part in workplace field trips and interactive events designed for them to explore high-demand career fields.


This fall, our Scholars are visiting local workplaces to explore what a typical day looks like in various positions in healthcare, the skilled trades, transportation, and education.

Learn more about our Career Awareness events and see what each industry field trip is like with videos on our blog!

Sharing Skills with His Fellow Scholars

Scholar Kaden K. from Westside High School completed the Avenue Scholars Skilled Trades Boot Camp this summer. There, he had the chance to practice his craft — welding.

Along with learning new skills from professionals in the field, Kaden said Boot Camp gave him the opportunity to share what he loves to do with his peers.

“I think welding is pretty fun … It's one of my favorite things to do,” he said. “I started doing it when I was a freshman. I learned how to do it. It was pretty easy, maybe that's just me, but being able to show people how to do it is pretty fun as well.

So, I think that's one of my biggest successes, being able to teach people what I do.”

Introducing "First Job Fridays," a new short social media series where Avenue Scholars staff share details about their first-ever job, what they liked or didn't like, and the lessons they took away from the experience.

In our first video, we asked Claire Vogel, Senior Director of Human Resources, and Dan Corral, Business Outreach Coordinator, to talk about their early job experiences.



• We're going to be on TV! This month, we welcomed a team from Omaha's KPTM (Fox 42) to the office to film a short commercial spot to air in October. Be on the lookout!

• A few staff members attended QLI's "An Evening at the Fair" fundraiser this month. It was a memorable night — especially for one of our staffers who had the chance to smash a watermelon with a hammer! Sweet! 
  
• September is Workforce Development Month, which serves as a great opportunity to highlight the hard work of our staff and Coaches, as well as our business and education partners, all of whom help our Scholars become career-ready and thrive personally and professionally. Thank you, all!

• Our Career Services Coaches are making their rounds this season, speaking with high school Scholars to introduce themselves and share how we can help them after graduation. Getting to know Scholars and sharing information early helps to create a mutually trusting relationship and clarity for the path ahead.



Scholar Stories and More on Our Blog!

If you have't heard, our blog, Voices, is packed with Scholar features, organizational updates, and more! Voices showcases Scholar successes to inspire and highlight how the Avenue Scholars community helps young people entering the workforce. Check it out!

As always, you can also support our mission by making an online gift on our website. Click the button below to donate today. We're so grateful for your support!