b'FUTURES Spring 2021f e a t u r e sSAVE THE DATE Virtual AnnualVirtual GraduationCeremony ConferenceFUTUREThursday, June 3, 2021The theme for PhiladelphiaFutures this yearForward to YourFuturerecognizes PhiladelphiayourDetails to Follow Futures determination to achieve a vision of a city where all students have what theyPlease join us as we gather live,need to succeed in college and thrive in tovia YouTube, to celebrate ourlife. Additionally, this theme represents thescholars achievements.Futures scholars, who model how to keep moving forward despite the challenges of this past year.We look forward to connecting virtually.With the pandemic and social distancing guidelines, Philadelphia Futures accepted the challenge to innovate its 2021 Annual Conference. The Conference was a four-day virtual event, filled with engaging and timely sessions and workshops that allowed the Philadelphia Futures community CEO to connect and learn from each other in a safe way.CORNERPhiladelphia Futures focused on four different areas for each day of the conference: Futures Forward, Forward with Your Education, Forward with Your Career, and Forward with Yourself. Day One of the Conference offered updates and discussion about the organizations strategic plan and anti-racist transformation efforts with The ROZGroup.Day Twoprovided opportunities for the Providing the space to connect asFutures collegians to discuss their experiences attending a community is a reflection of our core college this past year during the pandemic, andprinciple of partnership. Though wemembers of the community gained valuable financialliteracy insight and information from Yanely Espinal. missed seeing everyone in person at theDEAR FRIENDS,Day Threegave the Philadelphia Futures mentors the 2021 Annual Conference, our students,On March 16, we marked a space to talk about assisting their mentees in their staff, families, and stakeholders createdyear since the day we endeavoredcareer search, employees at SAPa market leader into take everything we had built at end-to-end enterprise application software, database, a welcoming and inspiring atmospherePhiladelphia Futures and recreate analytics, intelligent technologies, and experience to learn together. We are dedicated it in a virtual environment. managementoffered engaging career advice to the to looking forward to the future andWe spent those first weeks Philadelphia Futures students, and the collegians led ensuring our scholars continue to sprinting to ensure our studentsa session on job search strategies.Day Four focusedhad what they needed to continue entirely on tools and resources to take care of ones have the tools and resources they on their academic journey . and health during this difficult time. Esperanza Health need for success in college and in life,also help meet critical human needs. Center led a workshop that focused on the social said Sara Woods, President and CEO That meant home deliveries ofdeterminants of health, examining health disparities of Philadelphia Futures.laptops and headsets, and countless exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic acrossgift cards for groceries, utilityPhiladelphias underserved neighborhoods, andassistance, and even chairs. Everyone exploring ways that the community can respond and take care of their families, friends, and each other.on staff pitched in to make surePhiladelphia Futures ended the week and the Annual Conference with a joyous awards ceremony, whichthis happened. included a reflection on the past year.continued on page 8inthisissue College Acceptances, p. 2 Futures News Feed, p. 3 Spotlight: Persevering in a Pandemic, p. 4-5'