b'Ahmed HubbiSponsor-A-Scholar, Class of 2023Northeast High School, Class of 2023Attending high school during apandemic was very challenging,but Futures helped provide me with great resources and experiences. I was a freshman and still acclimating to my schoolenvironment when the pandemic hit, and then schools were closed for over a year. I truly disliked virtual learning and lacked motivation without a school-like environment. I missed my routine: waking up early, wearing a uniform, getting on the bus, and eatinga cafeteria breakfast. Most of all, I missed socializing with peers and friends. Despite feeling like I missed out on so many opportunitiesduring this pandemic, I was glad that I was able to still attend Philadelphia Futures courses this year, even in a remote environment. I participated in numerous courses that assisted me on my path for college and ultimately success. The Sponsor-A-Scholar program providedme with a mentor relationship which was a big partof my 2020-21 school year. I have grown and changed so much as an individual. I am greatly enthusiastic for the 2021-22 school year and cannot wait toimplement my newly-acquired skills and abilitiesin all my classes to perform the best I can.Forward to the Future with College VisitsFutures expertly adapted to the virtual college visit format, and facilitated more college visitsin 2020-21 than ever before: high school students participated in a total of 70 virtual collegevisit events, a dramatic increase from the pre-pandemic average of 14 in-person visits per year. Futures promoted attendance at these events by emphasizing to students the importance ofinteracting with colleges despite not having the opportunity to be on campus, and by asking colleges to bring unique offerings and opportunities to their presentations. Bucknell University presented on student leadership and affinity space support offices such as the Womens Center and the LGBTQ Center, to highlight their commitment to creating a safe campus environment for everyone. Bentley Colleges Ace the Activities presentation helped students elevate the quality of the activitiesportion of their application. In addition, technology allowed visits with colleges that Futures students have never visited before, such as Clark University, Kenyon College, and CalTech.page 2'