Generation Next

06/16/2026

It's at StriveTogether, and we wanted to share a recent data board from our 2026 Annual Event! Our Pathways to Prosperity board illuminates the pathways of students from low-income households (eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch in K-12).

By bringing data across systems into one shared picture, we are making the invisible visible – identifying which students are not experiencing success, where inequities are most concentrated, and what conditions are holding young people back. Through our partnership with the Minnesota Statewide Longitudinal Education
Data System (SLEDS), we are able to see a clear and measurable picture of our collective impact and the work still ahead. Generation Next is in a unique position where we can see ALL students across all systems and sectors in Minneapolis and Saint Paul!

Check it out at the link below:https://gennextmsp.org/wp-content/uploads/GenerationNextPathwaystoProsperity.pdf

06/16/2026

Congratulations to Sondra Samuels on this amazing achievement! Sondra has been an integral part of the Generation Next coalition since its very beginning, and we are extremely grateful for her leadership and partnership! Northside Achievement Zone

We're proud to share that Northside Achievement Zone President & CEO Sondra Samuels has been named one of TIME's inaugural Visionaries.

Selected as one of 14 honorees nationwide, Sondra joins a remarkable group of leaders recognized for driving bold, systemic change to help children reach their full potential. According to TIME, the inaugural list highlights individuals working across education, mental health, economic opportunity, housing, and other critical areas to ensure young people have the support and resources they need to thrive.

For more than 15 years, Sondra has championed a vision rooted in the strengths, aspirations, and potential of North Minneapolis families. Under her leadership, NAZ has grown into a collaborative of more than 40 partner organizations and schools working together to support children and families from cradle to career.

In its profile, highlighted NAZ's innovative Wealth Builds Minneapolis initiative, in partnership with Harlem Children's Zone, which helps families build assets and opportunity through financial education and college savings accounts, as well as the organization's long-term commitment to improving outcomes for North Minneapolis children.

While this recognition bears Sondra's name, it reflects the visionary and collective efforts of countless scholars, families, staff, partners, and community members who have worked together to build a brighter future for North Minneapolis.

As Sondra shared with TIME, "It's about hope. We're here to power purpose and potential on the Northside."

Congratulations, Sondra. We are grateful for your leadership and proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition.

See more here: https://time.com/collection/visionaries/2026/sondra-samuels/

06/12/2026

It's at StriveTogether!

At the time of its founding, Spartanburg Academic Movement operated in a community where only 19% of residents held a four-year degree. Today, that community is rewriting its story — and showing what’s possible when systems move together.

Through Movement 2030, SAM and more than 30 partners are aligned around a countywide plan to ensure 70% of high school graduates enroll in postsecondary education and 1,000 additional degrees and credentials are completed each year by 2030.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

As members of the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network, we’re proud to be part of a national movement building the systems that connect more people to postsecondary credentials and quality careers — because opportunity after high school should be the expectation, not the exception.

Read the full case study to see how aligned systems are helping more students and adults access economic opportunity in Spartanburg:

National Background Across the country, education beyond high school remains one of the strongest predictors of lifetime earnings and stability. Adults with a bachelor’s degree earn, on average, 67% more than those with only a high school diploma. Even some college without a credential yields limi...

06/03/2026

June is month at StriveTogether!

A purposeful pathway is more than a plan — it's a connected, well-designed system that supports young people from high school graduation through credential completion and into employment with family-sustaining wages.

And right now, too many students are navigating that journey alone.

By 2031, 72% of all jobs will require some form of postsecondary education or credential. Yet nearly 40% of first-time undergraduates don't complete a degree within eight years. And nearly half of Gen Z students say they lack confidence in their postsecondary plans.

Students aren't failing the system. The system isn't connecting the dots for them.

When K–12, higher education, employers and community partners work together around shared data and shared goals, more students graduate knowing where they're going and how to get there.

As a member of the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network, we're committed to building those systems in our community.

📘 Learn more about why purposeful pathways matter and what it takes to build them:

Every student deserves a clear path forward. Too often, they are navigating their future without a trusted guide or the real-world experience to match. According to ECMC Group’s pulse survey, 78% of Gen Z students said they want to determine their career plans before graduating. Only 13% fee...

05/27/2026

It’s at StriveTogether, and we’re excited to highlight one of our favorite parts of our events: Data Walks! 📊✨

During Data Walks, we share community data on student outcomes and experiences—from early childhood through postsecondary attainment & employment—and transform complex dashboards into accessible, easy-to-understand boards. This allows attendees to explore the data at their own pace, ask questions, and dig into what it all means for our community.

A key part of the experience? Our incredible Data Docents 👏
They help guide conversations, answer questions, and create a welcoming space for learning and reflection.

Data Walks are all about making data meaningful, approachable, and actionable—for everyone.

You can view our 2026 Annual Event Data Boards, as well as last year's, on our website's Publications tab: https://gennextmsp.org/publications/

05/26/2026

May is at StriveTogether, and we wanted to share the most-visited resource on our website--our Data Center!

Our Data Center features interactive data dashboards for all six of our goal areas!

Explore more at the link below:

https://gennextmsp.org/data/

05/26/2026

Over the past 5 sessions, our Promise Advocates Cohort (PAC) came together to learn, connect, and elevate parent voice in meaningful ways. 💙

This incredible cohort included passionate parents representing 9 different communities, each bringing unique experiences, perspectives, and ideas to the table. Together, they created a Plan of Action that reflects the voices, hopes, and priorities of families across our communities.

Throughout the cohort, parents showed up with courage, support, and inspiration for one another. It was truly amazing to hear their stories, build connections, and witness the power of parents advocating for change together.

We are so proud of each graduate and grateful for the time, heart, and leadership they shared with this cohort. Your voices matter, and your advocacy will continue to make an impact far beyond these sessions.

A special shout out to the Education Partnership Coalition for facilitating this powerful experience and helping create a space where parent voices could be heard, valued, and uplifted.

Congratulations to our Promise Advocates Cohort graduates!

Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood Cradle 2 Career Generation Next Northfield Promise Northside Achievement Zone RiseUp Partnership United Way of Central Minnesota TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health Parent Nation Children First

05/21/2026

May is — and we're starting with a question: what separates communities that improve outcomes for young people from those that don't?

Research points to one consistent answer: how they use data.

A study by the American Educational Research Association across 59 school districts and seven states found that those that systematically collected, interpreted and used student performance data produced statistically significant improvements in student achievement — compared to those that didn't.

As a member of the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network, evidence-based decision making is central to how we work. It means asking the right questions, sharing information across partners and changing what a community does based on what the data shows.

Data is not the goal. Better outcomes for young people are. Data is a driver to how communities get there.

📊 Read StriveTogether’s full explainer on why data use matters — and what it takes to build systems that put it into practice:

Learn why data use matters and how communities that collect, share and act on data together produce better outcomes for children and families.

05/20/2026

Our latest blog post recaps our 2026 Annual Event: Pathways to Possibility! Read it here: https://gennextmsp.org/blog/pathways-to-possibility-2026/

05/06/2026

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! We are truly thankful for the incredible dedication and hard work our community's educators put into shaping the future of our youth, and we are lucky to count so many as part of our networks. Your passion and commitment inspire us every day.💖