Spark the Journey

Spark the Journey Every young adult can attain economic mobility, regardless of ZIP code, background or race.

Capital Partners for Education (CPE) provides a structured continuum of one-on-one mentoring, academic support, and career preparation services to low-income high school and college students from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, guiding them to and through college, and into sustainable career paths. Over the past ten years, 97 percent of students who complete the CPE high school mentoring program enroll in college and graduate at more than double the rate of their similarly situated peers

🎒 Back-to-school season is here!As students, families, educators, and communities settle into a new school year, we’re t...
08/27/2026

🎒 Back-to-school season is here!

As students, families, educators, and communities settle into a new school year, we’re thinking about all the possibilities that come with a fresh start.

The little people in these photos had no idea where life would take them. Today, they’re members of our team, helping create opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and see what’s possible for themselves.

We’re proud to support everyone heading back to school—and everyone helping make that journey a little brighter.

Here’s to a new school year, new possibilities, and becoming who you’re meant to be. 📚

🎒 Back-to-school season is here!As students, families, educators, and communities settle into a new school year, we’re t...
08/27/2026

🎒 Back-to-school season is here!

As students, families, educators, and communities settle into a new school year, we’re thinking about all the possibilities that come with a fresh start.

The little people in these photos had no idea where life would take them. Today, they’re members of our team, helping create opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and see what’s possible for themselves.

We’re proud to support everyone heading back to school—and everyone helping make that journey a little brighter.

Here’s to a new school year, new possibilities, and becoming who you’re meant to be. 📚

We're proud to introduce our July Pairs of the Month, one for our High School Program and one for our Year Up United Par...
08/20/2026

We're proud to introduce our July Pairs of the Month, one for our High School Program and one for our Year Up United Partnership!

We cheer on these two incredible mentor-mentee pairs whose commitment to one another represents what Spark the Journey is all about. Every pair has its own story, its own journey, and its own way of showing up for each other, and we are honored to recognize both.

👟 As part of our Pair for a Pair partnership with Nike Unite – H Street, HS Program pair, Hayile and Carissa received a personalized shopping experience and a brand-new pair of Nike sneakers.

🧡 Our Year Up United Pair, Cellou and Jim, are celebrated for the relationship they've built and the impact they've made throughout their journey together.

While the recognition looks a little different for each pair, the reason we celebrate them is the same: mentorship is about relationships. It's about trust, encouragement, growth, consistency, and the connections that can make a lasting difference in a young person's life.

Congratulations to our July Pairs of the Month! We are proud to celebrate both of you and the journeys you're taking together.

And thank you to Nike Unite – H Street for helping us continue to recognize the incredible mentor-mentee relationships at the heart of Spark the Journey.

Today, we’re celebrating our mentors, mentees, families, partners, volunteers, and everyone who believes in the power of...
08/17/2026

Today, we’re celebrating our mentors, mentees, families, partners, volunteers, and everyone who believes in the power of showing up for young people. 🧡

At Spark the Journey, mentorship is about more than helping a student get through high school and post-secondary education. It’s about helping a student build a relationship with someone who will listen, share their experiences, ask the hard questions, celebrate the wins, and remind a young person that they don’t have to figure everything out on their own.

We’re immensely grateful for everyone who continues to make successful mentor/mentee relationships possible. Because sometimes, having just one person in your corner can change the way you see yourself, your future, and what’s possible for college and career success.

Happy National Nonprofit Day from all of us at Spark the Journey!

⚾️ Summer fun at the ballpark!A few Spark mentors and mentees got together for a Nationals game, and it was a pretty gre...
08/12/2026

⚾️ Summer fun at the ballpark!

A few Spark mentors and mentees got together for a Nationals game, and it was a pretty great day. There was a little friendly rivalry, plenty of laughs, and a chance for some mentor-mentee pairs to meet each other for the first time.

Everyone had a great time! Good people, good conversations, and a baseball game. Not a bad way for all of us to spend a summer day. 🤍

We're incredibly grateful to Capital City Church for inviting Spark the Journey to share our mission and connect with in...
08/06/2026

We're incredibly grateful to Capital City Church for inviting Spark the Journey to share our mission and connect with individuals interested in becoming mentors. Every conversation, every question, and every new face reminded us that our community is full of people willing to invest in young people's futures!

Thank you to everyone who attended. We look forward to welcoming many of you as the newest members of the Spark the Journey mentoring community. 👏🏼

Years ago, Daniel came to Spark as a high school student looking for guidance. With the support of his mentor, he found ...
08/05/2026

Years ago, Daniel came to Spark as a high school student looking for guidance. With the support of his mentor, he found direction, gained confidence, and began thinking differently about his future. This year, he came back as a mentor in our new Northern Virginia program.

When we asked what inspired him to return, he says, "If I can't pay it back, why not pay it forward?"

Daniel knows firsthand what one caring adult can mean in a young person's life. Now he has the opportunity to be that person for someone else.

As we get ready for a new school year, we're working to connect even more students with mentors who can make that same kind of impact. If you'd like to help create more stories like Daniel's, we'd be grateful for your support.

_____________________________________

Consider making a gift today to help hundreds of young people on their paths to college and career success: https://lnkd.in/ggh9sVXm

Join us for either one of our Mentor Recruitment Happy Hours this week to learn how you can make a lasting impact in Was...
08/04/2026

Join us for either one of our Mentor Recruitment Happy Hours this week to learn how you can make a lasting impact in Washington, DC or Northern Virginia by volunteering as a mentor to a young adult.

Enjoy one free drink with your application, light appetizers, and connect with other professionals who are passionate about investing in the next generation!

Whether you come solo or bring your coworkers, you'll learn how mentoring just one young person can create lasting impact.

📅 August 6 | 5–8 PM
📍Starr Hill Biergarten
1805 Capital One Drive S Ste 1100, Tysons, VA

📅 August 7 | 5–8 PM
📍 El Presidente
1255 Union Street NE, Washington, DC

Get a head start on your application: https://lnkd.in/g9ujEdrm

We hope to see you there. 💙🧡

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

Congratulations to one of our mentees, Azlyn, for winning $1000 in the Henry D. Owen Scholarship contest.⁠⁠The Henry D. ...
07/24/2026

Congratulations to one of our mentees, Azlyn, for winning $1000 in the Henry D. Owen Scholarship contest.⁠
⁠
The Henry D. Owen Scholarship was established in honor of Henry D. Owen, a creative, compassionate, talented, and diligent public servant who co-founded Capital Partners for Education, now known as Spark the Journey. This scholarship, established in 2012, supports Spark students who exemplify values of persistence, relationship-building, and academic dedication.⁠
⁠
Azlyn tells us, "One skill that I've learned at Spark the Journey that will help me succeed in the next chapter of my life is the ability to speak up for myself. They have helped me grow the courage to speak up not only for myself and when there is injustice, but also for those who are unable to speak up for themselves."⁠
⁠
Congratulations, Azlyn! 👏🏽👏🏻👏🏿

07/23/2026

✨️ Spark the Journey × Nike Unite H Street 👟

"Kudos to Spark the Journey. The organization does a really good job of making mentors and mentees feel valued and appreciated." - Dr. Michael Hester (Mentor)

Every pair has a story. Our new partnership with Nike Unite on H Street helps us celebrate the relationships that change lives.

Our "Pair for a Pair" initiative takes our monthly Pair of the Month recognition to another level by rewarding one outstanding pair with a personalized shopping experience for a new pair of Nike sneakers.

We're proud to recognize the dedication of our mentoring community and a grateful to Nike Unite on H Street for helping us to celebrate these special relationships! 👏🏽

***********
To partner with Spark and help us continue to recognize outstanding pairs, learn how here: https://sparkthejourney.org/become-a-community-partner/



Address

609 H Street NE #500
Washington D.C., DC
20005

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Spark the Journey posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category