By Krystal Moralee

The path to success doesn’t always center around a classroom. Sometimes it comes via the whir of a sander smoothing a piece of wood, the bright flash of a welding torch, or the deep concentration of a teenager who is making something happen with their own hands.

That sense of discovery is exactly what the Your Future Now program at SONS Outreach in Port Huron is designed to nurture, and thanks to a $16,200 grant from the Community Foundation, supported by the College Access initiative, the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), and the Grants Committee, SONS will be able to expand the hands-on vocational opportunities it offers to local youth.

“It’s been a really neat program,” said Jeff Kaczperski, interim director of SONS Outreach, adding that they’ve already had someone get a job as a result of what they learned. “It’s an exciting time, and there’s a real great need for it.”

The grant will help purchase tools, equipment, and supplies that allow students to step directly into practical learning environments, building on a growing vocational program that SONS began developing around three years ago.

Kaczperski said the idea emerged from a simple realization. For years, many SONS programs focused primarily on preparing students for college, but staff began to see that not every young person envisioned their future along that path, and they wanted to help fill the gap.

The first step was a woodworking course, and soon after came welding. Both quickly became popular with students eager to try something tangible and meaningful.

The classes are typically offered as after-school programs that meet once a week for about eight weeks. Skilled tradespeople from the community volunteer their time, offering students not only technical instruction but mentorship as well.

“They have to know what they’re doing,” Kaczperski said. “And they have to love kids.”

Most students who participate are between 13 and 16 years old, an age when many are just beginning to imagine what their adult lives might look like. The program intentionally focuses on ninth and tenth graders, who are often too young to access more formal vocational training. By giving younger students early exposure to different trades, SONS hopes to help them begin forming a vision for their future.

The grant funding will allow the program to grow even further. Along with expanding existing courses, SONS is preparing to introduce classes in electrical work and exploring options in computer technology, culinary arts, cosmetology, and textile or fashion-related skills.

“The Community Foundation and our donors love helping young people explore their future,” said Randy Maiers, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “We’ve been friends and partners with SONS for many, many years, and programs like Your Future Now helps students at an early age start thinking about what comes after high school.”

The program has drawn strong support from the Community Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC), a group of local high school students who help guide youth-focused grantmaking. In addition to supporting the Your Future Now program, YAC also granted SONS $12,600 to strengthen its out-of-school and teen mentoring efforts, and the College Access Fund granted $3,400 to support college tours.

“The SONS Your Future Now program is truly a stepping stone for the youth in our area,” said Joshua Kriesch, President of the YAC. “It’s really important to support educational routes that are not just paper and pencil but truly get students excited to learn through hands-on learning and training. College isn’t necessarily the route for every student, and that’s completely okay thanks to programs such as SONS Your Future Now.”

Kriesch said the opportunity for young people to support programs serving their own generation makes the experience especially meaningful.

“It’s really powerful getting to work with youth, for youth,” he said. “No one knows what our age group needs more than the individuals actually experiencing it. Having the ability to offer more opportunities for the youth in our community is something YAC always strives to do and is proud of.”

Founded in 1992, SONS Outreach works to foster social development, academic success, and spiritual growth among local youth through mentorship, athletics, leadership development, and career exploration programs—something the Community Foundation has been supporting since the beginning. At its heart, the Your Future Now initiative reflects the same mission that has guided the organization for more than three decades: helping young people discover their strengths and believe in the possibilities ahead of them.

To learn more about supporting programs that help local youth explore career pathways, contact Jackie Hanton at jackie@stclairfoundation.org or visit stclairfoundation.org.