Why is ACE important?

The teenage years are the period of life where your path can go one way or another. Adolescent brains are wired to take risks, and without the opportunity to see an alternative path, it can become easy to go down the wrong one. It is also an age where you have to start figuring out what comes next in life.

But navigating the question of “what do you want to be when you grow up?” at a young age can be wildly overwhelming. In its first year, the Academic & Career Exploration program allowed teens to learn that even adults don’t have it all figured out, so there’s really no rush to get there as a kid. What teens can do, however, is take every opportunity to experience different career paths, get inspired by the possibilities, and learn that they all have a chance at a positive future.

Why now?

We’ve all seen the shift in Burlington over the past few years due to the increase in substance use disorder and the housing crisis. While we know we are not unique as many states and communities across the nation grapple with these similar issues, the increase in drug activity surrounding King Street Center presents a grave problem for the youth we serve, most of whom have a responsibility to help financially support their families.

Right now, there is an immense amount of demand for drugs in our community and oftentimes, it’s vulnerable youth dealers target for help in moving their supply. If kids don’t feel that they have access to safe and supportive spaces with positive adult relationships, that only makes them more vulnerable. Keeping youth focused on a future is the critical component of King Street Center’s strategy in minimizing youth risk.

That is where the ACE Program comes in. This program allows youth to explore different academic and career pathways in a hands-on meaningful way – and financially resources them to do so, recognizing that without that stipend, kids may not participate and will look for other money-earning opportunities.