Cultivating Hope and Possibility
One of the most inspiring and hopeful parts of my job is spending time in schools and districts, hearing from young people, and learning about how they are being engaged, inspired, and supported to bring their full selves to school. Their energy and passion remind me of what is possible when we organize schools and school systems with an orientation towards thriving. Towards joy. Towards justice.
As 2022 was winding to a close, my colleague Susie Kagehiro and I spent two days in the Anaheim Union High School District, where teachers, administrators, and community partners are engaged in the hard work of reorienting their systems to focus on the “whole adolescent.” The visit was part of a broader collaboration and exchange between Anaheim and Surrey Schools in British Columbia focused on the role of teacher leadership in realizing whole child education.
Like all efforts to dismantle outdated and inequitable systems, the work is not for the faint of heart and progress is never as fast or smooth as it should be. Still, the difference for students in Anaheim is palpable — from the diverse young women preparing for careers in cybersecurity through a partnership between Magnolia High School and Cypress Community College to the work of their peers in the Agriscience pathway who are practicing sustainable agriculture and addressing their community’s food insecurity through their study and management of the school’s 2.5-acre farm.
Like the Linked Learning approach in Oakland Unified, which I wrote about previously, the career academies at Magnolia are part of a districtwide effort to design a coherent educational system that reflects what brain science, research, and experience tell us work well for adolescents. They’re leveraging statewide investments to improve opportunities and tapping the passion and expertise of educators and community partners. As Superintendent Michael Matsuda is the first to acknowledge, theirs is a work-in-progress, focused on learning and adjusting based on both successes and pain points. And it is rooted in an unwavering belief in the leadership of young people, a deep understanding of their community’s history and in the continued struggle for equitable investments and opportunities.
In Anaheim and throughout California, statewide investments in community schools, career pathways, and dual enrollment create a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine our high schools. Seizing the opportunity will require not only an orientation towards coherence and equity, but a commitment to tapping the expertise, wisdom, and passion of everyone in a school community, including students and families.
In Solidarity,
Sophie Fanelli
President
Moving from Compliance to Partnership
As Sophie suggests in her letter, we are all being called to focus our energy and imagination on creating school systems in which young people and the adults who support them thrive. We take this responsibility seriously at the Stuart Foundation and believe that — in addition to refocusing our strategy on thriving adolescents — this means reimagining outdated and inequitable practices to better meet the moment and better support our grantee partners.
An important step in this direction is our shift away from the typical “program” frame in philanthropy. At the Stuart Foundation, we recognize that we do not design or implement programs or activities. That is the core work of our partners, who through their leadership and labor, are changing the experiences and trajectory of youth in California. We also understand that titles like “Program Officer,” which harken back to philanthropy’s banking roots and a focus on compliance around dollars, do not reflect our approach and vision. The power dynamics of philanthropy are real, but even tighter constraints are placed on relationships when framed around compliance — and that norm remains fraught and perilous for both funders and grantees.
Instead, we are seeking a different way to shape, hold, and enliven our relationships with partners. Our former “program” team is now the Strategy, Partnerships, and Learning Team. Individual staff have titles that reflect their function and our aspirations to be collaborative, supportive, and in service to the work of others.
Of course, much more needs to be done for the philanthropic sector as a whole to move towards authentic interactions and greater impact with partners, rather than claiming the impact that partners actually own. We are committed to living out deeper collaboration, and this shift in nomenclature for the Stuart Foundation is a small and simple step in that direction.
Kenji Treanor
Vice President, Strategy, Partnerships and Learning
Foundation News
Alexia Everett, Senior Manager, Partnerships with the Stuart Foundation, has transitioned to a temporary (one-year) position as Strategy Advisor on Special Populations for the U.S. Department of Education, supporting the Department’s efforts to elevate and address the educational needs of students in foster care, students experiencing homelessness, and those involved with the juvenile justice system. Alexia’s work will focus on aligning policy, funding, and program priorities across special populations. She will also be responsible for external engagements, partnerships, and collaboration with other key federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Department of Justice.
While we will miss Alexia’s leadership and expertise (and her kindness and sense of humor!), we are thrilled that she will be able to apply her considerable knowledge and experience to federal efforts to support special populations. We are pleased that Joe Herrity has joined the Foundation as interim Senior Manager, Partnerships in Alexia’s absence. Joe brings a deep background in youth and equity work, having been a consultant, program leader, and nonprofit executive director.