Celebrating Progress and Partnerships
The Steele Family FoundationWe’re excited to share with you the Steele Family Foundations updates on the ongoing progress of our three pillars: Education, Homeless/Hospice/Addictions and Grassroots Programs, with a strong focus on our WISE Scholarship Program™
Revolutionizing Education with the WISE Portal
We began the year with the launch of our upgraded WISE Portal, equipped with new features like psychometric assessments which provides students from 9th to 12th grade with a solid foundation of personal insight that will help them uncover their potential, improve study habits, discover career goals and establish an education plan to achieve their dreams. We also enhanced our student progress reports page. Now, students reflect not only on the program as a whole, but also individually on each of the WISE Scholarships ‘Earn to Learn’ pillars. These pillars include Academic Grades, Interscholastic/Extracurricular Activities, and Social/Non-Formal Educational Experiences.
WISE Scholarship Completion Achievements
Our partners SOS CV Canada used the WISE portal with students from SOS-Hermann Gmeiner International College in Accra Ghana, which has resulted in the recent impact of our 13 WISE Scholarship ‘Earn to Learn’ participants and 25 DofE Supercharged program recipients who have earned their internationally recognized Bronze & Silver Awards.
Watch the video below of our WISE Scholarship/SOS Ghana Africa in ACTION. So many happy students!!
WISE Partnership Initial Investments: Building Strong Foundations
The Steele Family Foundation pledged $700,000 to kick start 5 new WISE Scholarship Alliances at our 2022 annual WISE Influencer Evening including, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, The just keep livin Foundation, Grace Sober Living, International Students Foundation (ISF) – Turkey and SOS CV Canada.
1. Partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Canada
Our partnership with SOS CV Canada has ignited the WISE Youth Empowerment Program. This program is designed to enhance educational and life skills development opportunities for vulnerable children aged 14-17 living in alternative care in 3 or more countries such as Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Ghana. Our objective on this initiative is to ensure that these young individuals successfully transition to independence, armed with the knowledge, skills, and self-confidence they need to build a brighter future through the WISE “Earn to Learn” program. We brought this vision to life during a vibrant, five-day formulation workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. Hosted by key figures from SOS CV and the DofE Head of State Award Scheme.
2. Partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale (BGCS)
Our collaboration with BGCS has created meaningful impacts with our WISE Scholarship Program, helping BGCS ‘Stranded Superstars’ excel particularly in the areas of youth leadership development and early learning initiatives. This partnership reflects our commitment to building strong community connections and supporting local youth development.
3. Partnership with The Just Keep Livin Foundation (JKL)
In partnership with the JKL Foundation, founded by Camila and Matthew McConaughey. JKL students will use the WISE scholarship “Earn to Learn” program to make positive life choices that improve their physical and mental health.
4. Partnership with Grace Sober Living (GSL): A Commitment to Recovery
Our alliance with GSL empowers individuals recovering from addiction through the WISE Scholarship Program, providing them with a safe, supportive environment to help rebuild their lives and maintain sobriety.
5. Partnership with the International Student Foundation (ISF)
Our alliance with ISF is a work in progress, but will soon open the doors for Turkish students, offering them access to education around the globe. This partnership marks a significant expansion of the WISE Scholarship Program, reaching our ‘Stranded Superstar’ students in Turkey.
The Arts Scene Podcast: Amplifying Our Impact
Included in our education pillar, we are also supporting the arts by sponsoring The Arts Scene Podcast with Lynette and Ari. Michael Steele spoke about the WISE Scholarship Program in episode 12: wise-scholarship.info/podcast-episode
Participation in the Global Education Forum
The Steele Family Foundation attended the 14th Global Forum of the International Award Association in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The event takes place every 3 years and brings together supporters and world leaders in the field of education and youth from over 130 countries. Delegates from around the world gathered for the first time since the pandemic to plan the DofE Award’s strategic direction and improve access, accessibility and impact for the years to come.
Keynote Speaker at The University of Waterloo
Michael Steele’s insightful appearance at the 2023 CEE Employer Impact Conference at the University of Waterloo was a momentous event. Speaking to over 1000 attendees, he shared his thoughts on the evolution of talent in the context of social responsibility and global citizenship. Michael continued his conversation on building continuity between the student, employer and the University of Waterloo!
The University of Waterloo also has a program called ‘Change Makers in Co-op’, funded by the Steele Family Foundation. Change makers supports valuable, in-person co-op work experiences at non-profit organizations abroad.
The Feridun Hamdullahpur Athletic Excellence Award
The Steele Family Foundation has been supporting the Warriors Athletics & Recreation through the Feridun Hamdullahpur Athletic Excellence Award. Provided annually to student-athletes who are members of any women’s varsity team, these awards recognize athletic talent, contribution to Warrior Athletics and contribution to the team and school.
The first woman to receive this award is a student named Noor Bansal, who is part of the women’s swimming team and is studying Mechanical Engineering. We are really proud to have Noor as the first student our foundation has individually sponsored, and we are grateful to be supporting such a hardworking student like Noor!
Thank you to our kind donors who have contributed to The Steele Family Foundation-WISE Scholarship Program. We’d like to acknowledge The Mario Dozzo Foundation, The Constance and Gary Levine Charitable Trust, Ward & Laurie Seymour, and everyone else who graciously supports our foundation!
We are grateful for the progress made and the lives impacted through The Steele Family Foundation and our WISE Scholarship Program. We’re excited about the journey ahead, and we’re committed to continuing our mission of empowering ‘Stranded Superstars’ through education. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us.
