The first quarter of 2026 brought a significant graduation milestone, a new university partnership and opportunities to connect education with mental wellbeing. Through the WISE Scholarship Program™, we celebrated the first U.S. graduating class at Grace Sober Living, announced a partnership with California Lutheran University and supported conversations about the care young people need alongside academic opportunity.
A first graduating class at Grace Sober Living
In March, we celebrated Kim Black, Angel Ackermann and Nick Anaya as the first U.S. graduating class of WISE scholars at Grace Sober Living. Their graduation followed 18 months of commitment, personal development and service. They became the first American recipients of WISE scholarships, marking an important step in the partnership between The Steele Family Foundation, Grace Sober Living and the Walker Family.
The work behind this milestone reached well beyond the graduation ceremony. Alongside life-skills training and spiritual and personal development, the three scholars contributed nearly 900 hours of community service. They supported organisations including Andre House, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Mary’s Food Bank, Phoenix Rescue Mission and Arcadia City Church. Their service connected the goals they were working towards with the needs of people in their wider community.
For our Foundation, this partnership brings education and recovery support into the same story. It recognises the sustained effort involved in rebuilding a life and creates an opportunity to continue learning. Kim, Angel and Nick now move forward with WISE scholarships to pursue their next steps in education and careers. We congratulate each of them and thank the people and organisations who supported their progress over those 18 months.
A new pathway with California Lutheran University
In February, we announced a new partnership between the WISE Scholarship Program™ and California Lutheran University. The collaboration is designed to expand access to higher education for high-achieving students who have historically been underserved, bringing financial support together with guidance and opportunities to become familiar with university learning.
The partnership provides for personalised mentorship, career guidance, and access to Cal Lutheran’s academic and early-college experiences. It also includes one full-tuition, four-year scholarship in the first cohort, with additional support for housing and meals as needed. This structure connects a financial commitment with the individual guidance and preparation that scholars need as they consider their next steps.
This combination matters to our approach. A place at university involves decisions about academic direction, costs, living arrangements and life beyond the classroom. By connecting scholarship support with mentorship and career guidance, the partnership reflects our commitment to supporting students academically, professionally and personally.
Mental wellbeing at the Power of Us Summit
The Steele Family Foundation and the WISE Scholarship Program™ served as a presenting sponsor of the Texas Rangers Foundation’s Power of Us Summit, highlighted in our January updates. The day centred on mental health, resilience and connection for student-athletes, placing wellbeing alongside the demands of performance, education and everyday life.
Our support reflects a clear priority: young people need language, tools and trusted support for mental health as they work towards their goals. We value spaces where those conversations can happen openly and where community partners can contribute to a shared understanding of student wellbeing. The summit offered a setting for that work, and we were pleased to stand alongside partners committed to making mental health part of the conversation.
Connecting education and resilience in San Francisco
In February, WISE took part in the 39th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party & Brain Health Summit in San Francisco. Founder Stacey Steele joined the mainstage to discuss how the WISE Scholarship Program™ supports young people with high potential who face barriers to educational opportunity. We also sponsored the event alongside HEAL Access.
The discussion connected the pressures experienced by high-performing young people with the importance of mentorship, emotional resilience and dependable support. Stacey’s contribution shared the role of holistic youth development, personalised wellness tools, educational pathways and community in the WISE approach. Our March follow-up returned to a central message from the gathering: resilience is a life skill that belongs in conversations about young people’s futures.
Strengthening the way we support scholars
Learning also began within our own team. In January, the full WISE team met virtually for its first book club discussion of Adam Grant’s Hidden Potential. The conversation explored character skills, constructive challenge and the temporary structures that can help a learner progress towards greater independence.
We considered how honest feedback and support at the right time can shape the way we work with scholars. The purpose was practical: to keep improving the mentorship, experiences and broader support we provide. Asking our team to remain curious and willing to learn is part of modelling the qualities we encourage in the young people we serve.
Experiencing university life at Grand Canyon University
Our March updates also shared a college basketball outing at Grand Canyon University for WISE scholars from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale and WISE participants from Grace Sober Living. The visit offered a chance to spend time on a university campus and enjoy an experience together beyond their usual program settings.
Campus exposure is one way we help make conversations about higher education more tangible. We thank Grand Canyon University for welcoming the group and for its continued partnership in creating opportunities for students to explore what comes next.
Looking back at the foundations built in 2025
In March, we shared the 2025 WISE Impact Report. The report looks back at the previous year’s work to strengthen academic readiness, partnerships, career exposure and scholar support. It provides context for the milestones reported this quarter.
Among the 2025 experiences documented were scholars designing 3D-printed prosthetic arms, exploring careers through job shadowing and contributing to community organisations. The report records an average of 308 hours per scholar across extracurricular activities, service and community engagement. It also describes development of the WISE Portal and the expansion of partnerships, including the Texas Rangers Youth Academy and Debbie Allen Dance Academy.
Thank you to our scholars, families, mentors, program partners and supporters. The first quarter’s stories show the many forms that support can take: a scholarship, a campus visit, a thoughtful conversation, or the consistent encouragement that helps someone continue towards a goal.