From summer career exploration to the start of a new school year, our third quarter brought new scholars into our community, expanded access to college preparation and connected learning with service, creativity and wellbeing.
A new school year, a growing WISE community
In September, we welcomed new WISE scholars from Altadena Girls, Debbie Allen Dance Academy and the Texas Rangers Youth Academy. Each cohort brings its own interests, experiences and goals to a program built around individual guidance.
At the Altadena Girls orientation, scholars and their families learned about the resources available through WISE, including educational, mentorship and personal development opportunities. We also introduced our newest Debbie Allen Dance Academy scholars and the support that will accompany them as they prepare for school, further education and their future careers.
Our September welcome set out the breadth of that support: college preparation, financial literacy, wellness, career exploration, psychometric profiling and scholarship opportunities. In August, our back-to-school appeal focused on another essential part of preparation: the school supplies and learning resources that help scholars begin the year ready to participate.
Building the path to college with Occidental
In September, we announced a new partnership with Occidental College in Los Angeles. The partnership creates opportunities for WISE scholars to engage with a liberal arts college through campus visits, admissions programming, application support and college preparation.
Early exposure matters to our approach. A campus visit can help students picture a setting they may know only by name; admissions programming and application guidance can help them understand the steps involved in getting there. Our work with Occidental is intended to strengthen the pathway from college exploration through graduation, with preparation and support extending beyond the application itself.
The announcement followed a summer of outreach. As we shared in July, our team visited and toured university campuses to learn more about the opportunities available to scholars. That first-hand understanding helps inform the conversations we have with students about their futures.
Career exploration becomes first-hand experience
This summer, WISE scholar Jacob took his learning into a professional sports environment through an internship with the Rams. Featured in our August newsletter, his experience offered hands-on exposure to the workplace and a closer look at what a career in the sports industry can involve.
Experiences such as Jacob’s are an important part of how we connect education with future possibilities. They give scholars an opportunity to explore an interest in context, encounter professional expectations and begin developing skills beyond the classroom.
Supporting young musicians on stage
Our support for young people also includes opportunities to develop their creative talents. In August, The Steele Family Foundation and the WISE Scholarship Program™ announced our support for the School of Rock Calgary and Douglasdale House Band’s 2026 Pacific Northwest Tour. The planned five-day tour offered young musicians the opportunity to perform at venues in Canada and the United States.
We also attended a School of Rock performance in Calgary, which we highlighted in September. Seeing the musicians take the stage gave us an opportunity to celebrate their preparation and performance. Through this sponsorship, we support experiences in which young people can practise their craft, build confidence and challenge themselves through live performance.
Putting leadership and care into practice
Community service gave scholars practical ways to contribute. Alfred, a WISE scholar with Grace Sober Living, volunteered at Andre House of Hospitality, helping with gardening, cleaning and other hands-on tasks. His involvement reflected the connection between personal responsibility and service that we encourage through WISE.
Our Grace Sober Living scholars also continued their leadership learning. In a session shared in September, they recalled the Five Steps of the Success Formula for Launching Leaders from memory, reinforcing lessons connected to personal growth, leadership and future goals.
Meanwhile, WISE scholars with the just keep livin Foundation took part in their first community service project of the year: Hearts for Hospital Patients, Families, and Staff. They made handmade hearts intended for distribution to people in hospital settings, offering messages of hope, comfort and encouragement. From tending a garden to making something for another person, these projects gave scholars concrete ways to express care for their communities.
Keeping wellbeing in the conversation
Our commitment to supporting people’s development includes attention to mental wellness. At the Training the Mind Series at Shell Energy Stadium, WISE Scholarship Program™ Executive Director Stacey Steele joined Dr. Brook Choulet and Rawle Andrews Jr. for an evening focused on mental wellness, performance and education.
We shared the gathering in September as part of our continued engagement with leaders who value healthier, better-supported communities. It complemented the place of wellness within the guidance and resources we offer scholars.
Recognition and new ways to take part
In July, we shared that The Steele Family Foundation and the WISE Scholarship Program™ had been recognised as a 2026 Canadian Choice Award Winner in the Charities category. We share that recognition with the scholars, families, mentors, partners, volunteers and donors who contribute to our work.
Our July and August communications also returned to a project documented in our 2025 Impact Report: WISE scholars designing and 3D-printing a prosthetic arm for a paediatric nurse in San Diego. An August Paradise Valley City Lifestyle feature brought that example of applied STEM learning to a wider audience.
In September, the WISE Scholarship Program™ was featured in the Alternative Gifts International Charity Catalog in partnership with the Charity On Top Foundation. The catalogue provides another way for donors to support college access, career readiness, mentorship, leadership development and personalised guidance.
Thank you for helping students take their next step
To our scholars and families, thank you for bringing your goals, questions and commitment to this community. To our partners, mentors and supporters, thank you for helping make these opportunities possible. Your support helps us provide the resources and relationships that accompany students as they prepare for education, careers and the lives they want to build.
Support the WISE Scholarship Program™ and help us continue this work.