Growth is easy to celebrate when it reaches a big milestone. But the truth is, growth begins long before anyone notices. It starts with planning, partnerships, conversations, and the people who show up for students every day. As another school year begins, I’ve been reflecting on what growth really looks like, and how often it happens quietly before it changes lives.

Growth Through Partnership

One incredibly fulfilling example of growth through partnership is AbbVie’s Week of Possibilities. Every year, thousands of AbbVie employees come together to distribute school supplies and transform learning environments across the country. While the volunteer week seems to go by in a flash, it’s built on months of planning, collaboration, and shared purpose.

Over the past decade, that partnership has resulted in:

  • 138+ completed school transformation projects
  • Nearly 12,000 volunteers contributing more than 53,000 hours of community-led service
  • Nearly 200,000 books distributed
  • More than $450,000 invested in technology for students

These numbers tell a remarkable story, but they’re really about something much bigger: what becomes possible when people, organizations aka public private partners unite around a common mission. Now that is collective impact!!

Growth Through Community

Earlier this summer, I joined the Baltimore Ravens Signature Project at Patterson Park. The volunteer day was inspiring, but what left the greatest impression was the vision behind it.

The project supports the Catalyst Center, an innovative initiative designed to connect young people with STEM learning beyond the school day. It’s a powerful reminder that student success doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires schools, nonprofits, businesses, and communities working together.

Because of this pilot’s success, we’re now working to expand this model across Baltimore as part of our Learning Continuum, connecting learning at home, at school, and through out-of-school experiences so students have the support they need wherever learning happens.

Growth Through Access

We recently celebrated another exciting milestone: our 500th solar installation on student homes in Navajo Nation!

That number represents far more than solar systems. It represents evenings filled with homework instead of darkness, families with reliable power, and students whose opportunities no longer end at sunset.

Whether we’re transforming learning spaces through the Schoolhouse Revolution or bringing clean energy to students through , our mission remains the same: Removing barriers so every student has the opportunity to learn, dream, and build a brighter future. Because access changes everything.

As you prepare for the coming school year, I hope you’ll take a moment to recognize the growth happening all around you — and within you, too.  And as you look ahead, bring your ideas with you. We are always looking for new ways to support our alumni, and we believe some of the best ideas come directly from you. No vision is too ambitious. We want to hear your ideas for growth in spaces at your school! Be sure to check out the resources and other info we’ve put together on the new Alumni page on the HOA website!

As always, thank you for believing in what’s possible and for being part of a community that’s creating brighter futures for you and students across the country.

Here’s to another school year of possibility!

Jill