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Student-alumni networking platform "Connect" wins $67,000 ITEF grant; district to host program free to students
Summary
Fortuna (presenter) told the board Connect — a district alumnus-founded career-networking platform — won a $67,000 ITEF grant; the district will receive the platform free for now and plans to expand features and a mobile app.
Fortuna (presenter) reported that Connect, a platform that links current Ritenour students with alumni and employers, won a $67,000 ITEF (innovation in education) grant. The presenter said Connect’s mission is to give students early exposure to careers, colleges and employers and to build students’ professional identity.
Fortuna said the platform emphasizes safety: alumni mentors undergo background checks and Connect enforces a strict one-strike policy for misconduct. He demonstrated examples of alumni posts and student interactions, including alumni sharing scholarships and application tips and a Ritenour alumnus who has worked overseas and remains active on the platform.
The presenter said the ITEF award ensures Ritenour will have access to Connect at no cost to the district in the future and outlined next steps: a “Junior Jumpstart” in-person event during homecoming to let students meet alumni, a mobile app rollout planned for the next school year, monthly alumni lunches and an eventual expansion to middle schools. He said other nearby districts have expressed interest in the platform and that Connect is being piloted in additional schools beyond Ritenour.
Board members congratulated the presenter and said the district’s support and Fortuna’s team presentation led to the award; the superintendent noted this was the district’s second ITEF grant (an earlier award funded a gifted-education center in 2016).
