PFW students help youth summit participants see the possibilities

As Pave the Path founder Jeff Roberts points out, the organization’s purpose isn’t necessarily getting the most kids involved, but making impacts that will last a lifetime on those participating.

Still, getting 150 high school students out of bed early during their first week of summer vacation is impressive. Watching them react to each other and the Pave the Path message of passion, friendship, hope for the future, and mentorship is even more striking.

On Tuesday and Wednesday last week, high school students associated with the nonprofit program joined together in the International Ballroom at Purdue University Fort Wayne for the Pave the Path Youth Leaders Summit. This is the third year PFW has hosted the annual event, which started in 2018. Every Allen County high school was represented at this year’s gathering.

“They’re all hugging each other and taking pictures, and I thought it was pretty cool,” said Roy Danielian, assistant director of admissions, who addressed the students on the first day. “It’s a tight-knit group, and I think they are learning a lot from these sessions. I’m excited for them, and I’d love them to choose PFW.”

Many have, including current PFW students. Several are former Pave the Path participants who returned to share their stories and mentor the high school students who met monthly at PFW this past year to build those bonds.

“I feel like people need to realize it’s not just a group of kids who come together to meet some quota, it’s actually like a family,” said PFW sophomore Nasia Coleman, a civil engineering major. “Some of us have been together the past four or five years, so it’s been amazing to see everybody grow and choose different pathways.”

A Northrop High School graduate, Coleman said she thought she wanted to become a business student, but Pave the Path encouraged her interest in STEM.

“It helps you grow into the person you want to be,” Coleman said. “It’s easy to focus on your weaknesses, but Pave the Path takes a more optimistic standpoint and teaches you to play into your strengths and grow into them so you can contribute to others in a way that you’re comfortable with and confident in.”

Shawn Willis, a PFW senior majoring in communications, comes back every year to help the younger students. The program helped the Wayne High School product learn who he is, build his brand, and pay that guidance forward.

“When I first started the program, I had really bad issues with self-doubt, self-esteem, and then obviously my mental image,” Willis said. “This program fueled me with confidence, fueled my passion, which led me to coming here to PFW. Understanding who I am as a person and the lifelong knowledge and experience I’ve gained from this; I wouldn’t trade that for anything else.”

Willis said the experiences help Pave the Path students understand some life lessons years earlier than normal teenagers. They also build long-term relationships with friends from different high schools, and the organizers. Roberts and his staff knew all 150 students by name, and everyone approached them with enthusiasm.

No one looked like they wished they’d slept in.

“We’ve done a lot over the year to break these things down, but this is where they actually declare, `This is my brand, and this is what I’m going to go forward with,’” Roberts said.

Alex Backer, PFW’s executive director of student engagement, and Abbey Wang, coordinator of Student Leadership and Student Government Association, took part in a breakout session panel discussion on Wednesday afternoon.