BASIS Independent Schools Puts Innovative Twist on the Traditional Mentorship Model

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Nov 13, 2024, 08:42 ET

Leading Private School Network Rolls out the Future-Ready Mentor Program in Brooklyn and Manhattan Campuses

NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BASIS Independent Schools, a recognized leader in education from preschool through grade 12, has partnered with The Learning Forum, a premier executive development organization, to launch an innovative mentorship program designed to prepare students for rapidly changing industries due to the advent of technological advances, particularly AI. The Future-Ready Mentor Program, debuting at the BASIS Independent Brooklyn and Manhattan campuses, reimagines traditional mentorship by cultivating leadership skills in older students and actively involving parents and guardians to create a culture of 'paying it forward.' The program emphasizes personalized assessments of students' strengths and interests, leadership development, and meaningful mentor connections, empowering students to navigate and thrive in the careers of tomorrow.

Meighan Hackett Poritz speaks to BASIS Independent Manhattan students at a Future-Ready Mentor Workshop about the future of work.

By engaging parents, guardians, and alumni from the entire school community as mentors, students will gain exposure to diverse industries, including overlooked career paths, and receive real-world insights into professions they may not have considered. Through these structured relationships, students develop self-awareness, self-confidence, and practical, future-ready skills essential for thriving in an ever-evolving workforce, particularly in fields transformed by cutting-edge technologies like generative AI (GenAI). This forward-thinking initiative equips students with a clearer understanding of how to navigate emerging career opportunities and the rapidly changing professional landscape shaped by technological innovation. Key features of this initiative include:

Mentor Matching: Students will complete a detailed questionnaire outlining their interests and passions, enabling a personalized mentor match aligned with their unique needs and aspirations. Mentors, drawn from the school's vibrant network of parents and guardians, are encouraged to participate across all grade levels. Each mentor-mentee pair will commit to regular 30-minute Zoom meetings to discuss and reflect on key themes from guided workshops held at school, ensuring consistent, meaningful engagement that nurtures both personal growth and professional development.
Evolving Career Opportunities: The program emphasizes the importance of staying informed about new and emerging career paths, especially those influenced by AI-driven industries, such as AI in healthcare, education, transportation, and agriculture.
Self-Awareness and Growth: Students are encouraged to understand their values, strengths, and areas for development, while mentors help navigate challenges and foster growth.
Future-Ready Workshops: Workshops will focus on key topics such as goal setting, critical thinking, effective communication, embracing change, and interviewing skills, equipping students with the tools needed to navigate the rapidly changing world.
Future-Ready Speaker Series: Students have the opportunity to participate in events highlighting various career paths and the importance of adapting to technological changes and preparing for new roles and industries. Recent graduates of BASIS Independent Schools will be featured as speakers in addition to parents and guardians.

The brainchild of Meighan Hackett Poritz, Managing Director of The Learning Forum, and Jo Goldfarb, Director of Communications at BASIS Independent Schools, the Future-Ready Mentor Program will focus on evolving career opportunities across industries, given the advent of new technologies. As a parent of two small children who currently attend BASIS Independent Brooklyn, Meighan is passionate about establishing a system that will help prepare all children for the future of work.

"My goal is to help students adapt to the rapid changes in the economy, demographics, technology, and society," said Meighan Hackett Poritz, Managing Director of The Learning Forum. "This program aims to support students in identifying and building on their strengths, increasing their self-awareness, and developing skills that will keep them resilient and prepared for the future."

"Our high school students can gain a true advantage from beginning to think now about how industries are being disrupted by technological innovations, particularly AI," said Jo Goldfarb, Director of Communications at BASIS Independent Schools. "It is reported by the World Economic Forum that by 2025, 97 million new roles requiring new skills are expected to emerge. Our program aims to inspire students to think about new opportunities in our quickly evolving workforce and help introduce them to new possibilities that simply did not exist a few years ago."

Following its pilot launch at the two New York campuses during the 2024/25 academic year, BASIS Independent Schools aims to expand the program to its California, Virginia, and Washington campuses. The vision is to tailor the mentorship experience to each campus, ensuring it reflects the distinct needs and aspirations of the students and families in each community. This localized approach will allow the program to remain flexible and responsive, creating meaningful, customized mentorship opportunities that foster leadership and future readiness across the entire school network.

About BASIS Independent Schools:
BASIS Independent Schools offers the high-achieving BASIS Curriculum, which was developed in 1998 and serves students from Preschool through Grade 12. BASIS Independent Schools educate students to the highest international levels with a spiraling liberal arts and sciences curriculum benchmarked to the best education systems in the world. Our advanced curriculum, unmatched in breadth and depth, prepares students to be innovative leaders across disciplines. BASIS Independent Schools currently offers private school campuses in California, New York, Northern Virginia, and Washington as well as international school locations in China and Thailand. Visit www.basisindependent.com for more information. BASIS Independent Schools is part of Spring Education Group, a multi-brand network providing superior private school education from infant care through high school.

About The Learning Forum:
For over 25 years, The Learning Forum has provided a confidential space for senior leaders from some of the world's largest companies and key government agencies to engage in peer learning within a trusted, high-impact network. We don't just adapt to change—we stay ahead of it, leveraging the collective knowledge of our members to keep us at the cutting edge. Through our Executive Councils, leaders from diverse industries come together to exchange insights and share real-world experiences when it matters most. These councils foster continuous growth, forging new connections and inspiring innovative solutions across sectors. Our forums cover a wide range of critical areas, including Learning and Development, Talent Management, Leadership Development, Workforce Analytics, HR Technology, HR Operations, Knowledge Management, Innovation and Foresight, Skills Strategy, and AI Strategy. Together, we empower leaders to navigate and thrive in today's fast-evolving landscape.

Contact:
Jodie Fredericks
2094019604
[email protected]

SOURCE BASIS Independent Schools