Possible Zone

Congratulations to Lara Pires Moniz and Miguel Hilario, two of The Possible Zone’s amazing seniors who also serve as their high school classes’ 2026 Valedictorians! Lara graduated from Community Academy of Science and Health; she will attend Bucknell University on a full scholarship with plans to study accounting. Miguel graduated from Fenway High School and plans to attend Boston University on a full scholarship. We are proud to have been a part of their high school journeys and look forward to all that will come!

Read about Lara, Miguel, and the other 31 Valedictorians: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bostonpublicschools/posts/?feedView=all

"Young people understand that the future requires applied, hands-on mastery. The challenge is that our systems for recording that mastery haven’t caught up," Timothy Nystrand, Senior Director of Learning Systems at The Possible Zone (TPZ), shares in "Beyond the Transcript: Why the Future Demands a New Learner Record."

Because traditional transcripts don’t capture that progression, TPZ is building a dynamic learner record grounded in 1) What students do; 2) What students say; and 3) What educators see? Read about this on the TPZ Insights blog: https://tinyurl.com/beyondthetranscript

Recently, students in our two Podcasting classes led by Tori Saia, Lead Educator, and John Mendizabal, Educator / Advisor, visited our amazing community partner, Spark FM Online, a local Black woman-owned and operated radio platform! There, our students met with staff to discuss SparkFM's approach to storytelling, community engagement, and advocacy, hosted peer-to-peer interviews to hone their communication and teamwork skills, and enjoyed extra practice on the mic in the professional-grade recording studio! SparkFM was created to empower and amplify the voices of the community. Thank you, Spark FM friends for helping to amplify our students'!

“It's not about failing, it's about trying again,” Ana Liz Raposo reminded guests at yesterday’s third annual Pathways to What’s Possible alumni engagement and networking event at The Possible Zone (TPZ). Ana and other panelists and speakers shared reflections focused on the evening’s theme, Pivoting with Confidence. They advised attendees to shake feelings of shame or embarrassment if an original plan doesn’t go as desired. They encouraged the audience of TPZ alumni and high school students, guests, and staff to look at change—whether voluntary or not—as an opportunity and as a time to rely on networks, build new skills, and to take risks. As J'Khia Bullock said, “Go for it, because you'll never know if you don't try.”

Thank you to our panelists and speakers: Alumni J’Khia Bullock, Jonathan Noel, Ana Liz Raposo; guest Gregory Fain, Education Coach from Jewish Vocational Services Boston; and TPZ staff Bridgette Gray, Jeremy Martindale (also a TPZ alumnus), Alexandria Mauristhene, and Andrea Miranda, for shining the light on ways to pivot with confidence and connect with Network!

Join us for our Spring free, family-friendly Vibe Lab, a celebration of culture, creativity, and spark, on Friday, June 12th, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Enjoy music, hands-on crafting, and meaningful connection in a space designed to celebrate who we are and where we come from.

This special Vibe Lab honors Father’s Day and PRIDE Month while uplifting, Caribbean American Heritage Month and Immigrant Heritage Month. Come create with intention, share positive energy, and connect with like-minded folks in a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere. Please reserve your spot!

https://www.eventbrite.com/d/ma--boston/the-possible-zone-vibe-lab/

"In an era where technology and healthcare are more intertwined than ever, preparing students to navigate the complexities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the greater healthcare landscape is paramount," Raven Tukes, Senior Vice President of Partnerships for The Possible Zone (TPZ), shared on the NAF blog.

Last fall, high school students took part in an immersive program, TPZ offered in partnership with NAF and KnoPro. “Artificial Intelligence for Global Health Challenge” enabled students in TPZ's Boston headquarters to move from theoretical concepts to physical prototypes, focusing on a central, powerful question: How can we use AI to save lives and improve health outcomes around the world? Read more from Raven's article:

https://naf.org/blog/empowering-the-next-generation-leveraging-ai-for-global-health-impact/

Empowering the Next Generation: Leveraging AI for Global Health Impact - NAF In an era where technology and healthcare are more intertwined than ever, preparing students to navigate the complexities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the greater healthcare landscape is paramount. From September to December 2025, The Possible Zone (TPZ), a youth development program where....

Last week, TPZ students in the Cooking for Humanity LaunchLab returned to headquarters in Needham, MA, where they learned about culinary technology and food science careers.

Students—most of whom attend —toured SharkNinja, hearing from product designers, fabrication specialists, and the Test Kitchen team. In groups, they analyzed how sugar and water ratios affect the consistency of frozen slushies, and how different cooking oils change the flavor and smell of air-fried chicken cutlets.

Cooking for Humanity students have been exploring the connections between food, culture, and community health by honing their cooking methods, modifying recipes to be healthier for clients managing chronic conditions, and compiling a cookbook of their dishes and the stories behind them.

Thank you to Yaritza Dudley and Kahmal L. London for leading this course; and thank you to Franchesca Carrington, M.Ed. (she/her) and the team at SharkNinja for sharing their expertise with our students!

Who you know matters. A lot. In fact, social capital is one of the most critical and unevenly distributed assets for young people. Research from Opportunity Insights shows that “economic connectedness” – relationships with people from different socioeconomic backgrounds – is one of the strongest predictors of upward mobility. Yet many high school students, particularly those from historically marginalized communities, have limited access to the kinds of networks that open doors to internships, careers, and postsecondary pathways. Read more from Meg Riordan, Ph.D., TPZ’s Chief Learning Officer, on The Possible Zone's Insights blog: https://tinyurl.com/SocialCapital2026

CONGRATULATIONS to the TPZ Class of 2026!

Several of our seniors were cheered on by other students, staff, and family members who gathered this evening for a special celebration. These seniors--who had each completed at least four TPZ classes--were introduced by alumnus Orlando Benzan-Vazquez during a lively procession and gifted a personalized TPZ jacket they can wear with pride! Most will be celebrating their high school graduations from their respective BPS high schools in the coming weeks. It's been our honor getting to know these future alumni all over the past 2-3 years!

The Possible Zone Boston Public Schools

Shout out to our vendors, guests, and the TPZ Team who made this past weekend’s Careers of the Future Trades Fair the success it was! Dozens of attendees discussed career opportunities with unions, pre-apprenticeship programs, and post-secondary pathways partners. Several gained insights not just from accessing several community resources, but through a virtual reality experience that allowed them to literally see themselves in the field!

The Possible Zone