Spark the Journey

Through EmpowerHER, a series of career exploration events created in partnership with the Nancy C. Tierney Fund for Girls & Women's Empowerment, our young women engaged in meaningful conversations about identity, confidence, and personal growth.

During one activity, students paired up for a rapid-fire discussion about the parts of their identity they are most proud of and how they plan to continue embracing those qualities moving forward. Another reflection exercise, "Behind the Mask," encouraged them to explore the difference between their inner identity and the expectations often placed on them by others.

A mother and daughter attended together and shared that the experience felt like a self-care day and provided meaningful time to bond! The impact of this day was clear as everyone opened up, shared personal stories, and supported one another in ways that demonstrated the value of creating spaces where young women feel seen, heard, and empowered.

Thanks to the Nancy C. Tierney Fund for Girls & Women's Empowerment, our young women can dream bigger, take up space, speak up, and believe that anything is possible. ✨️

Since launching our partnership with Northern Virginia Community College last fall, we've had the privilege of watching students build meaningful connections, explore career possibilities, and grow in confidence.

Students have been genuinely excited to engage with professionals and learn more about careers they hope to pursue. Through these conversations, mentor-mentee relationships have developed organically, creating opportunities for guidance, encouragement, and real-world insight.

We've also seen students become stronger self-advocates—more comfortable asking questions, seeking advice, and navigating professional settings with confidence.

Through ongoing programming and consistent support, students are growing personally, academically, and professionally while building relationships that extend beyond the classroom.

We're grateful to our mentors, partners, and students for making this experience so impactful, and we're excited to continue growing together.

💚 💛 🧡 💜

We have some exciting news heating up this summer for our mentors and mentees!⁠
⁠
We can't wait to share more, so stay tuned...⁠
⁠
👟🔥⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

🎊🎊🎊⁠
⁠
What an incredible result—we exceeded our $15,000 goal for the Nancy C. Tierney Fund for Girls & Women’s Empowerment!⁠
⁠
A huge thank you to everyone who supported this effort. Together, we’re helping create more opportunities through EmpowerHER events, college student grants, and programs that support young women as they pursue their goals.⁠
⁠
Photos from this weekend’s EmpowerHER event coming soon!

Say 👋🏼 to our Mentor/Mentee Pair of the Month, Malia & Prerna!⁠
⁠
Prena tells us, "Malia and I have had a wonderful time getting to know each other over the past few months. We’ve found a lot in common and our casual chats about our interests has led to a greater understanding of each other! It was a casual conversation about our weekend and a serendipitous conversation with people at Spark that led to us seeing a fun (and victorious) Caps game! Definitely the highlight of our time together."
⁠
💛 🙌🏽 💛 🙌🏽

We are happy to have Malia & Prerna participating in Spark's mentoring program. Let's continue to cheer them on towards a successful future together! 👏🏼

Still smiling from our recent college bus tour to George Mason and Morgan State!! 🚌😎⁠
⁠
It was a great day for our participants to get out together, spend time on campus, and experience two very different college environments firsthand. From walking around campus to taking photos, to laughing on the bus, the trip gave students a chance to explore what could be next for them in a real and memorable way.⁠
⁠
We’re grateful to both schools for welcoming our group and helping make the day such a positive experience.⁠

➡️ ➡️ We are hiring for three hybrid positions in Washington, D.C. ⬅️ ⬅️

👉🏼 Human Resources Manager:
This position will serve as a trusted resource and partner to employees and leadership across all areas of human resources, including benefits administration, recruitment, payroll, compliance, employee engagement, and workplace culture.

👉🏼 Program Data Assistant (Youth Programs):
Working closely with the Programs Data Manager, this position will ensure that Spark’s data systems, reporting, and communications run accurately and efficiently across our programs.

👉🏼 Senior Recruitment Coordinator (Youth Programs):
This position will serve as a trusted point of contact for mentors, students, families, and partners while driving recruitment strategy, improving systems, coordinating events, and ensuring a high-quality experience from first interaction through final match.

If any of these interest you, visit the link in our bio to view our Careers page and learn more about each!

At the core of our work we believe, talent is everywhere, but access to relationships, networks, and career-connected opportunities that open doors for young people who need it most is not. Mentoring helps close that gap.

Your gift today helps young people build futures filled with possibility by connecting them with the mentorship, guidance, and support they need to thrive in our DC and Virginia communities.

https://www.givegreaterdc.org/o/spark-the-journey

Join us on Tuesday for to help us reach our goal of $3,000! Every dollar donated will help our team continue to provide a student in DC with access to the relationships and networks needed for career and life-long success.

Early giving is open, so make your gift today!

https://www.givegreaterdc.org/o/spark-the-journey

On May 12, we are proud to join , a citywide movement uplifting local nonprofits doing critical work in the region. We’re asking our community to invest in our mission is to provide mentorship and a community of support for young adults to chart their own paths to achieving college and career success.

Early giving is open, so make your gift today!

https://www.givegreaterdc.org/o/spark-the-journey