12+

We are proud to announce that acclaimed filmmaker, author, and philanthropist M. Night Shyamalan has officially joined the 12 Plus Board of Directors.

For years, Night and Dr. Bhavna Shyamalan have believed in the promise of 12 Plus and the young people at the heart of our mission. Through the , their early support helped fuel our growth at a pivotal moment, standing with us as we expanded from a small, community-rooted effort into an organization now serving more than 7,000 students and alumni each year across 15 high schools in multiple cities.

Night brings to our board a rare combination of vision, creativity, generosity, and steadfast commitment to education and opportunity. His decision to serve marks an exciting new chapter for 12 Plus and reflects a shared conviction in what becomes possible when young people are seen, supported, and surrounded by people who believe in their future.

We are honored to welcome Night to our Board of Directors and grateful for his continued partnership and belief in the work ahead.

Read more at the link in bio.

Meet Bintou!

From math teacher at a small school to working with over 100 seniors on their postsecondary plans, Bintou shares her Top 5 Moments at Mastbaum during her Fellowship year.

"I am doing what I’m deeply passionate about and what I believe my purpose is: helping the youth in under-represented communities gain access to resources that will help them become successful."

Read the rest of Bintou's blog at 12plus.org/fellows-blog.

Meet Helen!

Most folks have been to a career fair, but how many career fairs are designed specifically for their attendees?

Helen, a Fellow at Camden High Campus, shares how she and the CHC team planned a whole week of events for their students.

"As a Fellow, most of my time is spent talking with students and learning about their experiences, which is amazing, but it’s been so cool to have the chance to translate those conversations into programming that is effective, thoughtful, and which works intentionally with the communities we’re a part of."

Read the rest of Helen's blog at 12plus.org/fellows-blog.

We're recruiting for the 2026-27 Fellows Initiative! If you or someone you know want to help high school students discover their postsecondary paths, apply at 12plus.org/fellowship.

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Meet Kalin!

If there's one constant in life, it's change.

Kalin, our Fellow at Penn Treaty High School, reflects on how change influences her advising.

"It feels intuitive to me to want to understand their entire educational journey, about how they have faced and dealt with life changes. To help a student achieve their future goals, I want to first understand and celebrate how they got to where they are today!"

Read the rest of Kalin's blog and her interviews with students at 12plus.org/fellows-blog.

We're actively recruiting for the 2026-27 Fellows Initiative! If you or someone you know want to help high school students discover their postsecondary paths, apply at 12plus.org/fellowship.

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We hope everyone from is enjoying their Spring Break!

Before they left for some well-deserved rest and relaxation, our Philly Site Teams hosted multiple Career Fairs across the city. Each school brought in dozens of spokespeople, representing a variety of careers, so that our students could learn about all the options available to them.

THANK YOU to everyone who came out and volunteered their time. Your experience, knowledge, and insights are helping our students make important and well-informed decisions for the next chapter of their lives. And a big shoutout to our teams and school partners at , , and for putting together these incredible events!

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Meet Santos!

Fellow at Camden High Campus, Santos talks about the importance of pivoting and persevering when things don't go as planned.

"I understand through personal experience that there is always a reason and a path forward, and if you trust in that with due diligence, then the possibilities are endless."

Read the rest of Santos's blog post at 12plus.org/fellows-blog.

We're currently recruiting for the 2026-27 Fellows Initiative! If you or someone you know want to help high school students discover their postsecondary paths, apply at 12plus.org/fellowship.

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Meet Ellie!

One of our Fellows at Furness High School, Ellie reflects on what those first few days and weeks of school were like.

"We wondered, will we ever be embraced? Will we find our place in this new school community?"

Read the rest of Ellie's blog post at 12plus.org/fellows-blog.

We're currently recruiting for the 2026-27 Fellows Initiative! If you or someone you know want to help high school students discover their postsecondary paths, apply at 12plus.org/fellowship.

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We're excited to announce that .mondjohn has been appointed to the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board by !

The PA Workforce Development Board advises the governor on how to align education, training, and economic opportunities with workforce development strategies across the Commonwealth.

Ray's part in this initiative represents another crucial step forward in 12 Plus' mission to support young people in navigating postsecondary and career pathways. This is embodied through his work at , which has helped create jobs and opportunity for students, immigrants, and young adults in Kensington. He's eager to bring this on-the-ground perspective from schools, communities, and employers into statewide workforce conversations with the other board members.

Please join us in congratulating Ray on this well-deserved honor. You continue to inspire our team and we look forward to the opportunities this will unlock for our communities.

Chances are you've met some of our Fellows... even if you didn't know it 👀

Every year, our Fellows work with hundreds of high school students as they lay the foundation for their futures.

Discovering postsecondary programs, navigating complex applications, and ultimately taking that first step into young adulthood-- our Fellows are there for it all.

We're excited to announce that the application for the 2026-27 Fellows Initiative is now open! Learn more at 12plus.org/fellowship

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Last week, Eastside High School hosted its first Home for the Holidays event!

Students and alumni from multiple graduating classes came back to reconnect, including our own Board Chair and proud Eastside alumna Sunny Eang! She kicked off the event with her story of attending Eastside HS (then Woodrow Wilson High) and her incredible academic and professional journey from there.

This was such a special event as our current students got to spend the evening mingling with different alumni, learning about their lives, asking questions, and trading advice (all while enjoying some pizza and games).

It was a great night and it's always wonderful when students get to learn from their peers. Shoutout to the and teams for putting it all together!