Hear Tony Monfiletto, Executive Director of Future Focused Education, on KKOB's "Start Bragging" radio show, and learn how focusing on nurturing our youth as assets can make Albuquerque a better place to live. 

Show highlights:

• X3 Internship Doubles
  "We're serving double the number of kids before COVID. Kids are engaged, and they're getting paid—it's an amazing retention program to keep kids in high school during this vulnerable time."
• Purpose Matters
  "The vision of the Leadership High School Network is to make Albuquerque a better place to live. We're asking "Can we make ABQ healthier and more prosperous by reengaging young people?" That's a very different mission than, 'What are the reading scores? What are the math scores? What are the graduation rates?'"
• A Connected City
  "We're using relationships as opportunities to make the city a better place. The X3 internship is building kids' social capital, helping them make connections, connecting them with another caring adult. I don't know if you'd find 63 employers willing to pay for a kid's learning experience in another city. That makes Albuquerque really unique."
• Kids Need Real-World Work
  "The work experiences young people usually have are not very good. In fast food, they feel expendable, like no one cares if they show up. We need to give them experiences where they feel valued, where they see a future. If we can introduce them to an employer who has integrity, who cares about their employees, it opens their eyes to what's possible."

Listen to the show here: