Building Skills For Life

Build Skills for Life

“Schooling doesn’t assure employment but skill does.” ― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

Today’s students need to be ready for the future in a world that’s rapidly changing. Success for them means being well-prepared to thrive beyond graduation. That requires more than classroom learning.

We’re committed to programs that support students throughout their school careers (pre-K through graduation) and ensure that they have the skills they need to be successful.

Opportunities for youth to engage in real-life experiences helps prepare them for the jobs of their future. District-wide career fairs foster authentic connections between students and the community through collaboration with local business and industry. Adult Foundation volunteers  serve as role models and interact with students in a variety of programs.

Please support this work by investing in these initiatives. Together we instill intellectual curiosity, prepare students for post-secondary instruction and career-focused exploration, as well as inspire them to mature into productive and engaged citizens.

Skills 4 Life Podcast

Skills 4 Life is an engaging, short, weekly podcast for parents of high school aged teens. We talk with a new guest each episode about high-demand jobs that are shaping future opportunities. This show is brought to you by the Northshore Schools Foundation, a Top-Rated Great Nonprofits award-recipient, Guidestar Gold Participant and best of a Best of Northshore nonprofit.

Listen to all podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio or Podcast Addict

Now also available on our YouTube channel

Career Day

“I learned about some great careers! The most interesting thing I learned [was] that you can be a Life Coach and help teen activists. I can’t wait to learn more.” – Leota 6th grader

Students benefit in so many ways when they begin to explore career possibilities at a young age. This encourages them to explore opportunities intellectually, connect with new interests socially and emotionally, and to start working on what is important and interesting to them. More so they begin working towards and achieving goals through applied goal setting skills.

We host Career Days and Leadership Days to inform students about different career pathways. We support the work of our middle schools and PTAs to bring adult role models from a variety of professions to middle schools for round tables and panel discussions where students can ask any question they want. The panelists talk about their jobs and students hear about real life experiences and what’s required. At the end of the day, they have a better understanding of different careers while learning to interact with adults outside of the classroom and home.

We’re committed to investing in students whatever shape that takes in the future.

Find out how you can get involved

Coding

When “coding” was predicted to be the number one most needed skill for future jobs, we didn’t just raise awareness. We turned to our community to help make sure every student in the District had the opportunity to be exposed to coding annually. Through Hour of Code and funded STEM initiatives including coding clubs and girls who code at all schools, we began implementing programs that provide the early training every student needs.

We support coding programs by providing stipends for club expenses, incentives for participating and an opportunity for parents to participate in coding, too. In today’s world, computer science is foundational. We make computer science accessible. We bring it into the classroom so every student has an opportunity to learn how to create technology. Technology is transforming every industry. The basics of computer science help nurture creativity and problem-solving skills and prepare students for success.

Through coding, students learn to break a problem into smaller parts and systematically approach the solution. Regardless of what our students do when they grow up, whether they go into medicine, business, politics, or the arts, knowing how to build technology and use coding will give them confidence and a competitive edge.

Computer science graduates enjoy the second-highest starting salary and the highest full-time employment rate (76%) within six months of graduation.

Launch Day

Students need to be prepared for life after graduation. They need to learn independent living skills as well as academics.

In 2019, we collaborated with the PTSA’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) team to pilot Launch Day.

Launch Day is a time for students to get a glimpse of some of the skills previous graduates have found to be keys for a helpful life after high school. Speakers and NSD graduates share their real life experiences, sometimes by trial and error, so our students get a first hand exposure to other’s experiences. Topics include etiquette, coping and survival skills, healthy relationships, entrepreneurism and money management.

View our Launch Day workshops

C.P. & Dorothy Johnson Humanitarian Award

“Each of you have shown concern for the well-being of others. Each of you see problems as an opportunity to step in and make a difference.” – Amber Braxton, great niece of C.P. and Dorothy Johnson.

The C.P. and Dorothy Johnson Humanitarian Award was established in 1988 in memory of Clifford Paul Johnson and his wife Dorothy. Both C.P. and Dorothy Johnson were long time Bothell residents and educators who dedicated their lives to improving the lives of all children in our community.

Every year, two students from each school who display the characteristics of a humanitarian in their school and community are recognized based on their demonstration of Acceptance, Community, Advocacy.

The Foundation underwrites this program so there is no cost to schools or recipients.

Watch the 2024 ceremony