Toyota Wellspring Fund - CREATE Foundation

The commitment by Toyota Motor Manufacturing to establish a $50 million endowment at the CREATE Foundation is the most extraordinary gift to support public education in the history of our state. Over the past decade, CREATE, through the guidance of the Toyota Wellspring Advisory Committee, used the proceeds from the endowment to enhance education in Pontotoc, Union, and Lee counties.

The Toyota Wellspring Education Fund’s vision is to build a world-class workforce to ensure all young people in Northeast Mississippi are exposed to, prepared for, and connected to living-wage employment opportunities through strong career guidance and aligned education-to-career experiences.

Toyota Wellspring Education Fund
Advisory Committee

Committee Advisors

Imagine the Possibilities Career Expo

For over 7 years, the Imagine the Possibilities Career Expo has provided over 30,000 students from the 17 CREATE counties with the opportunity to experience 18 career pathways.

In 2020, Imagine the Possibilities Career Expo experience transitioned from an in-person event to a virtual format targeting 10th grade students. The virtual format includes a website, www.itpcareerexpo.com, and the Imagine the Possibilities app that is accessible via Apple and Android products. Students and parents can access information on all eighteen pathways, with each pathway including a pathway overview video, pathway resources, a “day in the life” videos, mentor for a minute clips, and a podcast.

All career pathways with which students receive exposure align with the Mississippi Department of Education College and Career Readiness Standards.

Career Coaches create motivational and informative bulletin boards supporting the Career Expo.

Students at New Albany High School use class time to access the ItP website.

Students at Pontotoc High School kick off the virtual career expo for 2022-2023.

A student interviews for a Toyota Creating Your Future internship after learning about his career options from the virtual ItP platform.

What a great way to kick off the school year by setting goals and opportunities which impact students’ career choices!

Regional stakeholders, educators, and economic partners are invited to attend the 2022 ItP Summit.

Career Coach, Jennifer Dale, and Pontotoc School District educators participate in the 2022 Imagine the Possibilities Summit.

GRANTS

The Toyota Wellspring Fund distributes grant monies to the school districts in Pontotoc, Union, and Lee counties for initiatives ranging from STEAM-based education to early childhood summer camps. Funds are also directed towards summer learning opportunities at our local community colleges, universities, and businesses, enhancing students’ experiences as they relate directly to career pathways. Further, educators in the three counties are provided funds to advance their professional development and strengthen their capacity from the classroom to the district level. Each funding opportunity is directly linked to creating a classrooms-to-careers avenue in our three counties.

Career Coaches facilitate mock interviews, with community partners, to assist students in preparing for actual job interviews.

By participating in mock interviews, students are better prepared for job interviews in their career pathway of choice.

With strong partnerships, our community partners volunteer to participate in school-based career fairs, exposing students to the many careers available in the region.

Through local participation from our small businesses, students are able to shadow a career, gain a mentor, and clarify their career path.

With healthcare being one of the primary work sectors in the region, local medical clinics host shadowing experiences for students, allowing them to be exposed to all the aspects of the field.

Toyota CYF Interns celebrate their intern experience and completion of the program.

Students participate in shadowing opportunities to ensure their career path is one for which their aptitudes are aligned.

David Fernandes, President at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi, joins two Creating Your Future interns at their graduation celebration.

Through touring and shadowing experiences, students are exposed to many careers across our region.

Career Coaches

With the addition of 12 Career Coaches across 14 high schools in the Pontotoc, Union, and Lee County school districts, our 10th-grade students receive an abundance of opportunities ranging from aptitude assessments to internships in local business and industry. The Career Coach cohort aims to expose, prepare, and connect our students to avenues within and beyond the classroom setting. Through strong partnerships with our economic and business leaders, paired with a viable relationship with each school district, the Career Coaches have embarked on a mission to change the educational landscape of our region. Targeting the alignment of students’ strengths with intentional academic and work-based learning, our Career Coaches ensure the children of Northeast Mississippi can make their professional dreams a reality.

With local leaders, like the Mississippi Minority Farmers Alliance, our career coaches are able to secure unique shadowing and internships experiences for students.

Through educational tours, and immersion in our local industries, the career coach cohort gains valuable knowledge which is imparted on our students interested in those careers.

Career Coaches participate in local, state, regional, and national conferences, expanding their professional development experiences.

The career coach cohort and Wellspring team connects with regional industry, learning about the various careers offered at each site.

David Fernandes, President, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi, with a CYF intern and career coach, while they celebrate the completion of the internship experience.

Through tours and real life experiences, career coaches assist in advancing the knowledge, network and connections required to showcase careers for our students.

With strong community partnerships, usage of the Career Connections touring platform, career coaches and students have a day-in-the-life opportunity to discover careers in our region.