Academic & Career Exploration

Empowering Burlington’s high school youth to explore, grow, and lead.

2025 Final Showcase:

Hear from our program participants about what they learned, what inspired them most, and where they think they might be headed…

At King Street Center, we believe that every young person deserves the chance to dream and have equitable access to the tools to get there. In early 2024, the Academic & Career Exploration program, or ACE, was born from the voices of our teens. They needed more than a safe space. They wanted real career direction, financial stability, and a sense of purpose.

Throughout high school, youth explore careers, build life skills, connect with professionals, and earn stipends, fully resourcing them to overcome barriers.

In less than two years, high school enrollment at King Street has grown from barely a handful, to 30 active participants because of ACE.