IGNITE Helps New Orleans Students and Their Families See the Possibilities Ahead
On September 26, New Orleans public high schools came together at the Louisiana Children’s Museum for the second IGNITE High School Showcase. Middle school students and their families met school representatives and current high school students, explored programs, and asked questions about what comes next. Based on student attendance data, participation was approximately four times that of last year’s event, reflecting growing interest in exploring high school and postsecondary opportunities.
The museum’s setting in City Park made a fitting home for the event. Surrounded by spaces designed for curiosity and discovery, families could approach high school choice as an opportunity to explore. After the showcase, IGNITE guests were invited to enjoy the museum together.
IGNITE stands for Inform, Guide, Navigate, Inspire, Take Action, Enroll. Those steps reflect what families need as they consider a consequential decision. Students could learn how schools differ in their academic offerings, career pathways, extracurricular activities, and opportunities to earn college credit or industry credentials. The showcase also introduced resources, including the NOLA Public Schools College & Career Success Hub, that families can return to as they weigh their options.
Family feedback underscored the value of those conversations. Participants described the showcase as informative and particularly appreciated hearing directly from both representatives and students at each school. Those exchanges gave families a chance to ask practical questions and get a clearer sense of the experiences students can look forward to in high school.
Building on the first showcase in 2025, IGNITE is part of a larger investment in career connected learning for middle school students. Louisiana requires schools to provide students in grades six through eight with experiences that expose them to career, technical, and academic fields of study. That early exploration matters in New Orleans, where the high school a student chooses can shape the courses and career pathways available to them. IGNITE helps students connect their emerging interests to real options before they make that choice.
The event was made possible through the partnership of JA, YouthForce NOLA, and NOLA Public Schools, with the Louisiana Children’s Museum welcoming families to its City Park home. We are deeply grateful to the participating schools, student representatives, and volunteers who spent their Saturday helping families explore programs and opportunities. Their time and knowledge made the morning informative, welcoming, and exciting.
We also extend a special thank-you to Councilmember Matthew Willard for his support, and to Judge Camille Buras, Tifferney White, NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Fateama Fulmore, School Board Member Olin Parker, and a representative from Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser’s office for joining us. Their participation reflects a shared commitment to helping young people discover their strengths, understand their choices, and see how education can lead to opportunity.
A student does not need to know exactly what they want to do with their life in middle school. They do deserve the chance to discover what is possible. IGNITE gave families a place to begin those conversations together—and resources to keep them going as students prepare for high school and the pathways beyond it.