Amid reports that the education system in the United States is not adequately preparing students for the modern world, students like Miami native Julie Kennedy are blazing their own trails and sharpening their skills in work-based learning academies nationwide to better prepare themselves with employable skills.
Julie recently earned a 2023 NAF Alumni Award for her inspiring story of overcoming odds to reach her longtime academic and professional goals. And it all started with a small learning academy at a Miami Beach high school.
Inspired by her mother who worked in the Miami hospitality industry for 30 years, Julie signed up for the NAF Academy of Hospitality and Tourism when she was just a freshman at Miami Beach Senior High School. For four years, she and her classmates learned all about customer service, revenue management and the business skills needed to be successful in the complex world of hospitality.
Not only did that academy break down her shyness, it also connected her with a spectrum of businesses.
“You can read a textbook over and over but really connect the dots when you get that hands-on experience,” she said. “That’s just what NAF gave me. I really got the tools I needed to succeed.”
Julie’s experience is just one example of the success stories coming out of NAF’s 600-plus academies — which are small learning communities inside public schools — enrolling more than 112,000 of students each year from coast to coast. These academies are playing a big part in helping students from under-served communities gain a foothold in today’s competitive job market.
After graduation, things didn’t go exactly as planned. Julie developed Crohne’s disease in her 20s and multiple surgeries prevented her from working full-time for several years. Nonetheless, Julie never gave up and, as her health improved, so too did her motivation.
Julie returned to work, slowly at first, in economy hotels. Eventually she graduated to the luxury brands and became part of the management team at one of those luxury hotels.
It seems things have come full circle for Julie. Nowadays, she is working for Miami-Dade County Public Schools where she supports NAF teachers and provides hands-on training and scholarship opportunities for students enrolled in NAF academies in the region.
NAF CEO Lisa Dughi applauded Julie for her perseverance and her passion for helping students succeed.
“It has been an honor to witness Julie’s journey with NAF come full circle,” Dughi said. “Julie is a true exemplar for the next generation, as her work helps to ensure that they are future ready now.”
Julie said she couldn’t think of anything else she would rather be doing.
“It’s amazing to be providing high school students with the tools they need to succeed, to really encourage them to chase their dreams and do something truly extraordinary with their lives,” she said. “My work doesn’t feel like a job, it feels more like a calling. And that has made all the difference.”
By Gloria Burns