Almost 8 years ago, we set out to build a school where students feel empowered to realize their own potential and make an impact for good.
Since then, we have worked with our values in mind:
- We create space for every student to teach and learn, free of barriers or risks.
- We empower our students to shape our organization's future.
- What we teach and learn can and must be used as a force for good.
Throughout these past 8 years, we've seen just how much our school has affected and created opportunities for communities outside of just our students. We've helped over 250+ companies hire our best and brightest students, we've run events and programs for our network of alumni, we've helped the city of Charlottesville attract and retain 45+ of our graduates and convert them into full-time employees in the local Charlottesville tech community, and we've taught thousands of students modern skills.
In 2021, we took this idea and tried to view it through a new lens. We added a new goal to our mission:
At Forge, we're building one of the world's first "community-owned schools."This community-owned and supported school will be the launchpad for a future US president, at least a few Nobel laureates, a handful of founders who will start $1 billion+ startups, and probably 10+ CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. I've been involved with this organization since 2014 and even still, every new day, I become more and more sure this will be true.
Every time I talk to our students, learn about their motivations and dreams, and see them put those desires into action, I become even more confident that we're building something different.
The more you read about Forge, the more you'll see how everything we do is done for and by our community. Now more than ever before, I believe we are truly onto something unique here at Forge and I've never been more excited for the future.
We've accomplished so much in 2021, but the thing that excites me most is how much more we can build in the next 5, 10, 20, 100 years.
I hope you enjoy reading about our impact in 2021, and the stories of just a few of the incredible students in our community.
Sincerely,
Andy Page
Executive Director