Applied Tracks: New Ways to Learn, Create, and Lead
From digital design to entrepreneurship, Enroot students are putting their ideas into action through two exciting new programs.
At Enroot, we believe some of the most valuable learning happens when students have the opportunity to put their skills to work. That's the idea behind Applied Tracks, our newest initiative connecting our students with hands-on, project-based experiences that bridge classroom learning and professional opportunity.
Designed as longer-term learning experiences, Applied Tracks brings Enroot students together with industry professionals to develop practical skills, create tangible work, and build experience they can carry into college, careers, and beyond.
This year, Enroot is piloting two distinct tracks: Digital Storytelling & Design and Entrepreneurship & Financial Literacy. Both are already underway, and students are bringing their creativity, curiosity, and ambition to the table.
Digital Storytelling & Design: Creativity With a Purpose
What makes a brand memorable? How can design tell a story? How can the skills students develop in the classroom help them make a difference in their communities?
These are the questions at the heart of Enroot's new Digital Storytelling & Design Applied Track, which launched in August.
The program introduces students to graphic design, digital storytelling, branding, and marketing, with an emphasis on creating high-quality bilingual content for local nonprofits and small businesses. Students aren't just learning how to use design software. They're learning how to communicate ideas, understand audiences, and use visual storytelling to help organizations connect with their communities.
From the First Sketch to a Finished Design
During one of their first workshops, students took on an ambitious first challenge: build a nonprofit organization from scratch.
Led by Enroot Program Associate Miles Chun, students learned the fundamentals of branding before imagining their own fictional nonprofits. They worked to develop visual identities, select colors thoughtfully, consider how their organizations should be represented, and strategically used Canva to design promotional flyers.
The exercise introduced students to the kinds of creative decisions professional designers and communications teams make every day. And? It's only the beginning.
As the pilot progresses, students will move from introductory design exercises to increasingly complex projects, ultimately creating digital content for real community organizations Enroot has partnered with.
Through our partnerships with local nonprofits and small businesses, students will have opportunities to produce bilingual videos, graphics, and communications materials that help organizations expand their reach and engage their audiences. Along the way, participants will earn stipends, build real world professional portfolios, and develop hands-on experience collaborating with clients and completing projects.
The beauty of the model is that it is intentionally designed to create benefits on both sides: Enroot students earn stipends and gain powerful professional experience and local community organizations gain access to fresh creative perspectives and culturally fluent content.
The Tools to Create
The launch of Digital Storytelling & Design also coincided with an important investment in technology access.
In August, Enroot received 30 laptops through the Connected & Online initiative, with 17 designated to support Applied Tracks. Four students received laptops during the pilot's first session, followed by a fifth participant in September. Students learned how to set up their devices, access essential digital tools, and begin working with platforms including Canva and Adobe.
But these laptops aren't limited to program activities. Students can also use them for schoolwork, personal projects, and family needs, including accessing employment and healthcare resources. The remaining 13 laptops are designated for distribution to Enroot students and alumni on an as needed basis based on individual need.
By pairing technology access with hands-on instruction and professional experience, Digital Storytelling & Design is helping students develop the tools, skills, and confidence to turn their ideas into work they can share with the world.
Entrepreneurship & Financial Literacy: Turning Ideas Into Action
Every business begins with an idea. But what does it take to turn that idea into something real?
That's what Enroot students are discovering through our new Entrepreneurship & Financial Literacy Applied Track, developed in partnership with Junior Achievement of Greater Boston.
The program introduces students to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, financial decision-making, and business development through a series of hands-on learning experiences.Rather than simply studying how businesses operate, students have opportunities to develop their own ideas, test their thinking, make decisions, and learn what it takes to bring a venture to life.
The Next Generation of Entrepreneurs Takes the Stage
The pilot officially kicked off in October, when our students met with a representative from Junior Achievement, learned about the organization's entrepreneurship programming, and asked questions about how the experience could help them develop their skills and pursue their goals.
And it wasn't long before they were putting those ideas to the test. In a recent Shark Tank-style activity, Enroot students stepped into the spotlight to pitch their own business ideas. The exercise gave students an opportunity to practice a skill that matters in nearly every professional setting: taking an idea, communicating its value, and presenting it with confidence.
Whether launching a business, interviewing for a job, or advocating for a new initiative, knowing how to make a compelling case for your ideas is a powerful life skill. And for students who may be exploring entrepreneurship for the first time, the experience offers something equally important: an empowering chance to see themselves as innovators and decision-makers.
Learning the Business of Business
As the program continues, students will build on these early experiences through a structured progression that takes them from creative problem-solving to business planning.
First, they'll explore design thinking, identifying problems, generating ideas, and developing potential solutions. Next comes the opportunity to work collaboratively on a small business venture, making decisions about products, pricing, marketing, and operations. Finally, students will refine their ideas and develop business plans, drawing on the lessons they've learned throughout the process.
Financial literacy is woven into this experience, helping students understand the practical considerations behind running a business and making informed financial decisions.
Through its partnership with Junior Achievement, Enroot combines an established entrepreneurship curriculum with the individualized support and relationship-centered approach at the heart of our programming.
The result is an opportunity for students to build financial knowledge, strengthen problem-solving skills, and gain firsthand experience bringing their ideas to life.
Investing in Student Ideas
Entrepreneurship is about more than starting a company. It's about recognizing a need, imagining a solution, and developing the skills to act on it.
For Enroot students, this track creates space to explore those possibilities while building practical knowledge that can serve them in college, careers, and everyday life.
By encouraging students to experiment, collaborate, and take ownership of their ideas, Entrepreneurship & Financial Literacy reinforces a powerful message: their perspectives are valuable, their ideas deserve to be explored, and they have the capacity to shape what comes next.
What's Next for Applied Tracks?
These two pilots represent an exciting expansion of Enroot's approach to career development and experiential learning.
While Digital Storytelling & Design emphasizes creative communication and community collaboration, Entrepreneurship & Financial Literacy focuses on innovation, business development, and financial independence.
Both share a commitment to helping students develop practical skills through meaningful experiences, with opportunities to produce tangible work and build professional connections.
As Enroot continues piloting these programs during the 2026–2027 school year, we're also exploring the potential for future tracks in fields including life sciences, technology, sustainability, healthcare, and public service.
For now, we're excited to see what our students create, build, and discover through these first two programs.Because when students have the tools, resources, and opportunities to put their ideas into action, there's no telling where those ideas might lead.