Back in 2005, two middle-school teachers on opposite sides of the country came to the same realization: their students were at critical point of self discovery and what they learned and discovered at this time could impact their lives forever.

So, these two amazing teachers, Chris Balme and Melia Dicker, got together and launched Spark—a non-profit program to provide life-changing apprenticeships to youth in underserved communities. Essentially, students identify their “dream job” and Spark matches that student with a mentor doing that job. Kids interested in the medical field shadow a doctor. Students wanting to learn about film production follow a Hollywood producer. Pretty cool, right?

Fast-forward seven years and Spark has grown exponentially. It’s now active in four cities (Redwood City, SF, LA, and Chicago) and students have now completed more than 1,000 apprenticeships. Many alumnae credit their Spark experience with keeping them interested in school and changing the course of the life.

To get involved with Spark, visit SparkProgram.org where you can make a donation or offer to volunteer as a mentor. And don’t miss these awe-inspiring student stories.