Meet some of the young people building their futures through Youthful Impact. Their stories are real. Their credentials are earned. Their voices are their own. Below, hear from students and from the partners who help make the program possible.
Read the full Bridgeport press release →
Student Voices
Marlie Lackran
Google Career Certificate in Cybersecurity | Google Career Certificate in UX Design | CompTIA A+ Certification
Fairchild Wheeler Campus, Bridgeport
Marlie has been in the Youthful Impact program since her freshman year. This spring, she led a real client project for the Malcolm Pray Achievement Center near Greenwich, writing a summary of the Center, providing feedback on its Instagram presence, creating sample social media posts, and taking photos to help the historic classic car museum reach a new generation online.
“Over the past couple years that I participated in the Youthful Impact program, I was able to complete multiple Google certification courses that helped me gain fundamental knowledge about specific career paths I was interested in such as cybersecurity and UX design. Not only did this help me narrow down my career choices but it helped me improve my time management, problem solving, and communication skills. I’m proud of myself for being able to use these skills to earn multiple Google certifications despite the difficulties of the courses. Also, I’m proud of myself for using said skills for various projects that I was able to add to my portfolio. I hope to continue working with the Youthful Impact program and continue working on my UX design project for the organization.”
Armando
Google AI Essentials Certificate
Fairchild Wheeler Campus, Bridgeport
Armando completed his Google AI Essentials Certificate on June 10, 2026. This summer he is heading into a hands-on cybersecurity project with SecReliant, applying what he has learned to real-world security problems.
“I feel proud and excited because I learned skills I can use in the future and gained confidence in what I can do. I am looking forward to working on a cybersecurity project with a real cybersecurity firm and exploring ways to combine my interests in music and technology while building experience in a field I enjoy.”
More student stories coming
New student profiles will be added throughout the summer and fall. Featured next: Yelyzaveta Merzlenko, project management track, and additional Fairchild Wheeler cohort members.
Partner Voices
Henry Deng, Public Sector Lead, Grow with Google
“We believe everyone should be able to benefit from technology. Through our partnership with Youthful Impact, Bridgeport students can learn practical digital and AI skills alongside their schoolwork, giving them the tools and confidence they need to build meaningful careers.”
Dr. Royce Avery, Interim Superintendent, Bridgeport Public Schools
“Our responsibility is to prepare every student for success beyond graduation. This partnership with Youthful Impact gives high school students the opportunity to earn valuable industry-recognized credentials, develop real-world skills, and see themselves in high-demand careers. I’m proud of what our students are accomplishing and grateful to everyone helping make these opportunities possible. We look forward to expanding programs like this to more schools across Bridgeport in the near future so even more students can benefit from these experiences.”
What’s Next: Washington, DC
The impact of programs like Youthful Impact will be represented in Washington, DC on July 13-15, 2026 at the Jobs for the Future Legislative Summit, where Dr. Khaitsa Wasiyo will meet with Congressional offices to advocate for federal policies that make this kind of career-connected learning available to more students.
Get Involved
Interested in bringing this program to your school, hiring our students, joining a cohort, or supporting the work? Sign up for JobLineX early access →
Support the work: Donate to Youthful Impact →
See the cohort
Photos from the Spring 2026 cohort at Fairchild Wheeler Campus, shared by Fairchild Wheeler’s IT program on Instagram:
