Pave the Path leading 150 high school students onto campus

As a college student, Jeff Roberts always planned on pursuing a career in sports management. Then he spent some time in his mother’s classroom. 

“It changed my whole picture,” Roberts said. “I wanted to teach to build relationships and let kids know you care about them.”

After graduating as a Mastodon in 2001, Roberts taught at Memorial Park Middle School for 11 years before joining Wayne High School’s New Tech Academy for 10. Two years ago he became the community coach at Amp Lab in Electric Works. But he never forgot what he learned in his mother’s classroom, and seven years ago started the nonprofit Pave the Path.

“I wanted to look for something that allowed kids to figure out who they were, because in my high school classrooms I figured out they didn’t have a lot of time for that,” Roberts said. “I sat down and wrote up a concept that allowed them to find out what their personal brand was, and then connect that with leadership. If you don’t know who you are, you can’t lead.”

Roberts and his wife Jennifer, family members, and friends built an organization so strong it has evolved a few times to include more students, and it kept growing so much that it transferred to Purdue University Fort Wayne last spring. A couple of weeks ago, more than 125 high school students swarmed campus for a two-day seminar featuring mentoring, programs, and a couple dozen speakers trying to inspire them to believe they can be anything. Another 50 kids missed because they had to work or their high school year was still in session.

Maybe the best thing about Pave the Path is that kids keep finding ways to stick around as they age up and expand the brand. Instead of leaving Roberts and his crew behind, they keep coming back to help lead the next generation. Dozens of those students are now in college, the armed forces, or working in business, and they keep coming up with new ideas to pitch.

“It’s always so fascinating to watch these students who are growing and developing into these young leaders seeing their passions and their futures just show themselves before their very eyes,’’ said PFW junior Shawn Willis, a communications major who is a Pave the Path mentor. “I love watching it. I can never stop being enamored with the process of seeing it happen time after time.”

About 270 students from high school through college are participating in three programs, including 20 who are or will be PFW students this fall. Last year, Roberts wrote 86 letters of recommendation for students from across 13 area high schools.

“It’s a lot of networking and meeting people who have the same future plans or who are on the same page as you,” said Carroll senior Saghi Naghizadeh, who is coming to campus this fall. “I learned personal leadership and brands are a big thing, and also taking care of yourself as a leader. I like how empowering it is.”

Kim Grannan, chief of staff to the chancellor and community relations officer, was one of the highlighted speakers last year. She’d like to see Pave the Path develop a strong, lasting relationship with the university.

“It was just a really good fit to bring 150 high school kids to campus,” Grannan said. “It’s just really cool to see that many engaged high school kids.”

Those students are organized, efficient, and excited to learn what Roberts and crew have developed for them. Sure, the goal is to get them on campus and introduce further education options, but also to let the students know PFW is a community asset and can offer resources throughout their careers.

The Office of Admissions and the Division of Enrollment Management and the Student Experience were also part of this year’s program on May 30 and 31.

“This isn’t about getting the biggest number of kids but something that will last with them forever when they are 40 and reach back out to us,” Roberts said. “We want to be one of the people they reach out to along with family and friends. We are building something that is pretty amazing.”

As an example, Pave the Path holds monthly meetings during the school year because the students asked for them, one online and the other in person. Pave the Path started holding the in-person meeting at the Helmke Library’s IDEASpace this year, but then 70 kids showed up, telling Roberts and company they need a bigger space for next year. PFW will be helping with that.

“It usually blows people’s minds to watch a group of 125 kids and see a junior in college working with a sophomore in high school,” Roberts said, “and the conversations look like they might be held in a board meeting.”

Better yet, Roberts would love for more of those students to attend PFW. Some of those older students are asking to start regional Pave the Path organizations in other cities where they attend college.