Melissa Connelly had a rocky start to her high school career, being placed in her school’s truancy program after missing sixty days of classes in 8th grade.  Fortunately, Melissa found her guidance counselor, Mrs. Jeter, who changed her life.  With her help, Melissa turned her academic career around and through determined optimism, managed to earn college degrees and build a successful, high impact life.  She now oversees OneGoal, a national postsecondary access and success organization and she shares her inspiring story on this episode of Blue Sky. 

Chapters: 

02:11 Meet Melissa Connelly 
Bill introduces Melissa Connelly, CEO of OneGoal, highlighting her journey as a first-generation college graduate and her commitment to helping underserved youth succeed in education. 

03:21 A Challenging Upbringing 
Melissa details the struggles she faced as a child of a single mother and her experiences in a truancy program that initially hindered her education. 

05:39 The Turning Point 
With the help of her social worker, Mrs. Jeter, Melissa learns to advocate for herself, transforming her academic trajectory from truancy to success in high school. 

10:04 College Dreams Dashed 
Melissa recounts her emotional experience of arriving at NYU only to realize she couldn’t afford the cab fare, leading to a difficult return home and reassessment of her college journey. 

13:10 Introducing OneGoal 
Melissa explains the mission of OneGoal, an organization dedicated to ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to achieve their post-secondary aspirations, addressing systemic barriers in education. 

15:49 The Role of Mentorship 
Melissa draws parallels between her experience with Mrs. Jeter and the mentorship provided by OneGoal, emphasizing the importance of caring adults in students’ lives. 

18:02 How OneGoal Operates 
Melissa describes how OneGoal identifies students in need of support and integrates its program into high schools to provide guidance and resources for post-secondary success. 

21:02 Scaling the Impact 
Melissa shares the scale of OneGoal’s impact, serving over 14,000 students in 300 schools, and discusses the organization’s efforts to train districts to provide similar support. 

28:37 Equity in Education 
Melissa discusses the need for equitable educational resources and support, emphasizing the importance of treating all students with the same care and attention afforded to athletes. 

30:07 Measuring Success 
Melissa shares the metrics of success for OneGoal, highlighting how their students outperform peers in graduation rates. She emphasizes the importance of both data and personal stories that keep her motivated in the challenging work of education. 

35:03 Breaking Negative Labels 
The conversation shifts to the impact of labels on students and how they can shape self-identity. Melissa advocates for removing negative stigmas and fostering a more supportive environment for all students. 

36:53 Navigating the College Process 
Melissa shares personal insights about her son’s college application journey, revealing the challenges he faces in a system that often overlooks individual identities. This discussion highlights the need for more personalized attention in education. 

42:01 The Future of Education 
Reflecting on the current state of education, Melissa emphasizes the need for systemic change to create equitable opportunities for all students.  

46:06 Glimmers of Hope 
Melissa introduces the concept of ‘glimmers’ as positive signs amidst challenges, encouraging a focus on hope and solutions in education.  

50:16 Looking Ahead: A Vision for OneGoal 
In a forward-looking discussion, Melissa envisions a future where OneGoal no longer needs to exist because the systemic issues in education have been addressed.