Problem
Brookline Public Schools engaged Devon to support its Steps to Success (STS) initiative, a district-backed program designed to close the opportunity gap for low-income and historically marginalized students. The pilot site was Brookline High School, where program leadership sought to strengthen student engagement, identity alignment, and long-term mobility outcomes.
While STS had built a strong foundation of student support services, it lacked a formal, culturally relevant curriculum to anchor its programming. The opportunity was to move from informal programming to a structured, values-aligned learning system that could affirm students’ lived experiences while equipping them with the mindset, exposure, and skills needed to navigate future pathways with confidence.
Solution
Devon deployed the Live Inspired Project, a proprietary, values-driven curriculum model built at the intersection of media literacy, storytelling, and entrepreneurship. Designed to function as both a classroom experience and a cultural intervention, the strategy prioritized identity affirmation as a gateway to economic mobility.
The pilot was delivered in collaboration with Brookline High School leadership and optimized to align with district standards and long-term STS objectives. Key components included:
- Curriculum Architecture: A six-unit, standards-aligned program designed to foster identity exploration, creative confidence, and professional readiness
- Experiential Learning: A career discovery excursion to companies such as Twitter, Instagram, Columbia Records, Facebook, and Google, providing students with direct exposure to diverse professional environments
- Community Integration: Guest speakers and partnerships with local organizations (such as the Boys & Girls Club) to extend learning beyond the classroom
- Facilitator Enablement: Educator-facing guides and implementation tools to ensure sustainability and fidelity beyond the pilot
Payoff
The program drove measurable impact across engagement, self-direction, and post-secondary preparedness. It resulted in a meaningful shift in how students saw themselves and their futures.
- Behavioral Engagement: 78 percent of students identified concrete next steps for college or employment
- Cognitive Engagement: 77 percent of students reported developing 21st-century skills through the program
- Economic Mobility: An estimated 20 percent lift in long-term mobility potential, through increased access to post-secondary education, mentorship, and higher-earning pathways
Educators, program leaders, as well as parents and guardians praised the initiative for bridging curriculum, culture, and career. The project demonstrated how identity-aware learning systems can serve as infrastructure for institutional trust and long-term access.
I have seen the positive impact Live Inspired has had on Steps to Success students with our two cohorts who participated in the program. It was great to see the pride with which students displayed and presented on their portfolios on the showcase day. Having the opportunity for students to research and envision their future in a way that allows them to connect with BIPOC folks already in various professional fields is powerful! Live inspired teaches students skills in research, networking, digital platforms and public speaking all in a way that is engaging.”
Jeanette Sergeant, Steps to Success District Coordinator, Public Schools of Brookline
The LiveInspired Project has been one of the most transformative experiences of my time as an educator. This work has empowered Steps 2 Success, Brookline High School, and the local Boys & Girls Club to more purposefully serve socioeconomically disadvantaged students with quality programming, by merging pop culture, content, and career development. The results have helped prepare our students for their future careers and personal endeavors, and it’s been the highlight of my career.”
Adebukola Ajao, Program Advisor, | Steps to Success , Public Schools of Brookline