Rise
Helping people see beyond current circumstances and move toward greater possibility.
A nonprofit in formation
Helping people rise into possibility.
The Celeste Project is a legacy-driven nonprofit created to help underserved youth and families access education, encouragement, wellness-informed support, practical resources, and future-ready opportunities.
Our flagship initiative, EyeRise Quest, is a youth-to-workforce AI builder pathway beginning with promising 7th–9th grade students and designed to support learners through graduation with skills, proof-of-work, mentorship, and pathway visibility.
Inspired by Harriet Celeste Page and the journey of Becoming Celestial — rising into our best selves and helping others rise along the way.
A legacy-driven nonprofit in formation, building a family of mission-aligned experiences and an early supporter network.
Our Why
Born from love. Built for possibility.
The Celeste Project is inspired by the life and spirit of Harriet Celeste Page — a woman remembered for her love, guidance, generosity, and the way she helped people feel seen, supported, and capable of more.
Her middle name, Celeste, became more than a name. It became a symbol for the kind of work this organization hopes to carry forward: helping people rise into possibility and move toward the best version of themselves.
This work is rooted in the idea of Becoming Celestial — a journey of growth, learning, access, service, love, and positive impact.
“Potential is not rare. Access is.”
The founder’s vision is shaped by growing up in an under-resourced community in a small town in North Carolina, where he saw bright and capable young people experience very different life outcomes because of exposure gaps, home circumstances, limited support, and a lack of visible pathways.
The Celeste Project was created from the belief that young people need more than encouragement. They need access, structure, practical skills, and proof that positive effort can lead somewhere real.
Our Philosophy
A path toward the best version of ourselves.
Becoming Celestial is the guiding idea behind The Celeste Project. It reflects the belief that people rise when they are met with love, access, resources, encouragement, and real pathways forward.
For us, “celestial” is not about being perfect. It is about becoming — growing in confidence, learning what is possible, giving back, and helping send more positive energy into the world.
In a time when many families and young people are carrying stress, uncertainty, and limited access to opportunity, The Celeste Project exists to help create more light, more pathways, and more reasons to believe the future can be different.
Become
Supporting growth through learning, confidence, wellness-informed support, and practical resources.
Give Forward
Carrying love into action by creating pathways, opportunities, and positive impact for others.
Our Foundation
The Celeste Project
Our Mission
The Celeste Project exists to help underserved youth and families rise beyond circumstance by connecting them to education, resources, encouragement, wellness-informed support, and opportunity pathways that help build confidence, skills, and a stronger future.
Our Vision
We envision communities where young people and families, especially those from underserved backgrounds, can see beyond their current circumstances, access future-ready skills and support, and build proof that they belong in the rooms, careers, and opportunities shaping tomorrow.
Our Core Belief
Potential is not rare. Access is.
We believe many people already possess the intelligence, creativity, and resilience needed to succeed. What they often lack is consistent access to tools, exposure, encouragement, mentorship, and pathways that make success feel reachable.
Becoming Celestial means helping that potential rise.
Mission in Action
Our Initiatives
The Celeste Project is building a family of thoughtful digital experiences that support growth, reflection, creativity, encouragement, and future possibility.
Flagship Initiative
EyeRise Quest
A youth-to-workforce AI builder pathway helping promising students build technology skills, confidence, project proof, mentorship connections, and future visibility from middle school through graduation.
The first 4-week pilot serves as the entry point into the larger pathway.
Reflective Experience
Celeste Atlas
A symbolic and creative digital journey designed to inspire reflection, wonder, memory, imagination, and meaningful action.
Proceeds help support EyeRise Quest.
Growth Experience
Growing Forward
A warm, supportive digital experience focused on encouragement, growth, practical forward movement, and becoming the next best version of yourself.
Proceeds help support EyeRise Quest.
Our Flagship Initiative
EyeRise Quest
A youth-to-workforce AI builder pathway.
Learn the skill. Build the proof. See the path.
EyeRise Quest is The Celeste Project's flagship initiative — a youth-to-workforce AI builder pathway beginning with promising 7th–9th grade students from underserved communities and designed to support learners through graduation.
The first 4-week pilot serves as the entry point into a longer journey where students build confidence, complete guided technology missions, create project proof, and begin seeing how their skills can connect to future opportunities in AI, data, cybersecurity, automation, entrepreneurship, college programs, certifications, internships, apprenticeships, and careers.
The goal is to help students move from simply using technology to seeing themselves as builders.
The Vision
Youth-to-Workforce Pathway
EyeRise Quest is designed as a multi-stage pathway that begins with early exposure and grows toward project proof, mentorship, and future opportunity. The first pilot introduces students to the builder mindset. The long-term vision is to support students through graduation.
01
Discover
Grades 7–9
Students build confidence, explore AI and technology, complete beginner-friendly builder missions, and create their first project proof.
02
Develop
Grades 9–10
Students deepen skills through AI Builder Foundations, Python-style tools, creative AI, responsible technology, and guided project practice.
03
Demonstrate
Grades 10–11
Students build stronger portfolio projects, participate in showcases, receive mentor feedback, and connect their work to real-world use cases.
04
Launch
Grades 11–12
Students prepare for internships, certifications, apprenticeships, college pathways, employer exposure, entrepreneurship, and future careers.
The pathway is designed to support promising students from early exposure through graduation. Stages will roll out responsibly as the organization grows.
Additional Experiences
More Ways We Support Growth
Different tools. One shared mission. The Celeste Project is building a family of thoughtful digital experiences alongside EyeRise Quest.
Celeste Atlas
A symbolic journey into wonder and meaning.
Celeste Atlas is a visually immersive, symbolic experience centered on wonder, memory, creativity, and meaningful action. It invites users to explore inner reflection and personal insight through a beautiful journey-based format. Proceeds help support EyeRise Quest.
Growing Forward
Encouragement for the next best version of you.
Growing Forward is a supportive experience focused on encouragement, life momentum, and practical next steps. It is designed to help users reflect, reset, and keep moving toward healthier, more hopeful futures. Proceeds help support EyeRise Quest.
Proceeds from Growing Forward and Celeste Atlas help support EyeRise Quest, our flagship youth-to-workforce AI builder pathway.
Our Approach
A pathway, not just a program.
Education Access
Helping students access future-ready learning, AI literacy, and digital tools early.
Wellness-Informed Support
Designing experiences that consider confidence, belonging, emotional realities, and real-life circumstances.
Project Proof
Helping students create visible evidence of what they can learn, build, test, and explain.
Youth-to-Workforce Pathways
Connecting early exposure to mentorship, showcases, certifications, internships, apprenticeships, college pathways, entrepreneurship, and careers.
Mission-Sustaining Tools
Developing purpose-driven apps like Growing Forward and Celeste Atlas to help support the flagship youth pathway.
Leadership
Built from lived experience and aligned expertise.
The Celeste Project is family-rooted, legacy-driven, and public-serving. It is being developed with lived experience, digital product-building, wellness-informed guidance, operations perspective, and youth-centered insight.
Role
Founder / Executive Director
Lived experience, digital strategy, AI-assisted product development, and community-centered program design.
Role
Clinical & Community Wellness Perspective
Licensed psychology and nonprofit behavioral health leadership experience informing wellness-aware program design.
Role
Operations Perspective
Business management and operations insight supporting structure, process, and sustainable growth.
Role
Youth Wellness Perspective
Psychology and counseling-pathway insight supporting student experience, reflection, and youth-centered engagement.
As the organization grows, The Celeste Project will seek independent advisors and board members with experience in education, nonprofit leadership, technology, finance, youth development, and community partnerships.
Sponsorship
Support a youth-to-workforce AI pathway.
The Celeste Project is seeking early supporters, advisors, and future corporate partners who believe promising students should be introduced to AI-era opportunities before they reach the point of being left out of them. EyeRise Quest is designed to create an early pipeline of student builders who can grow from exposure to project proof, mentorship, showcases, certifications, internships, apprenticeships, college pathways, and future careers.
Mentorship
Connect with students as a guide, helping them see themselves in future technology pathways.
Guest Speakers & Project Reviewers
Share your story or offer feedback on student work during showcases and mission reviews.
Curriculum Input
Help shape future missions so the pathway stays aligned with real-world AI, data, and digital skills.
Student Showcase Participation
Join end-of-cohort showcases as an attendee, judge, or encourager of student builders.
Equipment & Software Support
Help remove barriers through devices, connectivity, software access, and learning materials.
Career Exposure & Pathway Guidance
Open doors to future-facing opportunities — internships, apprenticeships, certifications, and college pathways.
Cohort or Pathway Sponsorship
Sponsor an EyeRise Quest cohort or a stage of the youth-to-workforce learning pathway.
Potential corporate partner roles. Partnerships are in development — no corporate relationships are yet confirmed.
Advisors
We are building the circle carefully.
As The Celeste Project moves toward formal establishment, we are seeking guidance from people with experience in nonprofit leadership, education, youth development, technology, finance, governance, grant writing, and community partnerships.
- Share nonprofit formation guidance
- Recommend grant or sponsorship opportunities
- Introduce education or youth-serving partners
- Connect us with technology mentors or speakers
- Provide feedback on EyeRise Quest
- Support future pilot planning
Get Involved
Help us build the foundation.
The Celeste Project is in its early formation stage. We are preparing the structure, partnerships, pilot materials, and funding pathways needed to launch EyeRise Quest — our flagship youth-to-workforce AI builder pathway — responsibly.
Ways to support
- Share the mission
- Introduce funders or sponsors
- Recommend advisors or nonprofit resources
- Follow the development of EyeRise Quest
- Follow Celeste Atlas
- Follow Growing Forward
- Volunteer as a mentor, speaker, or reviewer
- Join the interest list
Contact
Reach out or join the interest list.
We'll follow up personally as the foundation continues to take shape.