One year ago, Circles Bagels opened in the cafe of The Spark of Hudson building. What started as a weekend pop-up slinging sourdough bagels out of Lil Deb’s and other borrowed kitchens has, in just twelve months, become a true community anchor. And we at The Spark got to watch it happen from the front row.

Here at The Spark of Hudson, we’re dedicated to building up local workforce development. In July of 2024 we partnered with Peter Frank and Friends of Hudson Youth to launch an apprenticeship program with the goal of helping students gain skills such as adaptability, leadership, communication, project management, critical thinking, and more.

The Spark Building is a space for learning, connection, and community—but most importantly it’s a space for you. We host our own programming and partner with organizations to bring mission-driven events to life.

At The Spark of Hudson, we are committed to promoting learning as a tool for driving positive change. In partnership with Peter Frank and Friends of Hudson Youth, we’ve had the incredible opportunity to launch an apprenticeship program to prepare and support students looking to gain the key skills employers value in an employee.

Technology is moving at lightning speed. Every other day there is a new tool, a new discovery, a new change to the way we live our lives and interact with the world around us. But as we dive headlong into this future, one critical question remains: Who gets left behind?

Since the opening of The Spark Building in summer 2024, we have been asked the following question almost daily:

What is Spark?

That’s a really good question—one I even had trouble putting into words at the beginning of my time here.

In December, I hosted a Winter Solstice gathering on the Skydeck at The Spark. As the Executive Director, I spend a lot of time thinking about how The Spark Building can best serve our community – but on that night, it served as a place for something deeply personal: celebrating the longest night of the year with the people I love.