It's not a gap year. It's a launch year.
My goal is simple: connect employers and graduates so the year after high school becomes a launch toward your future — not a gap in it. — Eli Johnson, Founder
Our mission
LaunchYearexists to change how people see the year after high school. It's not a gap to explain away later — it's a launch year, a deliberate head start. Too many students spend it adrift because the good opportunities — paid jobs, real internships, meaningful programs — are scattered, hard to vet, and rarely built for someone who hasn't started college yet.
We bring those opportunities into one place and review every organization before it can post. Students browse and apply for free, and their personal details stay private until they choose to apply. Organizations reach motivated young people ready to contribute.
Because we serve students as young as 17, trust and safety aren't a feature — they're the foundation. Every listing is admin-reviewed, every organization is checked, and anything that doesn't belong can be reported in one click.
About the founder
Why I started LaunchYear
I'm Eli, the founder of LaunchYear. When I finished high school, I wasn't ready to go straight to college — but I had my mind set on doing more. I was lucky: I got a great opportunity to work at a law firm, and it changed how I saw my own future.
The thing is, not everyone gets an opportunity like that. So many people go into debt early in life just by "following the norm" — going to college because that's what everyone else is doing — without ever getting the chance to figure out what they actually want.
I built LaunchYear to change that. The goal is to give young people access to real opportunities — jobs, internships, travel, and volunteering — so they can gain knowledge, experience, and money before taking on debt. A gap year, spent well, can expand the range of what you believe you're capable of.