A Full Circle Moment for Joseph Thigpen Jr.
Joseph Thigpen, R2R Program Manager, pictured second from the right.
Root 2 Rise's Joe Thigpen Jr. has been named a 2026 MOST Outstanding Youth Worker — an honor that lands especially close to home, since Joe first came to Root 2 Rise as a student in the program he is now integral in leading.
Joseph Thigpen Jr. joined as a Tutor-Mentor in 2017, part of the program's very first cohort. And that experience is what set him on the path into education: he went on to work in Sun Prairie classrooms as a special education assistant and positive behavior coach before returning to Root 2 Rise as Program Manager, leading the same program that started him on that road.
Joe is one of just nine honorees selected by the Madison-area Out-of-School Time initiative, chosen by former MOST recipients from dozens of peer nominations. What his nomination describes is an educator who "doesn't just prepare young people to tutor elementary students," but develops them into confident leaders and mentors in their own right, someone with a "remarkable ability to inspire trust, solve challenges thoughtfully, and create environments where students feel seen, valued, and empowered to succeed."
Root 2 Rise is entering a more strategic phase, expanding to new schools this fall while deepening how the program serves students — Joe is a big part of the leadership team shaping that direction.
The ceremony is Wednesday, August 26, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Madison Youth Arts Center. The event will also honor Will Green of Mentoring Positives and Vince Carey of the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County as 2026 Legends.
