Fast Times at Real World High

1
Fast Times at Real World High

• New Learnings about High School After-School
  Programs

2
Vision of the High School Program

• Start off by saying what the program Must NOT
  look like
• Not a top-down program dictated by NCLB
• Not a gadget program (Middle School)
• Not a program focused on The Test
• Not a program focused on Weaknesses or Deficits
• Not a program driven by staff
• Not intended to be a Model Program Unrealistic
  and Unfair
• If youve seen one high school program

3
So, What would the program look like?

• Interest-Driven
• Have a ground-up approach a partnership between
  students, faculty and parents.
• Hybrid of traditions and new ways of thinking
• Talent and Strength focused
• Program that would provide a service Find a
  need, fill the need
• Program that would have many parts Share the
  different components of the program, not the
  program as a whole

4
Think R.I.C.E!!

• Relevant
• Interesting (For how long?)
• Challenging, Competitive and Creative
• Engaging Are students actually doing something?

5
The Divine of High School Programs

• The programs cool, when its Part of the School
• More interested Groups, but less troops
• It would be great, if the teachers just
  Facilitate
• Go the Lengths to make public our Strengths
• Trust us-- to go and learn Off Campus
• Some will come, when Service needs to be done
• Its totally fine, if students stay for a Limited
  Time
• Treat us NOT as a cult, but as Start-Up Adults
• The programs a hit, when students get Immediate
  Benefits

6
Being a Part of the School

• Invaluable to have a FT staff member working in
  the school PT is nice as well
• After School Staff working in the school, not the
  other way around
• AS Staff should have Key Responsibilities in the
  school - Part of the Principals Cabinet
• Seamless

7
Social Groups

• HS students have more specialized interests thus
  creating more groups
• Opposite of Middle School Programs
• More committed and less fickle stick it out
• Easier for HS students to recruit friends and
  acquaintances
• Critical mass is about 8-12 students

8
Student Driven, Staff Facilitated

• Upper grades want more control
• Students are very capable and responsible
• Students are very willing to take on suggestions
  from advisors or adults
• Students will seek help often
• Students have the capacity to rally adults,
  volunteers and experts

9
Strength-Based Program

• Disciples of Asset Development
• Students want to develop their talents
• They also want to showcase it
• How far can I go with my passion and talents?

10
Getting Students Off-Campus

• Mobile
• Mature (if just in age)
• Community Classroom
• Desire for exploration
• Research (or new found freedom)
• Adults still needed to be responsible and
  informed cell phones

11
Leadership and Service

• Our kids are not the future
• Amazing commitment to be the solution or to find
  it
• Looking for a venue to demonstrate their
  leadership
• Looking for just one adult to validate their
  passion
• Benefits them on many different levels

12
Limited Time in the Program

• One, fun and done We have to be OK with that
• For many, it is only a finite amount of time
• It is less about seat time and more about
  service and need the Club Mentality
• Volume is created by cycling more students
  through the program

13
Start-Up Adults

• Term created by Mel Levine
• HS students want to know what its like to be a
  part of the adult club
• Important to experience small successes
• More important to handle challenges and failures
• After-school is a safe venue
• Does not hurt your grade
• Reward/risk benefit is favorable because its
  after-school

14
Immediate Benefits

• Warning! Must Balance Short-Term Views with Long
  Term Outlooks
• ABCs Adult Benefit/Compensation
• Fun and experiences are important, but not enough
• College
• Graduation
• Job/Trade
• Status

15
What Have We Created?

• Internship Program Support (school)
• Sports
• Service Learning with Civic Engagement
• Cultural Clubs
• Dances
• Fundraising LAN Parties (school)
• Media News (School)

• Jobs
• Work-out Clubs
• Test prep courses
• Battle of the Bands
• Camping Trips
• Self-Defense
• Gay/Straight Alliance (school)
• Tutoring
• Youth Program Cabinet

16
Unique Program Strategies

• Students create, market, recruit and hire for the
  activity
• Students create the budget and timeline
• Students are formally trained to present and to
  submit proposals

17
Program Evolution

• Compartmentalized Program
• Academic/College
• Physical/Sports
• Career
• Leadership/Civic Engagement
• Interest/Gap/Events
• After-School Staff and Teaching Faculty would be
  responsible for these strands

18
The Truth

• Program Evolution required our after-school staff
  to become after school BROKERS
• Volume of Interest Groups forced the program to
  rely on the maturity of the students and
  willingness of volunteers
• Program Activities were perceived to have more
  value if you Charged a Nominal Fee (no child
  would ever be turned away)
• Higher expectations from our partners Bigger
  and Better

19
Our Suggestions to you

• Do not look at my experience as a whole
• Focus on what you dont want your program to look
  like
• Identify your needs and interests of your
  participants and look to fill them
• Cross-walk these interest back to your compliance
  requirements - PBL
• Look at practices and components of different
  programs this is your Lightning Rod
• There are no Model Programs and no prescribed
  rules
• Understand that your participants can truly be
  your most essential resource