Research shows that 9th grade is the toughest high school year for students, especially for students who are already struggling academically. Successfully completing 9th grade and advancing to 10th grade on time is the biggest predictor of high school completion. Citizen Schools' 8th Grade Academy, a Boston-wide pilot program expanding nationally with support from a grant from the Goldman Sachs Foundation, adapts the most intensive features of the Citizen Schools model for the needs of 8th grade students. Apprentices from all Boston Citizen Schools programs are invited to join 8th Grade Academy, which builds on the community engagement and apprenticeship learning of their sixth and seventh grade experiences with rigorous literacy and data skill-building, an emphasis on high school placement and readiness, and first-hand experiences of college. These bridges to high school keep apprentices on a long-term trajectory of success.
The writing program pairs 8th Grade Academy students with one or more lawyers from 11 of Boston's top law firms and legal agencies. Apprentices visit the law offices every other week, and write six persuasive essays with coaching from the attorneys. The WOW! that results is something to cherish: the best of the essays are published in Bridging magazine, an annual publication for apprentices that is distributed across the city. The high school choice program takes advantage of Boston Public Schools' policy of elective high schools. 8th Grade Academy apprentices conduct research on high schools, like test scores, drop-out rates, and college matriculation rates, and analyze the data to select a high school. In addition to building their skills, investing in their educational futures, and expanding their horizons, their WOW! is a collectively created Guide to Boston High Schools that serves as a resource for middle-school students across the city. The college experience program exposes students to opportunities awaiting them in college. Explorations take apprentices to ten institutions of higher learning, from afternoon tours of those in their neighborhood to overnight visits to great regional universities.
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Citizen Schools Alumni The Citizen Schools Alumni Services program supports Citizen Schools' 8th Grade Academy graduates and their families in their transition to high school, college, and beyond. Though our target population is underserved in many ways, there are currently support structures and pathways for high schoolers that are not often taken advantage of by high school students. Citizen Schools' Alumni Services program enhances the connections between our alumni and their community resources, school educators, mentors, high performing peers and families.
One of the signature features in making these connections is the system of alumni "crews" at various top-performing high schools. When a group of alumni attend the same high school, they form a close-knit peer group, or crew, that meets regularly to help each crew member navigate the academic and social aspects of high school. Crews facilitate a sense of community and help alumni stay focused and motivated. |
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