Creating a path for career exploration and readiness at L.E.A.D. Afterschool

Welcome back to our series on credit for learning in afterschool programs! Afterschool programs can provide older youth opportunities to find their inspiration and gain skills that will benefit them in and outside of the classroom while allowing them to earn school credits. Credit-for-learning programs in the afterschool space — which can range from students earning physical education credits through a local YMCA to taking part in a boat-building course for elective science credit —are a valuable resource that individualizes knowledge acquisition and complements school day lessons for middle and high school youth. This blog post has been adapted from the L.E.A.D Afterschool program spotlight.

L.E.A.D. (Lead by example, Engage mind and body, Activate dreams, Demonstrate technical skills) Afterschool program serves students attending Burchell High School, an alternative school in the Matanuska-Susitna (Mat-Su) district of southern Alaska. The program aims to help students, many of whom come from difficult backgrounds, prepare for college or a career by providing opportunities to explore different career paths and build skills through experiential and project-based learning electives, all while earning school credit. 

 A typical day for students

Each trimester, students can choose up to two courses such as robotics, pottery, or creative writing that then become their area(s) of focus during their time at L.E.A.D. Afterschool. A typical day involves a short lesson from the teacher followed by hands-on project-based learning, where students may work independently or in small groups. The program director instructs teachers to keep lectures to 15 minutes per day to allow students to spend the majority of their time at the program facilitating and directing their learning. During this time, the teachers observe and engage with the students one-on-one as needed.

 Outcomes

An external evaluation by Sterling Evaluation and Assessment found that the L.E.A.D. Afterschool program has had a positive impact on attendees. Compared to non-participants, L.E.A.D. Afterschool students on average had higher math and English course grades, had 22 fewer school day absences, were issued fewer behavioral referrals, and graduated at a rate 11.2 percent higher than non-participants. Additionally, the evaluation found that principals, site coordinators, parents, students, and school day teachers all recognize that L.E.A.D. improves learning, leadership opportunities, and the overall student school experience.  

Program characteristics

Burchell High School is different from other schools in the Mat-Su district in that students who apply to attend typically have struggled in a traditional public school setting. Many of the students at Burchell High School come with personal and academic challenges, and the school serves the district’s highest population of homeless students and teen parents. L.E.A.D. Afterschool aims to help students expand their social and emotional skills and competencies and prepare for life after graduation.

Students take their core classes during school hours and elective courses primarily through the afterschool program. The classes are broken up into trimesters to allow more variety in class offerings and credits earned per year.  

The electives focus on experiential learning to help students develop leadership and problem-solving skills, as well as goal setting and planning skills. During the elective courses, students are at the center of learning. The program helps students take control over their education by increasing their roles and responsibilities in the learning process and moving away from the more traditional teacher-centered model, where the teacher instructs, and the students listen. 

Many of the courses at L.E.A.D. Afterschool also provide students with opportunities to explore different career paths. For example, past electives have included health studies, where students receive CPR certification, and classes on different construction trades. This trimester, L.E.A.D. Afterschool is offering a restaurant management class, where students learn the basics of running a restaurant, including ordering supplies, hiring quality workers, maintaining inventory, and managing a large staff, while gaining culinary experience. They are also offering a robotics class where students learn the basics of coding while creating robots that perform various tasks. This course is taught by a former rocket scientist who designed the rockets that helped land the Mars Rover.