Our philosophy is that all children deserve a challenging and innovative educational environment that promotes physical, mental, and emotional well-being. We will provide a safe environment where students can explore their individuality and share their ideas in a supportive, collaborative atmosphere. They should be able to have their creativity and curiosity direct their learning as we act as both guide and facilitator.

It is our responsibility to know who our students are and what kinds of knowledge and experiences they bring to our programs. We design enrichment curriculum, incorporating best practices of diversity, inclusion, and belonging, that fits their needs and yet leaves enough room to accommodate topics that emerge from group discovery. By assessing where our students are with respect to mutual learning objectives, we can provide the framework they need to build connections between current knowledge and future understanding. We embrace case-based learning, structured sharing and other active learning activities because they stimulate intellectual discourse and cooperative problem solving that lay the foundation for lifelong collaborative practice. Yet we also ensure space for self-reflection, modeling for students the tools and techniques they can use to reflect on their own growth and build self-confidence. We see our role as not only providing answers, but also encouraging students to ask the important questions.

We make an effort to expose students to community members from diverse cultural backgrounds who act as role models and mentors supporting our students’ academic discovery. We act as a guide, navigating students through the plethora of content on college research and planning, supporting the creation of individualized plans for college success both inside and outside of the classroom. We focus on core skill development including self-advocacy, cultural understanding, communication, and decision-making.

In conclusion, our ultimate goal is to provide high quality, innovative programming that meets the unique needs of each student. We aspire to create a community of diverse, engaged learners where students feel a strong sense of belonging. We aim for students to leave the program feeling challenged, supported, and excited for their future.