Most people don’t think of summer school as a time to wander the city and meet strangers in the street, but for the past eleven years, Aim High Visitacion Valley has invited students to leave the classroom to explore San Francisco’s diverse neighborhoods.
Early in the summer, Aim High students and teachers take to the streets of San Francisco armed with cameras, interview questions, and an Aim High t-shirt or art project they must use to barter for a souvenir. At the end of the day they gather at Ocean Beach for lunch and games, then head back to campus to create displays and present what they’ve learned to peers who explored other areas.
Some students may never have set foot in North Beach, Japantown, or the Haight. Some love approaching passers-by and shopkeepers to ask what makes the neighborhood special, and most love to see what foods, musical instruments, and other artifacts they can get in trade. All enjoy the chance to step outside their familiar surroundings and explore the city.
“City Tours are a chance for students to learn about diversity in the city, and they also practice their observational and analytical skills,” notes Reiko Ando, Aim High co-director at Visitacion Valley. “Teachers use City Tours as a jumping-off point for students to analyze the assets and needs of their own community.”
Adds co-director Erica Hernandez, “Learning about the Castro or Chinatown is a chance for students to start their own conversations about race, gender, culture and respect. They learn to ask questions and knock on doors.”
Whether they encounter art exhibits, street performers, or a café owner who has been in business for 40 years, students find that City Tours introduce them to something unexpected. They are also introduced to each other: the City Tour is one of the first activities undertaken together by Advisory Groups, groups of 8-12 students who meet twice a week with a teacher to discuss academics, reinforce study skills, and build community.
Ando points out that City Tours are an important piece of the Aim High magic at Visitacion Valley. “It’s academic and it’s fun. It’s CORE values – community, opportunity, respect, and high expectations for kids to get out of their comfort zones and have fun doing it.”
From the archives: November, 2008
Most people don’t think of summer school as a time to wander the city and meet strangers in the street, but for the past eleven years, Aim High Visitacion Valley has invited students to leave the classroom to explore San Francisco’s diverse neighborhoods.
Early in the summer, Aim High students and teachers take to the streets of San Francisco armed with cameras, interview questions, and an Aim High t-shirt or art project they must use to barter for a souvenir. At the end of the day they gather at Ocean Beach for lunch and games, then head back to campus to create displays and present what they’ve learned to peers who explored other areas.
Some students may never have set foot in North Beach, Japantown, or the Haight. Some love approaching passers-by and shopkeepers to ask what makes the neighborhood special, and most love to see what foods, musical instruments, and other artifacts they can get in trade. All enjoy the chance to step outside their familiar surroundings and explore the city.
“City Tours are a chance for students to learn about diversity in the city, and they also practice their observational and analytical skills,” notes Reiko Ando, Aim High co-director at Visitacion Valley. “Teachers use City Tours as a jumping-off point for students to analyze the assets and needs of their own community.”
Adds co-director Erica Hernandez, “Learning about the Castro or Chinatown is a chance for students to start their own conversations about race, gender, culture and respect. They learn to ask questions and knock on doors.”
Whether they encounter art exhibits, street performers, or a café owner who has been in business for 40 years, students find that City Tours introduce them to something unexpected. They are also introduced to each other: the City Tour is one of the first activities undertaken together by Advisory Groups, groups of 8-12 students who meet twice a week with a teacher to discuss academics, reinforce study skills, and build community.
Ando points out that City Tours are an important piece of the Aim High magic at Visitacion Valley. “It’s academic and it’s fun. It’s CORE values – community, opportunity, respect, and high expectations for kids to get out of their comfort zones and have fun doing it.”
Most people don’t think of summer school as a time to wander the city and meet strangers in the street, but for the past eleven years, Aim High Visitacion Valley has invited students to leave the classroom to explore San Francisco’s diverse neighborhoods.
Early in the summer, Aim High students and teachers take to the streets of San Francisco armed with cameras, interview questions, and an Aim High t-shirt or art project they must use to barter for a souvenir. At the end of the day they gather at Ocean Beach for lunch and games, then head back to campus to create displays and present what they’ve learned to peers who explored other areas.
Some students may never have set foot in North Beach, Japantown, or the Haight. Some love approaching passers-by and shopkeepers to ask what makes the neighborhood special, and most love to see what foods, musical instruments, and other artifacts they can get in trade. All enjoy the chance to step outside their familiar surroundings and explore the city.
“City Tours are a chance for students to learn about diversity in the city, and they also practice their observational and analytical skills,” notes Reiko Ando, Aim High co-director at Visitacion Valley. “Teachers use City Tours as a jumping-off point for students to analyze the assets and needs of their own community.”
Adds co-director Erica Hernandez, “Learning about the Castro or Chinatown is a chance for students to start their own conversations about race, gender, culture and respect. They learn to ask questions and knock on doors.”
Whether they encounter art exhibits, street performers, or a café owner who has been in business for 40 years, students find that City Tours introduce them to something unexpected. They are also introduced to each other: the City Tour is one of the first activities undertaken together by Advisory Groups, groups of 8-12 students who meet twice a week with a teacher to discuss academics, reinforce study skills, and build community.
Ando points out that City Tours are an important piece of the Aim High magic at Visitacion Valley. “It’s academic and it’s fun. It’s CORE values – community, opportunity, respect, and high expectations for kids to get out of their comfort zones and have fun doing it.”
