To provide incentives for students to complete their homework and class work, Aim High staff design fun afternoon activities. By working hard so they can play later, kids discover the rewards of self-discipline, and they return to school in September with a stronger work ethic.
Mariah remembers the rigor of her summer classes, but she says that one of her most memorable moments at Aim High occurred during Cultural Day, when her ninth grade class ran a game that involved throwing shaving cream. “At the end of the day,” she says, “we turned it into a shaving cream fight. It was pretty messy, but also amazing in the moment.”
As much as Aim High teachers value serious discussions about planning for high school and college, they also recognize that there is motivational force in the promise of a good shaving cream fight.
TAKE SMART RISKS.
Taking a risk does not have to be as dramatic as sky-diving or spelunking. Asking questions or sharing ideas can make us feel uncomfortable or vulnerable too. Aim High helps students to overcome their fears and lack of confidence. Even if students tend to be quiet, the program teaches them how to participate actively in class discussions.
Both Jessica and Mariah credit Aim High teachers with drawing them into conversations and encouraging them to ask questions. The lively, open atmosphere in Aim High classes made it easier for them to develop participation skills.
Jessica remembers performing on the piano before a big crowd during her 9th grade summer Celebration Night. She had begun learning to play the instrument only a few weeks earlier during a music Activity Period. Taking that risk—imagining she could do something she had never done before and then pulling it off— increased Jessica’s self-confidence enormously.
GIVE BACK.
Aim High students learn to contribute their own gifts and talents to any community that benefits them – including the Aim High community. In 2010, nearly 140 graduates served as volunteers and teachers at Aim High’s 12 sites.
Jessica says she returns to the program each summer because she enjoys acting as a bridge between students and teachers. She helps clarify students’ questions and explains material in different ways, so each kid can understand it. She provides current students with the individual attention she valued so much when she was in their place.
Mariah likes the feeling of giving something back, too: “Aim High was the foundation of my middle school education. It was not long after I graduated from Aim High that I began teaching with the program. It was a nervewracking but exhilarating experience to be in front of the classroom teaching students. By being at Aim High, I have become an individual who students can trust and look up to. When I was a student I relied on and confided in my teachers to support me in my learning and help me understand material in each subject area. Now that I hold that position, I enjoy taking on that role and being someone the students can come to if they need extra assistance.”
