Aim High is a five-week summer enrichment program for current 5th-8th grade students navigating system barriers in California. Offered at no cost to students and their families for up to four summers, Aim High helps middle schoolers build academic confidence, discover a love of learning, and develop the skills they need to thrive in school and in life.
At Aim High, small classes and nurturing teachers ensure that every student’s voice is heard and the space to realize their unique potential. From that supportive footing, students explore fun and engaging academics and enrichment activities—storytelling, designing, experimenting, diving into current events, performing—that capture their curiosity and spark a lifelong love of learning.
Curriculum to BUILD SENSE OF AGENCY THINK CRITICALLY WORK COLLABORATIVELY
An innovative mix of hands-on learning, critical thinking, and culturally relevant curriculum. Aim High offers a learning experience that prepares students for success in middle school and beyond. We address social-emotional learning and provide a curriculum that helps build student confidence, supports social learning and community-building, and develops leadership skills.
This class incorporates multiple subjects such as math, science, and engineering. Students utilize the design process to develop solutions to a challenge in their community. Through this process, students have the opportunity to build transferable deeper learning skills such as mastery of academic content, critical thinking and problem-solving; collaboration; effective communication; and directing their own learning.
The Humanities course aims to increase engagement in literacy and critical thinking skills among all our students by providing opportunities to read, write and think about contemporary and relevant issues. Through reading and discussing a variety of texts including short stories, non-fiction texts, personal narratives, news articles and graphic novels in each class, students will collaborate and develop informed opinions, devise solutions, and explore multiple forms of information to address issues affecting them and their communities.
Our “Issues & Choices” course offers middle school students age-appropriate activities to explore identity, build relationships, and develop social and emotional skills. Activities include weekly community circles, team-building and wellness exercises, and restorative conversations. The Future Success unit helps students identify a pathway to college and career options by setting goals, developing self-efficacy, and connecting to college access resources, including middle and high school success skills.
Our approach to enrichment activities and field trips complements what students are doing in the classroom—even heightens it. Students participate in a range of activities such as lacrosse, soccer, dance, photography, theater and different forms of student engagement.
“Something I liked about Aim High was that the students and staff got along really well. The staff gets along well with the students, the field trips and the enrichment activities are super fun, and the teachers really care about the students safety.”
Student
“My son didn’t look at it as summer school but as an opportunity to learn life skills, a place to share his opinion on our world and different cultures, while making friends and building self confidence, self growth, and excitement about future goals.”
Parent
“I love Aim High, and I can't believe I waited so long to join. If the school year was run like Aim High - there would be NO teacher burnout!”
Teacher
