Past ProjectsConnecting Schools and Communities
Overview
An initiative offered by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation designed to insure that more students leave high school ready for college, work, and civic contribution. On February 14, 2002 Gov. Gary Locke and Tom Vander Ark, executive director of education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, launched an initiative that will create strong educational and community-based opportunities for students in Washington State. The foundation is investing approximately $5 million to help establish six new, small high schools and support youth development programs in those communities.
Washington State University's Center to Bridge the Digital Divide is providing technical assistance and overall project management to help communities connect their new high school with the community in meaningful ways. Community-based partnerships are an integral component of this initiative and support from business and community leaders will be critical to the success of the program.
Students learn through project-based learning, in a small class size, technology rich environment, focused on rigorous math, science and humanities curriculum. Essential to a successful High Tech High School is the opportunity for students to select meaningful "real world" projects that in turn will enable them to learn and apply essential academic skills.
Schools are modeling the same educational design principles of High Tech High Schools that have primarily existed in large, urban settings. This initiative has selected six communities in rural, Washington State. Four of the high schools are converting their entire high school to these principles and two communities are establishing new schools.
Communities are purposefully being connected to the students and the school faculty and staff in each of the six High Tech High Schools. Community-based organizations, businesses, and service agencies help to identify community needs, opportunities and potential projects through the coordination of a local community coordinator.
"I am tremendously excited to participate in the launch of the Connecting Schools and Communities Initiative in Washington. Education is the key to our future. These personalized, technology-enriched high schools and community programs will offer students an unparalleled opportunity to become high achievers, ready for college, rewarding careers, lifelong learning, and community service."
-Governor Gary Locke
Project Outcomes
The following outcomes are expected as a result of successful project implementation:
- Involve and empower youth within their communities. This will be exemplified by more youth appointments to community boards of directors, new youth-run community projects and other active youth involvement within the communities they live.
- Reduce youth arrests, vandalism and school absenteeism along with a positive increase in youth career aspirations derived from real world community experiences.
- Promote greater community and school involvement and partnership resulting in school levies passing, expanded community adult volunteering for youth activity and an increased number of adults viewing youth and education positively, and policy changes facilitating collaborative school/community initiatives.
- Strengthen community networks, exemplified by more successful community-based projects, increased adult volunteering and expanded voter approval for funding to local community needs.
- Expand community support base to sustain integrated school and learning experiences.
- Increased in student achievement, measured by percentage of students graduating from high school and attending college.
Curriculum Training
The curriculum training includes the following components:
- Asset Mapping
- Service Learning
- Working with Diverse Audiences
- Student Run Enterprises
- Youth/Adult Partnership
- Volunteer Recruitment & Management
- Community Youth Development
These components are currently under development and will be posted here at a later time.
For more information on these topics and specific training program, please contact one of the following CBDD Staff Members:
Contact
- Cindy McHargue
- phone: +01 (509) 358-7548
- email: cindymc [at] wsu.edu
- Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom
- phone: phone: +01 (509) 358-7686
- email: doreen [at] wsu.edu