In 2018, Kearny High School created and piloted an Education to Employment Lab (E2E) for teachers and students to come together and reflect on the designing principles of agility, collaboration, connectedness, and transparency in order to develop agency in an environment that welcomes creativity and critical thinking. This lab was first featured by KUSI at that time, and is now moving onto an even larger stage. The curriculum will now receive global recognition through a partnership with Community Alliance for Youth Success (CAYS).
Recently, Kearny was presented with the opportunity to partner with New York Times best-selling author, Stedman Graham, and President of the Quantum Learning Network, Bobbi DePorter in order to share the work that they are doing on a broader scale. Stedman and Bobbi were at Kearny last week for a Youth Success Week (YSW) launch along with KUSI.
For this program, students gathered in the auditorium and shared with professionals the process they are going through to work on discovering their purpose--a concept that is difficult for many adults to articulate. However, Kearny students shined as they have been practicing these skills throughout the curriculum. At Kearny, student work culminates in mid-year interviews and end-of-year formal defenses of learning that showcase not only academic achievement but also personal learning successes and challenges. Through this model, students are able to discover their purpose and articulate their journey to their teachers in a way that builds trust and elevates learning.
Youth Success Week is a movement that brings communities together in support of youth as a part of Stedman and Bobbi's foundation: Community Alliance for Youth Success (CAYS). Curriculum writer Daina Weber wrote on her Facebook page: "Their vision is very similar to my reason for teaching: to empower students to discover their purpose in life." The free curriculum, available on the website, inspires youth to discover their purpose, explore their success, and engage with professionals through an annual celebration. For more information about this movement please visit youthsuccessweeek.org.
Kearny's annual celebration, “Success in Adulthood,” will take place in June as a professional development conference for students. At this event, industry professionals and alumni will present in classrooms as guest speakers, while students select workshops to attend that align with their purpose, strengths, interests, and values. This year, Kearny will be celebrating 5 years of this innovative approach to education with its 2020 conference.
