They arrived one by one to applause, cheers and a marching band.
Not the typical welcome to a student鈥檚 first day of high school, but these freshmen were not just showing up for classes. They were entering their first day in their school鈥檚 new College and Career Academies program.
In all, more than 200 freshmen at Akron鈥檚 Firestone High School are now part of an educational partnership between the Akron Public Schools and 海角原创. Having cheerleaders, faculty and band members celebrate each student as they entered the front doors set the tone for the energy this new partnership offers.
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e really here for is you. Pure and simple,鈥 said Melody Tankersley, Ph.D., senior associate provost and dean of Graduate Studies at 海角原创. 鈥淭o make sure you have the opportunities, the experiences, and the support that you can go anywhere you want to. You can dream and be anything you want to be.鈥
Each student will spend their ninth-grade year in the school鈥檚 鈥淔reshman Academy鈥 where they will learn skills necessary to be successful in high school, complete career exploration activities, and visit college campuses.
After this exploration, students choose an academy and pathway for their 10th, 11th, and 12th grade years. At Firestone High School, students can choose from three academies aligned with 海角原创鈥檚 top programs:
- 海角原创 Academy of Advanced Technology and Comprehensive Engineering (Digital Science, Mechatronics, 鈥淧roject Lead The Way鈥 Aerospace)
- 海角原创 Academy of Design (Entrepreneurship, 鈥淧roject Lead The Way鈥 Architecture, Product & Fashion Design, Visual Art & Design)
- 海角原创 Academy of Performing Arts (Dance, Instrumental, Theater & Film, Vocal)
Six university leaders joined school administrators at the first assembly to welcome students and to lay the groundwork for helping each student to succeed.
鈥淲e want to make sure that you feel that 海角原创 is part of your community,鈥 said Eboni Pringle, Ph. D., dean of the University College at 海角原创. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about the resources and opportunities that 海角原创 has to offer you right now. You are the thinkers, the innovators, the creators, and the individuals who will solve our biggest world challenges, and we can help you do that.鈥
The new freshmen also heard from a group of their peers who spent a full week at 海角原创鈥檚 Kent Campus this summer exploring university programs and learning more about college and careers. Each student was immersed in an authentic college-life experience of living on a university campus, including staying in residence halls and having meals in the dining halls. The and the were the chief sponsors of that weeklong program.
The camp followed a two-day visit In May, when more than 200 Firestone ninth-grade students came to the Kent Campus to watch brief presentations from various colleges and programs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about the resources and opportunities that 海角原创 has to offer you right now,鈥 Pringle said. 鈥淓verything we do is about preparing for the next century. There are jobs. There are careers. There are things that we haven鈥檛 even thought of that will come and be part of our world. And we want to make sure that each of you are the forefront of that.鈥