dancers at Anne Arundel THE PATHFINDER

October, 2014

NEWSLETTER OF THE PATHWAYS SCHOOLS/CROSSWOOD, INC.

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Fall is traditionally the time for students to participate in activities that enhance school community and spirit. In this issue we highlight a story of a Pathways student who is involved with his home school. At Pathways we understand that while our students have a strong sense of support and connection with their Pathways school, they also should be able to experience the satisfaction that comes with playing on a team or contributing to their home school community in some way. Meanwhile, plenty of engaging activities are going on at Pathways as well, including a comprehensive mentoring and academic support program, training in computers and IT, and friendships that endure.

Football and Friends

Last June we highlighted Pathways-Edgewood student Blake Sikes. While maintaining his place on the honor roll, Blake volunteered as many as 10 hours a week with Building Hope, a local nonprofit assisting displaced families. For this, and his all-around diligence and upbeat attitude, he was recognized at the organization's annual gala. Then, later in the year, tragedy struck when Blake lost his mother.

Blake, number 52, at a night game for Gaithersburg High.

Through it all, the success and the sadness, Blake has kept himself steady by playing football for his home school, Gaithersburg High School. The discipline and regularity of practice, the teamwork, and the athletic challenge have helped Blake stay focused and carry on. His teachers, support staff, and administrators at Pathways recognize this, and all have gotten behind him to enable him to stay involved with his varsity sport at Gaithersburg. His Pathways teachers and friends have been excited about going to his games to cheer him on the field.

When it looked like Blake might not make it to practice because of transportation issues, Pathways staff swung into action. Calling Building Hope, they identified a local church that might be able to donate funds designated for Blake to use for public transportation, and then they applied. After some paperwork, success! Blake was able to continue going to practice and playing football for his home school. Now he comes to Pathways on Friday game days happily wearing his uniform, ready to leave it all on the field for Gaithersburg High, and to make his Pathways friends proud.

KP Scholars

A new comprehensive mentoring program that makes use of the latest technology as well as the power of personal example will be piloted with Pathways this year. The program, called KP Scholars, supports at risk students by offering workshops in career and college preparation, work readiness, and life skills. In addition, it provides academic support through online tutoring which the students can access at their school site. They can connect with their academic specialist who will assist them in real time, offering supplemental instruction, study strategies, and learning tools online, using virtual whiteboards and audio.

This year 8 - 10 students from all Pathways sites will

KP scholars meeting in one of the first sessions

participate in KP Scholars. A unique feature of the program is that the mentors are current college students, with the ability to relate to Pathways students as peers. In addition the students will meet as a group every other week for workshops in career and college readiness, IT and computer skill development, communication, and more, all taught by experienced business professionals. In fact, the KP Scholars Program at Pathways came about because a business-owner involved in the Young Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) chose to help Pathways put in place more academic and college preparation support for our students. More than half of the students participating in KP Scholars completed the YEP program last year.

An Enduring Friendship

Sergei, foreground, and Gene at the carwash.

Sergei Noack and Gene Dayhaw were a year apart at Pathways-Anne Arundel, but they shared the same individualized teacher. Over time, they discovered mutual interests, particularly in cars. Both good students, as they worked together their friendship developed, and it has remained solid, even as both young men have graduated and gone separate ways into post-secondary education and employment. Sergei graduated first and made sure to return a year later to attend Gene's graduation. Then when Sergei graduated from a masonry training program in Maine, Gene was determined to return the favor and attend the ceremony. He made the long drive north solo to support and honor his friend. Gene attends Anne Arundel Community College and is employed by You Tube, for which he makes instructional videos. Both young men stopped by Pathways-Anne Arundel's carwash fundraiser in September.

Microsoft Training for Students and Staff

This year, Microsoft will offer professional development for Pathways staff and training and education for our students in using technology to enhance learning. Over the summer Pathways learned that we had qualified for the partnership program. In September, our staff attended the first of two professional development sessions at the Microsoft main store in Arlington. Almost 40 of our staff were trained in computer programs that promote academic knowledge and skills in math and other basic subjects.

Throughout the year, students from each Pathways site will have the opportunity to go to Arlington as well for an entire day of instruction in computer technology designed to assist in science, math, career development, art and design, and more. In addition, as part of the program Microsoft will donate laptops to our schools. The entire project will culminate in May when all the participating Pathways students will meet for a final day of demonstrating their new knowledge.