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The Alhambra High School Summer “Believe
and Achieve” Program is an initiative that
seeks to lift up our youth with exceptional
education and motivation that will inspire
greatness. Our youth must believe they
can succeed in this world before they can
achieve it! Since June 2013, Alhambra
High School has partnered with Grand
Canyon University to provide 9-12th grade
students with meaningful experiences and
rich opportunities that inspire them to both
graduate from high school and successfully
transition to college or university.
Over these past three years, Alhambra’s
summer school program has grown
significantly and provides its learners with
classes to get caught up or get ahead in their
studies. Alhambra’s Believe and Achieve
Summer Learning experience is now focused
on graduating students from high school on
time and at the same time preparing students
to transition successfully to college or
university. This has been done through three
different experiences:
1. Providing students with classes that they
previously failed or are missing to graduate
on time.
2. Providing students with courses that will
allow them to advance their studies if they
are meeting or exceeding the standards.
This includes high school students taking
university courses at Grand Canyon
University during the summer (dual
enrollment).
3. Providing students with the “university
experience.” All summer school students
attend Grand Canyon University for a
day to learn about the requirements and
benefits of attending college or university.
Over the course of the four weeks of Believe
and Achieve summer learning, teachers and
staff work with our students and motivate
them to realize the importance of their
dedication and success while in high school
and its impact for success in college and work
opportunities once they graduate.
The following outcomes have been identified:
· Since June of 2013, Alhambra’s summer
school program has been the largest in the
district. We average between 800 and 900
students participating each year for the
past three summers. In summer of 2015,
we averaged 887 students participating in
Achieve and Believe.
· Alhambra’s graduation rates have steadily
risen in the past 3 years. In 2015, a record
547 seniors graduated and earned their
diplomas. Historically, about 400 seniors
graduate annually.
· Alhambra’s honors and Advanced placement
courses have grown and test scores have
increased in AP exams.
· A robust 83 percent of students who were
surveyed about their post high school plans
now indicate that they plan on attending
college/university once they graduate from
high school. In the past, approximately 50
– 60 percent of students indicated that they
planned to attend college after graduation.
· Greater percentage of senior students are
earning college scholarships.
· 800 - 900 students have participated in our
summer school program each year with
nearly 3,000 total students benefiting from
our Believe and Achieve Summer School
learning opportunities since 2013.
Since June of 2013 Alhambra has created a
rich and diverse summer learning experience
for both students who are credit deficient
and for those students who are current and
want to exceed in college level courses. To
make this program sustainable, Alhambra
has hired staff to coordinate summer school
opportunities. Additionally,
Alhambra’s principal and
administrative staff plan
and collaborate frequently
with staff from Grand
Canyon University to
enhance our students’
college experiences. Our
theme continues to be:
Our Youth. Our Schools.
Our future.
TheAlhambraHighSchool Summer “Believe andAchieve” Program
MRC–GameChangers LeadershipProgram
Game Changers Teen Leadership program
is a four part program for teens promoting
being dynamic, distinctive and diverse. Teen
Captains have two mentoring dinners with
business leaders to talk about their futures. The
showpiece is the all day conference at Grand
Canyon University, exposing them to university
setting – teens from across the valley are invited.
Keynote speakers open and close the event
with several breakout sessions all day including
preparing for postsecondary education, servant
leadership and entrepreneurism, among others.
The final piece is a day of volunteering on Global
Youth Service Day.
The Game Changers Teen Leadership program is
open to middle school and high school students
from public and charter schools, as well as from
group homes. Each year students have come
from over 30 different schools – in 2015 from
over 40 different schools!
Maryvale Revitalization Corporation
(MRC)
is the main host of the event with
a close partnership with Grand Canyon
University (GCU). The Maryvale Adolescent
Providers Partnership (a program of MRC) is a
collaboration of over 30 youth providers, mainly
in the Maryvale community, and members of
this group make up the planning committee
that meets monthly from July until the events
beginning in January. Corporate sponsors are
secured to help defray related costs for meals,
shirts, padfolios and raffle prizes. In 2015 Blue
Cross Blue Shield of Arizona covered the costs
of both mentoring dinners along with breakfast
and lunch at the conference. GCU provides the
student union cafeteria, several classrooms,
lunch field, stage and audio visual equipment
at no charge to support the event. The planning
committee and GCU staff meet multiple times
to finalize day of conference plans and needs.
MRC reaches out for the 15 business leaders
and celebrities who commit to attending both
the mentoring dinners. MRC has a volunteer
pool that handle all the registration process at
the conference. The program is a mentoring
dinner in January, the conference at GCU in
February, another mentoring dinner in March
and Global Youth Service Day in April. Partner
groups such as Phoenix Parks & Recreation,
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix,
Phoenix Union High School District and local
community centers all help with outreach
through the schools.
Two Corridor programs have been honored with “Pathways to Postsecondary Education Awards” by
the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education (ACPE). This award honors successful college
access programs across the state that assist students and families as they prepare and transition to
or succeed in postsecondary education.
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Educat ion
The Believe and Achieve “University Experience” at GCU.