Strong Start for ARISE's Third Year

After a full orientation week and two and a half weeks of regular classes, ARISE is off to a very strong start this year! The school is excited to have its first graduating class of twenty-five students, all of whom are busy working on the classes and extra-curricular activities they need to be competitive in their college and scholarship applications.  We have a great group of teachers, including new and returning staff, and many new and expanded programs and initiatives. More than fifty students are concurrently enrolled in community college courses, mostly at our wonderful partner Laney College, earning college as well as high school credit. Our new Senior Institute gives our juniors and seniors the opportunity to select their classes and design their own schedules.  They are facing the challenges of a more rigorous course load, both at ARISE and community college, with increased focus and seriousness. Our ninth and tenth grade students are already out exploring the community and doing hands-on projects related to their Humanities and Science classes. ARISE's student leadership team is off and running as well, having planned and facilitated the first week's orientation for the school along with new elections, our weekly community meetings, and deciding upon the consequences and restitution for some of our first student behavior issues. As we improve upon and expand what we are doing at ARISE, we continue to look for support in different ways.  We are looking for mentors for our seniors, to help them with the college and scholarship application process; tutors for our regular, extended day, and Saturday school programs; and of course, any donations of supplies, books or monetary resources.ARISE Student Orientation 2009Bridge Presentation