Resources:
Sarah Rigg's Feature Article: Ypsi high school adds International Baccalaureate program for juniors and seniors
Ypsilanti Community High School
Transcription:
Lee Van Roth: You're listening to 89.1 WEMU. I'm Lee Van Roth, and this is On the Ground Ypsi. Ypsilanti Community High School has officially been authorized as an international baccalaureate career-related program school, a milestone that expands college credit opportunities, hands-on learning and career pathways for local students. This designation is also a key step in the district's broader magnet school vision aimed at preparing scholars for success in college, careers and beyond. Today. I'm here with Turquoise Neal, the Director of Special Projects and Magnet Schools Project Director for YCS, to talk about what this authorization means for students, families and the community. Hi, Turquoise! Thanks so much for being here today!
Turquoise Neal: Hi, thanks for having me! I'm so excited!
Lee Van Roth: So, can you give us just a rundown--a brief explanation--on what it means for YCHS to be part of this magnet school vision? What is a magnet school? What is that? How does that set it apart from a traditional high school model?
Turquoise Neal: Well, in 2023, we were awarded the Magnet Schools grant, and this gives us opportunity to offer theme-based programming in our schools. And so, with our funding, we were able to select the theme, and we chose international baccalaureate. And that allows our students to explore the careers but also give them that extra credit college that they are looking for as well. So, our magnet school themes theme from STEM programs to international baccalaureate, even at our middle school. So, this is like the culmination of where students will be in their IB learning track or pathway.
Lee Van Roth: And how does this IB aspect of it, the career-related programs part of it, kind of fit into overall goal of getting more of these students either getting them more college credit before college, or at least, setting them up for these specific, high-paying careers?
Turquoise Neal: Yeah. Well, we're always thinking about what path or what program or what are our students gonna do after graduation. So, the high school has been doing a wonderful job of building our CTE programming in our schools. And so now, instead of students having to choose between whether they want to dual enroll, or whether they want to go into our STEM program, and choose not to go to the CTE, they don't have to choose between the two. They could still pursue their CTE program but also earn the college credits as well. So, that just gives them more opportunity and allows for them to really focus in on a skill. But if like sometimes students do, they decide that they want to do something different, they still have those college credits that they have earned along the way while they were in the IB program. And IB is flexible. So, IB is international programs. So, it's prestigious. And so, students, as they enroll into the program, they're not only setting the standards or achieving the standards in Michigan, they're also achieving the standards that are international as well. So, this is a wonderful opportunity for our students. And then, for our community, students are still building those skills. So, if they decide to take a career in our community, they have that ready to go after they finish other certifications in their CTE program. So, it's a win-win all around for our scholars, for our community, and just gives our students more opportunities!
Lee Van Roth: I'm sure with this authorization, too, is coming new classroom opportunities and more specific, hands-on learning opportunities for these students. How is the day-to-day for our high school students? Is it changing at all for the IB students? Are there more classes and things for folks to pick and choose from? What does that look like within the schools?
Turquoise Neal: Yes. So, students that are enrolled in an IB program will have to take IB courses. So, instead of taking the general English language arts course or mathematics course, they're going to take the IB courses in English and math. But they also have an opportunity to develop a project around taking their CTE skillset. So, for example, if it's culinary, they build a project around what are we doing to help students or the community or the world with a problem that stems from my specific CTE program? So, they might talk about food sustainability if they're in culinary, or if they are manufacturing, how can we build some use-reclaimed steel to build something that can help our community? So, that's a new course that they'll take as they are involved in IB. But generally, they'll have the same common core classes in English and math, but they're just IB courses, which are a little bit more rigorous.
Lee Van Roth: And then, as far as the teacher experience at the school too, is there more training being offered, or is there a hunt on YCS's end to find more teachers to kind of fill in these new roles for these new courses?
Turquoise Neal: Well, we're excited to train the wonderful staff that we have in our buildings. And so, they attended training last year. They continue to have training this year. And so, we were just happy that so many of them were excited to step up to be a part of the programming, and they're ready to go! And we're always looking inward first.
Lee Van Roth: Sure.
Turquoise Neal: So, we say, "Who wants to be part of this?" And so many staff are already doing the work. Our CTE staff, they were just like, "Okay, we'll take this on. What element do we need to add?" And they just added it right to their curriculum. So, it was great!
Lee Van Roth: And as far as the programs themselves, deciding which CTE programs to offer or to explore, what was the communication process like, either with the students themselves and figuring out what they wanted to learn, and then also working with parents and families? Because I know YCS has always been very close with the families of students and wanting to ensure that everyone's experience at the school is a positive one.
Turquoise Neal: Right. Well, our YCHS staff, they do a wonderful job of helping students to determine what CTE they're interested in as they round out 10th grade. And so, students have opportunity to visit all of the different CTEs and meet with the teachers. And so, they go through a rigorous process of really exploring what they're interested in, which starts even early on than 10th grade. But as they come around the end in the spring of 10th grade, they'll select the CTE program that fits them that really meets what they're interested in. And then, the staff would just do all that they can to help them solidify, "Okay, this is my route," and then talk and communicate with families to say, "Okay here we go! We're entering culinary. We enter in podcasts. We're going to enter in manufacturing," and this what it looks like. So, we're preparing them for that choice early on and then giving them as much exposure as possible to help them really solidify that. But you know how scholars can be in their choice.
Lee Van Roth: Sure. As someone who changed their major halfway through college, I can definitely relate.
Turquoise Neal: Right, right.
Lee Van Roth: This is WEMU's On The Ground Ypsi. I'm talking with Turquoise Neal, the Director of Special Projects and Magnet Schools Project Director for Ypsilanti Community Schools. So, Turquoise, we talked a little bit about the specific courses and things that are now available to YCHS students. And I'm curious beyond what students are doing in the classroom as part of these IB programs. What does outside of the classroom look like? You mentioned getting students directly into these businesses and career settings. Are there other new pieces that these IB students can look forward to this academic year?
Turquoise Neal: Well, they look forward to having this opportunity to take what they're learning in their skill, their CTE, and think about how it applies globally. That's what IB is all about. Like, how do we build international-mindedness? And so, as they study, they think about their skill and they think about what can I do, as service learning, in order to impact the world, essentially, is that what we want our students to think about as being global leaders and as being global scholars. And so, their coursework would take them through a variety of building that capacity, really helping them to understand what it means to be international-mindedness. And then, how does that connect back to their community? So, they kind of go outside of their community, even to come back into their community to see how they can impact change. And so, that means a lot for our community.
Lee Van Roth: What makes this step forward so significant to the larger Ypsi community? I mean, you mentioned students coming back into the community post-graduation, looking for jobs and careers in the area. Looking at it broadly, what does this step in this direction for YCHS mean for everybody in the community here?
Turquoise Neal: Yeah. It's about ensuring that scholars have their next step after graduation. What do I really want to do? And then, having opportunities to come within that and outside of that. So, as I really commit to this being the world I will explore after graduation, I have so many opportunities and so many ways to go. I have stackable credentials. And so, what that means to the community is it means that we have graduates come out ready to either join the workforce immediately with all the certificates they need or they're headed right into post-secondary programming. And so, it's cutting out that middle opportunity where you're just like you're exploring and trying to figure it out. No, our scholars are ready after they are finished with high school. They're ready for their next step!
Lee Van Roth: Well, Turquoise, I want to thank you so much for joining me here today! It's really been a pleasure hearing about how this new program and new programming is opening up doors for students already. It will open up doors for future students as well. And it's really exciting just to see how to catch up with YCHS and see how we're setting up our students for success.
Turquoise Neal: Thank you! It's so good to be here to share our story!
Lee Van Roth: For more information on today's topic and links to the full article, visit our website at WEMU.org. On the Ground Ypsi is brought to you in partnership with Concentrate Media. I'm Lee Van Roth, and this is your community NPR station, 89.1 WEMU-FM Ypsilanti. Celebrating 60 years of broadcasting at Eastern Michigan University!
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