Dual Enrollment School Partners: César Chávez Academy High, Hope of Detroit Academy High, Detroit Public Safety Academy, and Wildwood Environmental Academy



Many high school students are given the opportunity to attend college courses while finishing their high school education, earning credit for both high school and college in their school’s dual enrollment programs. These programs allow students to get free college credit, quick entry into post-secondary options, and begin planning for their future before graduating high school. Seven students from César Chávez Academy High and one from Hope of Detroit Academy High took advantage of this amazing opportunity. They graduated last week with not only their high school diploma but also an associate's degree from Henry Ford Community College.

These motivated and inspiring students earned degrees in the fields of HVAC, Cybersecurity, Medical Assistance and Electrical Technology. In addition to Henry Ford Community College, The Leona Group (TLG) schools partner with Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD), University of Michigan Dearborn, Henry Ford Community College, and College Credit Plus in Ohio.

Leader in Me School Partners: Academy for Business and Technology Elementary, East Chicago Urban Enterprise Academy, Northridge Academy and Victory Academy of Toledo

The Leader in Me program, inspired by Dr. Stephen R. Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," offers a unique opportunity to transform the school culture and empower students and staff in leadership and academics.

On May 17th, East Chicago Urban Enterprise Academy held a beautiful Leadership Day. Students from different grade levels spoke about their experiences with Leader In Me and the areas that impacted them the most. The school leader honored a community leader, Ms. Pope, their fourth-grade teacher, and a student who fully embodies the Leader in Me discipline.

“Our students have enjoyed taking on leadership roles throughout the school year. They feel part of the leadership team!” said Alberta Galarza, the school leader of Academy for Business and Technology Elementary, about her students’ experience with Leader in Me.

Victory Academy of Toledo has also seen their students take immense pride in their leadership responsibilities, and even have applications for various roles that support their school.

“I think the most impactful part of our implementation was seeing the transformation staff went through during training and implementation, which impacted the way the students responded and began transforming by being more introspective of how they relate and take responsibility for their decisions,” reflected Lisa Casteel, an instructional coach at Northridge Academy, on her student's engagement with Leader in Me.

“Everyone is somebody at Northridge Academy because we are a team and family!” said Evelyn Hamlett, school leader at Northridge Academy.

Springboard Collaborative School Partners: Northridge Academy, Hope of Detroit Academy Elementary and Pontiac Academy for Excellence



Springboard Collaborative closes the literacy gap by bridging the resources between home and school. They coach educators and parents to help kids learn to read by fourth grade. Nationally, Springboard Collaborative is the only organization that has cracked the code on equipping marginalized families to teach reading at home.

“Since partnering with Springboard, we have been able to grow tutoring at our elementary into a data-driven program that makes a real, measurable impact on our students. Not only do students come out of tutoring with increased skills, they see themselves as readers in a new way. Families are more engaged in literacy programming throughout the community, with parents reporting increased confidence in their ability to change outcomes for their students,” shared Kate Peterson, the literacy coach at Hope of Detroit Elementary.

“Having Springboard at Northridge Academy has tremendously improved students' reading, and it has impacted family involvement this school year. We have been able to give parents reading tools to better equip them as reading coaches at home,” explained Jessica Perkins, the literacy coach at Northridge Academy.

Shared Elective Program School Partners: Academy for Business and Technology, Hope of Detroit Academy, Detroit Public Safety Academy and César Chávez Academy

High schools that are managed by The Leona Group (TLG) in Detroit have formed a shared elective program to offer all students a robust selection of course curricula. Students can select from options taught by TLG instructional staff at Hope of Detroit High (HoDAH), including Robotics, Entrepreneurship, Choir, and Band. Other programs supported by community partners include Certified Nursing Assistant with Latitude Training Center, EMT/Firefighter through Wayne County Community College Downriver, CNC (coding) and Ignite with LIFT. A Work-Based Learning (WBL) program has also been established through the Academy of Business and Technology High (ABTH). Students are placed with area businesses to provide a paid internship in a chosen field of study.

zSpace School Partner: Hope of Detroit Academy

zSpace revolutionizes science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education by immersing students in captivating virtual reality simulations and experiences, unlocking realms otherwise inaccessible. Through interactive visuals and a handheld stylus, learners engage with concepts in a deeply immersive manner. Seamlessly integrating cutting-edge augmented reality and virtual reality tech with science, math, and career and technical education subjects, zSpace creates an unparalleled interactive learning journey.

Scholars at Hope of Detroit Academy (HoDA) used zSpace to engage with STEAM concepts and help build a background in ways traditional materials do not allow. “They used the zSpace technology to explore different habitats, practice sculpture techniques, create drawings using three dimensions, study orbits and rotation of objects in space, observe plant life cycles, and gamify math concepts. We are excited to continue finding innovative ways to utilize zSpace,” said Kevin Clarke, the instructional coach at Hope of Detroit Academy Elementary.

Detroit Police Department School Partner: Detroit Public Safety Academy

The Detroit Police Department Preparatory (DPD Prep) program through the city’s Grow Detroit’s Young Talent initiative is a paid part-time summer opportunity for Detroit Public Safety Academy (DPSA) students to acquire and grow skills and learn about all things related to public safety. The program focuses on physical and mental fitness, leadership, teamwork and improving communities. Our students toured facilities where they were hands-on with the latest technology, learned about policing procedures, enhanced their overall fitness and cleaned up neighborhoods. DPD Prep is a fantastic program that has allowed many of our students to showcase hard work and leadership qualities. 



“DPD Prep was a lot of fun because it allowed me to meet new people and learn many new things. The program taught me responsibility and accountability, which will be useful when I enter the real world,” commented Brooklyn Waters, an eleventh- grade student at DPSA.

Michigan State Police Department School Partners: Detroit Public Safety Academy and Joy Preparatory Academy

Michigan State Police Department (MSPD) is a leader and partner in law enforcement and public safety, with a highly trained, full-service state police force that is mobile, flexible and responsive to emerging public safety needs across Michigan. Collaborations between The Leona Group and MSPD include officers reading to students during March is Reading Month. The department has donated items to Joy Preparatory Academy (JPA) classrooms, and DPSA students visited the training facility in Lansing. MSPD was a key component to the STEAM Extravaganza sponsored by The Leona Group in April, sending representatives from the Dive Division, Bomb Squad, Aviation Department, SWAT Team, Forensics Department and many State Troopers.

Core City Fitness School Partner: George Crockett Academy (GCA)

Core City Fitness uses the sport of fitness to teach kids the value of hard work, discipline, self-control, and how to do hard things, all in an inviting community atmosphere. They're on a mission to build mentally and physically stronger kids.

“Core City has helped several of GCA’s students gain confidence with their physical abilities and performing in front of an audience. Coach Helen supports the school by providing backpacks, school supplies, and gifts for students. The program is a wonderful experience for students. They are excited and proud to participate, ” shared Shawn Schwartz, an instructional coach at George Crockett Academy.

Atlantic Impact School Partner: César Chávez Academy High School

Atlantic Impact is a Detroit organization that helps prepare students to enter the workforce directly after high school. “They help students get their Commercial Driver's License (CDL), or they hook them up with the union if they want to go into the trades,” said College and Career Advisor Sandra Sanchez. “They do welding, they do pipefitting, they do heavy machinery, they do forklift certification, and all of it is free to our students. They do workshops on a monthly basis on different topics so the students can see what they might be interested in.”

Sphinx Organization School Partners: César Chávez Academy Lower Elementary, César Chávez Academy Upper Elementary, César Chávez Academy Middle School and Northridge Academy

Focused on increasing the representation of Black and Latinx artists in classical music and recognizing excellence, Sphinx Overture programs serve beginner students as well as seasoned classical music professionals, cultural entrepreneurs and administrators.



Based in Detroit, Michigan, but with nationwide reach, Sphinx envisions a day where the classical music field looks like our communities: where every young person has the opportunity to express themselves and learn classical music, where audiences reflect the people we see on our streets; and where leadership—on stage and off—includes all deserving voices.

Evelyn Hamlett, Northridge Academy school leader, shared, “Northridge Academy participated in their first annual Sphinx violin concert at the Flint Institute of Music. The students’ true commitment and dedication to practicing a musical instrument foreign to many resulted in a beautiful and wonderful performance! As a result of their dedication and participation, all seven young ladies received violins to continue practicing, learning and playing.”

“The partnership that César Chávez Academy (CCA) has with the Sphinx Organization has elevated our students’ connection to the arts by giving them an opportunity to learn how to play the violin. Learning the violin extends beyond playing music, and it enhances students’ cognitive skills by building their attention and boosting their memory. Learning the violin also builds students’ perseverance and encourages students to work together for a common goal,” commented Andrew Wright, the school leader at César Chávez Academy Upper Elementary. Click here to watch CCA's performance at Charter Days at the Capitol.

Resources for June

The United States Census Bureau provides monthly-themed activities and resources for use in your classroom or at home. They offer students an opportunity to learn about and work with Census Bureau data while celebrating holidays, special observances, and current events specific to the month.

Statistics in Schools (SIS) resources help strengthen students’ statistical literacy skills while having fun exploring cool Census Bureau data like states with the most amusement parks or zoos and botanical gardens, the estimated number of fathers across the nation to how many ice cream and frozen dessert makers are in each state.

It’s Graduation Season! Learn More About Occupations

The end of the year means that graduation season is here. Share the SIS 5-Minute Warm-Up Challenge, Earnings by Occupation, with your students to celebrate this important milestone in their lives. This quick and easy resource is packed full of data on the median earnings of women in various occupations, from medical assistants to child care workers. Students can use this as inspiration as they continue their education journey or enter the workforce!



Hurricane Season

Hurricane season began June 1. Are you prepared? Share the SIS Play It Safe geography activity with elementary school students to discover how the U.S. Census Bureau helps emergency responders provide support during natural disasters. Students can explore how people prepare and respond to environmental dangers and determine what items are needed to prepare for natural disasters in their community.

Father's Day – June 16

Father's Day is a time to express the gratitude and importance of fatherhood. Did you know there were an estimated 231,000 stay-at-home dads in the United States in 2023 and 20 percent (2 million) of the about 10 million parents living with their children under 18 (with no other parent living with them) were fathers?

Students will discover this and other interesting dad-related data in the SIS Father's Day Fun Facts handout. Check out the teaching guide for ideas on fun activities students can do using the handout, like writing a silly, comical, or sentimental poem about an important man (or person) or interview a father to find out what it’s like to be a dad.



Anniversary of the

Federal-Aid Highway Act – June 29

Did you know the United States highway system was built to meet the needs of a growing population that was traveling farther across the United States and to enable the military to travel more efficiently?

In recognition of this observance, please share the SIS The Highway System—It’s Development and Impact on the United States high school history activity with students. They will examine a data visualization that displays 2010 Census data on population density along Interstate 90 and use these data to understand the effect of the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956 on American society.



Summer

What comes to mind when you think of summer? No school? Going to the beach? Family vacations? Test your knowledge with the SIS Fireworks and Roads Trips Kahoot! game on a variety of summer-related topics powered by Census Bureau data like states with the most amusement parks or zoos and botanical gardens, to the number of U.S. travel agencies and RV campgrounds.