Come learn about events and activities that are more than work-based learning experiences–they also make students feel like they are a part of a special community. See how an academy team uses available community resources and advisory board engagement to build work-based learning experiences that reinforce the academy’s student-centered approach. Presenters: Heather Eppley, Bryan Station High School and Lataricka Young, Lexmark

2. It’s All About Kids!!!
Engaging Students in Work-Based Learning through
Student-Centered Activities
Latarika Young and Heather Zoll Eppley
Bryan Station High School
Academy of Information Technology
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Bryan Station High School Academy of Information Technology
“Follow” us on Twitter!
@BSHSAOIT

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Latarika Young
Development Firmware Manager
Lexmark International (10 years)
Advisory Board member (6 years)
Advisory Board Chair (2 years)
tyoung@lexmark.com
Latarika Young on LinkedIn

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Heather Zoll Eppley
IT Academy Director (2 years)
English Teacher in Academy (6 years)
Nationally Board Certified
Heather.Eppley@fayette.kyschools.us
Heather Zoll Eppley on LinkedIn

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Our Story…
• History
- Bryan Station has approximately 1,900
students enrolled.
- Our IT Academy started in the Fall of 2007 with
25 students.
- Our Academy currently have between 130-150
students each year, crossing all grade levels.

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41%
0.60%
44%
2% 13%
BSHS Ethnicity Breakdown
Black/African
American
Asian
White
Other/Multi-Racial
Hispanic/Latino
40%
1%
52%
3% 3%
BSHS AOIT Ethnicity
Breakdown
Black/African
American
Asian
White
Other/Multi-Racial
Hispanic/Latino

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49%
51%
BSHS Free/Reduced Lunch
Eligibility
Non-
Eligible
Eligible
50%
50%
BSHS AOIT Free/Reduced
Lunch Eligibility
Non-
Eligible
Eligible

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Our Story…
• First NAF Academy in KY
• 100% graduation rate for 4 consecutive years!

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Challenges
• Student engagement was there, but board
engagement was not!
• Limited resources within community.
• Retention of board members.
• Lack of district support.
As a result, we had to find creative ways to
increase involvement and board
activity, specifically with work-based learning.

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Trash Ball
Throw your challenges away!!
• Write your biggest Academy challenge on the
paper provided.
• Trash it!!!!!
At your table, briefly discuss the challenges on the
trash ball you picked up and choose one to share
with the group.

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Business Partner Outreach for Work-
Based Learning
• Think outside the advisory board “box”
• Business Lunch
-student internship presentations
-student hosts
• Job Shadowing
-twice yearly
• “Professionalism” scholarship
• YMCA Film Project
-student-led video for “Livestrong” program

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Student developed YMCA
Livestrong promotional video

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Student Perspective on Business
Partner Outreach

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Public Relations Through Work-Based
Learning
• You are “IT” social media campaign
-Monday: You are “IT” student highlight
-Tuesday: Work-based learning highlight
-Wednesday: Call for internships
-Thursday: Community Service/Academy Events
-Friday: You are “IT” teacher/board member highlight
• Girls Recruitment Day
-Professional and Student Panel
-Interactive Demos
• Students working events
-Derby and STEM fairs

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Rotating Circle Discussion
• Share your ideas or success stories for business
outreach or Public Relations for your academy
using work-based learning as a foundation.

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Classroom Engagement
• Professionalism Roundtable
-Personal branding
-Interviewing
• Roundtable- “Step Up Station”
-Effective with small groups of students
• Internship workshop
-use community resources
• Weekly “Dress for Success”
-Ask upperclassmen to be leaders for this
• Student led professional development for teachers
(slated to begin this year)

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Celebrate Your Students
• Ice Cream Social
-Grade level awards based on school and academy
expectations “Believe and Achieve”
-Business partner outreach (Fro-Jo’s)
• Academy Graduation and Celebration
-Superlatives
-Industry certificates
• “Board Rewards”
-Have a board meeting at the school with
classroom visits as the focus.

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Share your ideas….
• Group Share on Post-its for ideas with classroom
engagement and celebrating students (through
work-based learning).

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FYI…
• Postcard for scholarships and donations
• Bookmarks
-Internship and Scholarship focus
• Family Cookout

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Donation Postcard

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Questions/Discussions
• Any other lingering questions or discussion
points?

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It’s a marathon, not a sprint!!!
• Final Thoughts
• Session Evaluation