LAKEPORT — The Lakeport Unified School District board heard reports from teachers at its meeting Thursday about the district”s first Algebra Academy last summer, and plans this month to recruit incoming ninth graders to attend the summer program.
Along with helping students sharpen algebra skills, the program is intended to make attending college a realizable goal through an introduction to financial aid and tours of the three four-year college possibilities: a small private college, a state university and a UC.
Clear Lake High School (CLHS) Counselor Paul Larrea said of the 22 students who completed the program, 10 went on to geometry and five went on to honors geometry; four of which are earning a C or better. “All 22 are on a college track,” Larrea said.
After seeing Algebra Academy students participate in the spring play, You”re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Larrea said, “It made me realize, every single one of the Algebra Academy students participated in at least one extracurricular activity this year.”
He said because of the academy, students better understand how important extracurricular activities are to gaining admission to college. “And it”s a great intro to Clear Lake High School.”
CLHS teacher Ken Hook, one of four of the program”s faculty leaders, made sure the experience was interactive and got students touring the entire campus by placing algebra problems in different classrooms around campus for students to solve.
“Let”s face it ? it”s not exciting when you”re 14-years-old and your parents say, ?how would you like to go to algebra academy this summer?” So we make it as interesting as possible,” Hook said.
A highlight of the summer, the group visited Dominican College, Sacramento State, Sonoma State and UC Davis. After dining in campus cafeterias, touring dorms and speaking with Lake County high school graduates currently enrolled in the four-year colleges, students got a “good idea of what kind of college might fit best with them,” Hook said.
The program begins each day at 8 a.m. with 15 minute physical activities. Each day, a flag from a different county is discussed at the end of the summer, students and parents brought food from the different countries to a potluck.
This summer, the academy will be funded by UC San Francisco. Recruitment of about 60 students with the intent to enroll about 25 begins April 14. The program will run from June 23 through July 28.
Contact Elizabeth Wilson at ewilson@record-bee.com
