TRANSITIONS
Turning Challenges Into Opportunities
- 60% of students who drop out of high school begin to disengage by 6th grade.
The middle school years are critical in keeping students connected to school and engaged in learning. Starting in 6th grade and through 8th grade, TRANSITIONS works with a cohort of students, providing weekly social-emotional skill building sessions.
We focus on each student’s strengths, help them become accountable, and identify individual attributes they can build on for a more successful future. We accomplish this through highly interactive skill-building exercises, students connect their voice and experiences, and problem-solve as a group.
We help young people build resilience by learning skills for conflict resolution, communication, healthy relationships, self-expression, stress management and personal growth. Students learn because they feel emotionally supported. They engage because we make the content personally relevant to them.
Our Impact
- 95% of students demonstrate improvement in targeted social and academic skills.
- 95% of students report an increased understanding of essential life skills.
NEW in fall 2020- Boomerang Leadership Academy (BLA) – COVID-19 has helped us reimagine our middle school in-school SEL programming. We have shifted to BLA, a long term mentoring program.
BLA is a mentoring program supporting students through high school graduation. It is designed to encourage and guide their personal development and academic goals as they navigate the crucial transition from middle school to high school and from high school to college and beyond.
Rising 8th graders are enrolled each year; priority is given to students of color, first generation college students and low-income families.
Student recruitment is through community partner and school referrals. Consideration will be given to STRIVE students.
- Leadership orientation and regular booster sessions
- 60-minute group sessions every other week
- Regular 1:1 check-ins and coaching
BLA outcomes:
- increased self-efficacy
- increased academic success
