New Report: The Impact of the MassCore High School Program of Study on Student Success

Students’ selection of their high school courses hasn’t been a particularly controversial topic in policy conversations about public education. High school students typically select the courses that reflect a mix of their interests and the skills they expect to need for life after high school. But the reality is that the courses students take in high school are crucially important, setting students up for — or holding them back from — pursuing their postsecondary dreams.

Behind the Scenes with Hanover Fellow Isa Kelly

Isa Kelly is a Hanover Fellow at Main IDEA, a Woo-Labs partner site. Hanover Fellows are undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates, in Worcester, MA. Fellows work under the mentorship of experienced out-of-school time programming professionals at Woo-Labs partner sites to facilitate meaningful, authentic learning experiences for young people across the city.

Can you tell us a little bit about the project being completed by students at Main IDEA?

Students are collaborating with the Claremont Academy Community Service Club to design and make murals/billboards to promote various community service projects. Some of these projects include the Thanksgiving Food Drive, Winter Holiday Gift Drive, and a Community ALS Walk.


What has been your favorite part of working with the students?

My favorite part has been seeing how creative and passionate the students are with creating the murals. I love watching how the students make it their own and feel proud of the final product. 


What have the students been most proud of while working on the project?

Students have been most proud of the fact that their peers, teachers, and school administrators walk by the murals and see the work they have done. The students were so happy to hear from the Community Service Club that the Thanksgiving Food Drive mural received a lot of positive feedback. 


How has your training prepared you in your role as a Hanover Fellow?

The WEC training has prepared me for my role by equipping me with the tools to carry out project-based learning with Main IDEA. The training helped me understand the importance of student driven learning and how having students involved at every step of the process can increase their excitement. 


Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?

I have learned a lot about the value of trying different approaches even if they don’t work the first time. Getting the project going involved a lot of trial and error but I’ve seen how every step of the process has led us to the project we are working on now. 

Fellowship Opportunity at Guild of St. Agnes

WEC is currently seeking a Hanover Fellow for the Guild of St. Agnes project site.

The Woo-Labs Hanover fellowship seeks undergraduate and graduate students and recent graduates in Worcester, Massachusetts to apply. This position is ideal for those passionate about positive youth development and eager to expand their ability to facilitate meaningful, authentic learning experiences for young people under the mentorship of experienced out-of-school time programming professionals.

Fellows will serve up to 180 hours over the course of the school year. The majority of hours are spent working directly at the partner site with whom Fellows match to execute these strategies, with a focus on building capacity for project-based learning opportunities and measurement. 

More about Woo-Labs

WEC has launched “Woo-Labs,” a network of community-based partners advancing educational and racial equity and closing opportunity and achievement gaps by providing high-quality, culturally responsive, project-based learning opportunities for Worcester Public School K-6 students. Drawing its name from residents’ nickname for their city, Woo-Labs reimagines education as an ecosystem that includes out-of-school learning, centers students’ lived experiences and agency, and actively works to dismantle bias and inequity.

This school year, Hanover Fellows will serve at Woo-Labs partner organizations focusing on the following  three foundational strategies:

1. Providing student-centered, project-based learning opportunities

2. Applying a common measurement framework to support program improvement

3. Promoting students’ social emotional skills

Match to a Partner Site

Fellows will serve up to 180 hours over the course of the school year. The majority of hours are spent working directly at the partner site with whom Fellows match to execute these strategies, with a focus on building capacity for project-based learning opportunities and measurement.

Our current open partner sites include:

Professional Development & Training

Fellows engage in Woo-Labs’ “Community of Practice,” ongoing professional development with fellow members of the Woo-Labs ecosystem to expand their knowledge of youth development best practices.

The Community of Practice includes targeted training and discussion on topics such as project-based learning and fostering trauma-sensitive environments as well as opportunities to visit and learn from fellow Woo-Labs partner sites. Fellows also receive comprehensive pre-service training and ongoing support from WEC.

A Year of Service

This is both a Fellowship – a commitment to a set of learning opportunities to promote growth – and a paid position. Fellows must be willing and eager to commit to the responsibilities included here, especially PBL and professional development. This robust learning opportunity requires considerable independence and initiative and will be attractive to future employers.

While schedules vary by site, Fellows must generally be available from September - May to work 5-8 hours per week. Successful eligible Fellows may have the opportunity to continue their experience during the summer.

A Hanover Fellow shares her experience at Main IDEA

Woo-Labs is a network of community organizations reshaping education to focus on children. Together with partners like youth organizations, universities, cultural institutions, and WPS, we collaborate to enhance student success and overcome learning barriers through various student-led projects.

With WEC's backing, partner sites get added support from Hanover Fellows, comprising undergraduates, graduates, and recent grads from Worcester, Massachusetts. The Woo-Labs Hanover fellows are passionate about youth development, and eager to foster genuine learning experiences for young people under the guidance of the seasoned out-of-school programming professionals at each site.

At the Main IDEA project site this year, students are collaborating with the Claremont Academy Community Service Club to design and make murals/billboards to help promote community service projects. Some of these projects include the Thanksgiving Food Drive, Winter Holiday Gift Drive, and a Community ALS Walk taking place in Spring 2024.

“My favorite part has been seeing how creative and passionate the students are with creating the murals. I love watching how the students make it their own and feel proud of the final product,” said Isa, the Hanover Fellow supporting student projects at Main IDEA. 

Isa is a Hanover Fellow at the Main IDEA project site.

Empowering Fellows with Professional Development Training

Fellows undergo foundational training in youth work essentials that is followed by an immersive project-based learning curriculum provided by Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Further enriching their skills, they engage in a specialized module by the Worcester College Corps focused on community engagement. Continuous support is then woven into the fellowship experience through regular check-ins with WEC. Fellows also engage in on-going collaborative problem-solving sessions with their peers to foster a space for shared insights and progress updates at their respective project sites.

“The WEC training has prepared me for my role by equipping me with the tools to carry out project-based learning with Main IDEA. The training helped me understand the importance of student driven learning and how having students involved at every step of the process can increase their excitement,” said Isa.

Fellowship Opportunity at Guild of St. Agnes

WEC is currently seeking a Hanover Fellow for the Guild of St. Agnes project site.

The Woo-Labs Hanover fellowship seeks undergraduate and graduate students and recent graduates in Worcester, Massachusetts to apply. This position is ideal for those passionate about positive youth development and eager to expand their ability to facilitate meaningful, authentic learning experiences for young people under the mentorship of experienced out-of-school time programming professionals.

Fellows will serve up to 180 hours over the course of the school year. The majority of hours are spent working directly at the partner site with whom Fellows match to execute these strategies, with a focus on building capacity for project-based learning opportunities and measurement. 

JOIN OUR TEAM! WEC IS HIRING A PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Worcester Education Collaborative is seeking a Program Coordinator who is passionate about education and community engagement.

Responsibilities include: 

  • Coordinate advocacy and educational events, including logistics, schedules, and preparing materials

  • Manage partner relationships, including communication, meeting facilitation, and activity monitoring

  • Develop and revise educational content and curricular resources 

  • Assist with data collection, measurement, and evaluation activities

  • Provide management of part-time program staff, including recruitment, training, and work plans

View the full job description.

TO APPLY: Please submit cover letter and resume by February 23, 2023 to worcesteredcollab@gmail.com and edodge@wecollaborative.org.

QUESTIONS?

Please reach out to Emily Dodge, WEC Deputy Director, at edodge@wecollaborative.org. 

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