The administration of Neuqua Valley High School has recently designed a program, known as “Upward,” to promote challenging courses to African American and Hispanic students.
“Historically in most schools, you can see an underrepresentation of African American and Hispanic students in the most challenging courses that schools offer,” said Dr. Bob McBride, Principal of Neuqua Valley.
Many students feel uncomfortable taking challenging courses because of the expected work load, and have not been told of the advantages. Other students do not want to take a class that has a lesser population of African American or Hispanic students.
“We looked for students who are doing a great job at college prep classes. They’re getting A’s and B’s as freshmen, sophomore, and juniors, but have not yet been encouraged from the school to step up,” said McBride.
Last Spring, the administration identified 120 students, from both the Gold and Main campuses, and convinced these selected students to take Honors or AP classes. But the lack of peer support was a major issue.
“We were able to look at master schedules, and we clustered students so that if you walk into the classroom, you’re going to see other “Upward” students in the classroom with you,” said McBride. “That makes you feel like you belong, like you have a place there, and you’ve got some peers to support you.”
“Upward” students also have the aid of 45 chosen advocates who assist students throughout the year, checking grades every few months, preparing for finals, and providing an extra go-to person. The administration and the “Upward” students and advocates will debrief the entire semester after winter break.
“As a general rule, we’re seeing a lot of solid grades,” said McBride. “We see some struggle, but that’s okay. What we ultimately want is the “Upward” culture. We have the kind of school where it is not unreasonable to say to the vast majority of our students, ‘Can you graduate taking one Honors or one AP class?’”
The administration hopes to continue “Upward” for as long as it serves its purpose well. Nevertheless, McBride does not feel the need to pressure other schools in the district to take such actions.
“It isn’t just about trying harder or working harder, but it is about how the school can support you in taking more challenging classes,” he said.
Reema Rao, Editor in Chief
