The curriculum consists of eight core modules that highlight college awareness and preparation within the context of a developmental assets model: 1) Managing the Middle School Transition, 2) Commitment to Learning, 3) Exploring College, 4)  Establishing a Positive Identity, 5) Exploring and Clarifying Values, 6) Enhancing Social Competencies 7) Strengthening Community Connections, and 8) Managing the High School Transition. To view this in a PDF, click here.

The first module, Managing the Middle School Transition, encourages students to explore the challenges they experienced in transitioning into middle school and encourages them to think about similar challenges they may face in the transition to high school.  It offers practical suggestions to support students in how to successfully negotiate the school setting.

Eight sessions have been devoted to the Commitment to Learning module, which emphasizes assessing, monitoring and evaluating students’ commitment to learning throughout the school year. Students learn how to set appropriate goals, utilize their time effectively, and hone important study skills.

The Exploring College module incorporates a series of sessions designed to lead students through a process of understanding the benefit of a college education, exploring college options, experiencing college through actual college tours, and envisioning their future career. Students are introduced to college and career planning resources such as Barron’s Guide to Colleges and Universities, The Occupational Outlook Handbook, and web sites that can aid them in their exploration of colleges and universities of interest. We also invite students to speak with professionals in careers of interest to them to encourage a dialogue that we hope fosters students’ educational and career aspirations.

Sessions highlighted in the fourth module, Establishing a Positive Identity, are designed to celebrate ethnic diversity and challenge misconceptions that often interfere with students’ engagement in the learning process. These sessions also feature literary works, proverbs, and interactive activities that infuse computer technology and encourage youth to explore the contributions from prominent leaders from students’ respective cultures.

Sessions highlighted in the Exploring and Clarifying Values module encourage students to think about what is important to them and how values influence important life decisions. For example, students participate in an auction that helps define those values they identify as being significant. Attention is also paid to the influence popular culture (e.g., music television, video) has on influencing values held by youth.

Module six, Enhancing Social Competencies has six sessions that offer a cognitive-behavioral approach to effective communication, problem solving, and decision making. Students are taught key concepts and strategies for effective interpersonal communication among their peers and with adults.

Sessions highlighted in Strengthening Community Connections are designed to provide young people with a concrete view of how government works. The module also provides opportunities for service learning, as students envision, design, carry out and reflect on their own school or community-based service projects.

The final module, Managing the High School Transition, offers six sessions that are designed to ease students’ transition from middle school into high school.  Sessions address key concerns often raised by freshman students such as peer group affiliation, negotiating high school, identifying support networks, and sequencing of high school coursework. The module also teaches students how to make informed choices in their selection of a high school best suited for their academic needs and interests. Students are also given a preview of academic programs offered at the secondary level and information regarding high school graduation requirements. For eighth graders, additional emphasis is placed on preparing for the academic rigor of high school. To this end, sessions are dedicated to teaching students advanced study skills and test taking strategies to maximize their academic performance.

Didactic presentations, small-group activities, role-plays, and discussions of real life experiences are used as instructional tools. Sessions within each module contain measurable student objectives, detailed content, and classroom activities.