Step Up to Excellence

Student News & Exchange | Responsibilities

Students enrolled in Step Up are afforded some amazing opportunities. First and foremost, they are immediately paired up with a mentor, a faculty member at their high school. Student and teacher meet weekly and create goals, both short term and long term, which they then work toward together. The mentors offer encouragement and advice as students forge their own paths toward success. While this in itself is a tremendous asset, students also have the opportunity to take classes in areas that interest them, travel to foreign countries, engage in job shadowing experiences, and help their community through various service activities.

We are committed to helping worthy students access opportunity and achieve all that they can. We encourage, support and engage students in their academic classes and in developing their personal interests and talents. Step Up sponsors students in various summer programs because we believe that experiencing another culture, another region, a new persepective, an innovative idea is a powerful force in promoting motivation and development. We help students to discover and meet these new challenges.

During the junior year I went to a dance camp. I have always loved
dancing since I was a little girl. Being there for three weeks was a
great opportunity to better myself at different forms of dancing. I learned six dances ranging from ballet to an African piece. I had a mini solo piece in our ballet piece. I would have never thought I would be
chosen, I had never taken a ballet class before in my life. I was so
happy and honored. At both camps I made a lot of friends and created a lot of memories that will never be forgotten. If it wasn't for Step Up I would have never had the two best summers of my life!!

Jessica Padila