April 22, 2005

Silver Creek Electronics Academy makes a difference

By Andrea Boyd Ball
Times Intern

A greater than 95 percent graduation rate for once failing, unmotivated students—that’s the track record East Side Union High School District and Silver Creek High School can boast about their Electronics Academy.

Michael Toussaint, IBM mentor, queries Alexander Kwong, Electronics Academy student, during a mock interview session.

The academy, for students with the smarts but not necessarily the drive to earn a diploma, provides a three-year program, from tenth to twelfth grades, of instruction in English, math, social studies and science through a cadre of teachers that helps students learn how to set and achieve goals.

Because the academy is a “school within a school,” it gives students small group learning experiences that more effectively cultivate self-esteem and trust in its participants.

Ruth McElvain Mason, English teacher and co-leader for the academy at Silver Creek, says in addition to a great education, “our program seems to make friends of members way past school days.”

Road to Success
Once a failing ninth grader is identified as achieving well below his potential, a guidance counselor invites the student and his parents to discuss educational options aimed toward student success. One of those options is the academy.

If, after discussion, the family decides the academy is the best fit for the student, a formal agreement is established by all parties, which includes expectations and consequences of student behavior.

Once enrolled, the academy participant must maintain a 2.0 or “C” grade point average, pass at least three technical courses and complete a senior project to achieve academy certification with the high school diploma.

Extra-curricular activities within the academy include field trips to technology firms and college campuses, technology employee shadow days, activities with tech company mentors, participation in mock interviews, attendance at career fairs and six-week paid summer internships.

Substantial assistance is provided to the struggling student.

Whether it is issues related to class work, drug or alcohol dependencies, mental health issues or something that needs social services support, the academy team of professionals is there to help diagnose the problem and apply the appropriate intervention.

An administrator’s perspective
Art Darin, the newly appointed principal at Silver Creek and a 34-year veteran of ESUHSD, says the success of the academy lies in the ability of educators and support staff to form relationships with a common group of kids and develop the sense that someone actually cares about them.

Art Darin, principal, Silver Creek High School

“The key is getting students motivated enough to take responsibility for their own learning or education and their own future. After all, their future lies in their hands,” said Darin.

Because Silver Creek receives additional monies from the state and federal government based on the socio-economic situation of the community the high school serves, it has been able to staff six counselors rather than the usual two allotted at most high schools through the ESUHSD general fund. This has allowed each student in the program to visit his guidance counselor a minimum of three to four times a year.

That level of service, however, is not likely to continue for the program, according to Darin. Even though it is primarily supported by a grant from the California Department of Education, budget cuts at the district level will affect the level of support staff available on campus.

Still, the district does recognize the benefit to students of small learning communities and more ESUHSD campuses will put these kinds of programs into action over the coming years.

“Silver Creek will be implementing this philosophy across the entire curriculum with the formation of three freshman houses next year,” said Darin, which means that a team of teachers will work with students from only one house.

Rather than dividing the houses by career path, they will pick a theme to build camaraderie and an identity.

Bright futures
The Electronics Academy is partnered with technology industry giants such as IBM, Cisco Systems and Hewlett-Packard, which provide mentors, internships and other opportunities to its students.

In March, Hitachi/IBM sponsored a career fair at its Cottle Road facility for the Electronics Academy. At the fair, students participated in mock interviews with industry officials, spoke to college recruiters and took a personality test to assist them in career planning.

Electronics Academy students practice interviewing skills with technology industry professionals.

Michael Toussaint, an IBM engineer and academy mentor in attendance that day, said IBM supports the program in order to spark an early interest in technology within academy students.

According to Toussaint, IBM not only provides internships through the academy, but once in college, alumni often benefit from more advanced IBM internships.
Referring to the leg up the academy can provide, Toussaint added, “IBM has even hired academy alumni as professionals once they have graduated from college.”

Two students who vouch for the academy are Luis Castillo, a senior airman in the Air Force who works in medical information services, and Dave Pereira, who will graduate this May with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from San Jose State University.

Each of them said the academy helped provide much needed direction for their lives and taught them to believe in themselves. Castillo added, “I always thought I’d go into the computer field, but now I am going to study to be a physician’s assistant.”

Other ESUHSD electronics academies
The Electronics Academy at Silver Creek works cooperatively with its sister academies at W.C. Overfelt and Independence high schools. Each school has approximately 100 students enrolled in the academy, with 140 students participating this year at Silver Creek.