Each student participates in a series of eight Project SUCCESS-facilitated goal-setting workshops, held monthly in the classroom during each school year (September through April). These workshops are the foundation of our program model. Every summer prior to the upcoming school year, Project SUCCESS facilitators meet with the teachers and school administrators to review the curriculum and date each goal-setting workshop will be administered. The curriculum is grade-specific, builds on the work done in previous grades, and is integrated with the curriculum of English/Language Arts classes. Whenever appropriate, the workshop theme is tied into the play to which the students are currently being invited.
Throughout the school year, Project SUCCESS program facilitators assigned to that school work alongside teachers in all English and Language Arts classrooms. We are the only program with this kind of unprecedented access to every English classroom, every month for every student, including Basic English , Special Education, English Language Learners (ELL), Advanced Placement, Emotionally and Behaviorally Disabled, Deaf/Hard of Hearing and other groupings of students. Students do not need to find us - we come to them.
Middle School
Our main focus in middle school is to facilitate the students in increased self-understanding and increased ability to set and achieve goals. We do this through a variety of creative activities—drama exercises, group games, writing explorations, guest artists, discussions, and/or whatever else the facilitator thinks would assist the achievement of our mission within a particular class. While we always keep the focus on students’ hopes, goals and dreams—much of the workshop curriculum varies by grade in order to address the changing needs of the students.
High School
Our high school curriculum is designed to further explore students’ goals and dreams for high school and beyond. It is designed for flexibility so that all the unique needs of the students can be addressed. The closer students get to graduating, the more practical our program becomes. Our goal is that by spring of their senior year all students have a personal, post-high school plan that best suits their needs, personalities, and goals and life-skills that will serve their long-term future.
How Workshops Make a Difference:
Students who accomplished goals they never believed themselves capable of achieving have told facilitators, "I was able to do it because you believed I could."
Through in-class, goal-setting workshops Project SUCCESS helps students*:
- provide students with a trusted adult in their lives for up to seven years;
- set and achieve short and long-term goals;
- share their personal experiences and learn from other students;
- understand classmates who have different perspectives and backgrounds;
- understand themselves better;
- think about and create a plan for their future beyond high school;
- improve their school attendance rate;
- improve their grades; and
- develop the skills to plan for their future over their lifetime.
These objectives above help students define a clear and confirmed sense of purpose and passion - nurturing their sparks and giving them opportunities for their voices to be heard on key issues that matter to them
*Results taken from a recent evaluation of Project SUCCESS students, alumni, parents and teachers, conducted by The Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement of the University of Minnesota.
