Student Tribune
Fall Fun with Liberty Partnerships Program
Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP) has not been immune to the waves of
change the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to our world this year. Being fully
remote for all of our tutoring, college and career prep programming has pushed
staff to reimagine how our activities will look, and how to engage students and
families over the Zoom.
In October and December, LPP hosted check-ins for our 4 target schools:
Edison, East, World of Inquiry #58, and Northeast/Northwest. These meetings
gave students the opportunity to socialize via Zoom, play some fun games, talk
about their experiences so far in the school year with the remote setting and
let LPP know what additional support they could use. In February, LPP will
be hosting its next round of check-ins. After hearing some student feedback,
LPP is going to adjust the meetings to be scheduled by grade level, instead of
school. This will provide students the opportunity to meet more kids their age
across the district.
At the end of October, LPP hosted our annual College Bound Kickoff event.
Guest speakers joined us from Nazareth College, Monroe Community College, and
the University of Rochester to discuss everything college with students and
their parents. Presentations covered the admissions process, navigating
financial aid and opportunity programs applications, as well as how to tackle
first year struggles. One of our LPP volunteer tutors is a student from the
University of Rochester. She shared her journey from growing up in Cuba to
ending up at the U of R completing applications for medical school! Families
were able to ask follow up questions, and clarify confusing elements of the
process.
LPP has also been hosting a Student Leadership Committee toward the end of
each month. In these sessions, students are given the opportunity to provide
feedback on how LPP is doing and what other activities they would like to see
LPP do in the future. LPP also uses these meetings to allow students to
showcase their leadership knowledge and capabilities by guiding them through
immersive, team-oriented activities.
Like everyone, remote learning has presented many new challenges when it
comes to teaching and academics, but often overlooked is the threat it
presents to class celebrations. Known to some as "the best event
of the year", Liberty Partnerships Program's annual Winter Wonderland
provides an outlet for students to connect and de-stress at the end of the
first half of the school year. Faced with facilitating a warm and social
environment while barred from any in-person interaction, the LPP team
found a way to bring the party online. Students engaged in scavenger hunts,
Pictionary, Hot Potato, and Jeopardy games over Zoom. They turned on their
cameras and allowed themselves to be seen, some for the first time all
year. Students and staff played, laughed, and chatted about their holiday plans
and personal updates. Connections were created and for a moment we were all
together again.
Liberty Partnerships Program will be running in a remote setting for the
foreseeable future, but that will not stop us from planning amazing activities
for our incredible students and their families!
Liberty Partnerships Program is funded by the New York State Department of
Education.
Attached Files:
LPP Fall 2020 Highlights Trib Article.docx
Frizzell, Elizabeth
Liberty Partnerships
01/05/2021