Launchpad
The Launchpad Story
PLAN prides itself on listening to the expressed needs and aspirations of the families we serve. Launchpad, PLAN’s newest initiative, was born out of these conversations. Parents of Learning Center students have asked us to extend our educational services beyond 8th grade. As they make the transition from middle to high school, many students struggle to meet the increased academic expectations. Additionally, high school juniors and seniors across the nation report feeling unprepared for college and/or career. In response to these realities, PLAN is pleased to introduce Launchpad, a new program for high school students who have graduated from our Learning Center, starting in Fall 2019. Our aim is to provide a supportive environment in which students can work on a variety of goal-setting projects and personalized academic development plans, in order to equip them to take ownership of their learning—all within a gospel-centered community.
Academic and Professional Life Skills
Launchpad students will meet weekly with a committed academic coach to create a personalized development plan. Students will broadly identify their post-high school goals (college, trade school, or career) and will design a program to prepare them for life after 12th grade, including:
assistance and coaching on current school assignments and projects
transferrable academic and professional skills (goal-setting, time management, etc.)
college and career exploration
financial literacy and budgeting
help with applying to schools and jobs
public speaking and interview practice
2019: Our Pilot Year
Our pilot program began in Fall 2019 with a small group of former Learning Center students. We plan to assess and fine-tune the program over the next several years, and eventually to open Launchpad to all interested high school students.