Alexandria City Public Schools Launches Governor's Youth Academy

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has been awarded a grant from the Virginia Department of Education to establish a Governor’s Youth Academy, according to a news release today from ACPS. Here’s more about the endeavor, from the release:

The Teen Titan Academy will cater for selected ninth and 10th grade-students. Students participating in the academy will explore college and career readiness, leadership development, personal life skills for success, positive peer relationships, and persistence and grit.

ACPS was awarded a $67,897 grant to fund the academy from the Virginia Department of Education in collaboration with the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, Volunteer Alexandria and George Mason University, among others, to start the Teen Titan Academy in the 2015-16 school year.

“This grant will allow the Teen Titan Academy participants to experience opportunities that will help them build confidence and relationships with their peers and adults while also being part of leadership and community service activities,” said T.C. Williams teacher Rhea Butler, who will be overseeing the grant.

The academy will offer places to 50 students based on recommendations by their counselor and principal. Students will be selected on the basis of their leadership aspirations and their prospective ability to excel in the program. The goal is to take students from a diverse background that represents Alexandria’s wider community.

The selected students will work with their counselors and teachers to explore concepts around what it means to be college-ready and the personal life skills for success. There will also be a student-led summit that will be held for one Saturday each academic quarter.

“I am thrilled the students of T.C. Williams High School will have this opportunity. This grant will allow our students to receive useful, real-life skills that will ultimately help prepare them for college and careers. I am particularly excited to see the focus on persistence and grit,” said T.C. principal Jesse Dingle.