First step: Rediscover a love of learning
The young mothers in our high school level program have all dropped out of public school —many before getting pregnant. They often come to The Care Center with the initial goal of passing the High School Equivalency exam (HiSET). From their first day, we work with students to expand that goal and set their sights on college. Our talented staff makes learning exciting and engaging. This is the first step, we believe, in transforming a student’s view of herself and her future.
While young mothers prepare to take the HiSET, they fall back in love with learning through New Directions, an enhanced college preparatory educational program that integrates vibrant humanities, arts, experiential science and math, and sports into a high school equivalency curriculum. Cultural activities such as visiting writers, Shakespeare performances, and field trips to museums broaden horizons and bring joy.
As in the best private schools in the country, The Care Center does whatever it takes to see that our students succeed. Class sizes are small, and the student-teacher ratio is low, allowing for substantive connections between adults and young people. Our arts curriculum unearths creative talents, and our athletic programs emphasize teamwork and discipline.
Our rich array of academics and electives are taught by first-rate instructors. Course offerings include poetry, writing, theater, math, science, financial literacy, parenting workshops, sculpture, drawing, painting, rowing, cardio hip hop, swimming, yoga, golf, and Zumba. Classroom instructors regularly provide individualized attention and a cadre of tutors work one-on-one with each student preparing for the HiSET.
Guidance and encouragement from an experienced college counselor
In families where higher education is not yet the norm, students require high levels of support and trust. Our college transition counselor works with young mothers on everything from building confidence to securing internships.
The support our counselor offers includes:
- Orienting students to the concept of college
- Walking students through the college application and financial aid process
- Navigating life’s circumstances that can interfere with enrolling in college
- Helping students enrolled in college access resources within The Care Center (tutors, computers, and child care) and outside of The Care Center (housing and food assistance)
- Connecting college students to on-campus resources, helping with academic course selection, and guiding yearly financial aid reapplication
