New Program Offers Mentoring, Online Education to At-Risk Students

A new nonprofit in Flint, MI, Gearup2Lead, will offer at-risk students throughout Michigan the opportunity to earn a high school diploma online and participate in activities in which they work with mentors and act as mentors themselves.

In conjunction with Graduation Alliance, students selected for the Heroic Leadership Academy, beginning with the 2015-16 school year, will:

  • Work through Graduation Alliance's online alternative curriculum to earn a high school diploma with free laptops and wireless access;
  • Attend weekly leadership training sessions and life skill workshops offered by Gearup2Lead;
  • Work with local organizations and businesses on projects designed to build better communities where they live;
  • Meet regularly with community and college mentors; and
  • Be mentors themselves to younger students at the Whaley Children's Center in Flint.

"Our core mission is to help student achieve a high school diploma and draw out the best characteristics that are already within them," said Gearup2Lead Executive Director Adam Hartley. "We want our students to feel what it's like to be a heroic leader."

Students who are ages 15-19 from throughout the state of Michigan can apply to enroll in the program through Michigan's Schools of Choices initiative.

Graduation Alliance, which offers online alternative education and training programs, recently announced its participation in a similar partnership with the Davenport Community School District in Davenport, IA.

About the Author

Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.

Featured

  • zSpace Imagine Learning Solution

    zSpace Debuts Headset-Free AR/VR System

    Immersive learning company zSpace has announced the zSpace Imagine Learning Solution, a headset-free AR/VR laptop system designed for elementary education. The all-in-one platform integrates hardware, software, and hands-on lessons to create dynamic learning experiences for young students.

  • chart with ascending bars and two silhouetted figures observing it, set against a light background with blue and purple tones

    Report: Enterprises Are Embracing Agentic AI

    According to a new report from SnapLogic, 50% of enterprises are already deploying AI agents, and another 32% plan to do so within the next 12 months..

  • abstract geometric pattern of glowing interconnected triangles, hexagons, and circles in blue, gold, and white, spread across a dark navy-to-black gradient background

    OpenAI Introduces 'Operator' AI for Performing Web Tasks

    OpenAI has announced "Operator," an AI agent designed to perform web-based tasks autonomously using its own browser. Currently available as a research preview for Pro users in the United States, the tool aims to automate everyday activities such as filling out forms, ordering groceries, and even creating memes.

  • illustration showing a large lock and shield, with school and tech icons like a graduation cap, laptop, and school building

    K12TechPro Launches Cybersecurity Resource Center for K-12 Education

    K12TechPro, a community for technology professionals in education, has introduced the K12TechPro Cybersecurity Hub, a collection of resources designed to bolster cybersecurity in K-12 education.