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Providing Access to

Opportunity
Meredith Shutt
Capitol Hill High School
Oklahoma City Public Schools
About Capitol Hill High School
I teach AP Language and Composition
and English III at Capitol Hill High
School in Oklahoma City.

Our school is located on the South Side


of OKC, a predominantly Hispanic and
low-income community. 70% of our Constructed in 1928, our school
students identify as Hispanic, 20% as building is a historic landmark.
Black and the remaining 10% as white. Photo credit: OKCPS
About My Students
Photo credit: The College Board

I’ve taught my AP Language students (82 total) for two academic years; I had them in Pre-AP
English II last year and have them now as juniors. Most of them test at PHS (post-high school)
reading levels, yet lack strong writing skills. The predominant focus of our AP course is writing
(rhetorical analysis, synthesis and argumentation as tested on the AP exam).

My English III students (77 total) are compliant, but rarely exhibit joy in the classroom. On
average, they test between 9-11 reading levels. I have English Language Learner (ELL) and Special
Education (SPED) students in my on-level classes. Our focus is also writing-intensive, building on
foundations of grammar and incorporating short stories and larger works (A Raisin in the Sun, for
example).
Building from Conley and McGaughy’s
idea of “partnering with local
postsecondary institutions and
Potential Access Resources businesses,” I chose to focus mainly on
college-centric sources (2012, p. 33).

Initially, I explored the following 5 resources:

● Sooner Upward Bound (The University of Oklahoma)


● Concurrent Enrollment, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC)
● The Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
● Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM)
● K20 Center Mentoring via Gear Up (The University of Oklahoma)
Why Sooner Upward Bound?
I chose Sooner Upward Bound for its direct correlation
with the University of Oklahoma, a nearby and reputed
institution many of my students wish to attend (Conley
& McGaughy, 2012).

The intensive college-prep program is intended only for


students at “target” high schools including Capitol Hill
and other OKCPS schools. Thus, my students are target
applicants and are thus likely to be accepted.
Photo credit: The University of Oklahoma
Experiencing college life as high school juniors allows
students to think and perform above grade level,
considering their future academic outcomes and goals
(Farr, 2010, p. 16).

Why Sooner Upward Bound?


The program consists of both summer and school year
components. Students stay on-campus for the summer
The program feels
program and attend classes with like-minded peers. reminiscent of The North
They thus experience campus culture and gain requisite Carolina Governor’s
School, a residential
social and emotional coping skills. college prep program I
completed the summer
During the year, students meet monthly with academic before my senior year of
high school.
advisors to prepare themselves for the rigorous and
Photo credit: NCGS
demanding college admissions process.
6-Step Action Plan
1. Initiate Contact with Program Director
2. Introduce Upward Bound to My Students (Juniors)
3. Share with Underclassmen (Freshmen and
Sophomores)
4. After-School Interest Session
5. Application Process
6. Reflection and Further Resource Exploration
Reflection and Further Resource Exploration
Regardless of whether all of my students are accepted to Sooner Upward
Bound, I would like to continue our exploration of college prep resources.

Oklahoma City is surrounded by a multitude of postsecondary institutions;


students should be familiar with their offerings and programs for juniors
and seniors.

In my AP class, I would like to create a process for students to explore,


select and apply for college prep programming.
AP In-Class Resource Exploration
One day near the beginning of the second semester, I will allocate a day where my AP
students will explore local college-prep resources and programming particular to
their interests and aims. Students will visit sites of colleges (The University of
Oklahoma, The University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma City University, etc.) and
discover resources available to college juniors and seniors.

If students find relevant programming, they will set a plan to apply for the program.
Students will submit a handout detailing their program and plan, ensuring
accountability as I review their findings.
Costa and Kallick discuss “dispositions” common to
particular fields, aligning with their Habits of Mind ideology
(2009, p. 216). Students thus need to develop academic
mindsets correlating to their future goals and aims.

Synthesis and Reflection


As I consider programs and resources to help students, I also want to widen my approach and be
reflective of my students’ interests and needs. Many of my AP students have particular interests
in specific fields (art, science, etc.) and would benefit from mentoring programs where they can
develop authentic relationships with community partners.

Mentoring, then, might also be a beneficial avenue to explore, especially with college-aged
students. Though it was not my chosen resource, the K20 Center’s mentoring program would
align with these aims. Students meet with OU undergrad students for academic tutoring, all the
while learning from their experiences about college life and academic achievement.

As Farr states, “influencing the actions of others in the school or community” can be more
impactful than direct teacher influence (2010, p. 209). Building bridges between my students and
undergrad students would leave a lasting legacy for their academic careers.
References
Conley, D. T., & McGaughy, C. (2012). College and career readiness: Same or different? Educational Leadership, 69(7), 28–34.

Costa A. & Kallick B. (2009). Sustaining a focus on the habits of mind. In Costa & B. Kallick (Eds.), Habits of mind across the
curriculum: Practical and creative strategies for teachers (pp. 213–218). Retrieved from
https://smartjaguar.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/habits-of-mind-across-the-curriculum.pdf

Farr, S. (2010). Teaching as leadership: The highly effective teacher's guide to closing the achievement gap. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.

Gear Up for the Promise: Mentoring. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2017, from
https://k20center.ou.edu/programs/gearup-promise/mentoring

Sooner Upward Bound. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2017, from http://www.ou.edu/studentlife/leaders_and_scholars/sub.html

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