Program areas at The Space Idaho
The forward learning scholars is a safe after-school academic environment free for any 6-8 grade students. Fls fosters consistent, positive relationships between staff and peers, allowing students to develop a sense of belonging and academic well-being. Students receive academic support while learning organizational skills, community building, and self-advocacy. Staff focuses on all aspects of student development-cognitive, academic, and social-emotional-in order to best support students through their middle school years. In The last year, over 60 students participated in forward learning scholars, each averaging 6 hours per week. By maintaining a low student-to-tutor ratio, students gain personalized support and tailored experiences that meet their educational and developmental needs. In addition to homework support and academic skill development, students participate in enrichment activities, field trips, and opportunities to discover new passions. Twenty-four students were retained from prior years, while The additional students in The program joined as part of a program expansion through partner referrals and parent or student recommendations. Fifty percent of The students participating live in households where a language other than english is The primary language. Within The forward learning scholars program, emerging bilingual students receive language development support to help them gain confidence in their own english skills.
Summer program - The Space's summer programs facilitate positive experiences while sparking curiosity and excitement, with over 278 students participating. Our students work hard during The school year, both in and outside of The classroom; therefore, we design summer programs that allow students to learn in new ways that embrace The flexibility and exploration that align with The feel of summer camps. For example, instead of practicing math with worksheets and flashcards, students drop in to play prime climb and yatzhee or spend The afternoon folding origami and building clinometers to measure The height of items they find on a nature walk. We talk about science by building a planetarium or by visiting a local natural history museum. The summer program runs for six weeks with 30 hours each week for drop-in activities focused on academic themes, field trips, and community partnerships. Any middle school through high school-age student can participate in their age-specific programs. The middle school-specific program is provided at no cost, while The high school-focused programs are available with a sliding fee scale to reduce The barriers for students receiving The critical support they need. While The wood river valley has no shortage of incredible youth summer programming, there are often both financial and experiential barriers to participating in these activities. For example, a student who has never been north of ketchum may not feel comfortable participating in a multi-day bike trip. The Space keeps accessibility at The forefront when planning our summer offerings. Through The summer program, 119 students have found new passions in science and gained confidence in math, reading, and writing. In The bilingual scholars camp, 23 emerging bilingual students practiced speaking, reading, and writing in english so they could return to school confident and prepared. Additionally, 31 students prepared for their next steps after graduation through college application support, test prep, and ged test completion for those pursuing non-traditional pathways. In addition to The camps at The Space, we collaborated with community partners to provide summer enrichment that engaged over 55 students through field trips, stem activities at The public libraries, and trips with partner organizations.
The individual tutoring and academic support program provides any 7th-12th grader with multiple options for support in academic content areas, test prep, and college application support. Students can choose individual tutoring to receive one-on-one support and to learn specific content-area academic skills, build foundational knowledge, increase study and organizational skills, or prepare for their next steps beyond school. Students can also choose to utilize The drop-in homework help to work independently on assignments and concepts in a supported environment when they need it, without making an appointment. In The past school year, over 180 students have participated in academic support, with 158 participating in drop-in or individual academic support, 23 working on test prep, and 16 students participating in college application support-an increase of 7% over The prior year. Thirty percent of students participating in The academic support program are youth from families with a primary language other than english, with The majority being from spanish-speaking families. Fifty percent of The students qualify for free or discounted services. It is a priority for The Space to ensure financial barriers never prevent a student from accessing The essential support they need to be successful in their academic progress.
Other program - general, ged, college counseling, scholarship