At the close of the 2023 fall semester, Orangewood Academy launched an innovative initiative aimed to create ministry, college, and career-focused opportunities for its seventh- through 12th-graders. The preschool to 12th-grade academy considered the fact that they have international students and that families often go on vacation over the Christmas break. Recognizing this, they decided to move their finals one week ahead, allowing students to not only take their exams but also receive meaningful feedback from their teachers. With the last week of school now fully available, the team decided to launch a career and college readiness week.
Each day of the week, teachers and staff provided different activities and opportunities for students to help them anticipate college, make informed decisions about potential careers, and engage in ministry, as explained by Zaidy Olivarria, the assistant principal. Each activity was curated to be appropriate and relevant for the different grades. The school also partnered with OCGrace church and Relove church to provide ministry opportunities for the students, such as painting fences in an art garden and cleaning out the church closets.
Both students and faculty felt that this week was informative and meaningful. “Dedicating an entire week of school to getting a better understanding of how to apply for colleges, student athlete scholarships, what type of degrees there are, and how to sign up for government-funded programs to help further my education was definitely a big help,” said Victoria Perez, a 10th-grader. Kimberly Analco, another 10th-grader, said that this week helped her and others consider possible expectations for different careers and narrow down potential fields they may like to pursue in their future.
Olivarria explained that this initiative was successful because of the significant amount of teamwork that went into planning. More than a year of intentionality went into developing this event, and they are hopeful that this is something they can continue in the future. Congratulations to Orangewood Academy for finding dynamic new ways to engage and prepare their students for not only a life of service but of excellence.