Category: Newsletter (Hidden)

Her Teachers Saw Her As More Than Just a Dropout

“It was helpful to talk with other teens who were pregnant or new mothers,” she said. “And it took away a lot of stress to know that I would be able to bring my baby to school.”   With personalized instruction and extra tutoring, Urseala blossomed and was soon catching up on credits and graduated a […]

Written by on March 21, 2024

Exploring Career Pathways for a Future in Graphic Design

“The environment becomes like a real job, and they participate in all aspects of the design process, like creative brainstorming, conceptualizing, critical thinking, collaboration and making presentations.”   Students pick companies they like and create animations and other designs. Then they pitch their creations to fellow classmates, invite critique and incorporate those suggestions into their projects.   […]

Written by on March 21, 2024

How This Math Teacher is Engaging His Students…One Guitar Lesson at a Time

“It was hard at first, but now it’s really fun and makes coming to school more interesting,” said Chandler. “I’ve learned how math and music have many of the same skills — patience, problem solving and repetition. When I’m at home and bored, playing the guitar keeps my brain working. It’s so much more productive […]

Written by on March 21, 2024

Where Would Vulnerable Students Be Without School Counselors?

For almost two years, Jayvon had been without a place to call home and often slept in a park. The park as it happened, was across the street from a Learn4Life high school. “I had heard about that school, so I just walked in and enrolled,” he recalls. “My counselors immediately made sure that I […]

Written by on February 21, 2024

From Experiencing Homelessness to a Solid Future

What do you do with a high school student who has ideas and dreams that don’t fit within four walls of a traditional classroom? Let them learn at their own pace, allow them to work on more than just assignments and emphasize building a future. Jahleena flourished with this model which helped her overcome barriers, […]

Written by on December 13, 2023

Parents and Students Seeking Online and Hybrid Learning Options

More and more parents and students are choosing online high schools than ever before. For many students, the thought of returning to the COVID-era remote learning gives them a sense of dread. “But true online learning is nothing like remote classes that schools attempted during the pandemic,” explains Shellie Hanes, superintendent of schools at Learn4Life. […]

Written by on September 15, 2023

Cimari Found the Extra Help She Needed to Shine

Cimari described herself as a very outgoing child, but also a bit of a troublemaker. Her biological father was not involved in her life, forcing her mother to fill the difficult role of single parent to Cimari and her older brother. Her mother later remarried and life became a little easier having a father figure […]

Written by on September 15, 2023

Hayley

It was a chance meeting that brought Hayley R. to Learn4Life’s San Diego Mission Academy. She was 17 years old, taking care of herself and her little brother because their parents who suffered from addiction were unable to properly provide for them. She had been kicked out of school for not attending regularly and was turned […]

Written by on August 23, 2023

How Does Personalized Learning Work?

Most of the students who come to us are behind in credits because they weren’t successful in their previous school. Not all students do well in a large classroom with the teacher giving the same lecture to everyone. The kids who are more advanced get bored, and those who need a little help fall behind. […]

Written by on August 21, 2023

Dual Enrollment Classes Allowed Matthew to Graduate Early

Traditional school for Matthew was challenging. In middle school, students would often pick on him. He tried hard to avoid these situations and instead focused on himself and his education, but it was always a difficult distraction. He was ready to start fresh in traditional high school, but then felt held back from opportunities that […]

Written by on August 21, 2023