Authentic, Modern, Engaging Learning
Exploration High School offers a comprehensive academic framework. Explorers learn relevant, 21st century skills by executing Community Asset Projects that add value to their community. They master the skills necessary to perform those CAPs in seminars that focus on in demand skills and concepts.
Community Asset Project (CAP)
Explorers learn by making a difference. Explorers collaborate with advisors, community members, and each other to execute two projects per year that add value to our community. These examples are CAPS we intend to use as inspiration for the first Exploration Session at ExHS. Some may be executed as written, but ultimately CAPs are created and owned by teams of students in collaboration with advisors at ExHS and in the community.
Meaningful Feedback
The quality of work done on CAPs is the most important indicator for the academic, social, and professional skills explorers learn. Through deep, personalized feedback from advisors and community experts, we ensure that every explorer can leverage their strengths and address their weaknesses.
Project-Based Learning
Explorers learn by collaborating with advisors and each other to execute projects that make a difference. Project Based Learning enables students to master academic content, develop skills for success, and build the personal agency needed to thrive in the modern world.
Person & Public Outcomes
CAPs are how explorers practice and master 21st century skills. Plus, the real-world outcomes build resumes, portfolios, and job applications.
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CAPs are also one of the ways that Exploration High School fulfills its mandate to improve our community. The projects that explorers design and execute are purposeful and impactful.
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CAPs make the world a better place and make explorers into better innovators, entrepreneurs, and neighbors.
Examples
These examples are CAPS we intend to use as inspiration for the first Exploration Session at ExHS. Some may be executed as written, but ultimately CAPs are created and owned by teams of students in collaboration with advisors at ExHS and community members.
Twin Cities Power Profile
The power generation portfolio in the Twin Cities has been transformed by advances in renewable energy and the natural gas industry. Explorers will find out the state of power generation in the metro and where we might go in the future.
Community Built Affordable Housing
To address the affordable housing shortage in NE Minneapolis, students partner with Envision Community to build a tiny house for the facility. This CAP is part of an ongoing partnership with the Hennepin County Office of Workforce Development, designed specifically to get Explorers building and learning construction techniques.
Minnesota Redistricting 2020
Fair representation is the backbone of our democracy. In this CAP, Explorers who want the voice of their community heard on the national stage use the data from the 2020 Census to ensure that Minnesota's population is represented fairly at the local, state, and federal level.
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Seminars
Seminars are where explorers master the skills they need to execute CAPs. Seminars are designed to teach 21st century skills in an interdisciplinary and hands-on manner. Advisors work with explorers each term to select seminars that support the CAPs the student has chosen and ensure that the explorer has a thorough academic background upon graduation.
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The seminars are designed so that every explorer masters both traditional high school content and authentic 21st century skills through personalized and engaging experiences.
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Life & Career Skills
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Data Science & Analytical Reasoning
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Marketing
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Technical Writing & Communication
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Media Literacy & Creation
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Public Speaking
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Intercultural Competencies
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Web Design
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Construction & Building
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Circuitry
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Software Design
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Foreign Languages
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Mathematical Modeling
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Literary Analysis
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Many Others
Modern Learning
Our guides know the explorers deeply, and they will help every explorer learn in an individualized manner. These seminars aren't one-size-fits-all classes they are authentic, effective learning experiences for every student.
Academic Growth & Mastery
Explorers are evaluated based on academic growth and mastery. In every seminar, explorers work with advisors to set goals and receive personalized feedback about where they are and what they are working towards.
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Seminar performance supplements CAP outcomes to inform a portfolio which depicts the entire learning journey of every student.
Community Partnerships and Extracurricular Activities
Outside of CAPs and seminars, explorers work with advisors to use their time to engage their community and their passions. We partner with local organizations and individuals to provide every explorer with opportunities to explore career opportunities, develop hands-on skills, and discover their passions.
Spark-Y & Urban Sustainability
We see sustainable development as a key aspect of Exploration High School's mandate to improve our community. We have partnered with award-winning Spark-Y Youth Action Labs to create an onsite Sustainability Hub serving our neighborhood and city. Explorers will implement aquaponics labs, communal gardens, renewable energy sources, and other projects through the science curriculum at ExHS.
Career Preparedness
The best teacher is experience. Explorers learn life and career skills by collaborating with community experts on projects, internships, and experiences every day.
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Our flexible use of time lets explorers learn from experts in fields ranging from web development, sound engineering, construction, tax preparation, tiling, cooking, gardening, plumbing and electric, to any other interests or passions they wish to pursue.
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Extracurricular & Intracurricuar Activities
Whether explorers want to spend their recreation time in the recording studio, playing football, or programming video games, we make extracurriculars into intracurriculars by incorporating explorer's passions into their schedules every day.
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