One of the most important lessons I learned from my teaching career is that “pathways of opportunity” – formative experiences and challenges that foster students’ growth, deepen their passions, and open doors to important networks and future prospects – are critical for students to reach their fullest potential. While these types of opportunities – mentorships, educational camps, high-quality enrichment programs, travel experiences, college immersions, etc. – are easily accessible for affluent students, kids growing up in low-income communities oftentimes don’t have these same resources readily available. Providing all students with these opportunities is one critical way to ensure all kids, regardless of their background, can successfully pursue and persist through college or other post-secondary learning experiences.
That’s why we are proud to partner with the Hagedorn Legacy Foundation, the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and The Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at The Ohio State University on the development of the Legacy Project. The Legacy Project is a unique coaching program that provides students with personal 1:1 coaching, impactful learning opportunities, and enriching post-secondary immersion experiences throughout their four years of high school. The program is designed to not only support students’ academic performance and character development, but also help them develop entrepreneurial mindsets, a future orientation, and an expansive network of mentors and successful peers that will help students reach their fullest potential.
As partners in building the Legacy Project, Mayerson Academy is developing a strengths-based coaching framework and unique learning experiences that will support students in developing a deeper understanding of their own strengths and the strengths of their peers. We know from experience that when students know their own strengths, see them in others and apply them in pursuit of their goals, they experience increased motivation, engagement, learning and performance. We are thrilled to see what will be possible for students involved in the Legacy Project as they put their strengths to work, capitalize on new pathways of opportunity, and realize their fullest potential.
