The Dolores School District students are participating in summer work-based learning opportunities, which offer hands-on experiences across various career fields. The programs, integrated into the district’s summer learning initiatives, provide practical skills and college credits while combating the “summer slide.” Other students are participating in internships and other kinds of summer programming.
“This is when students are able to recover credits if they failed a course, but we also have students taking voluntary summer school courses, both at the high school and college levels, to explore areas of interest, earn additional credits toward college degrees and in general to get ahead,” Cheri Walker, Dolores academic adviser, told The Journal.
In addition to students participating in local programs, five juniors are engaging in specialized summer programs. Ben Carpenter will intern at Oklahoma State University through the Pinhead Institute as an aerospace engineering researcher. Ava Gregory, Amelia Pym, Aidan Sweat and Will Nielson will attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy in June.
These students will join around 80 other youths from Colorado high schools for a week long program this month.
Some of the local summer work-based learning opportunities Dolores students are participating in include culinary, environment, farming, forestry and health care.
The Beyond the Line Summer Culinary Institute, running from July 14 to Aug. 7, was created for high school students aged 14 and older who are interested in culinary arts. The classes will be held Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offer training in kitchen operations and cooking under the guidance of the Manna Culinary Manager and other “community professionals.”
The program is free, with a $200 weekly stipend for those meeting expectations.
The Environment and Climate Institute will be held June 9-12 at Fort Lewis College, for students who interested in environmental issues affecting Colorado’s ecosystems. Participants will stay in college dorms, enjoy field trips and receive lodging and meals at no cost.
The Farmer In Training program, from July 7 to Aug. 14, allows students to earn two college credits and up to $1,600. Among other lessons, students will be taught high-elevation farming techniques through hands-on vegetable growing. The 28-hour weekly commitment includes two farming courses for environmental conservation credits.
The Southwest Health System Summer Internship program, running June 4-27, provides local high school students the opportunity to take on rotations in health care. Interns will complete two to three half-day rotations Monday through Friday, and will learn skills in wound care, IV starts and injections during Thursday sessions.
The Wildland Fire Academy, set for June 2-7, provides weeklong training to prepare students to apply for a red card and work as wildland firefighters.
The Dolores Summer Learning Program, a program targeted to students entering third grade through eighth grade, will be hosted throughout the entirety of June.
The district is also hosting “The Art of Learning,” which includes activities and field trips that center around this topic, according to Lisa Baer, K-12 gifted and talented/multilingual coordinator. Students will also receive Spanish lessons.
“Our goal is to help ‘slow the summer slide’ and provide a fun, hands-on extension to the school year,” Baer said. “Students will explore creative design, sustainability of our environment, hydroponic energy and the art of the world around us. We also have included daily Spanish lessons for our students, provided by a new para hire. Great things are happening in the Dolores school district.”
