Lifelong Partnership

Partnership for Success complements Pasadena Unified School District’s efforts by emphasizing academic rigor and consistency. This dynamic program spans nine consecutive summers, beginning after the students’ fourthgrade year and culminating after their senior year of high school. Selected by their school principals, approximately 400 Pasadena public school students immerse themselves each summer in a well-balanced curriculum including math, science, technology, and language arts. Furthermore, students are exposed to college as a reality from a young age and receive college counseling when they reach high school.

Partnership for Success students learn from creative, experienced teachers from both the public and private school partners. Westridge School proudly welcomes girls for their first two summers in the program, while boys of the same age attend the program at Chandler School. All students attend Mayfield Junior School during the summers before seventh and eighth grades. Throughout high school, students spend their summers at Polytechnic School.

Alumni from this program and the private school partners often come back to work as paid teaching interns. These interns work alongside the teachers in classrooms with an average of 16 students, providing one-on-one support and serving as role models for the students.

While the five-week summer program is the core of Partnership for Success, the community also gathers throughout the year. Students and families are invited to attend reunion and renewal events featuring engaging speakers. In addition, mentoring is provided as an additional support for students. These opportunities enhance the program by providing continuity and extending the commitment to students’ success beyond the confines of summer. Every spring, the Partnership for Success community comes together to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating seniors. Graduates remain in the program one final summer, bridging to their college experience. During this time, they learn valuable life skills and further their academic enrichment. This culminating experience serves to provide graduates the foundation they need to turn their college reality into lifelong success.

Chinese Language And Culture At Polytechnic School

YING SHANG

Juniors at Poly immersed themselves in five weeks of Chinese language and culture. They learned essential vocabulary to engage in basic conversations and discussed cultural topics such as celebrations and the Zodiac. Students became familiar with Chinese writing systems and learned how to read and write Chinese numbers using Chinese characters. They put their conversational skills to the test by writing and presenting dialogues in Mandarin.

Woodworking At Westridge School

COACH KAREN HANSELMAN

For the first time ever, PFS at Westridge offered a hands-on woodworking course for 5th and 6th grade girls. The students became familiar with the “tools of the trade” and learned safe and proper use of hand saws, drills, files, clamps and measuring devices. Students designed working sketches for their projects, learned to take precise measurements, and transferred these ideas to create their own wood pieces.

Computer Science At Chandler School

MATEO REYES

Chandler students took a computer science class where they spent time learning the Inkscape software program to make graphics for their (fictitious) companies. The students were excited and eager to use their creativity and learn how to apply their design skills to create their own company logos. For their culminating project, students got to watch their company logos laser cut in the Innovation Lab. They were thrilled when they got to hold their designs!