- A five-day, 40-hour apprenticeship or career exploration project required of all students at OES
- A guided process through which students learn how to create their own educational experiences outside of the classroom
- An opportunity for students to explore a particular area of interest
- A chance for students to experience the demands and structure of the “working world”
- A self-directed educational experience
As students are preparing to leave home and/or the nurturing environment of OES, the school feels it is important to teach students how to find their place in the world. Discovery encourages students to look at their interests and the opportunities available to them outside of school. The process holds each individual demands of looking for and holding a job.
Students are given an overview of the rationale for and the requirements of Discovery. They are offered guidance in determining a specific area of interest, and in identifying potential host organizations. Students may choose an apprenticeship or project that is directly related to their career goals, or they may choose to explore some other interest. The responsibility is theirs to determine what sort of experiences they wish to create.
Students must contact potential host organizations and arrange to meet with potential sponsors (i.e. an individual within the organization(s) who would serve as the student’s guide/mentor). The student is responsible for supplying the sponsor with information about Discovery, and discussing what the apprenticeship or project would entail. When a “match” is found, the student and mentor complete the Discovery Project Proposal together. The sponsor, student, academic advisor and parent sign this document, and the student give the form to the Discovery Coordinator.
All Discovery Project Proposals are reviewed by the Discovery Coordinator. If the Coordinator does not feel that the apprenticeship or project is appropriate, the students must re-adjust the arrangement, or in the case of an underclassman, wait to do a Discovery at a later time. Students must complete the project proposal and signature page at least two weeks prior to the start of their Discovery for approval by the Discovery Coordinator. If a student neglects prior approval, it is not guaranteed that the work they do will fulfill their requirement.
Discovery projects are to be completed within one week, preferably during five consecutive days. In rare cases, exceptions can be made if a different schedule is advantageous to the experience. At the end of Discovery, the student and sponsor must each complete an evaluation of the experience. In addition, the student must also write a 5 page paper about their experience.
Watching someone else work for a week does not constitute a good apprenticeship. Students should strive to find an apprenticeship or project where they will be actively involved and continue to learn from new experiences throughout the week. When creating a Discovery project, students should look for the following:
- An opportunity to play an active role in the organization
- A mentor who will be available to meet with him/her daily
- A situation where the students will not simply be “shadowing” the same person every day. Beware of the potential for boredom!
- An opportunity to learn what s/he wants to learn
Please note: Discovery apprenticeships provide students with the opportunity to be “on their own” in the working world. In order to facilitate this, we ask that students not be hosted by a family member. More than one student may not work at the same apprenticeship site without permission from the Discovery Coordinator. Permission will only be granted if students work independently and have little contact with each other during the apprenticeships. Also, please keep in mind that a student may not be paid for their time, nor may they claim the time for service hours congruently.
Many students complete their Discovery during Winterim of their senior year. However, many students choose to complete their Discovery during the summer. Underclassman may apply to do their Discovery in an earlier year. If a student wishes to do their Discovery during Winterim, each must turn in the Discovery Project Proposal form to the Discovery Coordinator by the Friday before Thanksgiving Break if they are an underclassman, or at least two weeks prior to their Discovery in the case of seniors or students interested in completing their apprenticeship during the summer. If permission is denied to an underclassman, the student is required to sign up for a Winterim course. A student must do one Discovery during their time at OES and is limited to two during the Winterim week if permission is granted. If a student will miss classes and athletic practices during their Discovery, s/he must receive written permission from all teachers and coaches, and must submit this to the Discovery Coordinator with the Project Proposal. The student’s evaluations and paper are due to the Discovery Coordinator one week after completion of the project. All Discovery projects must be completed by the end of spring vacation of the senior year.
The deadlines in the Discovery process are designed to help students see the need for planning their own educational experience. Non-negotiable deadlines are a part of most jobs, and learning to meet them is an important part of the Discovery process. Discovery is a graduation requirement, and those who do not meet the deadlines risk not receiving a diploma at graduation. |