Students at CMU-authorized charter schools get a sneak peek at college life

Buddy Moorehouse
Oct 27, 2021 1:36:47 PM

The thought of going to college can be intimidating for any high school student, but thanks to The Governor John Engler Center for Charter Schools at Central Michigan University, the process is a whole lot less scary now.

On Sept. 29, the charter schools office invited high school juniors and seniors from CMU-authorized schools to come to Mt. Pleasant to take part in “Experience Central 2021.” It was an opportunity for the charter high school students to experience a day in the life of a CMU student by participating in interactive sessions, touring the campus and more.

Experience Central is an innovative opportunity that is intended to inspire and inform the next generation of leaders as they prepare for their journey beyond high school. The exclusive one-day campus experience is where high school juniors and seniors from charter high schools authorized by CMU have the opportunity to engage with experts across the CMU community representing a variety of professional fields through a range of interactive experiences. They leave with firsthand knowledge of what it takes to prepare for, and succeed in, higher education and their chosen field of study.”

- Tim Odykirk, Associate Director of Charter Schools at CMU

Students from 13 CMU-authorized high schools participated in this year’s event – Charyl Stockwell Academy, Detroit Leadership Academy, Flex High School of Michigan, International Academy of Flint, Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, Kensington Woods Schools, NexTech High School, Oakland FlexTech High School, Old Redford Academy, Pansophia Academy, Summit Academy North, Trillium Academy, and West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science.

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The interactive sessions were a highlight of the day and they covered a variety of topics – everything from photojournalism to theater to engineering. In the sessions, the high school students took part in an actual hands-on college-level class conducted by the various departments within the university.
The Theatre and Dance department, for example, put on a dance choreography workshop that gave students the opportunity to create their own dance phrases as they learned about the Dance Studies program at CMU.

The School of Art and Design conducted a workshop on animation that gave students the opportunity to create a two-dimensional stop-motion video using animation techniques and puppets.

The Information Systems department gave students a chance to experience its learn-by-doing approach by having students take part in a simulation game in which they had to develop a business plan for a distribution company. And much more.

Will Carleton Academy students walk to school.

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