Overview
In 2022, motivated by concerns about how the pandemic was affecting young people’s well-being and education, a small group of educators at the Centre for Initiatives in Education created a new High School Within a University (HSWAU) initiative in partnership with OCDSB, aimed at students who were at risk of not completing high school despite showing the aptitude for university studies.
Partnering with some fantastic and dedicated OCDSB teachers, we successfully completed a pilot year in 2023-24 with ten local high school students. Our pilot funding continues for the 2024-25 school year, and is then no longer renewable. This program is in danger of lapsing after its second year, despite the successes experienced by the students so far, and the demand for the program, which we wish to grow to 30 students per year.
The Background
From our first pilot year, 9 of the ten students proceeded to post-secondary education after completing their dual credit.
The Rollout
Donations to the High School Within A University will pay for:
- Bursaries for the high school students participating.
- Honoraria for university students who work with the high school students while they are on campus.
- Expenses and school supplies for on-campus experiences, such as dining dollars, a trip to the Bookstore, and more!
The Impact
By targeting this program to high school students who have experienced significant barriers to continuing their studies and graduating, our goal is to extend the expertise of the Enriched Support Program and Centre for Initiatives in Education in a way that benefits those who most need support in accessing education. The participating students experience campus life at Carleton, take a dual credit course with CIE, and they are encouraged to dream big, carrying their enhanced confidence with them, wherever they choose to go as their next step.