Waters’ Faith in Students Launches Academy

A group of Washington Preparatory High School students reacted in typical teenage fashion Wednesday when asked if they would be willing to add a rigorous sixth day of school to their weekly schedule.

A hush fell over the school library where dozens of students had gathered to attend the announcement of the opening of the new Maxine Waters Saturday Academy for Student Advancement in Math, Science and Communication at the high school campus in South-Central Los Angeles.

A few raised their hands, sheepishly.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), who posed the question to the young audience, wasn’t deterred by the initially cool response.

“This, for me, is a work of love,” she told the students. “This, for me, is my way of saying I believe in you.”

Under the program, 120 ninth-graders and their parents each year will be selected, based on academic potential and motivation, to participate in enriched programs in math, science and language skills.

The goal is to help socially and academically disadvantaged students compete for college. Students will participate in 16 Saturdays of general enrichment followed by a tutorial session for the Scholastic Assessment Test, a widely used college admissions exam.

Waters encouraged the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to provide $709,000 in funding for the three-year pilot program through the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It will be administered by the Los Angeles Unified School District.

“It is very important to enhance what goes on in the classroom,” Waters said. The sessions will help provide individual attention to enable students to compete on national tests, she said.

But more than just hard work, school officials stressed that they hope to make learning fun through field trips and projects designed to motivate learning. Classes will be kept small and students will have access to 25 computers. Their progress will be tracked.

As the details were revealed, the level of enthusiasm increased dramatically.

“I’m excited,” said Chad Muck, a 14-year-old aspiring engineer. “I want to sign up. I need to because I’m not that good in math and I know I can get better.”

Future computer whiz Ricardo Vargas, 14, echoed support. “I’m joining,” he said. “This will help me go to a good college like UCLA.”

Maria Rodriguez, a 14-year-old who wants to attend UCLA, said the program would not harm her social life.

“It’s something you could go to before you party at night,” she said.

The program will be a safety net “to catch and support students” who might otherwise fall off the edge, said Noma LeMoine, who wrote the program for the district.

That’s how Fred Shair of JPL sees it.

“It’s a way to motivate students to learn,” he said.