Around the Schools
Franklin program receives youth achievement award for inspiring students to public service
Franklin High School received a youth achievement award Oct. 23 for its college preparatory program that has inspired hundreds of students with a lifelong ethic of public service.
The League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County presented its “Making Democracy Work Youth Achievement Award” to the John Stanford Public Service and Political Science Academy at Franklin.
Franklin students Wilondja Muyoma and Njeri Mburu accepted the award. Representing the program were students Diaba Kaba, Azaria Keys, and Yen Truong; Community Projects Manager Luzviminda Uzuri "Lulu" Carpenter; and Franklin Principal Jennifer Wiley.
In addition to the award, the League of Women Voters of Washington Education Fund gave the academy a classroom set of the civics textbook: “The State We're In -- Washington: Your guide to state, local and tribal government.”
The academy is a rigorous three-year college preparatory program that emphasizes political awareness and public service through the integration of core academy classes. The academy is a school within a school. It empowers students to develop their own vision of the role they and the government should take in confronting local, national and international challenges.
Academic work is spiced with real-world experiences through field trips, meetings with legislators, conferences, internships and hands-on service learning. Students are exposed to the public sector, including local and state government and non-profits; co-curricular experiences in the community centered on civic involvement afford students with the opportunity to serve their communities and take action to effect change.
Academy teachers include: Webster Hutchins, Al Snyder, Angela Roh, Jocelyn Mitchell, and Eric Faulkner.
Students graduate at a very high rate – more than 87 percent. Nearly 80 percent are accepted at two- and four-year colleges.
The program serves students in one of the most diverse zip codes in the nation. Over 70 percent of Franklin's students are served a free or reduced-priced lunch and it has a high English Language Learning population. Yet, its outcomes are better than schools in the state with similar demographics and surpass many schools with less complex students.
Click on the video below for information on the Public Service and Political Science Academy at Franklin High School:
