Experiential learning for students during summertime, encompassing intellectual concepts and rhythmic music productions

West Philadelphia High School Students Prepare for College with Musicopia and UACS

This summer, approximately 50 students at West Philadelphia High School took part in a unique program in partnership with Musicopia and the University Assisted Community Schools (UACS) program. The focus of this program was to prepare students for college marching bands and academic scholarships in music programs at local universities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The program, called the Educational Pipeline, was held in July and was facilitated with the Center for Public Health. In addition to learning music and studying the history of HBCU marching bands, students also worked on identifying health issues in the community. These issues ranged from heat islands to student mental health.

The collaborative work during the summer's Educational Pipeline program saw high school students working with Penn students to develop solutions grounded in public health approaches. This collaboration was a part of the summer edition of the Educational Pipeline program, which also engaged graduate and undergraduate students at Penn.

The Netter Center for Community Partnerships, which hosts UACS, emphasized that the core experience for students should be enjoyable. Bianca del Rio, the executive director of UACS, stated that the goal is for students to have fun while learning.

The UACS program serves K-8 and high school students. It aims to prevent summer learning loss and engage students in real-world, problem-solving learning. This year marked the 40th year of the Netter Center's University-Assisted Community Schools (UACS) summer enrichment programs.

Interestingly, the summer program of the Education Pipeline Project in collaboration with the Netter Center for Community Partnerships is not exclusive to Penn. This year, a similar program was conducted at Yale University as well.

The Educational Pipeline program is a partnership between the Netter Center and several schools, encouraging high school students to explore careers in health care. Through this program, students are not only learning academics but also gaining practical skills that can help them succeed in their future endeavours.