Tech students acquire knowledge through Project Based Learning which allows students to obtain a greater depth of understanding of concepts, broader knowledge base, improved communication and interpersonal social skills, enhanced leadership skills, increased creativity, and improved writing skills. They apply what they know to solve authentic problems and produce results that matter. They take advantage of digital tools to produce high quality, collaborative products. Project Based Learning refocuses education on the student, not the curriculum but a shift mandated by the 21st century skills needed in our world which rewards intangible assets such as drive, passion, creativity, empathy, and resiliency. These cannot be taught out of a textbook, but must be activated through experience. A final product is created by the student, such artifacts may include a variety of media such as writing, art, drawing, three-dimensional representations , videos, photography or technology based  presentations. The students present their learning through four public exhibitions a year by showcasing their final product.

Service Learning Fridays are a strategic way to show significant positive effects on academic performance (GPA, writing skills, critical thinking skills), values (commitment to activism and oneself), self-efficacy, leadership (leadership activities, self-rated leadership ability, interpersonal skills), choice of a service career, and plans to participate in service after college. The experience learning in the “real world” develops critical thinking, civic responsibility, social and personal development, leadership skills, time management skills and soft skills. Most importantly service learning makes students more marketable to large companies and help with admission to 4-year colleges and scholarship support. Tech students are assigned a service learning site through their advisory. The sites include: elementary schools, community centers, food pantries, community and Albuquerque initiatives.

Explorations are a fundamental of a student’s education. Explorations spark a passion or curiosity and push the student to take their learning into their own hands. When students leave the classroom, they see the connections between what is happening at school and in the ‘real-world’. They begin to see that what they learn within the walls of the classroom can help them solve the problems they see in the world around them and will have a direct impact on who they become as people. Students are able to access tools and environments that are not available at school. Our communities are rich learning laboratories. Explorations make it possible to take students to see an underwater ecosystem at an aquarium, participate in citizen science in a river, see and touch historical artifacts in person and present on a public stage among hundreds of other things. Each experience solidifies learning and supports important academic concepts.

Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions (CGE) is excited to develop a proposal for Tech Leadership HS students revolving around social/emotional skills and collaborative service learning work. The program will have three primary components over the course of the year; a once-per-month team building session in Advisory Groups, a once-per-semester building project to create an outdoor learning space, and an option bi-weekly hike in the greater Albuquerque area, open to all students. This program is designed for all Tech Leadership students over the course of the 2020-2021 school year. This program builds on family the success of our 2019 Junior/Senior retreat, and our 2020 afterschool/service learning programs at Tech Leadership. These activities will all be facilitated outdoors, regardless of weather; students and staff will maintain 6 ft of social distance for these activities and will follow COVID protocols in line with NMDOH and PED, developed by both Tech Leadership and CGE.

The MESA School Program supports pre-college students (mostly in middle and senior high schools) to excel in math and science and go on to college as majors in STEM fields. Advising and academic assistance is provided through a MESA advisor, usually a math or science teacher. Components of the MSP include development of individual academic plans to ensure timely completion of college preparatory classes, study skills training, local and regional competitions in hands-on activities, career and college exploration, and parent leadership development. MSP also offers professional development opportunities for math and science teachers to learn innovative approaches and hands-on activities that can be replicated in schools with limited resources.

Every student will take part in the Professional Development Track and Computer Basics, because they are keystones to any technology career. In addition, each student will have their choice of other Tech Tracks: Computer Refurbishing, Computer Repair, Networking, Cybersecurity, Web Development Basics, WordPress Website Development, Salesforce Admin, Chat Bots, Machine Learning, AI & Robotics