Our return to voluntary in-person learning has far exceeded our expectations. We appreciate your sentiments of pride for our efforts to lead a smooth transition; however, YOU influenced our decisions and the development of our final plan. YOUR candid and consistent feedback led us every step of the way. We are confident about our plans for the Fall, which is in part due to YOUR partnership. Thank you.

As we round out the 4th quarter and prepare for the end of the school year, we would like to call your attention to a few of the extracurricular activities and electives that have enhanced your scholar’s academic experience, even during this turbulent school year. Included below are highlights from our various campuses where these unique experiences are offered. Our scholars and crew will share the skills gained and the benefits that these experiences provide on the next steps in your scholars’ educational and career journeys. To obtain more information about the offerings at each campus, visit our website at UPrepSchools.com.

Finally, we would like to extend the invitation for your family and friends to join the U Prep Community. We are currently expanding our crew, and we have openings for a variety of positions in our network. Take a moment to view the videos enclosed in this issue, where crew members express their love for the U, and visit UPrepSchools.com to learn about how you, your family, or friends might apply to join our crew. We would love to have you as part of our U Prep family.

In Community,

U Prep encourages critical thinking for all of our scholars, so they learn to engage in reflective and independent thought. We offer Debate Club at UPA Middle School and UPA High School for those who want to develop their skills in the areas of critical thought, research, public speaking, conflict resolution, and more. UPA’s Debate Club is at the top of its game and is currently one of the most decorated teams in the State, including success at the national level. Find out more about our Debate Club at the link below.

We recently sat down with UPAD High School Assistant School Director Jada Frank to learn more about the Senior Mastery Process (SMP). As part of the graduation requirements at UPAD, seniors must complete the SMP, a student-led project dedicated to self-discovery and personal development. Each scholar establishes goals and goes through a practical investigation of career opportunities using standard research methods. The project spans two years so that students can participate in a summer internship-practicum experience in the area of interest that they identified during the first year of their SMP program. Read more about this unique experience below.

UPA Middle School offers electives such as Dance that not only challenge scholars intellectually but physically as well. Dance has many benefits for the body and the brain and is highly beneficial in a child’s development. UPA Middle School has been offering Dance as an elective since 2016. The Dance program is led by dance professionals with years of experience in a variety of dance genres. Learn more about how U Prep scholars benefit from dance at the link below.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Jeremiah Steen is an alumnus of U Prep Art & Design. He is currently attending the University of Detroit and is in the process of obtaining his bachelor's degree in Communications. Jeremiah is the Director of the Steen Foundation, which aims to positively impact the socialization of youth, promoting strong, inquisitive thinking and allowing teens to advance their view of community through a creative perspective. Jeremiah also serves as the Youth Program Assistant for the Museum of Contemporary Art - Detroit and a Grant Adviser at the Pollination Project. Read more about Jeremiah below!

We are expanding our crew! U Prep has a variety of teaching and non-teaching positions available. Visit the Careers page on our website to view the open jobs in the U Prep network.

We are also excited to announce the release of three new videos supporting our employee recruitment efforts. These videos feature current crew members discussing their journeys as educators with U Prep and why they love working here!

There are so many great things about working at the U! Click on the video link below to hear from some U Prep crew on why they love the U.

We would like give a special thanks to U Prep alumnus, Jalyn Baity, Baity Films for his collaboration in the production of these new videos.

Last month, our CEO Danielle Jackson launched a new monthly blog, The U Crew Collective. This month’s blog was written by U Prep CEO Danielle Jackson and is part II of the Liberation Through Education series. In this entry, she explains self-actualization and its pertinence to a scholar’s overall development. Click the link to enjoy Liberation Through Education Part II: Self-actualization.