Amped Student & Alumni Voices

On day one, our teachers in Amped asked us: ‘What’s important to you? This is your class, how do you want to learn?’ Coming from the neighborhood I came from, my mindset was, ‘I just need to survive.’ If my teachers didn’t care, I didn’t care. That’s what school was for me and many of my peers. 

Amped taught us that we’re important, and we’re smart, and we get to decide what we want to do. I learned that being educated is not just about scores and numbers, it’s about creating yourself. It’s not just what you learn, it’s how you learn. My experience in Amped opened doors that I didn’t even know were there. It gave me the confidence to know that I’m the only person that can stop me.

​I'll always remember Amped until the day I leave this world because they gave me hope for everything that I always thought that someone else would do, but I learned that I too can do that something. At the end of the day, everything starts with me, you, and us. It's our future and it's time we own it.​

“We have the power, together, to uplift each other and create meaningful change in our schools and communities.”
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Amped english learner Voices

 "This class makes me feel like I belong,” stated one 2019 11th grade Humanities Amped English Learner. English Learners often feel marginalized in classes where they might not feel they are intentionally welcomed, and a language barrier might make it harder to make friends. The culturally-responsive approach of Humanities Amped centers on student well-being and community building, which makes English Learners feel like part of a classroom family.
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English Learners (ELs) feeling welcomed has translated into better academic outcomes: ELs enrolled in the Humanities Amped EL Pilot Program in the 2017-2018 school year experienced a 100% graduation rate in 2018 (compared to a 67% rate for McKinley High seniors overall). The 2018-2019 school year also saw a 100% graduation rate for ELs. One graduating English Learner shared, “I feel like this is one of the few classes that makes me feel ready for college.” Read more about our ELs on our Spotlights Page. 

Amped educator Voices

Before I became an affiliate with the Humanities Program, I was an average teacher at best. The Amped mentor teachers provided all kinds of support. It was their partnership and community atmosphere that developed into something special for the educators as well as the students. I taught as an Amped teacher for three years, improving my Compass scores every year.

Without question the most enriching experience I have had as an educator. Together with some of the most committed, professional teachers in the district, we grappled with what it means to provide a world-class education to our most vulnerable students. We approached this inquiry from both a theoretical and a practical perspective, and I walked away proud to work in a district that is doing such powerful work. 

​As a teacher and as a person, no program has demanded excellence from me like Humanities Amped. The kids are growing, & so am I. I can tell you with confidence that we build people into change agents.