Early College Academy
EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY
The LVUSD Early College Academy is a pathways course that was established in 2018. A pathways course begins in middle school and is continued through high school.
In 6th grade ECA, students are introduced to all things middle school: how to navigate Aeries and Google Classroom, how to email a teacher, organizational skills, and how to get to class on time, to name a few.
Students will work on building social skills, leadership techniques, and collaborative methods. Students will build a web site and learn many tricks, tips, and enhancements using Google. Empathy, sympathy, gratitude, and kindness are common themes throughout the elective, and students will explore and research organizations in our community that provide these services. Students will also partake in note taking - from Cornell notes to sketchnoting, dive into their personality, revisit their own educational journey, explore colleges, and even see what the future might have in store for them.
In 7th grade ECA, students begin to explore the principles of successful college practices. They focus on the skills of writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading. These skills are realized through group and individual passion projects, the creation of a TED Talk, weekly peer tutorials, and the analysis of books like Success Principles for Teens. Students learn ways to organize their schoolwork and prepare for both short assignments and long term projects in their classes.
8th grade ECA students continue preparing for success in high school and college. The course focuses on effective note taking and study skills, with a continued emphasis on writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading. Units include Effective Note Taking, College Research, Presentation Skills, and Personal Goals/Awareness. What Color Is Your Parachute? for Teens guides students through a journey of discovery related to high school, college, and careers. Students engage in weekly study sessions and play games and socialize. Teambuilding and collaboration are emphasized in a supportive environment designed to ensure success. Late in the fall semester, Pierce College helps 8th grade ECA students apply and enroll to become college students! During spring semester, the professor comes to campus weekly and teaches an introductory counseling course. Students earn CSU/CC transferable credit when they successfully complete this course. Most importantly, they get an opportunity to experience college, hone their skills, and strengthen their resilience, grit, and growth mindset. The dual enrollment course is required of all 8th grade ECA students.
High School
When students leave middle school ECA, they are prepared to enter into dual enrollment ECA classes at the high school. These dual enrollment classes will again feature application and enrollment through Pierce College. The professors come to campus to teach the courses, and students earn credit towards their high school diploma as well as college credits. College courses that have been offered in the past include: Psychology, Sociology, Business, Administration of Justice, ASL2, Anthropology, Cinema, and Communications. These course offerings vary year to year and may be different at each high school.