Generation ROC: Students spend summer getting head start on high school

ROCHESTER, N.Y. ( WROC ) — As their eighth-grade chapter closes, a group of teens is already writing the preface of their high school lives.

Attending the RCSD Acceleration University–in partnership with St. John Fisher University — these students are using their summer vacation to learn about what lies in store for them this upcoming school year.

The program has been operating for about three years giving students advanced coursework to count as high school credits. The students themselves get to choose what they’d like to learn about.

News 8 visited the Urban Poetry class where the ambitious teens listened to popular music and broke down the lyrics, analyzed poetry, and gave their own interpretations of both, as well as composing what the City of Rochester means to them. They share that they chose this course both to better prepare for high school but also to take advantage of opportunities to see themselves reflected in their learning.

“To me, this means we all have a future and we could all do something. I think it just in general puts everyone out there that they can do their own thing,” says Ay’ana Aofonso.

“I want to be successful, and that to me means being wealthy enough to live comfortably to provide for a family,” says Donte Powell. “This is just one thing to prepare for that, and I can better decide what I wanna do.”

Organizers say they’re thrilled to see their students so eager to learn and find fun in the courses. The program runs for six weeks and credits are transferrable to RCSD courses.

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