A key component of all three tiers of our education program is Project-Based Learning. John Dewey (1916) theorized that learning should not only prepare students for life, but should also be an integral part of life itself. Real problem-solving is one function of Project-Based Learning; students help choose their own projects and create learning opportunities based on their individual interests and strengths. The interdisciplinary nature of Project-Based Learning allows teachers to incorporate numerous teaching and learning strategies into project planning and implementation.

Research indicates that interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning increases higher-order thinking skills when compared to traditional teaching methods (Krynock & Robb, 1996). Interdisciplinary projects explicitly connect classroom learning with life outside of the classroom: Project-Based Learning activities are actual problems in need of real solutions by real people or organizations. They involve students directly and deeply in the exploration of an area of study. And the solutions have the potential for actual implementation at the classroom, school, community, regional, national, or global level. Through real life problems, students move outside the classroom, take action on issues, and have a tangible impact in their communities.

Leadership for Social Justice Part of what we aim to accomplish at Howard Area Leadership Academy is to assist students in becoming agents for positive change in their communities. A focus on leadership for social justice as a unifying theme across the curriculum will help us accomplish this goal.

Building on the work of Paulo Freire (2000), we believe that an ability to critically read the world and understand the workings of power in one's life is a critical element of education. Helping students understand how injustice can be opposed and justice advocated for can provide relevance and immediacy to student's work in school. Students will be challenged to consider how their learning in school can be applied to their lives and to constantly reflect on the question: How can this learning help make the world more just? A recent evaluation of a federally funded social justice education program indicated a broad spectrum of positive educational outcomes including increased student achievement and increased parent involvement in school.

HALA embodies a culture of learning and support. The consistent focus of the school is on instruction: the curriculum is language-rich and reinforces literacy development, the curriculum and instruction engage students in active inquiry, and the purpose of practice and repetition is always clear to students. There are ongoing opportunities for students to demonstrate in-depth understanding and application of their knowledge, and the schedule provides time for students to work on high-level learning. We believe the following are the key ingredients of an effective education:

• Rigor: All students need the chance to succeed at challenging classes, such as algebra, writing, and chemistry. 

• Relevance: Courses and projects must spark student interest and relate clearly to the students lives.

• Relationships: All students need adult mentors who know them, look out for them, and push them to achieve.

1. Higher Learning: All HALA students will be prepared for college, regardless of whether they intend to attend college upon
    graduation or pursue employment or other forms of higher learning such as skilled trades, vocational education, etc.

2. No Excuses: It does not matter where a person has been or why they are here; our focus is where they are headed and

    what they are willing to do to get there. We make improvements, not excuses.

3. See it Through: We make a commitment to ourselves, our families and our communities to complete what we've started

    here at HALA and elsewhere in our lives. We will work hard. We will do our best. We will see it through.