Athlos Students SERVE

Athlos Academies prides itself on offering students an education that will fully prepare them for life in a competitive future. The Athlos three-pillar model of Prepared Mind, Performance Character, and Healthy Body provides students with an education that supports student growth in academics, develops students who are equipped to live a healthy lifestyle, and instills the character necessary for students to become active, engaged community citizens.

In addition to, and in partnership with these three pillars, it is essential that Athlos students are provided every opportunity to advance in today’s world. This means an intentional focus in the areas of science, engineering, recreation, volunteerism, and entrepreneurial education. To continue to stay relevant and provide the best possible educational opportunity to its Athlos Academies created the SERVE acronym detailed below.

What does it mean to SERVE?

SERVE is an acronym that represents how Athlos Academies students serve. The mission of the Athlos Academies SERVE program is to prepare students for success in a competitive future by focusing on the 21^st Century skills essential for future career and life success, as well as continuing a focus on a whole-child approach to development. For each letter of the acronym SERVE, Athlos will provide supporting core and extra-curricular offerings to build fluency, skills, and knowledge in each area.

Science

The “S” in SERVE stands for science, a field of study that plays a critical role in preparing students for college, career, and life. Science is also an avenue for which to teach technological literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The Athlos SERVE program will offer students robust core offerings in the areas of science and digital literacy.

Athlos will focus on improving student outcomes in computer science education through teacher training and alignment to core competencies.

To support the growth of science skills and knowledge outside of core offerings, Athlos schools will host STEM Saturdays in partnership with local and national universities and organizations. These STEM Saturday events will be regularly scheduled and will focus on both the “S” (science) of SERVE and the “E” (engineering) of SERVE. More information on STEM Saturdays can be found under the “E – Engineering” section below.

Engineering

The “E” in SERVE stands for engineering, a subject that allows students to apply what they are learning about both science and mathematics, enhancing learning through the practice of cross-curricular learning. By shaping engineering classroom activities around real-world technologies and application, students draw relevancies to their lives and future education and career goals.

Robotics and coding will be at the core of the Athlos course offering for students. Learning objectives taught in engineering courses will create pathways to prepare students for high school and higher education. The engineering element of the Athlos SERVE program will be essential in preparing students for futures in science, engineering, and technical careers.

STEM Saturdays will be offered to students regularly as the extra-curricular component of the engineering and science components of SERVE. These STEM Saturdays will take place with community partners who have expertise in science and engineering fields including local universities, aeronautical organizations, etc. Students will work with these partners on real-world application of content being learned in core classes.

Recreation

The “R” in SERVE stands for recreation. This element focuses heavily on the already developed pillar of Healthy Body and an emphasis on movement, wellness, and developing a joy for living a healthy and active lifestyle. Because science shows a correlation between student physical activity and performance on standardized testing, Athlos prioritizes physical activity and health in school and beyond.

A core staple of the Athlos model, students participate in coach-led athletic movement classes at least four times per week. Outside of athletic movement, students participate in classroom movement breaks that reinforce subject matter learning, as well as scheduled free play times. Consistently engaging students in physical activity in school creates habits students will use to be active for life.

To encourage recreation outside of the classroom, student leadership members will take ownership of creating and implementing a service-learning project that will encompass both the “R” (recreation) of SERVE and the “V” (volunteerism) of SERVE. For more information on the service-learning project, see the “V – Volunteerism” section below.

Volunteerism

The “V” in SERVE stands for volunteerism. Volunteering not only provides students with an opportunity to give back to their communities, but it also teaches them about social and societal issues outside of what they may encounter within the walls of the classroom.

As a vital element of the Athlos model, students learn to intentionally build on Performance Character traits like integrity, humility, and grit. Volunteering provides a platform for Athlos students to exhibit these traits and become active and engaged community members.

The Athlos SERVE program will incorporate service-learning projects into core subject areas, allowing students to apply first-hand the lessons being taught in the classroom. Capstone projects will be introduced in transitional grades.

Student leaders will play a central part in ideating, organizing, and implementing a service-learning project for middle-school students that incorporates both volunteerism and recreation. This student-led project will take place off campus and will meet requirements of being service-based and giving back to the community, as well as including an element of physical activity (i.e. park cleanup) and/or a focus on health and wellness.

Entrepreneurship

The “E” in SERVE stands for entrepreneurship and will prepare students to think of business through the scope of creativity. Entrepreneurial studies provide students with opportunities to become creative problem solvers, leaders, effective team members, and to adapt to changing environments. Student entrepreneurs learn to identify and address challenges and opportunities.

In core classes and electives, Athlos will provide business education that will help hone students’ skills in entrepreneurship. Local and national business leaders and practitioners will be invited, both in person and virtually, into the classroom to share real-world application of business and entrepreneurship with students.

As an extra-curricular entrepreneurship offering, Athlos will partner with community and national organizations such as Junior Achievement and local businesses to provide off-campus, hands-on experience to students in the form of field trips, service learning and apprentice opportunities, and volunteerism.