The next early release day is this week, February 7, and this week students will participate in Life Hack Workshops instead of attending regular classes. The workshops will range from learning how to do taxes and meal prep to changing a tire.
Students were sent a Google Form to choose workshop preferences, and each student will be scheduled for three different sessions, each 30 minutes long, based on their workshop choices.
Each workshop will be led by a volunteer community member or staff who is educated on the session’s topic. Lindley believes these workshops will benefit the students by teaching them about real-life situations and helping them feel more prepared for their future.
“Students often express concerns about real-life issues and say that they feel unprepared for transitioning from the school environment to the real world where they have to manage their finances, transportation, homes, and work. Our committee felt that these workshops could help address some of these concerns. We have lined up many community members who will be sharing their expertise that morning on topics like finances, home and vehicle maintenance, food prep and shopping, workplace needs, and even dealing with cultural diversity in our everyday lives. We are pleased by the willingness and support we have received from presenters and the community,” said Lindley.
Although the workshops will only take place on Wednesday, Lindley hopes that students will feel comfortable contacting the workshop leaders after the sessions for further information.
“Perhaps students will make connections with local professionals and will feel more comfortable in reaching out to them for more information and support. If our day goes well, we may plan it into our rotation next year,” said Lindley.
Lindley hopes students can learn a lot from the workshops and put these skills to use in the future.