“Arizona P.A.R.E.N.T.”
The Rodel Community Scholars are teaming up with Maryvale High School, Franklin Fire & Police High School, Coolidge High School, and Tolleson High School create a "hitchhikers' guide to education" for parents of students entering high school for the first time entitled Arizona P.A.R.E.N.T. (Parental Academic Related Educational Needs Training). As students transition from middle school to high school, often parents become unaware of the educational milieu of students as the educational system becomes more complicated. This guide/handbook will address key issues such as assessment, standards, accountability, special education, ELL, governing boards, charter schools, class scheduling, graduation requirements, credits, university requirements and possibilities, scholarships, teachers and administrators, free and reduced lunch, uniforms, district types, state board, guidance counselors, contact information, and school and/or district demographics.
“All Present”
The Rodel Community Scholars are charged to improve attendance at Maryvale High School. “All Present” creates an educational-community-familial nexus toward improving student attendance. For example, the Rodel Community Scholars meet with and mentor the top 50 students who miss school the most. Through mentoring, The Rodel Community Scholars attempt to find solutions for attending class as well as a way to get these students to focus on the ultimate goal of graduating high school. In addition, The Rodel Community Scholars hold “Family Night” on a monthly basis. The goal behind “Family Night” is to have an open discussion with parents on the issues and challenges they face in getting their children to attend school on regular basis. During “Family Night” dinner is provided by The Rodel Community Scholars and discussions are held in both Spanish and English. Finally, “All Present” entails working with the local businesses in the Maryvale Business District to help students attend classes. The businesses agree to hold their workers school attendance over their work and assist students by scheduling them in hours that enables them to focus on school first. This project will assist administrators from Maryvale High School to revise the Maryvale Attendance Policy.
"Apollo Group"
Rodel Scholars Lonnie Burnette, Caitlin Donahoe, and Heather Lange work together with Glendale's Apollo High School encouraging high school students to seek higher education after graduation. The group acts as a resource for Apollo students to find information on their options following high school. The Scholars work one-on-one with the students to educate them on the processes of applying to institutions and looking for financial aid.
“Influence of Parenting Styles on the Initial
Adjustment of High School Freshmen”
Previous studies have shown the effects parenting styles have on the initial adjustment of first-year students. Most researchers have limited their focus to the effect parenting styles have on the initial adjustment of first-year students entering college; however, this study
extends the literature by examining the influence of parenting styles on the initial adjustment of first-year students in high school. More specifically, this study focuses on rural high schools in Pinal County, Arizona. Researchers sampled over 500 first-year freshmen students in Pinal County, Arizona and administered self-report surveys,
Student Adaptation to High School Questionnaire and the Parental Authority Questionnaire. Correlational analysis demonstrated a significant positive relationship between authoritative parenting styles and overall high school adjustment. In addition, significant negative correlations were found for both authoritarian and permissive
parenting styles to overall high school adjusment. Other indices of adjustment (i.e., Social, academic, personal-emotional, and commitment to school) and parenting styles were also found to be related to parenting styles.
“Arizona High School Town Hall”
Arizona High School Town Hall is an opportunity for high school students from around the State of Arizona to come together and exhibit civic leadership by exploring and creating solutions to various issues concerning education. In addition, students learn about college life such as enrollment procedures, scholarship and financial aid information, engage in student-life activities, and experience dorm living on a college campus. After a full day of crafting solutions and experiencing college life students convene the following morning to create consensus on the various agenda topics and help craft a final report to be presented to education, business, and political leaders in Arizona.
“The Differential Developmental Trajectories of High School Dropouts and Graduates”
In collaboration with Dr. Hickman, we have been working on a study which focuses on the origin and pattern of variables that relate to high school graduates and dropouts beginning with Kindergarten up to 12th grade. The objectives of our study were to examine the developmental trajectories of high school graduates compared to high school dropouts and identify any differences including; when the differences occur, across which variables do they occur, which variables exhibit the greatest differences between graduates and dropouts, and which variables account for the most variance for dropping out of high school. Results demonstrate that significant differences occur as early as Kindergarten between dropouts and graduates, regardless of subject. Further, as their developmental progression unfolds the differences become even more divergent in middle school, regardless of subject. Consequently, students academic career tend to end as it started, regardless of pathway.
“College Matriculation”
Rodel Scholars Lonnie Burnette, Caitlin Donahoe, and Heather Lange work together with Glendale's Apollo High School encouraging high school students to seek higher education after graduation. The group acts as a resource for Apollo students to find information on their options following high school. The Scholars work one-on-one with the students to educate them on the processes of applying to institutions and looking for financial aid. The goal is to increase the rate of matriculation to institutions of higher education for Apollo High School.
"Maryvale Attendance Group"
The Maryvale Attendance Project is aimed to improve student attendance at Maryvale High School. The Rodel Community Scholars are mentoring the Top 50 “at-risk” students and hope to work with them to find a cause for their absence as well as a way to get them to go to school with the ultimate goal of graduating in their mind. The Maryvale Attendance Group is also working with the local businesses in the Maryvale District to help get the students in their classes. The businesses agree to hold their workers school attendance over their work and help with whatever the students may need. Finally, the Maryvale Group will be revising the Maryvale Attendance Policy and will be looking to change the policy.
“Tolleson Scholarship Endowment Fund”
The Rodel Community Scholars Brian Jankowski, John Opuroku, and Ryan Maloney are working in part with the Wolverine Knight Foundation to help raise money for the graduating seniors of Tolleson High School. The Rodel Community Scholars have engaged in such activities as reaching by placing change jugs in various local businesses in an effort to raise money for scholarships. In addition, The Rodel Community Scholars assisted in the planning of the annual Wolverine Knight Foundation golf tournament held at Falcon Dunes Golf Course. Further, The Rodel Community Scholars began the process of implementing voluntary payroll deduction for the staff and faculty of Tolleson High School. Finally, the high schools are involved in penny wars to also raise money for scholarships. This is the first year of this project in which The Rodel Community Scholars layed the groundwork for the next generation of Rodel Scholars to continue.
“Empowering Students for Solutions in Pinal County”
The Rodel Community Scholars Carrie Fry, Jennifer Huysentruyt, and Sarah Atkinson teamed up with Central Arizona College and various Pinal County High Schools to empower students for various educational and familial concerns in Pinal County, Arizona. The Rodel community Scholars surveyed over 500 students in Pinal County high schools and asked them four questions. First, “What are the 3 major reasons why students drop out of Pinal County schools?” Second, “What are the 3 major challenges and concerns of being a high school student in Pinal County, Arizona?” Third, How can Pinal County leaders establish parental involvement in Pinal County high schools?” Finally, “Create an ideal high school and explain; how you hired administrators and teachers, size of school, size of classes, curriculum, discipline strategies, methods of identifying those in danger of academic and discipline problems, intervention and remediation methods for students in danger of academic and disciplinary problems, methods to create an enjoyable school atmosphere, etc.” Recommendations were established for each question by high school students in Pinal County, Arizona.
“The Rodel Jr. Community Scholars”
The Rodel Community Scholars Heather Lang, Melissa Lundell, Ify Nwambuonwo, and Jason Vandewalle are teaming up with Sahuaro Elementary School in the Washington School District to create “The Rodel Jr. Community Scholars.” The Rodel Community Scholars at ASU at the West Campus will mentor 6th grade Rodel Jr. Scholars at Sahurao Elementary in an effort to address educational needs and/or concerns at Sahurao Elementary. The Rodel Jr. Community Scholars will conduct a year-long project in which they will write up a report of their project and present to their high school as well as the College of Teacher Education faculty at ASU-West.
