Meet LPS Focus Program Scholar: Avery, Bay High

January 17, 2025

Lincoln Public Schools Focus Programs are a customized high school experience rooted in connection and opportunities. 

LPS offers our scholars - like Lincoln High senior Avery - almost a dozen focus programs to experience. Her creative mind and passion for art blossomed at an early age. Her creativity and fascination with digital media, such as YouTube, video editing, coding, and graphic design, led her to the Bay High Focus Program. 

Read more about Avery’s Bay High experience in this Q&A as she is one of our featured Focus Program Scholars.   

 

Name: Avery

Home High School: Lincoln High School

Grade: 12

Focus Program: Bay High

 

Why did you choose the Bay High Focus Program?

I chose Bay High because I have always been interested in digital media, music and creative career avenues. I wanted to build my skills in these areas, have more creative freedom and meet like-minded people.

What do you like most about the Bay High Focus Program?

What I like most about Bay High is the support and encouragement I get from my teachers. Bay High has such a small team of staff. You get to know each of them on a very individual level. My teachers, Brent, Ethan and Tina, invest so much in us not only as students, but as people. If you have a crazy idea or ambition they’re always eager to help find a way to make it a reality. If you’re struggling, they’re there to work with and support you. 

What makes the Bay High Focus Program different?

As aforementioned, the smaller tight-knit community is definitely one of the biggest differences between Bay High and a regular high school. The curriculum is also focused heavily on projects and hands-on learning where we are given a lot of freedom of choice in what we want to explore. 

How do you get to explore your passions or interests at the Bay High Focus Program?  

Projects at Bay High are generally very open-ended. We are given a lot of freedom of choice and are always encouraged to make things our own. Additionally, in the first semester, seniors are allotted time in class to work on our “Passion Projects,” which are completely decided by us. This amalgamates into an important showcase at the end of the semester where we exhibit what we’ve been working on.

How has attending the Bay High Focus Program empowered you as a student?

My experiences at Bay High have really boosted my confidence and resolve. Many of our projects are ones designed to push us out of our comfort zones. For example, last semester everyone participated in a pitch competition in which we had to present our own business idea to professionals in three minutes. Even though these types of things felt scary at first, having had those experiences makes me feel empowered in my abilities and ready to take on new and inevitable challenges post-high school.

What are your relationships with other students and staff like within the Bay High Focus Program?

The student relationships I’ve formed at Bay High were not what I was expecting, but I think that’s a really great thing. When I came here, I was hoping to meet people with interests similar to mine. The thing is, everyone at Bay High is interested in completely different niches. Yet, there is still a congruence between us. It's fun to see everyone’s perspectives intersect because they all come from a similar love of creativity and digital media, just presented in different ways.

How has being a part of an LPS Focus Program added to your high school experience? 

Being part of a focus program has made my high school experience significantly richer and more memorable. Getting to spend my school time on the things I love and am genuinely passionate about is a great feeling. It also keeps the school day, which is generally very mundane and predictable, more exciting.

How has the Bay High Focus Program prepared you for the future?

The project-based nature of the curriculum means that by the end of your time at Bay High you’ve already come away with an extensive portfolio. This not only includes creative projects and knowledge of professional standard software, but also experiences in job shadowing as well as planning and executing an entire event (Skate Art Music Fest). Directly and indirectly, Bay High also connects you to a huge network of local businesses and notable individuals. Numerous students have been offered internships and jobs through partners of Bay High because of the projects we’ve done with them. 

Why are focus programs like the Bay High Focus Program important to high school students?

Focus programs are becoming increasingly important as careers continue to change and develop rapidly. Because students are so multifaceted and diverse in their interests and learning styles, focus programs are increasingly important not only because they cater to different career niches, but as environments different from traditional schools that are more well suited to the needs of students who think differently. Additionally, the job industry has changed significantly from the Industrial Era and will continue to change at a rapid pace. Preparing students with the skills they’re going to need for the real-world jobs of today is invaluable. 

What is the greatest thing you’ve learned since attending the Bay High Focus Program? 

The greatest thing I’ve learned since attending Bay High is how to use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

Choose your passion. Choose your community. Choose your future with LPS Focus Programs. 

Learn more about the Bay High Focus Program by visiting its website at https://bayhigh.lps.org/.

Don’t forget also to explore LPS Focus Programs at home.lps.org/focus.

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