Lincoln Academy Students at their Community-Based Learning sites
Maya Crosby is Lincoln Academy’s Director of Applied Learning
From Maya Crosby, Director of Applied Learning
It’s my pleasure to be able to write to you all this week while Mr. Burroughs is at the Klingenstein Heads of Schools Program at Teachers College. As the Director of Applied Learning, I’m excited to share the work we have been doing in community-based learning.
This past week I’ve been enjoying some of the best parts of my job. I’ve been able to see students actively learning while helping a community business or organization. Lincoln Academy Communications Director Jenny Mayher and I have been visiting the Community-Based Learning Experience (CBLE) students at their various work sites, which range from antique car restoration and elder care to Renys headquarters and The Byre Farm. Every time I meet with CBLE supervisors they describe how impressed they are with our students – what they have learned and the progress they have seen in skills, application of knowledge, and overall maturity. For their part, students describe how rapidly they learn when it is real – to see a business pulling together behind the scenes, to sand through a fresh coat of paint, or to care for a dear elderly friend.
Another applied learning program we are working on is a prototype of the first Senior LEAP (Learn, Explore, Apply, Present) Capstone, which is designed to be a culmination of the student experience at Lincoln Academy. In this two trimester program, students challenge themselves to combine knowledge they have cultivated at LA with guided research and exploration in an independently chosen topic with focused application of skills and a presentation of their product and portfolio to the community. A cohort of the Class of 2026 will be the pioneer participants in the LEAP Capstone, starting with a prototype version of the course in Spring 2025. Lincoln Academy’s expectation is that all members of the Class of 2027 will complete a LEAP Capstone by the end of their senior year.
Stay tuned for more on the work that this first cohort will be exploring and the products they will be creating. They are excited about projects like renovating a wooden canoe, designing a robot, pitching a clothing brand, building an instrument, repairing a motorcycle, researching marine plants, and learning a higher level of coding language.
We can’t wait to see what they learn and create! You can read more about these programs and other applied learning activities under the umbrella of the Midcoast Workshop at Lincoln Academy.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with ideas and questions!
Best,
Maya Crosby
Lincoln Academy Director of Applied Learning
Jeff Burroughs
Head of School
