Twice a month, students interested in Canton Prep can sign up to partake in the school day side-by-side with enrolled scholars. The day starts with breakfast before future Chargers go through the ebbs and flows of a normal school day, transitioning from class to class and sitting in on lessons.
Canton Prep Admissions Representative Conseulo Lovelady-West is in charge of organizing the events and said the program has been a success since it started last year.
“We want students to understand what it’s like at Canton Prep,” Lovelady-West said. “We know students are making decisions about where they will go to school, so for them to see what Canton Prep is like firsthand is amazing. Giving them a great experience for four hours makes a big difference.”
The experience concludes with lunch and Lovelady-West will ask their thoughts on the school. The free food and T-shirt are popular, but future Chargers often say they learn the most from the scholars they shadow. These guides can shed light on topics such as school culture, teachers, extracurricular activities, etc.
These student leaders are in grades seven through 12 and are honored to serve the school as a peer representative to future classmates. Lovelady-West said scholars who want to be guides need to keep good grades and a clean behavior record.
“I think the students showing them around look at it like a privilege,” Lovelady-West said. “They really love it. They’re giving prospective students great feedback and working both sides of the fence.”
Charger For A Day has been a popular activation for attracting students. Lovelady-West said she hosts anywhere from eight to 20 students per month. When she gets them in the building, Lovelady-West knows they will see why Canton Prep has outperformed the local district for the last two years.
“I feel like once students and parents get into the building and see what it’s like, getting to meet the teacher and deans, they’re going to be attending, hands down.”
What a great way to recruit new students! Great job, Consuelo and Canton Prep!
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About Canton Preparatory High School
Canton Preparatory High School is a tuition-free, public charter school in Canton, Michigan, serving students in ninth through 12th grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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