Enrichment Opportunities
Enriching Students' Lives
We provide a number of learning opportunities outside the classroom to enrich students’ lives, broaden their horizons, build valuable life skills, and help close the opportunity gap. Students have access to athletic teams, leadership development, arts, internship opportunities, and academic enrichment programs like project-based STEM learning.
YOLA at Camino Nuevo
We are proud to offer Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) at Camino Nuevo, a school-based music program in partnership with the LA Philharmonic. Currently serving 900 students grades K-12, the program uses in-school music teachers and Teaching Artists to deliver consistent, sequential music instruction to students during and after school. Our program scaffolds instruction across the K-8 pipeline, so younger students first learn music fundamentals, progress to playing instruments, and eventually participate in youth orchestra ensembles as middle school students. Students receive up to 4 days of robust music education each week, totaling 2-15 hours. Students also engage in recitals and performances to showcase their growth. Our program teaches music fundamentals, like counts, notes, and scales, and progresses up to music theory and more advanced playing. Our core music program currently focuses on string instrument instruction but also includes classes focused on percussion, movement and dance, choir, ensembles, and community.
Internship Program
Camino Nuevo’s Internship Program levels the playing field for students with limited personal networks and exposure to the professional world. Through hands-on experience in the field, insight from workplace mentors, and a final reflection project, high school juniors gain the experience and skills to be competitive in today’s job market. Equally important, students have the opportunity to explore a chosen area of interest. This increases their motivation and drive to pursue their college and career goals.
Students are matched as closely as possible to career interests and are expected to complete 50 hours of career exploration as a graduation requirement. The program also directly benefits the surrounding community by providing local businesses and nonprofit organizations with well-supported interns who can make a valuable contribution to their success.
Experiential Learning
Experiential learning activities help students connect learning at school to a variety of social and cultural experiences outside of school, as well as expand their career exploration. Whether it’s exploring colleges in Northern California or on the East Coast, going to an art museum or a modern dance performance, completing a day of service project, or visiting City Hall and encouraging the community to register to vote, we believe that these opportunities take students beyond their current experience and expand their perspective. Learning by experience also builds their social capital and increases their knowledge of the larger global community and their place within it.