TULSA -- Tulsa students are brainstorming the redesign of four high schools which could expand and impact the entire district.
The program is called Tulsa Beyond. It takes a group of two to five students from each school, and allows them to work together every Saturday outside school. They are coming up with any changes they feel are necessary to improving education for future students.
"We’ve been doing high school the same way for the last 150 years, it was really deigned for manufacturing or factory workers," said Dr. Sheila Riley, Principal of Nathan Hale High School.
It seems broad, but the students could suggest any change they feel would improve a student's experience. Changes could range from how long classes run, to adding internship programs, having class outside, or bringing more technology into the curriculum.
"We’re going to be able to really focus on what school should look like for today’s students," said Dr. Riley.
Tulsa Beyond is happening at four high schools, Nathan Hale, McLain High School for Science and Technology, Daniel Webster, and Tulsa Learning Academy.
"I’m really excited to know that it’s about us in particular and who we are as a school and how we can help us grow so we can have better children in the future," said Mollie Montgomery, a student at Nathan Hale who's participating in Tulsa Beyond.
While big changes or rearrangements to your typical school day could be intimidating, organizers want the students to know they have a voice in making school a better tool for their future.
"I like to make sure that if there’s going to be a voice that’s heard, it should listen to who it’s going to affect," said Montgomery.
These groups will spend this semester coming up with the changes, and a small test group will try them out next semester.
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