Credit for Experience: NSA’s Pre-Professional Portfolio Course
By Aaron E.
Gears and Skill Mechanism from Getty Images Created in Canva
NSA's Pre-Professional Portfolio course (PPP100), also known as PPP, was launched in August of 2023. It is designed to allow high school students to earn credit for skill-building through instructor-led extracurricular activities they participate in. The course also teaches skills for reflection and goal-setting. A student can take this semester-long course up to eight times during high school, earning a maximum of four elective credits for extracurricular activities.
Mrs. Velasquez, known to many of NSA’s students as Mrs. V, teaches the course. In her words, “The design of this course is clever because it is adaptable in meeting many different kinds of needs.” Most athletic or fine arts extracurricular activities would qualify for this course. Current students are participating in a variety of activities for the course, such as theater, ballet, weightlifting, and horseback riding.
The main requirement for the course is that students log the required number of hours of instructor-led learning, whether individually or on a team. This course also requires students to log time spent practicing on their own. In each of the course’s three units, students are required to log twenty hours spent learning with their instructor or coach, as well as seven hours of practice on their own. As students create all of their log entries, they include important information, such as how the time was spent and which skills or goals they focused on.
This course also involves students reflecting on their experiences in their extracurricular activities. Each unit includes about three hours of additional reflection-type lessons. These lessons help students set goals for themselves and work on developing a growth mindset. Mrs. V can attest to the importance of this aspect of the course from her own experience. She captained three varsity teams in high school and was a college athlete but is disappointed that none of her coaches promoted reflection for personal growth. However, Mrs. V says that “PPP guides the student toward wholistic goals aligned with their personal gifts, talents, and life situation. … This course supports the whole student.” These reflection skills can then carry over to students’ lives outside the course.
Students who take this course will find that they have unlocked a great source of encouragement as they pursue their extracurricular activities. In describing her experience teaching the course, Mrs. V said, “I love to cheer for teenagers! It is so fun to root for my students and support them as they do what they love. This is the most fun class to teach because everyone is doing something different and I get a front row seat on all their awesomeness and hard work.” Whether students are having success or experiencing difficulties in their extracurricular activities, Mrs. V walks alongside her students through their journey.
So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for PPP today to make the most of your extracurricular activities!
To learn more about the Pre-Professional Portfolio course at NSA or Mrs. V, please check out the links below.
Columns: 👤NSA People 📓Class Spotlight
Aaron E. is a high school student from the northeast coast of the USA. This is his third year at NorthStar Academy and his second year on the Navigator staff. He is excited to serve as the Navigator's PR Coordinator again this year. Aaron enjoys spending time in nature with family and friends and exploring it from the water. He loves most anything related to science, technology, nature, and engineering. Some of his hobbies are freshwater fishing, reading, and digital 3D modeling.