Professional Development Center adds ‘Student Ambassadors’

For the past two years, Eagle Rock School & Professional Development Center team members have been developing a student-centered program to engage students in Eagle Rock’s Professional Development Center.

After swiftly exiting its brainchild stages, the program has given students myriad opportunities to connect with the Professional Development Center (PDC) like never before. The PDC Ambassador Program encourages Eagle Rock School students to participate alongside our PDC staff in furthering Eagle Rock’s national mission of re-engaging high school youth.

The students, known as ‘Student Ambassadors,’ receive extensive training and experience to effectively contribute to the Professional Development Center’s works, gaining professional skills and real-world experience in order to meet the needs of clients. And for students who participate in the program, they have opportunities to host visiting educators, the exciting possibility of travel to partnering sites and conferences, and more.

Taking a step back for a moment, in order for a student to become a student ambassador, they must complete at least two trainings and two activities (from the list of offerings below) that reflect skills and practices PDC team members utilize in their work nationally on almost a daily basis: Continue reading…

Six Eagle Rock School Students Receive Their Diplomas on Friday

A half-dozen Eagle Rock students will be honored from 4 to 6 p.m. this Friday (April 8) at our 68th graduation ceremony. In addition, the graduation ceremony itself will be broadcast live on our Ustream channel.

Latest Eage Rock Scool Graduates

We asked our new grads to tell us a little about their experience at Eagle Rock School and, not surprisingly, they all had profound things to say. Some of the grads say they’re off to college and all of them credited successes they experienced as part of the Eagle Rock community for their personal growth and academic development.

Here’s what else our graduates’ had to say about their experience, as well as their advice for others considering applying to and then enrolling in Eagle Rock School:

June Jones-Knight joined the Eagle Rock family in September of 2012, and became a member of Pinon House. The Cambridge, Mass., student said her big successes at Eagle Rock came as a result of learning how to push herself to do better and to find “the true artist within.”

She credits having a strong group of friends for becoming involved in “everything,” at Eagle Rock, from musicals to a consistent workout program. June suggests new students learn how to “always be who you are, and realize there is always room for improvement.”

Now that she’s graduating, June said her Continue reading…

Eagle Rock Theatre Students Dare to Present ‘Spring Awakening’

Spring-AwakeningFar be it for Eagle Rock School’s Music and Performance Department to turn and walk away from the edgier side of musical theater. In fact, if you take a look at past performances, the department has produced and presented such controversial programs as Urinetown and Rent.

So it’s no surprise at all that Meghan Tokunaga-Scanlon — our Music & Performance Instructional Specialist — has chosen to push the boundaries even further this year, offering up a presentation of Spring Awakening.

The production will be staged at the Rialto Theatre in Loveland (Colo.) beginning at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, with two more showings in the days that follow — Thursday, April 2 at 7 p.m., and Friday, April 3, also at 7 p.m. The cost of admission is at the discretion of the audience member, but keep in mind that proceeds benefit the Eagle Rock Graduate Fund — a cause that’s near and dear to all Eagle Rock students. The theater is located at 228 East 4th Street in Loveland.

And while this performance is definitely not suitable for children, there won’t be any body exposure and the overt sexuality is somewhat toned down. However, the show still contains plenty of adult content.

Here at Eagle Rock, we’re fortunate to have such a supportive administration. Spring Awakening tackles some really weighty issues that are very relatable to a lot of our students.

springawakening4

With book and lyrics by Steven Sater and music by Duncan Sheik, Spring Awakening is by turns irreverent, poignant, boisterous and thoughtful. The authors made the unlikely decision to Continue reading…