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NCB GRANTS $30,000 TO EASTERN’S IB PROGRAM by Elizabeth O’Gorek program to help achieve its goals of increasing the number of candidates and program passing rate, as well as to provide additional learning experiences,” said NCB President and CEO Richard B. (Randy) Anderson, Jr.
Rigorous for Students – and Schools
IB TOK teacher Matt James, Senior Temitayo Adeola and IB Program Coordinator Elizabeth Braganza. E.O’Gorek/CCN]
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emitayo Adeola hadn’t even considered Eastern High School until he received a package from the school near the end of his middle school run. “When they sent me that pamphlet and I saw their budget club and IB [international baccalaureate] programs and AP [advanced placement] and everything they had to offer-- I was like wow: they offer a lot that I don’t know about,” Temitayo said. In August, the 16-year-old will enter his senior year at Eastern, where he is in the second year of the IB program. “Now, I wouldn’t trade Eastern for any other high school,” he said. Eastern High School (1700 East Capitol St. NE) has about 1100 students in grades 9-12. Founded in 1890, many well-
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known people have been students there including Dave Chappelle, Congresswoman Gladys Spelman (D-MD), and Isaac Fulwood, former Chief of MPDC. But until recently, its academic rigor was a well-kept secret. Ten years after a modernization and reorganization, Eastern is celebrating the community’s support for their enriched academic programs. One example of that success is the school’s international baccalaureate (IB) program, which initially attracted Temitayo to Eastern. In June, National Capital Bank (NCB) demonstrated ongoing community support by announcing a $30,000 grant for the program. “Through The National Capital Bank Foundation, our multi-year partnership will provide financial support for Eastern’s IB
Eastern has offered the IB program since 2013. It is a rigorous international program of study that teaches the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary skills that students need to be successful in college. A study completed of DP programs in Chicago Public Schools also showed that students taking DP courses, regardless of their examination scores, had a higher chance of attending a more selective college and persisting in college. The IB program is rigorous for students, but also for schools, said Eastern’s IB Program Coordinator, Elizabeth Braganza. Teachers must be trained in their subject matter, retraining whenever curriculum changes or once every seven years. Each course includes three to four opportunities for assessments, including at least two projects and end of year tests. While Eastern staff grade the projects, all teacher grading is then shared with international IB program assessors who double-check grading to make sure it complies with program standards. The gift from NCB will help grow, support and improve the program, Braganza said. Funds will be used to purchase additional supplies, such as software, scientific calculators and lab equipment and to facilitate travel, both in terms of field trips and college visits. It will also be Eastern IB Program Coordinator used to train staff beyond the Elizabeth Braganza. E.O’Gorek/CCN two spaces funded by DCPS, ensuring that Eastern remains in compliance with IB standards and allowing them to offer a wider array of courses.
Theory of Knowledge A cornerstone of the IB program is the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course, a study of epistemology that looks in particular at how knowledge and theories of knowledge are formed. Course teacher Lee James leads the course, a two-year requirement that culminates in a research paper
