A Look Toward the Future

From academics to athletics to arts, the 2015-16 school year was a memorable one in Orange Lutheran history.

In the classroom, advanced placement numbers improved and ACT test scores spiked. On the field and court, sports teams accomplished feats never seen before in school history. Arts students continued to be recognized on a local and national scale. OLu school programs expanded, in quantity, in scope, and in reach.

However, despite the different avenues of success, it all comes back to one common denominator: the relationships.

“Everything we do is about student’s having multiple touch points in life,” said Principal Todd Eklund. “I like to say we have at least 10 touch points on campus, and that means influential figures in the lives of students, that have the ability to be transformational. A coach, a teacher, a counselor, or another student.

“Sometimes these mentors are leading the way, sometimes they’re standing behind to give that push, and sometimes they’re walking with you, side by side.”

In recent years, Orange Lutheran has made it a point to shift towards promoting emotional intelligence on the same level of academic success. The stress that occurs in the life of a high school student - from college applications to grades to performing on the field or the court - is not to be taken lightly.

It is vital that students find balance in their everyday lives and develop as human beings as opposed to just academic achievers, a fact not lost on Orange Lutheran administration.

“While the direction of education in our country the past few decades has shifted more to a focus on test scores, grades, and achievement, we believe the future of education will recognize the significance of preparing strong, responsible, caring adults,” said Head of School, Leslie Smith.

A report released in early 2016, sponsored by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and supported by over 80 colleges and universities across the nation, has proposed the college admissions process undergo a major shift, including lessening the importance of standardized testing, possibly making the SAT and ACT optional.

The report also suggests promoting more community service as opposed to taking more advanced placement classes, focuses on a limited number of extracurricular activities as opposed to several, and promoting “good fit” colleges and universities as opposed to only a few top-tier schools.

Orange Lutheran has taken heed of this growing conversation, and sought to move in that direction.

One such way is with World Council, introduced at OLu this past year. Teachers and administrators were assigned countries and a group of students assigned to that country. Then, groups met throughout the year to discuss different topics permeating through society and through the school.

In other words, World Council is about relationship-building and leadership development.

“With World Council, we wanted to help students increase their emotional intelligence,” Smith said. “We wanted to provide a specific setting that would allow students to break down what’s going on in the world and focus on leadership and character development. World Council provides the entire student body with various opportunities to work collaboratively in small groups and have meaningful discussion about various life topics.”

This year, Orange Lutheran will continue with World Council, but will also introduce Academies.

Two Academies are currently in place: Faith and Entrepreneurial Business Academy (FEBA) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Academy (STEM). Three new Academies will come into effect next year: Humanities Academy, Ministry Academy, and Arts Academy, which includes visual arts and performing arts.

The purpose of the Academies is to allow students to focus on an area they’re passionate about, as they prepare to pursue that career path in college and beyond.

“One of our core values is innovation,” Smith said. “I love that about our school. Our faculty, staff, and student body are always looking to grow and find new and better ways to do things.”

“New academies were designed to increase personalized learning opportunities and to encourage students to work in their areas of strength, interest, and passion. Having the opportunity to focus on a specific area of concentration inspires students to take more ownership in their learning and increases their confidence and personal satisfaction. We are committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our students to grow and succeed and to earn admission to ‘best fit’ colleges.”

As the years continue, more Academies are scheduled to come into play at Orange Lutheran.

“It’s about providing recipes for students to be able to foster motivation and understand where their passions and gifts might lie,” Eklund said.

Another avenue in which kids are offered the opportunity to find their passion is with internships, which Orange Lutheran has facilitated externally through STEM and has begun to facilitate internally through different departments.

During this past school year, several current Orange Lutheran students and some recent alumni completed internships in departments such as athletics, advancement, and admissions. Internship duties included taking photos and writing stories for school publications and website content, helping to put on scheduled school events, overseeing administrative office duties, and more.

Through the STEM Program, students serve summer internships at companies such as Boeing, Toyota and many more.

“One of the best things about the culture here is we encourage students to try new things without fear of failure,” said Dean of Academics and STEM Director Matt Hansen. “Students can seek their path in whatever area they feel gifted. Here, a football player auditioning for musical theater is commonplace.

“When you have students and teachers that are pursuing their dreams and ideas in a safe and positive environment, that produces great results.”