Job Shadowing
As we start of the second term of the 2021 academic year, students at St. Al’s are working extremely hard to make up for the lost time in 2020. Each term was shortened by four weeks, which exerts enormous pressure on schools to maximize the available time. To address this, St. Al’s is offering Saturday classes every weekend and continues to support the students to receive the very best, while maintaining a healthy and manageable schedule.
Recently, grade 12 (Form 4) students participated in a unique job shadowing program. Students spent an entire day with professionals in their dream careers to have an authentic experience of the job. Students visited places such as law firms, construction sites, the Nairobi hospital, the airport, media companies, and a French school. This experience had a massive impact on students’ career interests. Some had their career aspirations confirmed, while for others this was an eye-opener to reevaluate their choices. In the words of one of the students who participated in the program: “During this experience, I met someone who has everything that I look for in this career. I will pursue this career at all costs.”
Although interschool activities are suspended due to COVID-19, St. Al’s has tried to create some normalcy. Every day at 4pm St. Al’s provides extracurriculars to provide a break from the rigorous academic schedule. On Tuesdays, the students participate in club activities depending on their interests. On Wednesdays, they participate in indoor games. Every Thursday the students engage in school debates to sharpen their communication skills and build their confidence. Fridays are outdoor sports day for all the students.
Once a month, staff conduct mentorship sessions with all the students to help them process their experiences and challenges. COVID-19 brought numerous struggles that require care and close attention. Some students’ families are yet to regain their livelihoods and social support systems. These stressors can erode all the academic investments made in the students. Mentoring sessions have been tailored to address some of these challenging issues and ensure desirable academic performance for the students. At the end of term one (July to September 2021), the school registered one of the best performances in the recent years. There was a significant reduction in the number of students scoring a mean grade of C-(minus) and below. This is attributable to the hard work of the students and teachers but also by the elaborate support system in place.
At St. Al’s we are very proud to offer our students the very best in form of academic excellence, but also character formation that will help them to be responsible and resolute men and women for others. We remain grateful to our friends and benefactors whose support enables us to offer this holistic formation to our students.