RCSD Students Called Fisher Home for the Summer

This summer, 150 rising ninth graders from the Rochester City School District (RCSD) spent five weeks at St. John Fisher University for Acceleration University.

Now in its third year, Acceleration University at Fisher gives students a taste of high school, as well as a glimpse of a college campus. While at Fisher, they engaged in rigorous coursework that helped them earn high school credit, participated in an entrepreneurship project with Junior Achievement, and attended Buffalo Bills Training Camp. They also toured campus and ate lunch daily at Ward-Haffey Dining Hall.

Working with Junior Achievement, the students designed their own businesses, including a career-help app, a robot that can assist the elderly, and a clothing line that reflected the different cultures of the students. It wasn’t all work though, the students played football and engaged in team-building games on the campus quad.

“I came to this program to earn high school credit,” said Akeem Sims-Thomas.

Stephan Farquharson said his favorite part of the experience was art class because he was able to work with different paint and mediums. In the class, he created several new works of art.

For Ariana Liz, a class on Latino Studies was the most interesting because they learned about Mexican families and their experiences with segregation and discrimination.

“My favorite part of the whole experience was that we were learning things that would help us progress and get a head start in high school,” said K’Vion Smith, who is attending Early College International High School this fall.