Natalie's Everyday Heroes: Pathways High

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A charter school on Milwaukee's near west side is reenvisioning what public education can be. Pathways High opened in 2017. It's diverse by design. And students' interests drive the curriculum.

On a recent Wednesday morning, students filed into class.

At the front of the room is Miles Meaux. He's ready to launch into his lecture about Rain World.

"So, let's get started," Meaux said. "It's a hardcore, ecosystems simulation game."

Meaux has been working on this game for years, but he's not a professional game designer, or even a teacher.

"There is this level of confidence each creature can have," he said, pointing to the creatures he designed.

Meaux is a high school senior.

"Mostly what I focus on is code and actual map development and design," he said of his educational interests.

If this seems like an advanced project for high school, it is.

"As we like to say, schools often tout they are preparing students for the real world," said Pathways cofounder and board president Julia Burns. "We say that school is the real world."

Burns is one of several parents who came up with the idea for Pathways High in 2016 and helped launch it into a charter school of 140 students on Milwaukee's near west side.

"Here, kids focus on personalized, project-based learning," Burns explained.

"I've been interested in 3D printers for a while," a sophomore student named Dominic said during his presentation.

For his project, Dominic printed a working 3D printer on a 3D printer.

"Every human being is different. We all learn differently. We all have different strengths and areas that we want to work on," Burns said.

Pathways calls these presentations the defense process. They're meant to equip students for project management roles and public speaking.

"It was absolutely wonderful," said Kelly Felder.

Felder served as a panelist for these defenses. She's also a parent, with two students here.

"They're learning how to be functional adults. They're learning how to be members of society in a very strong way," she said,

Burns says an important part of their program is networking.

Students here make connections with community and business leaders, too.

"It's not just what you know, it's who you know that gives you the opportunities to open doors," she said.

And for kids like Miles, learning through what they love is the best equation for success.

"As long as you're doing your work and you're finishing everything, you have a lot of freedom on picking what you want to do. Where you want to go. What you want to focus on," Meaux.

Meaux plans on pursuing a computer science degree from UW-Milwaukee with the help of Pathways, too. The school offers a fifth year it calls an Impact Year. Students do dual enrollment college courses and an internship, while still getting the support of the school.

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If you'd like to nominate an Everyday Hero, send Natalie a message at [email protected].