Prerequisite Skills and Dispositions Students Should Master Upon Graduating From LPP Academy:
Analysis
Calculated risk-taking
Collaboration
Creativity
Curiosity
Empathy
Ethical thinking
Inference
Inquisitiveness
Interpretation
Maturity
Metacognition
Patience
Public Speaking
Reasoning
Resilience
Self-Confidence
Truth-Seeking

Our Academy Goals:

Student Assessment

75% of students will show at least a 25% increase in knowledge and skill development as gauged by the LPP Academy Class Pre/Post Survey. 

Field Experiences

100% of students will have at least two work-based learning experiences including experiences of awareness, exploration, and preparedness.
  • Awareness (ex. Guest speaker series, Mini-Civics Weeks of Action, Dunbar Gun Violence Memorial, Pre-Law course modules, Penn State Social Justice Clinic, Black Lives Matter Youth Showcase)
  • Exploration (ex. Podcast: Justice, Not Just Is, All Rise Week, End of Year Social Justice Trip, Legal Life Skills modules, Paul Weiss Law Firm Career Fair, virtual job shadow)
  • Preparedness (ex. Street Law Legal Diversity Pipeline Program, Youth Empowerment Conference/day of engagement, voter registration drive, serving as an election worker, organizing Wellness Week, Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship)

Civic Experiences

At least 75% of students will participate in at least one civic-related activity/competition.
 - Georgetown Streetlaw Mock Trial
- Mikva Challenge DC Project Soapbox
- Mikva Challenge DC Action Civics Fair
- Marshall-Brennan Moot Court Competition
- Adventure Capital Grant Project Competition
- Lead4Change Student Leadership Program (red/black graduation honor cords)

Student-Led Learning

Each academy course will include at least one capstone project in which 100% of students must participate. Each course will also include resume development and a digital portfolio component.
Go, Go, Human Rights and Social Action - Human Rights Violation Social Action Project
Youth Justice - Social Entrepreneurship Project
Peer Mediation - Lead4Change Service Learning Project
Constitutional Law - Will be requested by the Marshall-Brennan Teachers/Program
Law and Justice Advocacy - Moot Court Competition
Street Law Trial Advocacy - Mock Trial Competition

The Richard Bangura Peer Court of Dunbar High School

The Richard Bangura Peer Court of Dunbar High School emphasizes responsibility, restorative justice, student empowerment, and leadership. Since we lead our court, we feel our voice is essential, as we want to hear what our classmates have to say. The Richard Bangura Peer Court demonstrates that actions have consequences, but punishments are not always practical. Peer court participants believe each of their classmates is naturally good but are prone to making mistakes. Because we subscribe to Ubuntu, or humanity towards others, we know this cry for help from our classmates can result in changed behavior when we use service as a way to restore the harm done to our community. Peer Court teaches how to be leaders.

Student Leadership Team All Rise

​Our student leadership team will serve as translators between students and staff. Students feel they have little input in the choices that affect them at school, especially when dealing with what happens in the classroom. They want more real-world, hands-on, and exciting classroom activities. This team will host town hall meetings, travel on various field experiences, wear team swag, and host a spring youth empowerment conference to highlight their service.
Youth Empowerment Conference/Day of Engagement: In June, All Rise Team members will lead their classmates as they plan and lead a student empowerment conference and day of engagement in community service. 

PODCAST: Justice, Not Just Is

Tackling current injustices at Dunbar, DC, or national issues

Students will write podcast scripts for any combination of podcast types, including combination, solo/multi-host, interview-style

Podcasts will be about 15-20 minutes, occur once/twice a week, and will cater to DCPS students and DC residents.

 "GET MY MIND RIGHT" Wellness Week

This week of wellness was created thanks to our 2021 action civics fair project and our commitment to make it a yearly event during the second week of May (coincides with Teacher Appreciation Week).
​
We will organize a wellness week to benefit students and staff at Dunbar, doing such things as limiting homework, classes, or staff meetings, incorporating rest/stress free days, inviting guest speaker discussions on happiness and motivation, including games or other events like yoga or mindful activities, using mental health books and resources, etc.