From the rigors of school-life balances to the social challenges amongst students, the traditional brick-and-mortar approach to public education isn’t for everyone, but that doesn’t mean some students should give up on their education just because they don’t fit the mold.

Recognizing this, local districts like Widefield D-3 have worked in recent years to create a new pathway to success for those who may have given up on their schools — or their schools on them.

“These are not bad kids,” Discovery High teacher Kim Myers said. “Oftentimes, these are kids that need someone in their corner.”

Discovery High School’s night classes offer a new opportunity for students who have fallen behind on their high school credits to graduate.

Classes began in 2023-24 thanks to funding from the state’s Empowering Action for School Improvement grant. Discovery Principal Albert Wiggins said the school was approved for the grant after successfully identifying an opportunity for educational achievement and engagement with its students.

The opportunity? Flexible schedules and options for classes and class times. The students? Those on the verge of dropping out or missing graduation by only a few credits.

Wiggins said he was inspired to apply for the grant after witnessing this very scenario play out with one of his former students.

“And I was like, ‘Not like this. We can’t lose this kid like this,’” he said.

Discovery joins Sierra High School in Harrison D-2 as the only night school option in the Colorado Springs area.

Historically, reasons for the need have ranged from unstable home lives, a need to work outside school and support their families or other life circumstances that aren’t conducive to a typical school schedule. Also, there are students with anxiety who simply don’t perform well in typical school environments and have opted to take night classes as an alternative.

Regardless of the reason, the goal of success is the common thread throughout the night school students whether they’re picking up a couple of make-up classes or extending their school day into the evening.

“And I think that gives us a foundation to the type of culture we have where we have students that want to be here and are willing to stay and put in the effort,” Wiggins said.

Alternative education

If someone were to walk in on a night class at Discovery High School, they would find an atmosphere notably calmer and quieter than a typical high school classroom, officials said.

The pressures of finals week were no exception, with an American Sign Language class concluding their semester with a performance of Louie Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” in unison.

Along with a darker hue and smaller class sizes than during daytime hours, the low-key environments are largely due to a mutual understanding between teachers and students that there’s already enough to stress and fret about outside of school hours.

“The students here are a little older and because they are choosing to be here, they’re usually a lot more self-motivated so it feels more collegiate,” Myers said.

Among those signed up for classes last fall included students who work day jobs, attend classes at the Salon Academy or stay home to care for their family during regular school hours.

Because of these varying ages and life experiences along with a shared desire to graduate, the school has already developed a culture that’s devoid of the drama or conflicts commonly seen in high school hallways and classrooms.

“I like it because my brother also takes class here and I can go to him if I need help with something, which I didn’t do at my other schools,” senior student Ben Akin said.

In addition to its credit-recovery and credit-acceleration model, Discovery’s designation as an alternative school allows it to specialize curriculum to serve its high-risk students. The school’s model allows it to offer personalized approaches to the classes that still meet state curriculum standards. A horror films in American literature class for English credit, a parenting course and forensic-focused classes for both math and science are among the “teacher-guided” courses that have been developed for the school.

Along with helping engage students like one who hopes to eventually become a forensic pathologist, Wiggins said these types of courses have matched educators with their passion for the work they do.

“When we ask for our teachers who have interest to teach night school, they step up and then they’re like, “Hey, I want to teach this. How can we do it,’” he said.

Additionally, the school has partnered with the Manufacturing Industry Learning Lab in D-3 for night students to earn non-destructive test certifications. One of these students has since graduated and began an internship in California this year through the certification.

Being able to tap into something else

Akin, moments after finishing his finals, and before learning he had passed, still exhibited the nerves and anxiety commonly felt during testing season. Wrapping up his third year as a senior, he admitted that he had fallen behind in his classes earlier in high school, but jumped at the opportunity to catch up through night school.

“I really didn’t want to be a senior while I was 20 years old,” he said. “And I was running the risk of aging out, so that’s why I started taking these classes.”

After graduating, Akin hopes to enlist in the Army and follow in his father and grandfather’s footsteps of service before finding a career in demolition work.

The program has proven successful, according to Wiggins, who said that two students who were about to drop out during its first year are now on pace to graduate this spring.

“I have one student that’s on track to be done in May who would have been on track for a year and a half if they weren’t taking these classes,” he said.

The program itself has also developed. Since its first year, when it only offered half-credit classes for six weeks to Discovery students, additional classes are now offered to all district high school students for full credits over nine weeks.

Although the program was originally started with grant funding that looks to continue for the next two years, work has already been done to sustain the program . Whether through other grants or greater district support, Wiggins hopes that capacity, programming and community outreach with the program will grow in years to come.

“The night school program has been an additional piece of how we want our students to be able to find success, be able to graduate, be able to enjoy their love of learning and be able to tap into something else that they may not get during the typical school day,” he said.