College Prep - Tucson International Academy

TIA “Own Your Success” Event Preparing Students for College

TIA invited Master Elite Results Coach Brodie Whitney to share his “Own Your Success” message which is preparing students for college. Four TIA West campus students share their take on this event.

Questions Asked of Each Student

Three questions are asked of the students: What was your overall experience from the Coach Brodie event? What was the most valuable thing you learned from the event? What are your plans after high school? You will hear the answers from Rubina (11th), Victor (10th), Brittney (11th), Pauola (11th) as they share what they learned at the "Own Your Success" event.

Quote From Student

Pauola shares, “Success has different definitions to each individual. It doesn’t always have to be about money. It can be about what makes you happy. What do you want to achieve in life? Take big or small steps to get there. Always be uplifting. Never focus on the past. Move forward.” This is part three of a three part series. Link to video http://youtu.be/mKNn61J0V7A Video by Braelyn Smith~TheJ3Effect Writer: Kim Murphey~TheJ3Effect

preparing students for college video interview

Video Interviews: How to Prepare for College While in High School

Four TIA student’s share in this video how the “Own Your Success” event taught them to deal with life’s challenges and how to prepare for college while in high school. This learning event was held at TIA and taught by Master Elite Results coach Brodie Whitney.

Second Video- 2 Part Series

This is the second video in a three part series. In the video you will hear from TIA students Angelica (10th), Jhoanna (9th), Doroteo (9th), Edgardo (9th) as they share the words of wisdom they learned at the "Own Your Success" event. Three questions were asked of each student: What was your overall experience from the Coach Brodie event? What was the most valuable thing you learned from the event? What are your plans after high school?

Student Quote

Angelica shares, “Success has different meaning for different people...If you fail, it doesn’t mean you can’t succeed anymore...If you fail, it’s something to motivate you to keep going...My plans after high school is to go to college and get a doctors degree." Click here to watch the video Enroll now!

Video by Braelyn Smith~TheJ3Effect Story by Kim Murphey~TheJ3Effect

How to prepare for college while in high school

Video Interview: Importance of Student Activities

TIA Broadway Campus Presents: Student Experiences from "Own Your Success," an event with Master Elite Results coach, Brodie Whitney that shows how the importance of student activities can help one prepare for college and life.

Questions Asked of Each Student

Three questions were asked of each student: What was your overall experience from the Coach Brodie event? What was the most valuable thing you learned from the event? What are your plans after high school? In this video is you will hear the answer from Gilberto (12th), Jose (11th), Valerie (11th), and Mikaela (9th), all students at TIA Broadway campus, share the impact of coach Brodie Whitney's workshop with students and the importance of student activities at TIA for them.

Student Quote

One quote from a student; " Anyone can dream but not everyone will chase their dream. So we just have to be the ones who dream and chase our dreams...It's our power to chase what we want to be in the future." Click here or on the picture to watch the video now Video by Braelyn Smith~TheJ3Effect Story by Kim Murphey~TheJ3Effect Enroll Now!

importance of student activities at TIA event

Advice To High School Students – Are You Ready for an Amazing, Life Changing Day?

Have you ever met people whose life goals after high school included working a minimum wage job, continue living with their parents, and taking the bus everywhere because they can’t afford a car? Probably not, yet there are many that will end up in that exact scenario. Most of us have dreams of a better life than that--one that includes a decent salary, our own place to live, and getting a job we love. But how do we achieve those dreams? More specifically, how can we turn those dreams into achievable expectations? Attending college is one of the most solid steps to achieving your dreams. But what if you’re having trouble envisioning college in your future? TIA is excited to be able to offer an incredible day of dream building, motivation, advice to high school students, and hope to all TIA students through the Own Your Success event scheduled for October 20th.

Own Your Success-Advice to High School Students

The Own Your Success event will introduce high school students and parents to internationally known Master Elite Results Coach, Brodie Whitney. Coach Brodie, from Robbins Research International, is a powerful motivator. He has met with the staff at Tucson International Academy on two occasions to get a snapshot of the particular needs and strengths of our high school students. This enables Coach Brodie to specifically aim his coaching and motivation to the unique attributes of TIA students. Coach Brodie declares, “Your identity is stronger than your wants. How you define yourself today determines the results you will live with tomorrow. By choosing courage over apathy today, you lead yourself and others to a new tomorrow.”

How Can You Attend This Event?

To earn the opportunity to attend this exciting event, students get to choose one of three endeavours based on their individual skills. For those strong in math, one of the choices is a set of math problems, some easy and others quite challenging. Students who excel in writing can choose to write a story about themselves which will include 3 different endings- one depicting success, another depicting partial success, and the third ending depicting failure. The third option is for students who excel at visualization to draw an image of a circle which illustrates the concepts like “I Am” and “I Am Not” , “I Can and I Cannot”. Each student will choose one of these three endeavours and submit it prior to the event. For more information on how and what to submit, students can talk to Mr. Montemayer. Again, Own Your Success will be an all day event from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm on October 20th, 2014 . All TIA high school students are eligible to attend and will be bussed to the event being held at 1300 N. Greasewood Road. That same evening from 6 pm until 8 pm, there’s a special parent event, where students bring their parents for dinner and a powerful session with Coach Brodie. Lives at TIA will be changed on this day. Do not miss out! TIA: Not just a school, but a doorway to the world! Enroll today! Written by Betty Kruszka~TheJ3Effect

Prepare for College with Coach Brodie Whitney

5 Things You Should Consider When Preparing for College

5 Things You Should Consider When Preparing for College Preparing for college can be an arduous task that discourages people. For parents who have not attended college within the past ten years, they might find themselves lost in the process of helping their children apply. Nowadays, college is a process that starts well in advance, preferably from the birth of the child. If you as a parent or student have not started the process, do not worry. Every month we will cover different areas that are crucial during this process. Preparing for College: Elementary Students Parents need to speak with a financial officer, accountant, banker, or tax expert who is knowledgeable about their family needs and the necessities for college. The sooner you create a banking account for your child, the more financially advantaged he/she will be when it comes to choosing a college. Preparing for College: Middle School Students and Parents The focus should be selecting a career that sparks an interest in the child. The students should start visiting occupations that may interest them or attend career fairs like the one we have at Tucson International Academy. Even though the student may not choose a career path at this point, a general idea would guide him/her towards the right college. Preparing for College: Freshman and Sophomore Students Students need to plan their high school classes with the right college in mind. All colleges will require the basic general courses such as four years in Mathematics and English Language Arts, two years each of Social Studies and Science, and two years of Foreign Language, etc. Certain colleges however, may require specialty classes such as Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus, etc. Freshman and sophomore students should keep college requirements in mind when choosing their High School courses. Preparing for College: Junior Students Junior Students should be well prepared for the several college entrance tests (PSAT, SAT, & ACT) throughout the year. Certain fees will apply for these tests, yet students can talk to their high school counselors to find out whether they qualify for fee waivers. There are various websites that offer free online practice tests. We will cover these in the near future. Preparing for College: Senior Students As for senior students, this will be the most important year of your high school. By now, you should have already narrowed down your college choices. Keep in mind that if you have not applied to a college yet, you must do so now! At this point, you should be working out a plan with your parents/guardians as to how to pay for college rather than which college you are applying to. Preparing for college can be a monstrous task if taken lightly. But with the right plan, we can all demystify the process. Enroll Now Miguel Montemayor, Tucson International Academy

What Is A Dual Credit Program- 5 Things You Should Know

Ever suffer from the “if onlys” when you missed out on something great? “If only I had studied a little more...” “If only I had saved the money I earned...” “If only I had asked that girl out...” Tucson International Academy, a Tucson Charter School, has an opportunity you do not want to miss! Don’t end up being one who says, “If only I had signed up for the dual credit program at TIA!”

What is the Dual Credit Program?

TIA, in partnership with Pima Community College, provides a dual enrollment program which allows students to earn up to 10 real college credits while still in high school. Students can attend the college level classes right on the TIA campus during their regular school day.The courses currently available are Reading 112, taught by Dr Jennifer Herrera (4 credits), Writing 101, taught by Mr. Lin Wu (3 credits) and Math 122 (Intermediate Algebra), taught by Mr. Young (3 credits). Mr. Wu was also able to help 5 students who did well in the dual credit program to get merit scholarships at Pima. That means those students are getting two more years of college for free!

Is it really free?

Amazingly, eligible students can earn up to 10 college credits in those three courses absolutely free! Just ask any college student drowning in student loans and you will fully understand the magnitude of this opportunity! Tuition alone for 10 college credits at Pima can run from about $650 to $1000! But what about books? Remarkably, TIA also covers the cost of all required books for each course!

Who is eligible to apply?

The program is for advanced TIA students in their junior and senior years. Students need to pass an entry exam to get into each course, and TIA provides transportation to the Pima College campus for the exams.

How long does it take?

Three classes are available. The reading course and the writing course can be taken in the fall semester and the math course is available during the spring semester. In order to complete all three classes, you should sign up by your junior year. You do not have to complete all three classes to be in the program.

How do I get started?

Mr. Wu is the chairperson for TIA’s dual enrollment program. To get started, meet with him and he will assist you through the registration process. Mr. Wu is really excited about this program and he works tirelessly to help students who participate make huge strides toward college and beyond. Does TIA sound like the school for you? Enroll Here!

TIA 2014 Career and College Fair

This year’s Career and College Fair was a huge success, with over 250 students in attendance. The keynote speech was given by Martha McSally, a retired Air Force colonel and the first woman to fly a combat mission (she is now running for the US Congress). Then the students had the opportunity to choose among the booths of 27 different local businesses and organizations, and listen to their 20 minute demonstrations on what such a career would be like. After lunch, the final part of the day was to visit the college booths; close to a dozen colleges participated. Their representatives talked to the students about their college options in light of the students’ interests and future career plans.

History of TIA Career Days

Mr. Montemayor and Mr. Von Croft started the TIA Career Days six years ago with 20 students in Mr. Montemayor’s class. Each student who was interested would be paired up with a local business person to shadow on the job for 2-3 hours. The next year Mr. Montmayer offered the shadowing option to two of his classes. It was so successful that they decided to offer the program district-wide. The overwhelming number of students interested in the program made it impossible to provide shadowing opportunities for them all, so four years ago the Career & College Fair was born. Now local businesses, organizations, and colleges come to the students in one place.

Local Businesses That Participated

Some of the local businesses and organizations that participated this year were; Costco, Target, Tucson Airport Authority, F.B.I., Sandoval Creative, R.O.T.C., Tucson Sheriff & Police Departments, and Arizona Public Media.

Schools That Participated

Among the schools that participated this year were University of Arizona, Tucson College of Beauty, ITT Technical Institute, Grand Canyon University, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, Tucson College, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, The Drawing Studio, Inc., and The Art Institute. For more pictures, click here to go TIA’s Facebook page. Enroll Your Child Now Article written by Kim Murphey~TheJ3Effect

Martha McSally & Dr J Career & College Days

TIA Creating World Changers

Imagine that your student at the U of A calls and says, “we met (professional athlete --insert your favorite’s name here) today!” You might be impressed and think, “Wow, pretty neat.” Now imagine that your child attends a highly focused charter school, and comes home saying, “We spoke to the President of the United States on a conference call today.” How many dishes would you drop? Well, that’s exactly what happened to students at TIA’s Midvale campus. It began with their teacher, Mr. Basurto, who taught his students that they could make a difference.

Congressman Raul Grijalva comes to school to speak and answer questions

One of the school’s students wrote a letter about how her father had been deported. Her family had been in the United States for many years; then one day her father up and vanished (picked up by ICE). This young student simply told her story and wanted to know why the United States would take parents away from their kids. Her teacher, Mr. Basurto, touched by her story, sent it to Congressman Raul Grijalva. Also moved by the letter, the congressman agreed to come to the school to speak and answer questions. “The whole school was so thrilled. ‘Oh my gosh, he’s actually here!’ Everyone was so excited--no one talked; they just listened,” said one student after the visit from the congressman. Congressman Grijalva’s message to the students was simple, yet powerful. “You students keep proving the quality of the education you are receiving. Over and over again you out-perform many of the larger schools.” One student after the event exclaimed, “Being able to ask questions… it was empowering to know that we can make a difference.”

TIA Students Speak with the President of the United States!

For the past two years, these super-charged TIA students have been writing the White House about social and policy issues they feel have a great impact on their lives… They have been noticed! On several occasions, they have conducted conference calls with the congressmen at the Capitol about the Dream Act, to make sure the Dream Act would make a difference for people in Tucson. This spring, however, they had a conference call with President Obama. True story. As you can imagine, it was not a long conversation, but he was careful to encourage the students to apply themselves and to be the kind of Americans that will make us all proud.

TIA is doing something simple, yet profound--TIA is creating world changers!

One of the teachers observed, “I don’t know about you, but when I was in high school, as is the case with most teens these days, my greatest concern was getting a high score on my video game!” That is not the case for these TIA students. Inspired by their amazing and caring teaching staff, they are learning that they can make a difference. TIA is doing something simple, yet profound--TIA is creating world changers!

Enroll Now!

2013 TIA Student Career Day Video Interview’s

Every year, TIA brings together faculty and students from their four locations around Tucson to open the eyes of their students to the potential opportunities that await them once they graduate. Many of the careers featured, like working for the F.B.I. or becoming an architect, would require a formal college education. However, students were also exposed to opportunities like joining the police force, border patrol, or construction which do not require a college degree. Each career exhibit brought something representative of their work. Some booths had many pictures or demonstrations of a "day in the life" of a particular occupation, while others gave opportunities for hands-on activities so students could gain their first experience of a required job element.

Watch the video's below to see what some of the students had to say about TIA's Student Career Day 2013.

Students share their thoughts on the future, their favorite class, teacher and and what they want to do with their lives. What are you excited to learn & what is your favoirte class? http://youtu.be/xFoh3joj5VQ What is your favorite calss? http://youtu.be/OKLcbUf3MN8 What do you want to be? http://youtu.be/HiiCFO7QtrA What are you excited about? http://youtu.be/u1ka9GBwwrg What is your favorite class? http://youtu.be/7dkVCv68zAE What do you want to do with your life? http://youtu.be/z1vtP2SjM5U

University of Arizona Campus Tour

For many kids, thinking about college can seem a little like planning a trip to the moon: it’s far off, mysterious, and a little intimidating. Fortunately, educators at Tucson International Academy (TIA) have found a way to bring the idea down to earth. The annual University of Arizona Campus Tour.

First Glimpse of College Life

Each spring, TIA offers two tours of the University of Arizona campus, one for middle school students and one for high school students. In each tour, approximately 100 students from the four TIA campuses travel by school bus to get their first glimpse of college life. The tour is led by University of Arizona honor students. The guide leads them to campus hotspots such as the dorms, library, sports complex, and student union, pointing out tidbits of university history along the way. For Middle School Students For the middle school kids, the goal of the tour is to eliminate the fear of the unknown. “Familiarity with the campus goes a long way to break down the intimidation factor,” says Renee Arakaki, Chief Operations Officer for TIA. For High School Students For high schoolers, the tour aims to give students a feel for normal campus life, from where they might get a haircut to where they can find an ATM. Being guided by an actual college student, and seeing other students come and go helps convey a sense of excitement about living on campus. “They see that college is not a drag, but something to look forward to,” says Arakaki. At the end of the tour, students watch a short film which gives an overview of how and when to apply for scholarships and financial aid - another helpful element, according to Arakaki: “Teachers can tell them about the application deadlines over and over, but when they hear it from the college, it’s motivating.” The Tour is a Great Tool Regardless of whether students choose to attend University of Arizona or another school, the tour is a great tool to help kids visualize themselves as college students, and to make them feel that college is not a distant planet, but just their next step.