XCL Program

Offered to select sophomores, the Aspire Youth Discovery Initiative is XCL’s leadership program to expand self-awareness, employability skills and leadership potential. FHSD and the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce work closely in developing a comprehensive, year-long itinerary for Aspire students to attend monthly meetings during the school day in various “community classrooms.” Each monthly session is dedicated to a different topic, such as communication or financial literacy, where students have the opportunity to grow their professional network and build awareness about the resources that exist within the Anderson Township and Greater Cincinnati communities. Aspire includes a service learning/capstone project related to the programming they received and will benefit the community. Sophomore families are sent application materials at the beginning of the school year, encouraging all sophomores to apply for the Aspire program. 

The Aspire Youth Discovery Initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Bob and Jeanne Coughlin Foundation and the Forest Hills Foundation for Education. 

Previous student experiences: 

• During a monthly session, Aspire students visited UC Clermont Career Center where they took an in-depth career aptitude and interest assessment, engaging also in personality exploration exercises. 
• Students in the Aspire program visited the Anderson Center for a monthly session, networking with public officials and public works. They learned about community planning with Township Planning and Zoning and even worked in teams to develop their own communities.

XCL’s resources connect students to a variety of immersive career experiences that not only allow them to gain insight into careers they are interested in, but also provide them with experience to strengthen their resumes and portfolios. XCL provides the necessary connections for students to gain awareness of a variety of career fields and benefit from hands-on workplace experiences to help them explore different interests before graduation.

These learning opportunities can range in involvement from formal, multi-week engagements to one-time shadowing experiences, and they will typically take place outside the normal school day.

Previous student experiences: 

• Students in XCL’s Healthcare Career Exploration Program completed an eight-week learning series at Christ Hospital and OrthoCincy where they were afforded opportunities to engage in simulation labs, shadow medical personnel, observe the operating room and more.
• Several students from Anderson and Turpin participated with Hamilton County Juvenile Court’s Youth Court program which trains local teenagers to serve as jurors, handling real-life cases involving their similar-aged peers who have committed non-violent, low-level offenses.
• Jubilee B. shadowed the staff at The Goddard School in Anderson, helping her develop skills and prepare her vision for a career in early childhood education.
• Kyle W. spent an afternoon shadowing Mr. Scott LesChander, Director of Agronomy at Terrace Park Country Club, to learn about the “science of growing things” around the club’s 150 acres of impeccably-maintained grounds. Kyle was able to learn about TPCC’s new irrigation system which relies on a well system that draws from an aquifer in the Little Miami River.

XCL’s community partners often visit FHSD schools to meet students and share insight about their day-to-day professional life. This is a great opportunity for students to ask questions and receive firsthand knowledge about their growing career interests. 

Previous student experiences: 

• Mr. Jack Walsh, a commercial airline pilot, spoke to students interested in a career in aviation. 
• The founder and CEO of Shephard Wealth Management, Mr. Casey Garland, held Financial Career Conversations at both Anderson and Turpin High Schools. 

The XCL Program connects classes and student groups at Anderson and Turpin High Schools to learning experiences at various facilities. Field trips often offer students more than just tours of the grounds and work environments. They provide opportunities to network with professionals and participate in learning experiences that align with school studies while also navigating students’ future interests. 

Previous student experiences: 

• Computer science classes from both Anderson and Turpin visited the University of Cincinnati for their IT Expo where they explored collegiate projects focused on Cybersecurity, Application Development and more. 
• The Turpin High School Robotics Club visited the Christ Hospital to learn about robotic surgery using the da Vinci 5. Students were led by robotics vendor, Intuitive, as well as Christ Hospital surgeons through various games that simulated surgery.