LET OUR SPECIALTY SESSIONS PROPEL YOU INTO YOUR CAREER.
EXCEL has developed a variety of specialty sessions to advance your education. During specialty sessions, students are asked to apply the lessons learned in the Foundational Sessions—employability skills, independent living skills, healthy lifestyle choices, and leadership skills—to real-life applications.
Students have many opportunities to experience training in specific careers. They can earn employability certificates and even college credits. Finally, students will have vast training to make an informed decision on the career of their dreams.
what careers fit,
how to get the job,
and how to keep it!
ACADEMIC OLYMPICS
The Academic Decathlon & Personal Finance Fair is a fun-filled, 4-day event for 7TH-12TH graders, providing individual academic competitions in math, science, speech, essay, social studies, and keyboarding.
Team events will find participants playing basketball, volleyball, engineering, and poster design. Students also have the opportunity to explore various “healthy living” subjects such as social media and internet safety, stress and coping, budgeting and financial literacy, barrier crimes, and senior transition workshop.
The Personal Finance portion of the decathlon includes hands-on, exciting activities introducing students to the world of personal finance. Students will have the opportunity for students to think about and begin planning for some of the basic aspects of personal finance – earning money, saving and spending money wisely, using credit cautiously, and protecting their finances.
7th-12th
gradeCOLLEGE, TRADES, MILITARY, JOBS (CTMJ) FUTURES FAIR
Bringing together representatives from college, trades, military, and jobs makes this a valuable experience for high school seniors. They will have the opportunity to get assistance with many tasks, such as applications, meet recruiters, gain help with resumes and cover letters, and apply in person to the career paths of their choice. With human resources personnel on site, students may also apply for entry-level jobs to directly join the workforce.
- Students can meet other rural students seeking the same life goals
- Several life paths to choose from all under one roof
- EXCEL staff coach students with all the tasks needed for successful transition
12th
gradeCREDIT RECOVERY
Students who need more math, language arts, or science credits to graduate are invited to attend this intensive session. Small class sizes and individualized attention from our certified teachers make this an excellent experience for these students.
Example core classes to earn .5 high school credit include:
- English Basic Composition
- Integrated Algebra A
- Algebra IA or IB
- Algebra II
- Life Science
11th& 12th
gradeDRIVER'S EDUCATION/LICENSE
This class is offered to 18-year-olds or students who have had their permits for at least six months. In addition to online practice and testing, participants spend time behind the wheel with licensed driving instructors to give them the experience of urban driving under watchful eyes.
- AAA defensive driver's training
- Six hours driving instruction
- Driver's test
- .5 high school credit in Driver's Education
11th & 12th
gradeETT/FIREFIGHTING
The EXCEL ETT/Firefighting Camp is a 21- day intensive camp providing students an opportunity to become an Emergency Trauma Technician, as well as earn 3-4 college credits!
Additionally, participants learn a wide variety of rescue techniques including rescuing people from mock burning buildings, CPR, outdoor survival skills, emergency first aid, cold-water rescue, and how to operate the Jaws of Life.
Students practice fire, water, and high ropes rescue techniques.
11th& 12th
gradeHEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATIONS
Designed to allow students to train on different pieces of heavy equipment, this session also gives them the opportunity to earn industry-recognized certifications. Students receive 40 hours of practicum training on loaders, dozers, excavators, compactors, and a tutorial of road graders. In order to pass a written test, students are also given classroom instruction in loader, dozer, excavator, forklift, grades, and trenching and shoring.
- Industry-recognized certifications earned:
- NCCER Introduction to Heavy Equipment
- First Aid/CPR
- Traffic Control Flagger
- .5 high school credit in Heavy Equipment Operations
11th & 12th
gradeINDUSTRY BOOT CAMP
This camp is an intensive introduction to a variety of entry-level jobs with industry recognized certificates which qualify students to be "boots-on-the-ground" ready employees for many industry partners. Each student successfully completing this camp earns .5 high school credit in CTE Trades/Jobs/Entry Level Certs. Participants have the opportunity to take courses and tests necessary to earn certifications in the following:
- NCCER Compaction Equipment
- OSHA 10
- ATSSA Flagger
- OSHA Forklift
- First Aid/CPR
- Aerial Manlift
- .5 high school credit in Driver's Education
11th& 12th
gradeINTRODUCTION TO AVIATION
In this 10-day program, 10TH through 12TH grade students will learn key aviation foundation concepts, complete a discovery flight and a instrument instruction course, have the opportunity to tour UAA’s Aviation program as well as local businesses in the aviation industry.
Students successful in completing the course can earn .5 high school credit.
10th - 12th
gradeMATH-SCIENCE EXPEDITION (MSE)
This introductory session teams students and math teachers for hands-on learning of fish biology and river ecology. Under careful supervision from staff members, participants learn the methods of data collection, math applications, and how the data will be used by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
- Leadership Training
- Applied Mathematics
- Fish Biology
- River Ecology
- Wilderness Safety
- Introduction to Fish and Game Careers
- .5 high school credit in Introduction to Fish Biology/Research
7th- 12th
gradeNCCER CONSTRUCTION
Students in Construction become National Center for Construction Education and Research Core (NCCER) certified, learn to read blueprints, measure accurately, and use tools safely.
- NCCER Core Certification
- 40 hours of construction experience
- Use power tools
- Use hand tools
- Build a structure
10th - 12th
gradeNCCER WELDING
Welding Camp offers introductory training on welding, including oxygen-acetylene cutting, oxy-fuel processes, and welding joint designs. Students study the National Center for Construction Education and Research Core (NCCER) level 1 welding module.
- NCCER Core Certification
- 40 hours of welding practice
- Practical application
- Construct useful items
10th- 12th
gradePOST-SECONDARY PREP
This session is for those who want help finalizing their transition plans for after high school. The EXCEL staff will assist each student with enrollment in college, trades program, military, or entry-level work. Each student who successfully completes the camp is awarded .5 high school credit.
- Applications
- FAFSA
- Scholarships
- Testing
- Meet with recruiters
- Improve interview skills
- Resumes
- Cover letters
- Much MORE!
12th
gradePUBLIC SAFETY STRAND
Skills taught in the Public Safety Strand cover police responsibilities in functions unrelated to crime and law enforcement, such as search and rescue operations in tundra, mountainous forests, and navigable waterways in rivers and lakes. Public Safety Officers must understand remote health and medical hazards caused by weather conditions, water safety, stings and bites, poisonous plants, altitude sickness, lightning and electrical shock, and flooding
- Law Enforcement & Community Policing
- Crime Scene Leadership & Evidence Preservation
- Self-Defense Law, Martial Arts, & Physical Methods of Arrest & Control
- Bush Survival, Survival First Aid, & Tracking for Predatory Protective Defense & Food Procurement
- Boating Water Safety, Water Survival, & Enhancing Water Rescue Observation
- Search & Rescue Operations, Remote Transportation Crash Survival, & Self-Rescue Tracking
These skills enhance the effectiveness of working in public safety in remote Alaska.
SUMMER XL CAMP
By design, Summer XL Camp is held on a different post-secondary campus each year, allowing students to experience and utilize the strengths of the curricula offered at each site. This ensures students will make an informed decision on their future training. Participants select one in a variety of programs of study with many leading to industry certificates and/or college credit. Students may also earn high school credit. In addition, students have the opportunity to sharpen healthy living practices and hone valuable leadership and employability skills.
- Aviation Ground School
- Culinary Arts
- Law Enforcement
- Maritime
- Many MORE!
10th- 12th
grade