LEAP Forward Online Classroom Helps MMSD Students During COVID-19 Pandemic

By: Todd Reck The LEAP Forward Internship Program was suspended for summer 2020, but that does not mean that DEM’s commitment to local high school students was suspended.  Read more about how the LEAP Forward team has developed an Online Classroom to help more Madison students become college and career ready. In the summer of 2018 the LEAP Forward Internship Program was developed as part of UW–Madison’s partnership with MMSD’s Personalized Pathways Program.  LEAP Forward offers a select group of rising high school juniors the chance to spend time on campus, learn more about being a college student, explore their own career goals, become more self-aware, and work directly with UW Madison’s health science units.  All while earning a UW–Madison credit and a stipend. In April, the COVID-19 pandemic required us to suspend LEAP Forward for summer 2020.  The LEAP Forward team, comprised of Justin Mumford and Kristina Rittel (OSFA), Brenda Gonzalez (UW–Madison Director of Community Relations), and Todd Reck (OVP) were disappointed, but still wanted to help.  The team turned to their MMSD partners and asked: “What can we do to continue to support MMSD students?” The LEAP Forward Online Classroom emerged to meet MMSD’s ask for asynchronous content that MMSD faculty, staff, and students can use to supplement their own teaching and learning.  The classroom features sections on preparing for college, career exploration, student wellness, and the COVID-19 response.  A special thanks goes out to partners in the Division and around campus who helped make this project a reality. While we hope there will be LEAP Forward interns on campus in 2021, the team is starting to build a resource that will expand this partnership to make more MMSD students college and career ready for years to come.