High Tech Los Angeles (HTLA) is an independent charter high school in Los Angeles, California with a mission to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Since its establishment in 2004, HTLA has been a pioneer in collaborative project-based learning, incorporating technology to foster in its students creativity, collaboration, and innovation in an ever-evolving world.
The goal of HTLA is to prepare students from ethnically and socio-economically diverse backgrounds across Los Angeles for the rigors of post-secondary education and the working world beyond. It is a diverse community of active learners, merging traditional academic subjects with real-world technical applications and problem-solving skills to provide its graduates with the tools they will need to be “knowledge leaders in the 21st-century digital world.”
Moreover, the design of the campus fosters collaborative learning with open classrooms, glass walls, and outdoor spaces, providing areas for eating, studying, and collaborative project work throughout the day.
More specifically, HTLA offers its students a California State Standards-based college preparatory education, with a particular emphasis on low-income students. The school aims to meet the A-G requirements for admission to a University of California or California State University school. The ultimate vision is to emphasize the importance of applying acquired knowledge to solve real-world problems in the evolving landscape of today’s world.
At HTLA students thrive as innovative thinkers within the intimate campus environment. The smaller size fosters a sense of community, benefiting students in various ways. With manageable class sizes, students actively engage with both teachers and peers; some classes even take on a student-led approach.
When students enroll as freshmen at HTLA, they are greeted with a welcoming message from the school’s Principal, Colleen Molina:
“Dear students,
Know that my door is always open to you. Whether you seek academic guidance, support with personal challenges, or simply a friendly chat, I’m here for you. Embrace your unique talents and strengths, and never hesitate to reach for the stars. Together, we can achieve great things.”
As students begin their journey, they soon encounter unique elements at HTLA that will shape their high school experience.
Guiding College Paths at HTLA
In the fall of their freshman year, students are introduced to the school’s College Counselor, Nicole Dorfler. It is her job to help students navigate the path to college application and acceptance, and Nicole wastes no time in introducing the students to the possibilities of post-secondary education. As a member of HTLA’s first graduating class and a first-generation college student herself, she is particularly well-positioned to understand the needs and challenges of the students and their families as they navigate their way to college.
Each year, Nicole organizes trips for the students to local colleges so they can begin to see themselves on campus and start thinking about what that phase of their educational journey could look like for them. She coordinates visits by college admissions officers to campus and holds workshops for the students to help them find summer activities to broaden their experience and build their resumes.
Furthermore, Nicole guides the students in choosing schools to apply to, advises them on writing their college application essays, provides resources for scholarships and grants, and helps them fill out financial aid forms. In short, from the moment they walk onto campus until they send in their deposit for their first year’s tuition at college, Nicole is a ready resource for advice and support.
Project-Based Collaborative Learning with an Emphasis on Oral Presentation
Students entering HTLA encounter the unique project-based collaborative learning model, the core of the school’s curriculum design. At first glance, HTLA’s curriculum seems straightforward and traditional. The graduation requirements align with the UC and CSU schools’ entry requirements, necessitating students to complete four years of English, social studies, math, and science. However, the delivery method of this curriculum is far from traditional. Students often learn by doing. They work in groups to complete projects that have real-world applications.
On a typical day at HTLA, you might see a group of freshmen trying to create an exhibit. This exhibit highlights the pros and cons of a technological advance. Simultaneously, you might see sophomores collaborating on an “ofrenda” for their Dia de los Muertos project. They share their backgrounds, interests, and family stories during this project. There might be a group of juniors creating a documentary for their US history class while in the backyard, a group of seniors are prototyping rocket models in Advanced Physics.
These student-centered, cross-curricular group projects enhance communication and cooperation skills. They engage students, create challenges in time management and allocation of responsibility, and foster critical thinking. The faculty at HTLA model the skills and attributes they want to instill in their students: working collaboratively across the curriculum to create an academically rigorous curriculum that meets students where they are and pushes them to achieve.
Throughout their four years at HTLA, students have various ways to demonstrate their learning. These include traditional end-of-semester exams, written work such as essays and research papers, and less traditional assessments such as models, documentaries, exhibits, and oral presentations.
One of the most significant requirements at HTLA is the Presentation of Learning. Each student must complete this high-stakes, formal presentation to a panel of faculty members about an academic topic of their choice from that semester’s curriculum at the end of each semester.
The presentation is carefully scaffolded over the four years to become increasingly rigorous, beginning freshman year with a presentation about a project assigned in one of their classes to their senior presentation, involving a discussion of a project designed and completed by the student during their senior year. This emphasis on oral presentation throughout the high school curriculum is one of the requirements alumni most often cite as being particularly important to their success in college.
Life outside the Classroom
Extracurricular offerings at HTLA are almost as important as the curriculum itself. Clubs play a significant role in enhancing the lively atmosphere on campus, and as with the curricular offerings, the clubs and activities are student-centered.
Students eagerly join clubs aligning with their interests or take the initiative to create new ones. These activities foster connections among students of different grade levels, as they share common interests outside the classroom.
Furthermore, HTLA students train for the LA Marathon through Students Run LA or work together on personal photography or art projects. They run for student council and contribute to the school’s newspaper.
The school’s Robotics team is the most popular extracurricular activity on campus, with approximately one-fifth of the student body participating. Affiliated with FIRST Robotics, HTLA’s Team 4 Element has become a significant part of the school’s identity.
The team’s advisor, math teacher Arno Babahekian, fondly known as ‘B’ to the students, has created a passionate and diverse community. Students in this community learn programming, machining, compassion, and teamwork. He believes everyone has a talent that can be fostered through the team’s mission.
In addition to competing at FIRST Robotics meets throughout the country, the team runs a Robotics and STEAM summer camp for elementary and middle school students and helps mentor international teams in Armenia, Argentina, Guatemala, Mexico, and Spain.
Expanding Opportunities as Students Progress
As students advance at HTLA, they encounter expanding curricular opportunities. Juniors and seniors are offered elective courses that build on the core curriculum and engage student interest. Multidisciplinary electives like Personal Finance, Film Studies, and Robotics add an extra dimension of academic rigor. These courses encourage students to apply broad skills and cross-curricular thinking.
A semester-long internship is a requirement for seniors. They spend 2-½ hours twice a week during school hours with a local employer, gaining practical insights into the work environment. Now in its twentieth year, the internship program strategically matches seniors with positions at local companies based on the company’s needs and the student’s interests and abilities.
HTLA partners with more than thirty local businesses, including the Boys and Girls Club, Providence Tarzana Medical Center, and the San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce. In addition to internships providing practical experience in an office setting, an Internship Coordinator conducts weekly sessions focusing on career exploration, interpersonal skills, and reflection on their internship experience.
Meeting Modern Expectations: Student Support and Schoolwide Culture
HTLA is as focused on high expectations and student rigor as it is on providing the emotional and academic support students need to succeed. The school’s principal, Colleen Molina, brings a decade of experience in both math instruction and special education. She fosters a culture of empathy, collaboration, and continuous growth. In her words, she is “committed to a nurturing and inclusive learning environment where every student can thrive.”
The small student body (approximately 400 students across the four grade levels) ensures that the faculty knows their students well and is well-positioned to provide individualized instruction and support for students of all abilities. The principal is committed to building a supportive and collaborative community where everyone feels valid and empowered to reach their full potential.
As part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion, HTLA actively reaches out to students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds through promotional material distributed to diverse groups, presentations, open houses, and weekly tours at the Charter School. Specifically targeting surrounding schools with a high proportion of low-achieving and socioeconomically disadvantaged students, HTLA aims to attract a balanced representation reflective of the community.
Across the curriculum, everything is designed to achieve HTLA’s four Schoolwide Learner Outcomes:
1. Collaboration:
HTLA students learn not just by themselves but with others. They draw on collective thinking and experiences, fostering collaboration on projects. This approach mirrors the real-world scenarios students will encounter in their future endeavors.
2. Technology:
In an era dominated by technology, HTLA students use it as a tool for problem-solving, research, project organization, complex calculations, and overall skill enhancement.
3. Communication:
Communication skills are vital for success, both in college and the workplace. HTLA students develop excellent written and oral communication skills, which help them in an increasingly interconnected world.
4. Community:
Beyond academics, HTLA emphasizes students becoming active and positive members of their families and communities. Tolerance, respect, and honesty are values ingrained in HTLA students, preparing them not just academically, but socially.
HTLA Success Story
The rigorous project-based curriculum with high expectations has made HTLA a success story. The school has earned the title of a California Distinguished School. In 2023, Niche ranked it as the #4 Best Charter School in California and the #1 Best Public High School Teachers in LA County. This year’s graduating class has gained admission to 85 different colleges and secured over $4.2 million in merit-based college scholarships. No matter where students are in their educational journey when they enter HTLA, they leave prepared to succeed in a 21st-century world that demands an ability to think creatively and critically and present solutions coherently and persuasively.
Quotes
“HTLA emphasizes the development of an educated person in the 21st century who can take knowledge and apply it to solving problems.”
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