By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Fridays at Victoria Jr./Sr. High School are redefining traditional education. Through learning labs, students gain practical life skills that reach far beyond the classroom.
Dan Rogers, Victoria High assistant principal and athletic director, said the concept stemmed from a workshop he attended at Peabody-Burns High School.
"We have to think differently in terms of learning and what education is to have the kids feel relevant in school because that's a huge problem in today's society," Rogers said.
The effort aims to offer life skills training every Friday for students in grades 7-12, efficiently using the limited resources available in a small school setting.
The learning labs rotate every nine weeks and offer students diverse practical skills, including hunter safety, equine management, culinary arts, guitar and drum lessons, archery, mentorship, German, chess, and plumbing and electrical basics.
"It's been really cool. The vibe is so much better on Friday. The energy is there. Staff are excited to share what they know," he said.
Rogers leads a dance learning lab focused on two-step and swing dance, inspired by students’ interest in learning how to dance.
Teachers are encouraged to share their unique hobbies, skills and passions. Some even provide personal resources to support their workshops, with additional materials supplied by the community.
"Victoria is very willing to support our kids," he said. "The ultimate goal is for our kids to learn skills and then help them out in the process."
Community members can coordinate donations by contacting Victoria High's main office. Previous contributions have included fishing poles and a toilet for plumbing labs.
Additional learning labs include genealogy research, conversational German, creative writing, calligraphy, golf, volunteering at the Humane Society, and knitting and crocheting.
Rogers said the learning labs at Victoria High have brought about a positive shift in the school environment, strengthening relationships between students and staff.
"Our custodians and maintenance staff are teaching labs, building relationships with students in ways we've never seen before," he said.
"We have seniors in the same learning lab as seventh graders. I was a little nervous about how that would go, but it's been great. The whole dynamic of the building has changed," Rogers said.
Since September, the workshops have attracted interest from other schools in the area, which recognize the program as a model for reimagining education.
Rogers said he hopes to develop the labs so students can create and sell goods or services, benefiting the community while helping to fund future labs.
In the meantime, Rogers aims to support students as they request skills the school cannot readily provide, such as auto body and dent removal.
"If there's business owners or retired people in these trades who can donate or give hours of your time a week to teach our students these skills, that would benefit them," he said.
