WPS Institute

07/06/2026

Happy 🌎

We're celebrating National Summer Learning Week with some exciting news: WPS Institute's Summer Leadership Institute has been named a finalist for the 2026 National Summer Learning Award from the National Summer Learning Association.

SLI is built in partnership with the Waltham, Newton and Watertown Boys & Girls Clubs, connecting middle and high school students to real workplaces and community organizations across Greater Boston—from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Wentworth Institute of Technology to Boston Children’s Hospitall and local nonprofits.

The idea underneath SLI is simple: young people spend most of their waking hours outside the classroom. For students with the fewest opportunities, that's often where gaps widen. We believe those hours can also become one of the most powerful places to learn. When students are trusted with real work that matters to their communities, they consistently rise to the occasion—and they leave asking for more.

We're grateful to the National Summer Learning Association for this recognition, and to organizations like After School & Beyond for continuing to champion what's possible in out-of-school time.

Learn more about National Summer Learning Week and explore NSLA's resources: https://www.summerlearning.org/knowledge-center/

See SLI in action: https://vimeo.com/1001387227

This is "WPS Summer Leadership Institute - Reimagining Learning" by ELIAS MIRANDA PRODUCTIONS, LLC. on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

04/14/2026

04/09/2026

What if some of the most powerful learning happens when young people step beyond the classroom and connect with their communities?

At Deeper Learning 2026, we explored that question through our session, Ordinary Streets, Extraordinary Learning.

This year, HTH Graduate School of Ed. invited us to explore four modes of AI. Our session leaned into Abundant Imagination, expanding how we see learning through neighborhood walks, community spaces, and real-world experiences.

From clipboards to community conversations, we saw how simple practices can spark curiosity, belonging, and civic awareness in powerful ways.

Grateful for the opportunity to share, learn, and be in community with educators asking similar questions.
Thank you to the Deeper Learning community for holding space for this work.

02/27/2026

At English High School, 7th graders spent months thinking deeply about belonging, and then did something about it.

In ELA class with Alice Laramore and Nadia L’Bahy, students read and discussed texts about community and belonging, asking what it really means to make people feel welcome. Early in the year, they walked through their school noticing what helped them feel like they belonged, and what didn’t.

Their conversations led them outdoors. Students realized there weren’t enough picnic tables to hold class outside, and that the space could feel more inviting. So they proposed a solution: build and paint new tables so students could learn and connect outdoors.

With support from a community-connected learning grant, students turned an idea into action, improving a shared space for the whole school.

Thoughtful questions, student voice, and a real contribution to their community, this is learning with purpose.

02/25/2026

DREAM Academy students from Charlestown High School spent the day at the New England Aquarium, and they didn’t just walk through exhibits, they designed their own learning experience.

Each group chose an essential question that mattered to them, built a plan, and explored the aquarium through their own lens. Some focused on climate change in Boston, others on how sea creatures move, storytelling underwater, or how museums can better engage middle schoolers.

When we asked what went well, students said:
“The freedom.”
“I liked how we could have a say.”

Those moments of choice matter. Giving young people real say in what and how they learn builds confidence, curiosity, and ownership. Watching it happen in real time was pretty special.

02/04/2026

Recently, our 7th graders spent a powerful day at the Museum of Science in partnership with HMS MedScience. 🧬

Students took part in a hands-on medical simulation in the Suit Cabot Classroom, stepping into real clinical roles to diagnose a patient, interpret data, and make decisions together. They then explored the Hall of Human Life and Biogen exhibits, deepening their understanding of how the human body works, just as they are studying cellular respiration and body systems in their CHS science classes.

A highlight of the day was a Women in Bio panel featuring professionals from both Women in Bio and the National Society of Black Engineers. Panelists shared candid stories about their paths into medicine and STEM, what their work looks like day-to-day, and how curiosity, persistence, and mentorship shaped their careers. Students came prepared with thoughtful questions and left with new ideas about what their own futures might hold.

Grateful to the Museum of Science and HMS MedScience teams for opening their doors and creating such a rich, real-world learning experience for our students.

02/02/2026

On January 16, WPS partnered with Higgins Middle School for a full-staff PD day focused on “Leveling Up” authenticity in teaching and learning.

Teachers explored student survey data from Transcend LEAPS on agency, relevance, and rigorous learning, comparing Higgins results to national averages. The day was grounded in a powerful protocol created by Nipmuc Regional High School, whose open-source resources helped keep the work practical and classroom-ready.

As one teacher shared:
“I will definitely be implementing some student engagement speaking routines in my classes.”

Grateful to Higgins and Nipmuc for such thoughtful collaboration.

01/22/2026

At Try It Day at Higgins Middle School in Peabody, architects from Flow Design taught our students how to see like designers.

Students practiced sketching a pepper from multiple perspectives, including the outside elevation and a cross-section (a slice that shows the inside structure).

It was such a powerful reminder that design starts with observation, curiosity, and learning how to notice details most people miss.

Huge thanks to the Flow Design team for making architecture feel real, creative, and accessible.

Read more about Try It Day Here: https://www.wpsinstitute.org/post/try-it-day-at-higgins-middle-school-inspiring-career-exploration-for-6th-graders

01/22/2026

At Try It Day, Higgins Middle School students worked side-by-side with staff from the Greater Boston Food Bank learning how to pack family food boxes the right way, safely, efficiently, and so everything fits.
These boxes go directly to families in our region, which means this wasn’t just a lesson, it was real community impact. 💙

Try It Day is all about helping students see what different careers actually look like and how their work can matter.

Would you want this experience at your school? DM us.