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MEC has a new name!
Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, MEC will become Mapleton Early Career Preparation (MEC Prep for short)!
As one of Mapleton’s original small-by-design school options, MEC has strong ties to its community, so it was important to Director Robin Graham that the school remain similar to its initial academic structure and environment.
“In 2019, Colorado changed the definition of what an ‘early college’ is, and we realized that Mapleton Early College was no longer an accurate description of our school model,” said Mrs. Graham. “Mapleton Early Career Preparation is a better description of who we are and what we will be doing in the future.”
As MEC Prep gears up for the 2022-23 school year, the high school is dedicated to getting back to its Big Picture model roots.
“The future of MEC Prep is exciting! We asked for a lot of feedback from our students and their families about what makes this school special and unique. Everyone agreed that having an early career focus was key for them, so we wanted to stay true to that. Going forward, we’ll be offering more internship opportunities for upper classmen than we ever have before,” Mrs. Graham said.
MEC Prep will be offering internship opportunities to students that are interest-based, to ensure that students can explore their individual passions.
“We really want to continue doing what we do but BETTER! Upper classmen will have opportunities for two-day-a-week internships if they choose. We are also hiring an internship coordinator to help create these career-exploring opportunities for students,” said Mrs. Graham.
MEC Prep’s community partnerships will range from programs such as Build Strong Academy (construction) with Front Range Community College, to collaborating with local lawyers, surgeons, and other highly trained and skilled professions.
“Our staff leadership team has been meeting all year to strategize on how we can enrich these internship experiences. It’s important for our community to know that, fundamentally, not too much is going to change! They are coming back to the same director and same staff that they are used to. We still adhere to our individual learning plans for students, that focus on creating relevant, interest-based paths for our kids,” Mrs. Graham said.
The future looks bright for MEC Prep!
“I’m looking forward to seeing students back in their internships and forming those strong relationships with their mentors. Seeing kids share their excitement and growth as they learn and have experiences outside our building that are enriching and meaningful is a great feeling,” said Mrs. Graham.
MEC Prep and all Mapleton small-by-design schools are now enrolling! To learn more about our schools and to find one that is right for you, visit https://www.mapleton.us/enroll.