Next Step Academy
By: Ashley Zilka
Updated: March 4, 2013
It's what David Mammano calls the world's new school.
Next Step Academy offers different life skill courses that help high school and college students with things they may not learn in the typical classroom.
"We see so many young adults that want to succeed in life but they are kind of missing a core part of what it takes to help them be successful and that is these basic life skills," said David Mammano, CEO and Founder of Next Step Education Group.
Those basic life skills include anything from distracted driving, financial literacy, dressing for success and fitness. Mammano says Next Step Academy is the missing link between the current school system and a successful life.
"You know there is a saying common sense just ain't that common anymore, so we are trying to bring that back. We're trying to help students hit the ground running so that they can almost be supercharged with their life," said Mammano.
Next Step Academy is in its early stages at Fairport High School. Guidance counselor, John Serafine, hopes to add some of the courses to the curriculum.
"I can see some of the topics like distracted driving being something we implement here, resume writing, financial literacy, those are all things that we can add to our kids education," said John Serafine.
Fairport High School is not alone. There are more than 240 high schools across the United States that are using the online system. Mammano says new topics and different courses will be added on a regular basis.
"We are going to have some fun things. We are going to have table etiquette. You go to a wedding, what fork do I use first? We want to help you with that. It's going to be some fun stuff but it's also going to be some serious stuff as well," said Mammano.
"Unfortunately, some of those life skills are things we don't get an opportunity to teach in a traditional high school setting, so I think Next Step Academy fills the void a little bit and gives kids an opportunity fill in some gaps in their education," said Serafine.
Right now, students can earn digital badges when they complete each course. It's the school choice on how they want to use those badges whether it's rewarding the students or giving them special permissions.
If your school doesn't offer Next Step Academy, you can sign up for $50 a year.
For more information on the online course, visit www.nextstepacademy.com.
Next Step Academy offers different life skill courses that help high school and college students with things they may not learn in the typical classroom.
"We see so many young adults that want to succeed in life but they are kind of missing a core part of what it takes to help them be successful and that is these basic life skills," said David Mammano, CEO and Founder of Next Step Education Group.
Those basic life skills include anything from distracted driving, financial literacy, dressing for success and fitness. Mammano says Next Step Academy is the missing link between the current school system and a successful life.
"You know there is a saying common sense just ain't that common anymore, so we are trying to bring that back. We're trying to help students hit the ground running so that they can almost be supercharged with their life," said Mammano.
Next Step Academy is in its early stages at Fairport High School. Guidance counselor, John Serafine, hopes to add some of the courses to the curriculum.
"I can see some of the topics like distracted driving being something we implement here, resume writing, financial literacy, those are all things that we can add to our kids education," said John Serafine.
Fairport High School is not alone. There are more than 240 high schools across the United States that are using the online system. Mammano says new topics and different courses will be added on a regular basis.
"We are going to have some fun things. We are going to have table etiquette. You go to a wedding, what fork do I use first? We want to help you with that. It's going to be some fun stuff but it's also going to be some serious stuff as well," said Mammano.
"Unfortunately, some of those life skills are things we don't get an opportunity to teach in a traditional high school setting, so I think Next Step Academy fills the void a little bit and gives kids an opportunity fill in some gaps in their education," said Serafine.
Right now, students can earn digital badges when they complete each course. It's the school choice on how they want to use those badges whether it's rewarding the students or giving them special permissions.
If your school doesn't offer Next Step Academy, you can sign up for $50 a year.
For more information on the online course, visit www.nextstepacademy.com.
