Skip to main content

Vet Tech

student riding a horse
Student showing off their horse tail braiding skills
student standing next to a horse eating grass
student labeling horse body parts
students labeling horse body parts
students comparing a horse skeleton to a horse head

In the 8th grade Veterinary Technician Pathway with UVA Polo, Ohana Farms, and VCA (Albemarle Veterinary Health Care Center), students were introduced to a wide array of subjects including horse care, the game of polo, and veterinary medicine. The pathways taught students horse care at Ohana Horse Farms, giving them ample time to interact with horses and allow them to see how a local horse farm operates. By the end of summer, students felt more comfortable around horses and found more interest in veterinary medicine.

Health & Medicine 

Student looks through a microscope
Student peers through a microscope
Student demonstrates chest compressions
Counselor places a respiratory device
Student dissects an eggplant
Students smiles while dissecting an eggplant

In the 8th grade Health & Medicine Pathway with UVA Health and medicine, students explore different careers in the field of medicine. Throughout the summer, they learned how to intubate with the airway mannikin, perform a protein crystallization experiment, and demonstrate how an ultra machine can be utilized to visualize neck vessels. 

Students took a tour of the Ai lab, Psychiatry, the Zimmer lab, Radiology, and the Levental Lab! By the end of the pathway, students understood the different routes they can take career-wise in the medical system and begin to build a foundation for a future of working in or learning about the medical field. 

 

Architecture

Students work on sketches
Students look down at an digital model
Scholars listen to instructions from an architecture student
Scholars gather to look at an architecture model

In the 7th grade Architecture pathway with UVA School of Architecture, students were introduced to architectural design, learning about each part of the process, and participating in building their own architectural models. Throughout the summer, student learned techniques for drawing models then transitioned to learning about digital models and the program "CAD".

Students had the opportunity to go on a field trip to a construction site at UVA. During this trip, students saw a real-life application of architectural technique taught in the pathway. At the end of the pathway, students create models for a new community park, helping them develop concrete skills that will be foundational for any future career in architecture or related fields. 

 

Business & Finance 

_
students gather around instructor

In the 9th grade Business and Finance Pathway with Mahogany & Friends, students were introduced to important concepts in finance and practices both planning and decision-making skills. Students spent the summer learning to identify their needs vs. wants, how to create a budget, and how to financially prioritize items in a hypothetical situation. 

The time spent within the business and finance pathways helped students develop a healthier understanding of how to manage money, allowing students to practice useful skills that will be beneficial in whatever path they decide to follow. 

Education 

Student counts play money
Counselor joins scholars in an activity
Scholars play in the Virginia Discovery Museum
Students play in the Virginia Discovery Museum
Students play in the Virginia Discovery Museum

In the 9th grade Education Pathway with Virginia Discovery Museum, students were introduces to the intentional world of museum exhibition. They started with an introduction to the Virginia Discovery Museum, allowing students to explore the front and back gallery exhibits. After they became experts on each selected exhibits, they learned about the standards of care required to maintain it. 

By the end of the pathway students had a newfound knowledge of what education can look like within a museum setting. These skills, such as simplifying information and participating in public speaking, will be beneficial in any career pathway that students choose to pursue. 

Filmmaking 

Students take a silly photo with film slate
Students take a picture of the UVA V-Saber
Students film their own commercials
Students set the frame for recording
Student gives a film pitch
Students mix sound in the studio
Field trip to 29 News Station

In the 9th grade Filmmaking Pathway with Lighthouse Studios, students were introduced to the world of technology and communications, gaining beneficial experience in video production, sound mixing, and script writing. Students presented short films, advertisements and podcasts they created at the Starr Hill Pathway Expo. By the end of the pathway, students lefts the camp with hard skills they can use in whatever career they choose to pursue. 

Robotics & Engineering

Students watch robotic models
robot model
Students collaborate on balloon model
Students work on balloon model
Students test balloon model

In the 8th grade Robotics & Engineering pathway with UVA Data Science and C4k (Computers 4 Kids), students were introduced to engineering and programming. After an introduction of data-science, engineering, and robotics related terminology and topics, students began to work with statistics of NBA basketball players. 

By the end of the program students gained a general understanding of data science, robotics and engineering with concrete skills that they can use as a foundation for a future in the robotics & engineering career field. 

 

STEM

learning outside
listening & learning
fact or myth?
students completing STEM worksheets

In the 7th grade STEM Pathway with STEMPreneurs, students were introduces to the technicalities of engineering and learn about careers in the STEM field. The course had students spend time team building and working on challenges like constructing stomp rockets, snap circuits, and windmills together. 

This course placed an emphasis on all four building blocks of STEM and taught students about the different career options in the field. By the end of the course, students developed concrete skills and experiences that they will carry with them in the future, if they choose to pursue a STEM related career. 

April 29th, 2024: Programming Day

SHP Scholars and staff discuss a question during a daily wellness check-in.
SHP Scholars and staff discuss a prompt during a daily wellness check-in.
Sydney Shuler, The Equity Center
A Scholar operates a robotic arm during a visit to PVCC with the Engineering Tech. pathway during a spring programming day.
A Scholar operates a robotic arm during a visit to PVCC with the Engineering Tech. pathway during a spring Programming Pay.
Sydney Shuler, The Equity Center
SHP Scholars explore a model human skull during the Health & Sciences Pathway with UVA Health.
Scholars explore models of human skulls during the Health & Sciences Pathway with UVA Health.
Sydney Shuler, The Equity Center

During the final Starr Hill Pathways (SHP) programming day of the year, Scholars learned about nursing responsibilities with UVA Nursing, took a tour of Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, analyzed a game of ping pong basketball with Computers4Kids (C4K), and painted original artwork with The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative.

The SHP curriculum is designed to help Scholars elevate every year - from the time they enter the program as rising sixth graders to the time they matriculate out of the program as high school graduates. This year, the rising ninth graders in SHP's inaugural cohort will be paired with internships through our community partners at the Community Attention Youth Internship Program, a professional development opportunity for youth ages 14 to 21.

June 17th: Starr Hill Pathways Summer Camp Pep Rally

Students listening to community partners
Computers4Kids, our partners leading the Computer Science pathway for rising 8th-graders, spoke with students about what to expect over the next two weeks
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Students playing basketball
Students played basketball at UVA during recreational time after lunch.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Students playing volleyball
Students played volleyball at UVA during recreational time after lunch.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Student speaking into a microphone
A student Scholar shared her experience with the Starr Hill Pathways tutoring program.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Community partner speaking with a group of students
Kim Bryson, the founder and owner of Ohana Horse Farm, met with 8th-grade students in the Veterinarian/Veterinarian Technician pathway to talk all things equestrian over a game of Uno.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
The D.N.D. Dancers performing on-stage
The D.N.D. Dancers gave an exciting performance during the pep rally on Monday morning.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Students in sunglasses
Students in Starr Hill Pathways sunglasses.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Community pa
Our community partners at the UVA School of Architecture spoke with 8th-grade students about their pathway project this summer.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
A student and counselor posing
A student and counselor in the Creative Arts pathway for 8th-graders pose for a photo during a break in the pep rally.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center

It's the first week of Starr Hill Pathways Summer Camp 2024!  We kicked off our third year of summer programming with a pep rally to celebrate our 225 Starr Scholars!

This year, rising 7th, 8th, and 9th-grade students are exploring 17 career pathways with 19 partners from community-serving organizations and UVA schools and divisions.

Our 40 rising 10th-grade students - most of whom have been with SHP since its inception in 2021 - are moving on to the next phase of their SHP matriculation process: paid summer internships!

Stay tuned for more SHP Day in the Life updates this summer!

June 18th: Day 1

Community partner speaking with a group of students
Kim Bryson, the founder and owner of Ohana Horse Farm, met with 8th-grade students in the Veterinarian/Veterinarian Technician pathway to talk all things equestrian over a game of Uno.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Counselor speaking with students
SHP Program Manager and counselor Trā Nicholson hosts daily Starr Time sessions for 7th-, 8th-, and 9th-grade students. Starr Time is a space for students to check-in about their mental health, self-efficacy, and overall wellbeing.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Students taking surveys
Students took surveys to assess their self-efficacy.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Students pose with "peace" and "I love you"
"Peace" and "love" at Starr Time!
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Student riding a horse
Students in the Vet/Vet Tech. pathway learned to ride horses at Ohana Horse Farm in Louisa, VA.
The Equity Center
Students in a music production studio
Students learned their way around a music production studio during a visit to the Music Resource Center for the Multimedia Communications pathway.
The Equity Center
Students practice ballet on a barre
Students practice their moves at a barre during the Performing Arts pathway with Charlottesville Ballet
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Students making paper airplanes
Students crafted and tested paper planes in the STEM pathway with STEMpreneur
Justin Hall, The Equity Center

June 19th: Juneteenth Field Trips

Men posing for a photo
Students pose for a photo with The Equity Center Director Dr. Ben Allen
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Students in a toy train
Students took a trip to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, where they interacted with mock-artifacts like this train headed to Charlottesville's Belmont neighborhood!
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Students holding finger peace signs
Scholars enjoyed interactive exhibits at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond, VA.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center
Students at a museum
Seventh and eighth-grade students also visited the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Justin Hall, The Equity Center

Happy Juneteenth! Today, our Starr Hill Pathways Scholars took a trip to Richmond to visit not 1, not 2 but 3 museums in honor of the holiday.

Special thanks to Kelly Hancock and Ben Lovelace at the American Civil War Museum for giving students a lesson on the events that lead to Juneteenth.

Students also visited the Virginia History & Culture Museum - thanks to Caroline Legros - and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts!

June 20th: Pathway Day

Children standing in front of the White House
Our Starr Scholars took a day trip to Washington, D.C. to tour the White House and hear Bubba Wallace speak about the Space 4 All campaign, a STEM awareness campaign.
The Equity Center
Kids in polo shirts
Rising 9th-grade students came prepared to take notes during a field trip to the White House with the Policy/P-Q pathway.
The Equity Center
Students on the White House Steps
Students on the White House Steps
The Equity Center
Student playing with a child
Students in the Education pathway with Virginia Discovery Museum stopped by to play with some young museum guests.
The Equity Center
Student in a music studio
Students in the Multimedia Communications pathway practiced making beats at the Music Resource Center.
The Equity Center

Counselors 

counselors smile at the SHP Pep rally
counselors participate in a trust exercise
counselors participate in a trust exercise
counselors participate in a trust exercise

A huge shout out to our dedicated & brilliant Counselors! They did their best everyday to create a welcoming and fun learning environment for our students here at Starr Hill Pathways.