A Strong Foundation for the Future: Why Freshman Academy Matters

"Last year, my first day of freshman year, I felt anxious and not prepared," recalls Destyn Allen, a sophomore in the fire science pathway at Fern Creek High School. "I didn't know where any of my classes were, and I didn't know anyone here. So I felt very out of place when I got here."

This feeling of uncertainty is a common experience for incoming high school students. It's a pivotal moment, as education researcher John Hattie's work shows that the transition from middle to high school is a key predictor of a student’s future success. Students who successfully transition to their sophomore year have an 85% chance of graduating, while those who are retained see their graduation odds plummet to 45%.

Rather than enrolling students in a career-themed academy upon entering high school, the Academies of Louisville recognized the importance of a strong, foundational freshman year. As Lauren Clemons, the Freshman Academy Counselor at Fern Creek, explains, "Freshman Academy is the foundation. We are what starts everything moving forward out of freshman year."

The Importance of Freshman Year

Freshmen are like "little clay," according to Shawnee's Assistant Principal Dr. Ben Harris and Counselor Patrick Johnson—they are still kids, almost like "glorified middle schoolers." They haven't quite figured out who they are yet, which presents a unique opportunity for educators. Because they are in a crucial transitional phase, the work of the Freshman Academy is pivotal to a student's long-term success. Dr. Harris and Mr. Johnson believe that freshmen "want to learn" and are "just looking for an opportunity."

Dr. Andrew Thomas, a veteran Freshman Academy counselor at Waggener High School, explains that this stage of development is when the work is needed the most. For this reason, the Freshman Academy has three key goals: to ensure student promotion to sophomore year, to develop essential academic and social skills, and to provide a safe, supportive environment. At Waggener High School, this focus has resulted in a consistent freshman promotion rate of 95% to 98%. The ultimate mission of the Freshman Academy is to make students "sophomore ready one freshman at a time."

Implementing the Freshman Experience: A Tale of Three Schools

The Freshman Academy model is designed to help students belong, explore, plan, and succeed. These four domains are a core part of the Freshman Academy Experience Guide, a detailed menu of activities created by the Academies of Louisville's Vision Team to ensure every freshman has a consistent and high-quality experience. While the guide provides a consistent blueprint, each high school has the autonomy to implement these guaranteed experiences in ways that best serve its student body.

At Seneca High School, the Freshman Academy fosters a strong sense of community that makes it feel like a "home away from home" for students. This is achieved through specific, intentional traditions. The school holds a long-standing commitment ceremony where freshmen publicly commit to graduating as a cohort. They also have a full-time advisory program with two dedicated teachers who help students with goal setting and career exploration. Every six weeks, the academy celebrates student successes with a school-wide gathering. Students also have a voice through a dedicated student advisory board that helps guide academy events, fundraisers, and even designs the student t-shirts.

Fern Creek High School also focuses on fostering a strong sense of belonging, which contributed to its Freshman Academy earning national accreditation. Before the school year starts, the academy hosts a transition camp to help incoming freshmen become comfortable with the campus and staff. They also provide a way for students to privately contact their counselor for support, creating a constant line of communication and support. This focus on emotional and social well-being helped Destyn Allen feel prepared for her second year.

Waggener High School has a well-established model, including a mandatory two-to-three-day Bridge Academy at the start of the school year. This program provides students with the foundational knowledge and tools they need to be successful. This focus on student promotion is a core part of the school's mission to make students "sophomore ready one freshman at a time." According to Counselor Dr. Andrew Thomas, the Bridge Academy helps students understand the importance of succeeding in high school from day one.

The Importance of a Strong Start

A testament to the success of this model is that three of the Academies of Louisville's Freshman Academies—at Fern Creek, Waggener, and Seneca—have achieved NCAC model status. This accreditation recognizes these schools as being among the top academies in the country.

For the educators at Fern Creek, the accreditation was a major source of pride. According to Mrs. Clemons, it was a "boost of confidence" for the teachers who often feel like they're their "hardest critic". The recognition validated the hard work they were already doing and empowered them to say to new students, "We're top tier. We're doing the good work, and you're part of our team.”

Destyn Allen

At Seneca, Mrs. Merkle sees the accreditation as a symbol of their commitment to creating a "community effort" with students, families, and partners. The accreditation process, which involved a rigorous review of their practices against national standards, reinforced their belief that they are building foundational skills and connecting students to diverse opportunities that help them "see themselves and the work that they do."

When students feel a sense of belonging and know their school is invested in their success, they are more likely to thrive. The work happening in these Freshman Academies is preparing students for success not only in their sophomore year but throughout high school and beyond.

Destyn Allen, once an anxious freshman, now embodies this success. "I feel like a light to the school. I feel like I was able to bring happiness to people around me... I feel like this is my school, like I belong here.” She now guides incoming freshmen, sharing her experience and proving that a strong foundation can turn uncertainty into leadership.