Extracurricular Activities
Freedom School
In partnership with the Children’s Defense Fund, Academia has been a site for the CDF Freedom Schools program for over ten years, which provides relevant literacy activities in an afterschool setting and summer program. By providing students with rich, culturally relevant pedagogy and high quality books that deepen understanding of themselves and all they have in common with others in a multiracial, multicultural democratic society, the CDF Freedom School program further empowers students to believe in their ability and responsibility to make a difference while instilling in them a love of reading to help them avoid summer learning loss.
Academia del Pueblo (ADP)
Academia Cesar Chavez is a site for the Academia del Pueblo afterschool model developed by UnidosUS (formerly the National Council of La Raza), in which the curriculum provides cultural academic enrichment activities in literacy, with teaching strategies tailored to the Latino community. The model promotes student academic skills, building self-confidence as learners, and affirming academic potential with parents and teachers. Echoing the core values of UnidosUS, The ADP model believes that all students can succeed academically in school given proper assistance and instruction. ADP is staffed by Academia Cesar Chavez faculty, facilitating an opportunity to further continue literacy activities and strengthen grade-level content.
Intramural Sports & Sports Camp
Academia Cesar Chavez offers intramural sports to students in grades 6th-8th, including co-ed soccer, volleyball, basketball, and flag football. Teams engaged in competition with each other as well as other nearby charter school sports groups.
Mariachi
Academia Cesar Chavez’s mariachi band is facilitated by a local community expert, who teaches 6th-8th grade students traditional Mexican folk songs which feature guitar, violin, and trumpet players, as well as vocalists.
Baile y Danza Azteca
A variety of dance genres, including Mexican Folkloric, are taught by local community experts, offered to students starting in 2nd grade.
Los Peques Program
New in 2022, the Peques program is a summer enrichment program designed to support our youngest and newest learners prepare for preschool. Staff from Academia Cesar Chavez’s Voluntary PreKindergarten Program lead Los Peques in activities designed to get them ready for PreK at Academia Cesar Chavez, by facilitating learning how to interact with their peers, navigate spending the day apart from their parents, recognizing and expressing feelings, and using words to solve interpersonal conflicts. Program participants also engage in hands-on learning activities, sing songs, and go on field trips such as the Minnesota Children’s Museum.
