Located on the Far Southeast Side of Chicago, George Washington High School has a mission to prepare “all students to enter adulthood with the 21st century knowledge, skills, dispositions, and agency to be productive as well as contributing members of our democracy.” With a goal of providing equitable access to academic, social, and emotional supports, Washington is committed to collaborating with families and students to develop postsecondary plans that will help them succeed.

OneGoal was brought to Washington High School because staff needed additional postsecondary support as students in the middle academic range are often overlooked, despite making up the majority of students. The school wanted to expand its postsecondary support capabilities through external partnerships.

Assistant Principal Samuel Davis had been a OneGoal teacher at Tilden High School on Chicago’s South Side. He wanted to bring it to Washington and he approached Principal Dr. Barbara San-Roman with the idea.

“I really think this model works and it does support kids,” says Davis. “I’ve seen it work in real time, even when I was a teacher, so I know that it’s a good program to have … I’ve seen the improvement in students’ attendance and their behavior. The relationships that you build with them are different.”

Even the students themselves have noticed a substantial difference in their mindset.

“Before OneGoal, I thought that life after high school was going to be hard because most people I knew graduated and got a job working 9-5,” says Zariyah Wright, one Washington junior, who was accepted into all three of her top college choices. “Once I entered OneGoal, it opened my eyes to a lot of different things, such as going to college, all of the different majors, and other things you can use to better your life with.”

She also credits her OneGoal teacher, Adilne Aguilera, for helping her stay focused on her goals and applying for scholarships.

“My family was so excited for me because I’m going to be the first generation to go to college and my friends were excited for me, too,” she shared. “OneGoal helped me plan for a life after high school and shows me you don’t have to pay as much as you think to go to college.”

“My family was so excited for me because I’m going to be the first generation to go to college and my friends were excited for me, too. OneGoal helped me plan for a life after high school and shows me you don’t have to pay as much as you think to go to college.”

Zariyah Wright

As a three-year program, OneGoal starts as a credit-bearing class during students’ junior year of high school. During this time, students research career and postsecondary pathways that are aligned with their goals.

“Before OneGoal I knew I wanted to be an engineer or an architect, but I didn’t know the steps to do that, but once I came into the program I started looking at different colleges,” said Leo Gonzalez, a Washington senior. “Ms. Aguilera was helping me determine my best options based on what suited me the most. She’s really understanding and really cares about this job.”

OneGoal program teachers, such as Aguilera, have also shared that the juniors who are in OneGoal enter senior year more prepared for postsecondary planning than those students who start postsecondary planning in senior seminar. By collaborating with other organizations and entities to enhance the experience for students, OneGoal provides additional counseling resources and ongoing support for staff as well.

“One of the main things I really appreciate about OneGoal staff is their advocacy for the teachers,” says Aguilera. “They will meet with our administration and advocate for us. I love that and our students do, too.”

Davis believes OneGoal has made a significant difference in the students’ lives, particularly in terms of attendance and academic achievement. While observing students who were presenting in Aguilera’s classroom, he saw the value of hearing them discuss their postsecondary aspirations and the importance of connecting with the students personally.

“I have one student who was an unaccompanied minor and OneGoal really helped her put the pieces together and give her hope,” says Aguilera. “Everything we discussed in class, the motivational speeches they gave each other really helped shape her and her future decisions. And she was able to find a college that was going to help her with housing during the summer and winter months.”

Another Washington junior, Yuleini Villegas shared how OneGoal opened her mind to ideas about life after high school. Among the discussions she’s enjoyed so far, she mentioned the modules focused on discovering her strengths and passions, as well as her professional aspirations, were especially helpful.

“Ms. Favela is a very helpful teacher. She gave me advice about deciding on my major and asked a lot of guiding questions that helped me decide on neonatal nursing,” she shared. “She’s very supportive.”

This particular student also shared that she would be the first in her family to graduate high school or college and she’s been able to connect with other first-generation students and find community and support within her cohort.

“I want to show my parents that they came [to the U.S. from Mexico] for a reason and I want to be able to give back,” she said.

Davis said he has noticed a shift in culture at Washington, with more people talking about college and other pathways after OneGoal’s presence. He’s also observed increased engagement from staff, including the counseling team, in incorporating OneGoal elements into their work.

There is also the possibility of adding more cohorts of students to the program and introducing OneGoal Essentials, a new solution from OneGoal that will be rolled out to the entire school—not just juniors and seniors—enabling students to explore postsecondary planning content and tools in up to 5 modules throughout the year. After each module, students receive one-on-one coaching from a caring educator.

“OneGoal really allows students to be their whole, authentic selves in the space and you won’t really get that in every class. Within our cohort, the students actually motivate each other and it means a lot more for peers to help you lead and speak up than a teacher. When a peer tells another peer, ‘hey, you got this,’ they will get it done.”

Adilene Aguilera

College and Career Readiness, Enrollment + Persistence, Progressive Pathways, Equity

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