Cathedral High School will introduce a new experiential learning program next year designed to give students more hands-on learning opportunities and real-world experiences. The program will allow students to explore interests, develop practical skills, and connect classroom learning to life beyond school.

School leaders say the program is part of Cathedral’s ongoing effort to prepare students for their futures. The experiential learning initiative will be led by a longtime Cathedral educator, but newly named Director of Experiential Learning, John O’Hara, and will give students opportunities to build individualized learning experiences throughout their time in high school.

“Any time you can be put into a real world experience and leave the halls of Cathedral, it will be paramount to student success,” said O’Hara.

Experiential learning focuses on helping students learn through real experiences rather than only traditional classroom instruction. These opportunities could include internships, real-world projects, or other activities that allow students to explore different interests and career paths.

Cathedral Principal Mark Matthews says many programs at Cathedral already aim to give students experiences that prepare them for life after high school.

“Everything we try to do for Cathedral students is to improve their Cathedral experience,” Matthews said. “Everything from J-Term to Johnny Mac’s is designed to help prepare students for the future beyond school.”

School leaders hope the program will allow students to shape their own educational experience based on their interests and goals. “I hope it helps create a more individualized experience for each student,” Matthews said.

“As J-Term has taught us, any and all styles of experiences are welcomed and on the table,” O’Hara said.

Administrators believe experiential learning will also allow students to gain skills that are difficult to develop in a traditional classroom setting.

“It gives students more hands-on experiences and the ability to practice things that a normal learning environment can’t,” Matthews said.

Planning will also play an important role in helping students take advantage of the program. School leaders encourage students to think about their interests early so they can build a four-year plan that allows them to fully participate.

“The earlier you can plan, the better,” Matthews said. “By the time students are seniors, they might even have late arrival or early dismissal, which creates a more college-like experience.”

Another benefit of the program is that it aligns with Indiana’s new diploma pathways, which include experiential learning requirements.

“It also gives students automatic admission into any public university through the new diploma path that includes experiential learning,” Matthews said.

“I’m excited to see how far we can take the program. We are at the very beginning of the process, so there is a lot of work to do. But as with anything here at Cathedral, we are up to the challenge,” O’Hara said.