Enriching Education - From vehicle maintenance to voting to first aid: ADULTING 101 student trips prepare high school students for life

 At the California Area School District in Coal Center, PA, high school students are learning how to prepare for adulthood thanks to Adulting 101, a new field trip-based course that introduces them to services like a credit union, law offices, a car repair shop, religious institutions, and health providers. 

 

“Adulting 101 ensures our students gain practical, transferable skills in areas like budgeting, CPR and first aid, vehicle maintenance, legal literacy, and health and wellness. The program also introduces students to new ideas and diverse perspectives, especially during visits to religious institutions, where they engaged in meaningful dialogue and cultural exchange that expanded their understanding of different beliefs and traditions,” says California Area School District Superintendent Dr. Laura B. Jacob. 

 

Adulting 101 is the newest innovative California Area School District program made possible thanks to a series of “Tugboat Grants” from Pittsburgh-based Remake Learning.

 

Other recent CASD programs include a therapy dog initiative (which now includes 12 dogs who provide emotional and behavioral support across the district), an Outdoor Science School that turns the local environment into a hands-on learning lab, and a fun and busy summer schedule of credit-earning opportunities for over 300 high school students — which gives them more scheduling freedom to pursue internships, dual enrollment, and electives during the school year.

 

“These weren’t just quick wins — they’re sustainable, system-level shifts that are redefining how we think about school time, space, and student potential,” says Jacob.

 

Named for the idea that big change starts with small efforts — much like a tugboat helps a larger ship change its course — 2025 marks the third year of Remake Learning’s Tugboat Grant initiative. Started in 2023 as part of Future Driven Schools, the initiative has awarded funds totaling nearly 2.5M for educational innovation throughout Southwest Pennsylvania. 

 

“Tugboat Grants offer school districts the opportunity to test small ideas that can lead to big changes, not just for their own students, but also for the entire Southwest Pennsylvania learning ecosystem. When an idea succeeds in one district, other educators can learn from that success and adapt it to fit their own district’s needs. Every small win contributes to a rising tide that helps lift all districts over time,” said Tyler Samstag, Director of Remake Learning.