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City Springs Leadership Academy

April 25, 2026

Giving students opportunities to lead and grow is as critical as providing a nourishing academic environment. Each Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) neighborhood conversion charter school provides intentional leadership development.

Last year, City Springs Elementary/Middle School designed a new initiative, Leadership Academy, to give 7th and 8th graders a chance to develop their leadership skills and provide spaces for small groups of Scholars [City Springs’ vernacular for student] to get targeted academic support.

For those Leadership Academy Scholars involved in the Teacher Assistant program and Leader in Me groups, they earn hours toward the community service graduation requirement by Baltimore City Public Schools. Throughout the entire academic year, these students will earn around 30-40 service learning hours, an impressive total toward a high school requirement.

Organized by Wyatt Oroke, 8th Grade English Educator, the Leadership Academy occurs weekly each Friday morning for 45 minutes. At the beginning of the school year, every 7th and 8th grader Scholar completes an interest survey, which helps Mr. Oroke (“Mr. O.”) and his colleagues place them into the appropriate Leadership Academy options.

Scholars have the chance to engage in a variety of activities during Leadership Academy. Teachers have loved the opportunity to get additional supports in their classroom and build partnerships across grade levels. Scholars enjoy the opportunity to serve as leaders within the school community and love being able to showcase their talents outside of the classroom setting. It has been wonderful to see the many strengths and talents our scholars have which they can't always showcase during class.
Wyatt Oroke, 8th Grade English Educator

Leadership Academy Scholars are placed into one activity each quarter, although some Scholars may stay in the same activity for the entire academic year. Activities include: 

  • Teacher Assistant 
  • Main Office Assistant
  • Virtual Individual Math Tutoring (through City Spring’s partnership with Eurekii)
  • English Intervention
  • History Intervention
  • Science Intervention
  • Terrapin/Environment Club (Partnership with the National Aquarium’s Terrapin in the Classroom project)
  • Music Workshop (Read about BCP’s partnership with Music Workshop)
  • Physical Education Workshop
  • Boys to Men Group
  • Leader in Me Group 
  • Girls Group

The Teacher Assistant (TA) program, for example, supports Pre-K to 5th grade classrooms across the school. TAs perform a variety of tasks including working one-on-one with scholars, helping run activities in the classroom, helping run House Competition events, and helping organize materials in classrooms. The TAs complete an additional application and go through trainings run by Mr. Patterson to allow them to enter the program.

“Going forward, we are excited about continuing to increase the options Scholars have for their Leadership Academy spaces,” says Mr. O. “Next year we will be starting a partnership with CHARM: Voices of Baltimore, to run a writing club during this time. We are also looking at more community service opportunities for Scholars in the future.

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