On a spring evening in San Francisco, students at City Arts & Technology High School transformed their classrooms into a media-rich museum devoted to a subject far removed from their own lives: the extermination of European Jews during the 1930s and 40s.

In one area, visitors rummaged through open suitcases that overflowed with heartbreaking reminders of everyday life—tattered photographs, identification papers, a teddy bear. In another, they listened to radio commentaries from students applying the lessons of 70 years ago to more current tragedies. Across the way, they watched students perform their own theater piece.

It was the culmination of "Holocaust and Genocide," one in a series of in-depth projects that make up the curriculum at City Arts & Tech. The school is the second of four Bay Area high schools opened by Envision Schools, a nonprofit, charter school management organization based in San Francisco.

Founded in 2002, Envision Schools operates small, college-preparatory high schools in California that are dedicated to helping students graduate and succeed in college and beyond. The schools target students who will be the first in their families to attend college. Some 45 percent of Envision's approximately 1,000 students fit that description. Many are from low-income backgrounds and more than half are African American or Hispanic.

Greg Sommers, senior program officer in the Gates Foundation's Education initiative, applauds Envision's strong, project-based learning model and the way it blends art and technology.

"What's impressive is that they've helped a diverse population of students master critical concepts to prepare them for college," Sommers said. "They're also succeeding in helping students make connections across disciplines and 'learn how to learn'."

Real World Projects
"We really use the 'three Rs'—rigor, relevance, and relationships—to guide what we do," said Bob Lenz, a former education consultant and high school teacher who co-founded Envision Schools.

This means high schools managed by Envision are academically rigorous, with curriculum tied to state content standards, Lenz said. In addition, the schools adopt project-based teaching, helping to engage and motivate students by making their course work relevant to the "real world." Finally, the schools focus on building strong and caring relationships between students and teachers, who work together for two years.

Learning by engaging on projects is key. The schools require students to complete and publicly present three to four projects a year. Teachers start a project by asking driving questions, which students consider individually and also research in small groups. On the Holocaust project, for example, "Am I my brother's or sister's keeper?"

Students then build on discussion and research to create a body of their own work using traditional tools, such as speeches and essays, as well as contemporary blogs, video, and multimedia technology. They formally present their work to peers, friends, and family—an audience that often tops 200 people.

Always the work requires a marriage of art and technology.

"It's what hooks and engages the kids into the academically rigorous work," Lenz explained. "But it's not just flashy stuff. No project is devoid of what people might call traditional academic work."

Indeed, expectations for students are high. In addition to passing the state exit exam, students at Envision Schools are required to present a portfolio that demonstrates their mastery of subject matter before graduating. They also must fulfill course requirements for entrance into the University of California—a standard only a quarter of all public high school students in that state meet.

"Along the way, students not only learn the academic fundamentals, but they also master a wide range of technological skills," Lenz said.

"These kids are coming out of high school knowing how to make films, build Web pages, and do graphic design. They truly are prepared for what comes next in college and in work."

New Methods, Traditional Measures
So far, results are strong. Students from Envision schools score higher on the California High School Exit Exam than students from neighboring schools. At City Arts & Tech, for example, 90 percent of 2006 sophomores and juniors passed the English language arts section of the exam and 83 percent passed the math section. The pass rates for San Francisco Unified School District students were, respectively, 59 and 65 percent.

Envision is planning to expand to other California communities. In fall 2007, the organization's newest school will open in the East Bay city of Hayward.

"I'm convinced this is working when I go to a project exhibition and students stand up and speak very confidently to an audience of adults about their understanding of an historical event, or the environment, or a piece of literature," Lenz said. "When they can answer random questions with an informed opinion based on evidence, I know they're on track for success."