What does it take for young people to thrive in college, careers, and life? At Madera Unified, we believe that every student should develop a core set of skills essential for future success. Starting this spring, all high school seniors will be required to demonstrate their mastery of these future-ready skills to graduate.
Throughout their K-12 journey, Madera students work on six core skills: thinking critically, communicating effectively, collaborating, producing quality work, adapting to challenges, and contributing positively to society. These skills are part of the Graduate Profile, created in 2017 with input from students, parents, business leaders, alumni, and other community members. The Graduate Profile guides learning across every grade and subject, preparing students for real-world success.
The elements of Think, Adapt, Communicate, Collaborate, Produce and Contribute are skills that transcend academic subjects and are invaluable in various professional fields and life contexts. By nurturing these skills and encouraging students to self-reflect on their development, we are equipping all our students to thrive in the future.
This year’s seniors—the Class of 2025—will be the first required to showcase their proficiency in the Graduate Profile skills as part of a new graduation requirement. The capstone experience includes both a portfolio and a formal presentation called a showcase, building on the foundation laid by the prior Mock Interview process.
Students began assembling their Graduate Profile portfolios and participating in practice presentations during their sophomore and junior years. As seniors, they will submit a final portfolio in December and present it to a panel of teachers and community members in March. These presentations will be held at each high school on March 24, 2025. We encourage parents and community members to support our students by serving as panel members. No experience is needed—a brief orientation will be provided on the day of the event.
We encourage you to sign up and volunteer to be a panelist below.