Alphabet Soup

If you’ve spent any time in a Kokomo school lately, you’ve probably heard a few acronyms: PYP, MYP, DP, CP, AP, and DC. To a casual listener, it sounds like a bowl of alphabet soup. But for the 90 Kokomo High School sophomores who just celebrated their International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) graduation, these aren't just random letters— they are the ingredients that make up their own unique recipe for success.

This MYP graduation marks a major transition as these students step into their junior and senior years. Whether they are pursuing the IB Diploma Programme (DP) or the Career-related Programme (CP), challenging themselves through Advanced Placement (AP) and Dual College Credit (DC) courses, they are asserting their own voices and deciding what kind of thinkers they want to be.

These next two years are a deliberate commitment to engage with the world's complexities, proving that a Kokomo student doesn’t just carry a course load—they carry the insight and the resolve to make a lasting impact because legacy matters.

The Key Ingredient: The Personal Project

The final portion of the IB MYP is known as the Personal Project. It isn't a standard classroom assignment; it’s a months-long deep dive where students take a personal passion and let it simmer into a meaningful learning experience. To finish the program, students must meet high standards to prove they have the discipline to turn an interest into an initiative with a finished project that reflects their understanding and growth.

Our recent Personal Project Showcase was a celebration of that resilience—a moment when students brought the letters of “IB MYP” to life, showing the Wildkat community a glimpse of what they are capable of creating.

Recipe for a Better World

Student speaker Avery Mable brought this journey to the stage during the MYP graduation ceremony. For her Personal Project, Avery combined her lifelong love of dance with a project that focused on genuine connection.

She instructed dance lessons for her KHS peers within our life skills classrooms, creating an inclusive space where students of all abilities could experience the shared joy of movement and expression.

"Success isn't just about what we achieve today, it's about how we impact others along the way."

The IB program encourages all students to grow into well-rounded global citizens by focusing on specific "Learner Profile" attributes. During the ceremony, ten students were recognized for consistently modeling these traits throughout their MYP journey:

• Inquirer: Eiffel Lee

• Knowledgeable: Leo Serra

• Thinker/Problem Solver: Meghan Truax

• Communicator: Owen Downing

• Principled: Mannatroop Boparai

• Open-Minded: Cordaro Clark

• Caring: Averie Stiner

• Risk-Taker: Aurora Cummins

• Balanced: Alaina Thompson

• Reflective: Brooklyn Hawkins

Secret to Success

Kokomo Schools is the only district in the area to "live" the IB experience through a continuous pathway from Kindergarten to graduation. This journey transforms our little learners into big leaders by connecting all the courses of discovery:

Primary Years Program (Lafayette Park & Sycamore Elementary Schools): Our youngest Wildkats begin with investigating the "why" and "how" of their local ecosystems to become real-world investigators.

Middle Years Program (Central Middle School): That curiosity becomes structured as students move beyond textbooks to see how math relates to music and history shapes technology, developing the drive to solve problems that don't have easy answers.

Kokomo High School: Growing into their “mighty claws,” our KHS graduates emerge as leaders, uniquely prepared to take on the world, the Wildkat Way.

Savoring the Results

So, what even is IB? It’s more than just a list of letters on a transcript. For our KHS students, it’s the realization that the "alphabet soup" they’ve been stirring since elementary school is really starting to come together, and there’s room at the table for everyone to succeed.

Enroll Today and experience the world of opportunity that awaits your Wildkat in Kokomo Schools!

KHS Class of 2028 MYP Graduates

Completing the Middle Years Programme is a significant milestone. It represents a commitment to high standards in both the Personal Project and Service as Action, where students often complete 40 hours of community engagement over two years.

Congratulations to this year's MYP Certificate Recipients: