Increasing Student Engagement at Monterey High School
Discover how Monterey High transformed school spirit and student involvement with Minga, creating a lively and accountable school community with enhanced event participation and student experiences.
About Monterey High School
Students
1,000+
Grades
9-12
The Challenge
Inspiring Students to Engage and Participate in School Life
Monterey High School had a tough time getting students involved and building a stronger school community. Even though the school had a tight-knit feel, with many teachers who were former students themselves, it was still hard to get kids excited about activities and events. Activities Director, Steven Piña, knew he needed to improve student participation and communication but didn’t have the right tools to make it happen.
Steven’s initial goal was to find a digital tool that allowed students to be rewarded for going to activities and dressing up for spirit days. But he quickly realized that Minga solved more problems than that, including Monterey’s lack of clear processes for issuing hall passes and checking in tardy students.
KEY PROBLEM AREAS:
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“We were really struggling with school spirit and getting people to engage with our activities, spirit days, and games. Before, there was no incentive to go. My goal was to find some sort of platform that would make it easier to communicate about events and easier to reward students for participation.”
The Solution
Unlocking an Enhanced Student Experience, Through Technology
Steven discovered Minga at the CADA conference in 2022 and was immediately impressed by its comprehensive features, which promised to boost school spirit and address Monterey High’s challenges. After seeing Minga’s user interface, he immediately thought it was a better alternative to the 5 Star platform that he’d previously been considering.
Overall, Minga offered a comprehensive solution for improving student engagement and campus communication. The initial roll-out at Monterey High began with a ‘soft launch’ of the Community and Hall Pass modules in the first semester. This was followed by a full launch of all modules in the second semester, once admins, teachers, and students had become familiar with the new platform.
What Minga Offered:
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“We’re now using Minga with fidelity and it’s really transformed our campus. We’re able to track so many of our student behaviors, use FlexTime to give students so much more choice in their education now, and get kids excited to go to events and earn their points.”
The Outcomes
A Vibrant and Involved Student Community
Increased Student Engagement
A significant rise in event participation thanks to rewards and incentives
Improved Communication
The Minga feed acts as a mini social media channel, showcasing every campus event in one spot
An Enhanced School Community
Stronger school spirit and community involvement, with more students participating in activities like school colors day to earn points
Streamlined Processes & Positive Classroom Dynamics
Automated check-ins, digital tardy management, and a points system for positive behavior save time, increase efficiency, and improve the class environment
Empowered Student Leaders
Select students can easily create, promote, and manage their own events, fostering key leadership skills
More Voice & Choice for Students
Students enjoy choosing personalized learning activities with FlexTime, greatly enhancing their school experience
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“The best thing about Minga for me is the ability to reward my students for participation. I’m able to build a school community that is interested in showing up to things and having fun. My job is the Director of Fun, and Minga helps me be the Director of Fun.”
Key Results:
1,392
extra hours spent in the classroom over the school year
29%
decrease in time spent out in the hallways (Fall semester compared to Spring semester)
22%
decrease in hall passes, (Fall semester compared to Spring semester)
37
groups created eg. ASB, Cheer Team, Vocal Arts
3,779
praises assigned to students for good behavior eg. “ Helpful Kindness, Above & Beyond”
2,305
points issued over 1 year for student engagement
Ready to Build a Thriving School Community?
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