This fall, a new kind of public school will open its doors for a new era of students in Owensboro, Kentucky in the United States. The Owensboro Innovation Academy is demonstrative of the innovation it aims to teach. Housed in the local Center for Business and Research (CBR), and with a curriculum focused on technical skills and the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) areas, the Academy will foster an entrepreneurial and creative environment for its students.
The inaugural class of freshmen will have only 100 students. Dr. Nick Brake, the Superintendent of the Owensboro Public Schools, explained the small class size to Owensboro Living saying, “The small size of the academy promotes a positive culture of trust, respect, and responsibility. Students have exceptional ownership of their learning experience and environment and the CBR space is a perfect fit for creating this culture and building the workforce of the future.”
Each student at the Innovation Academy will work with guidance counselors to choose a post-secondary pathway, culminating in a career-oriented technical program or a college degree. These pathways include:
- Computer Information Technology
- Life Sciences and Bio-Medical
- Industrial Engineering
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The Owensboro Academy will be the newest school in the New Tech Network, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help high school students attain the skills and education for success in the careers of tomorrow. Currently, the Network has 134 schools operating in 23 U.S. states, as well as in Australia. Armed with a strong, specialized education and critical thinking skills, the soon-to-be students of the Owensboro Academy are perhaps a glimpse of the future of technical education in the U.S.
