Jazz played as students, parents and teachers filed into the new College and Career Academy on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
The senior class president, Zach Brown, started off the ceremony with an introduction; then the choir performed the National Anthem.
The HSE Board Vice President Karen Harmer, was the first speaker. Harmer presented how HSE was a leader in education and innovation, about how long it took to plan for the building, and how the vision of the building came to life. One of HSE’s plans with the building was to bring 21st century learning into the schools [HSE 21]. This involved the HSE school board talking with universities to plan a college and career pathways that focused on internships and more project based curriculum. Afterwards the board would go to PTO meetings, public meetings and to anywhere where the community would listen to get the building approved.
Former HSE Superintendent Dr. Brian Smith and the current HSE Superintendent Dr. Allen Bourff spoke after Harmer, restating some of the information.
Fishers High School Principal Jason Urban was the next speaker. Urban went over how the College and Career academy was a five year process, starting in 2009 which involved some tough meetings. Dr. Smith, started pushing for dual-credit classes at the time, this led to tedious meetings with colleges concerning credits. Urban mentioned how the building had flexible project spaces and hallways.
The information presented with the ribbon cutting ceremony helped some students, like Mara Gordon, get an idea what to expect from the academy.
“[With the new building] I think there’s a lot more freedom to do independent studies and research more on our own, which is going to be really helpful,” senior Mara Gordon said.
Students were also allowed to go on self-guided tours of the new space.
“[With the College and Career Academy] I just got so much of a positive reaction from our students. They claimed the space, they hung out. I think [the new building] is going to be an experience like no senior class has ever had,” Urban said.
More information on the college and career academy can be found here.
