To serve the 18,000 high school students from across our school district, especially those students who find traditional education methods disengaging. We also address the needs of our local, state, and regional labor needs while helping students in the process of identity assumption: the time when they adopt the persona of a successful adult.
Students come to us for approximately 25% of their high school year. We work with industry, community and higher education partners to best replicate authentic learning environments and challenges for students.
As just one example, one industry partner of our Advanced Manufacturing pathway came to us to make highly specific and technical parts for the cabling-switch boxes for satellite launches. Our students get to experience the authentic iterative conversation with a client resulting in a real product that is critical to get exactly right (and will be launched into space!)
We strive to provide as authentic an experience for student learning as possible, which is why, for example, our construction program builds five tiny homes each year that meet city/county code for a homeless community. Our Aviation program is the first high school program in the country offering FAA certifications to students in commercial drone piloting, private pilot ground school, and aviation mechanics.
We host over 200 tours of our campus each year so that school district and educational institutions can see what we're doing and how we are meeting the needs of our students. While about half of these tours are educational partners, the other half are industries, community organizations, governmental figures, and community members interested in seeing what we are doing.
Additionally, we travel as we can to learn from our peer institutions across the country as we look to grow and expand our work.
Finally, as we can, we share our work and successes/challenges to date at conferences, meetings, etc.
Come visit! We host many tours where students are glad to share their learning and share how this model of education has enhanced their learning.
While many people assume they know what high schools look like, we often hear that they needed to see the CCIC to truly understand what we do here. Come visit and see for yourself!