Welcome to 24/7 Learning Academy - A New High School for Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Innovation opening in Orlando, Florida
Why Did We Start the 24/7 Learning Academy?
In just over four months, the 24/7 Learning Academy will open its doors for the very first time. Over the last year, our team has been hard at work getting ready to prepare our first class of 9th and 10th grade students to become skilled problem solvers, entrepreneurs, college graduates, and leaders of innovation and social justice.
Recently lots of people have asked us the question: “Why do you want to start a new school?” Here’s what it boils down to...
Our team has over 75+ years of education experience in some of the highest performing public and private schools in the U.S., but we’ve all noticed the same thing: Our world is totally different now than it was twenty years ago, but our schools, for the most part, look exactly the same. So many schools do not equip students with the skills that are required to thrive in the 21st century. We want to change that.
Since we started designing the Learning Academy, we have asked ourselves a lot of questions about how schools have traditionally operated and what we can do to improve upon them. Here are just a few of these questions:
Why are students taught like they’re all exactly the same?
Carrie loves chemistry and physics, has a natural knack for numbers and is passionate about programming robots. Malcolm is a very strong writer and loves to read about politics and current events. Despite very different strengths and interests, their schedules at school most likely look identical. It’s no surprise why so many students find school boring.
At the 24/7 Learning Academy, we believe that learning should be personalized to match each student’s interests and learning style. With the help of their mentors and advisors, students will have the ability to create a curriculum that includes skill development, internships, projects, and content designed to fuel their passions and love of learning.
How can schools better leverage their communities to help students?
At 24/7 Learning Academy, our classroom extends far beyond our school walls. In the Orlando community, there are experts in just about every industry you can imagine.
Whether a student wants to learn more about journalism, engineering, graphic design, or medicine, we will facilitate learning opportunities through things like internships, expert visits, and job shadows.
Most high school students don’t yet know what they want to do professionally, so what better way for them to learn about these industries than to get some meaningful hands-on experience?
What skills should students be learning in school?
So often students graduate high school and college unprepared for their professional careers. That’s because no industry requires their workers to memorize facts and take multiple choice tests.
At 24/7 Learning Academy, we think that what happens in school should reflect what happens in the real world. Our curriculum emphasizes “learning by doing.” Through a variety of projects, students will develop critical skills such as project management, communication, and collaboration that will prepare them for success.
We look forward to working with students and parents in Orlando and would love to see you at our upcoming open houses (sign up below!) to share more about our school and to hear your thoughts on how we can best serve our students.