Center of Innovation planned in former high school library
Holyoke School District was awarded $160,000 as part of Phase 1 of the Homegrown Talent Initiative grant.
HTI coordinator Summer Maloney noted that these funds will go toward a Center of Innovation to be located in the former high school library.
She anticipates that the center will be set up by the start of the school year, and parents/students are encouraged to check it out during registration Monday, Aug. 17.
Maloney’s office will be located in the center, where she will headquarter when she’s not out overseeing/coordinating internships for students.
The purpose of HTI is to create pathways for kids to succeed — engaging students who don’t necessarily learn in a traditional way.
Internships and business partnerships will be a big focus for HTI.
The HTI graduate profile in Holyoke will push for a Holyoke High School graduate to demonstrate the following five qualities: professionalism, career connectedness, social and emotional balance, perseverance and effective communication.
Maloney practiced her pitch to businesses at the HTI Leadership Summit in Buena Vista on July 29 in front of many of the grant sponsors.
After her presentation, she was provided feedback about what they liked, what made them think and what she might consider to improve the presentation. Everyone had positive feedback for the district, and Maloney was handed a check with the first installment of the grant.
Homegrown Talent Initiative is facilitated by Colorado Succeeds and the Colorado Education Initiative. It is supported by the Daniels Fund, Walton Family Foundation, Beacon Fund, Gill Foundation, Adolph Coors Foundation and the Northeast Regional El Pomar Foundation Council.
The first $100,000 of this grant comes from Colorado Succeeds, $50,000 from El Pomar and the other $10,000 from Adolph Coors.
As part of this grant, the local school district has also partnered with Northeastern Junior College and Stone Motors to do industry certificates for interested students.