Stories

In 2016, CCSD voters approved the construction of a new kind of school – an innovation campus that would give students the chance to learn valuable skills and a pathway to a career.

The Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC) opened in 2019, but the work to build the building and its curriculum would take years. Fortunately, the Foundation was a key partner in connecting the school district with leaders in the industries that would later become the pathways of the school: Advanced Manufacturing, Business Services, Health & Wellness, Hospitality & Tourism, Infrastructure Engineering, IT & STEAM, and Transportation.

“This is an amazing building that brings together the voices of industry, students, educators, and community,” shared Jill Henden, executive director of the Foundation. “This program has given students so much more opportunity to pursue their unique Pathway of Purpose.”

To celebrate this milestone, here are some interesting facts about how the CCIC came to be:

• Industry leaders gave input on what they wanted out of future employees, citing a need for professional skills. Students at the CCIC are graded on those skills, like time management, communication, and respectfulness.
• The design of the building put students at the center. One IT company shared the need for flexible seating and a virtual space for students in the IT pathway to practice their craft.
• District leaders visited multiple schools across the nation to see what ideas could be brought back to CCSD.
• Students were also asked how they felt the physical building should look to represent the diversity of the student population.
• There’s a signing wall for students who are hired out of high school or enlist in the military to celebrate the next step of their journey.