Iowa Lakes Announces Spirit Lake Regional Career Academy Open House and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
(Spirit Lake, Iowa) Iowa Lakes Community College announces the official Open House and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the Spirit Lake Regional Career Academy on Thursday, May 18, at 1:00 pm on the Spirit Lake Campus.
“We’re very excited to be opening the new Regional Career Academy bringing the latest technology and innovative classrooms to help high school students gain valuable experience, connect with local employers, and earn industry credentials while pursuing high-demand careers,” explained the Director of High School Partnerships at Iowa Lakes Kari Hampe.
The Spirit Lake Regional Career Academy offers high-demand programs to high school students attending partnering schools in four surrounding districts, including Okoboji, Harris-Lake Park, Spirit Lake, and Estherville Lincoln Central.
Regional Career Academy students gain high school and college credits while learning trade skills in one or more programs: Agribusiness Technology, Electrical Technology, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Technology, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), and Patient Care.
“The Spirit Lake Campus has been transformed into a state-of-the-art Regional Career Academy. Classrooms are flexible active learning environments focused on student engagement. Instructors and students can transform each area of a classroom into different configurations. This flexibility supports student learning in multiple styles, from peer-to-peer to group work and team building, to instructor-facilitated discussions,” explained Robert Leifeld, Iowa Lakes’ Vice President of Administration.
The Spirit Lake Regional Career Academy is funded primarily by a one-million-dollar grant received in 2021 from the Iowa Department of Education’s Career Academy Incentive Fund. The Career Academy Incentive Fund, created by reauthorizing the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) fund in 2019, is extended until January 2051.
The Open House and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony will be on Iowa Lakes’ Spirit Lake Campus at 800 21st Street. It will include a tour, a program, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and a reception.
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