Transitioning from School to the Workplace

East St. Louis School District is an inner-city public school district serving over 7,000 students.  In the planning process the team elected to not transition the 9th graders into the high school, leaving them their own center to mature before entering high school.  With athletics being a major component of the school, the design reflects both past, current and future athletes, with a walk of fame and prominent trophy case with words of inspiration and encouragement. The design responds to an aggressive new curriculum and teaching philosophy by creating grade level academies. The new spaces give students a taste of higher education, with the open, lofty spaces, to enhance learning and increase student achievement.

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The revitalization of the high school required in-depth planning and design in order to meet the changing needs of students.  The CTE, Career Technical Education Center, located on the high school campus was designed to help all young people make a successful transition from school to the workplace.

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The project was cited by American School & University magazine for Outstanding Design.

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