Perry Township Schools Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program
About the Program
Perry Township Schools is giving students a new way to learn through its Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program, housed on the campus of the University of Indianapolis.
The program brings students from Southport High School and Perry Meridian High School together for hands-on learning centered around entrepreneurship, innovation and real-world problem-solving.
Students spend part of their school day at the program on UIndy’s campus, where Perry Township teachers lead instruction and students have opportunities to work alongside local businesses, mentors, industry professionals and community partners.
How the Program Works
Students remain enrolled at Southport High School or Perry Meridian High School while participating in the Perry Township Schools Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program.
They spend part of their school day at their home high school and part of the day at the program’s current location on the University of Indianapolis campus.
Perry Township Schools provides transportation to and from the program.
While there, students complete entrepreneurship-focused coursework and take part in project-based learning led by Perry Township educators. Local businesses, industry professionals, entrepreneurs and community organizations also have opportunities to work with students through mentorship, projects and real-world challenges.
Projects may look different depending on the challenge.
Students might be asked to help solve a business problem, develop an idea, create a product, work through a marketing challenge, research an issue or present a recommendation.
The goal is to give Perry Township students opportunities to practice the kinds of skills they will use beyond high school, including collaboration, communication, problem-solving, adaptability and presenting their ideas to real audiences.
A Partnership With the University of Indianapolis
Perry Township Schools’ partnership with the University of Indianapolis gives the program a unique home.
Rather than attending the program in another Perry Township school building, students travel to UIndy and spend part of their school day learning on a college campus.
That setting gives students exposure to a university environment while they are still in high school and creates opportunities to connect with university resources, faculty and other partners.
The University of Indianapolis serves as a key partner and host for the program, while Perry Township Schools operates the program for its students.
Behind the Scenes: Capturing the Vision
Before Perry Township Schools’ Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program officially launched, the district partnered with CIESC to help show what the new opportunity could look like for students.
Filming took place on the University of Indianapolis campus and featured Perry Township students, educators and business professionals working together in collaborative learning environments.
The goal was to capture the vision behind the program: students learning alongside professionals, exploring careers, working through real-world challenges and gaining experiences that extend beyond a traditional classroom.
The production also highlighted something that has been important to the program from the beginning: partnership.
Bringing the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program to life has involved Perry Township educators and leaders, the University of Indianapolis, local businesses, industry professionals and community partners working together to create new opportunities for students.
The final commercial helped introduce that vision to students, families and the community ahead of the program’s launch.
The Program Officially Launches
Before the first students began the school year, Perry Township Schools officially launched its Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program with a press conference hosted at the University of Indianapolis.
The event brought together Perry Township students and staff, university leaders, elected officials, business partners and community members to share more about the new program and the opportunities it will provide students.
Perry Meridian High School senior Daniel Johnson, one of the first Perry Township students enrolled in the program, also spoke during the event.
The launch highlighted both the district’s vision for the program and the partnership with the University of Indianapolis that allows Perry Township students to participate in the experience on a university campus.
One of Their First Challenges: Name Their Own Program
Students did not have to wait long for their first real-world challenge.
One of the first assignments for students in Perry Township’s new Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program was especially personal:
What should their program be called?
Students took part in a naming sprint, developing ideas, building pitch decks and presenting their recommendations to Perry Township Schools leadership.
They considered what the program represents, who it serves, how a name would connect with students and the community, and how it could grow with the program in the years ahead.
The official name is still under deliberation.
The students have given Perry Township leadership plenty to think about.
Groundbreaking Ceremony
On August 27, Perry Township Schools and the University of Indianapolis officially broke ground on the future home of Perry Township’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program.
The new facility will be built on the University of Indianapolis campus, where the Perry Township program is currently housed in temporary space.
Students, staff, district leaders, university leaders and project partners gathered for the groundbreaking to celebrate the next phase of the program and the start of construction on its permanent home.
The new center will include classrooms, collaborative spaces, makerspaces, presentation areas and four specialized learning studios designed to give Perry Township students more opportunities to create, build, test ideas and work alongside professionals.
For students already participating in the program, the groundbreaking was also a chance to see what is coming next. They are helping shape the program now while watching its future home begin to take shape around them.
Learn More and Follow Along
Want to learn more about Perry Township Schools’ Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program?
Visit our Innovation & Entrepreneurship website to learn more about how the program works, follow along as students take on new projects and watch the permanent center take shape.
Businesses, organizations and community members can also learn how to get involved through mentorship, partnerships and real-world challenges for students.