Renovations are underway for the new Career & Innovation Center that will open in Lewis-Palmer School District 38 for the 2025-26 school year. About 100 staff members, students, and community members, along with the Board of Education gathered to mark the special milestone with a commemorative wall-breaking ceremony on March 31.
“At this ceremony, it’s fitting to quote Henry Ford, a symbol of innovation and collaboration, ‘Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success,’” said Jessica McAllister, Director of Innovative Programs. “Today reflects that success—what happens when communities, schools, and industries unite with a shared goal.”
Located at 1200 Synthes Avenue in Monument, the D38 Innovation Center will become the home of expanded Career and Technical Education (CTE) with programming in Advanced Manufacturing, Computer Science, Engineering, Healthcare, and the Skilled Trades. The new facility will bring work-based learning opportunities and hands-on experiences to juniors and seniors to help bridge the gap between high school and the workforce.
“When I learned about this building and progression of these courses, I was immediately psyched despite knowing I will have moved on past high school. The idea that thousands of other kids like me will feel the same about their life out of high school could not make me feel any better,” said Hunter Coffy, senior at Lewis-Palmer High School. “On behalf of all my friends and other students who have fallen in love with these classes like me, I want to say thank you.”
Whether students plan to head straight to college after graduation or directly enter the workforce, the new Career & Innovation Center will provide experience in some of the most high-demand careers. “By providing hands-on learning experiences, opportunities to earn industry certifications, and professional connections, we are ensuring D38 students graduate with a competitive edge,” said Tiffiney Upchurch, Board of Education President.
That competitive edge will come from not only honing hands-on career skills, but also from developing agility, problem solving and resourcefulness—skills learned in D38 programs like Bearbotics Robotics.
“What I’m most excited for with this new building is what it means for robotics,” shared Katherine Dalton, sophomore at Palmer Ridge High School. “Previously, we have been limited with our available space [to prepare for competitions]. A real field is almost as big as a basketball court, but we’ve been practicing with something half that size. We have several large machines that make navigating around the shop difficult in such close quarters. From expanded machining capabilities to full-sized fields, this space will allow us to invite other teams to practice alongside us … this innovation center is bringing big opportunities.”
Big opportunities that will benefit our entire community. Younger students might attend summer camps at the new facility. Adults might come onsite to learn and take their job skills to the next level.
“We are proud that we are making this happen without additional local tax dollars,” added Upchurch. “We developed a strategy to use existing funds for the purchase of the building, and for implementation costs like equipment and tools, our staff members are pursuing grants and sponsorships.” A special thank you goes to Nunn Construction for stepping up as our first Amplifier level sponsor.
Keep an eye on D38 communication channels for updates on the renovation in the coming months as we prepare to open the new center next fall.
