Lee’s Summit prides itself on its collaborative, community-based approach to education that has led to the creation of a unique Education EcoSystem unlike any other in the nation.
Summit Technology Academy (STA) is an innovative, national education model that prepares high school juniors and seniors for high-demand, high-wage professions. Through a revolutionary partnership among the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Metropolitan Community College, the University of Central Missouri and business partners throughout the Greater Kansas City region, STA created the Missouri Innovation Campus Program (MIC).
The MIC program is designed to revolutionize the way students learn and work by bridging the gap between skills and workforce demands. MIC gives industry leaders an opportunity to work hand-in-hand with the participating education partners to create internships and curriculum that ensure graduates are poised to enter the workforce with the skills necessary to make them valuable associates.
Students, who are pooled from more than 30 area high schools, are offered career-specific, hands-on training as well as dual credit in areas such as Engineering, Computer Science, Health Science, Human Services & Finance and Arts & Communication. Students who choose to pursue college are able to enter as a junior their first year out of high school with little-to-no debt.
This Education EcoSystem is a mutually-beneficial investment for both businesses and students. Industry leaders are allowed a seat at the table when it comes to curriculum, supplying them with the highly-trained, qualified job candidates needed in today’s tight labor market. Students at MIC gain invaluable input from experienced professionals and in turn, are prepared to stand out in a competitive workforce.
The MIC program’s unique career-driven education philosophy has made STA a national model for workforce-readiness. In the 2016-2017 school year, STA was honored as an Exemplar School by The Partnership for 21st Century Learning. STA has even gained recognition from former President Barack Obama.
In 2017, MIC celebrated the grand opening of brand-new facilities, equipped with state-of-the-art, industry-grade equipment.
