Innovation

The growing trend across the country to develop new, digital-based systems of education for high school students has found a voice in Pittsburgh with The Pennsylvania Digital Arts Charter School.

The school is a community-oriented educational facility for high-school students, explains Eric Graf, CEO designate. The mission is to provide an intellectually stimulating curriculum that combines a core academic program and state-of-the-art digital focus to prepare students for existing and emerging digital careers.

“Pittsburgh is ideal for this type of school because of the private and college resources like Carnegie Mellon and Pitt that exist here,” explains Graf. “Our schools will be tied in with some of the best companies in the region, like deeplocal.”

The Digital Arts Charter School has leased space in the old Center for Creative Play on Braddock Avenue in Edgewood. The school hopes to open its doors this fall to 100 9th graders and add a subsequent grade each year, Graf says.

Nathan Martin, CEO of deeplocal, a Pittsburgh mobile software company, was recently named as president of the school’s board.

Any student from any school district is eligible to attend the school, Graf notes. The school hopes to build upon an open source technology system such as Linux and will draw from Carnegie Mellon’s Education Technology Center to foster new thinking in the realm of high school education.

“We are still working through the legal aspects of the school,” Graf says. “As we move forward and work out funding, we will make decisions on specific technology, but I think we can cut costs compared to schools that are largely paper and pencil based.”

To receive Pop City weekly, click here.

Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Eric Graf, Pa. Digital Arts Charter School

Image courtesy Pennsylvania Digital Arts Charter School