(WGNO) — Imagine going to school on a barge. It’s going to be a reality for some south Louisiana students in two years.
Today (Sept. 14), New Harmony High School was named a receipient of $10 million from XQ: The Super School Project.
The prize, awarded over five years, will help make the school a reality.
“We are so honored and thankful to have been selected for this generous award,” said New Harmony High team lead Bobbie Hill. “Our goal for New Harmony High is to create an environment for students to explore the connections between their individual interests, their local communities, and the world.”
The public school will be based on a complex of barges in Plaquemines Parish. Students will also spend time in community centers through the area. As well as traditional classroom topics, the high schoolers will use their talents and skills to study coastal change.
The school is slated to open in the fall of 2018. New Harmony is one of 700 schools entered into the competition; only 10 received a $10 million prize.
XQ: The Super School Project was born from a commitment made by Emerson Collective in July 2014 to find and develop the best designs for next generation high schools as part of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative. Launched in September 2015, XQ: The Super School Project was an open call to America to meet the challenge of preparing our students for today’s world by dreaming, designing, and creating the next American high school.
