New Aurora school teaches entrepreneurial skills
A new school in Aurora is helping give kids the skills needed to make their future plans possible. The Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy opened its doors earlier this month.
Aurora Public Schools Superintendent Rico Munn and city officials joined students and staff for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday.
"As Aurora grows, we as a district that serves this community needed to change and grow with it," said Munn.
CBEA is one of the first to open as part of Blueprint APS. Aurora Public Schools has faced enrollment declines, which have negatively impacted the district's budget. Blueprint APS was developed in 2018 to respond to enrollment shifts.
Kids with hopes of owning their own business now have a place to help turn dreams into reality.
It's an innovative school for innovative minds.
"We're just really excited to be able to provide entrepreneurial education to kids. It's the first in the state to do so at the public school level," said Principal Laura Burke. "We're the first school in the country to have a hologram wall. We've got 3d printers. We've got a lot of different spaces with flexible seating to allow kids to really learn in ways that are best for them.
The school is named after Clara Brown, an entrepreneur who helped newly freed slaves to relocate to Colorado. Brown was a former slave from Virginia who aided the settlement of slaves during Colorado's Gold Rush. She established the first laundry in Central City in 1866 and used the money to help others. Brown became known as the "Angel of the Rockies" for helping people in need.
CBEA says they plan to build on Brown's legacy by teaching students to be curious and take risks. They will use a project-based learning model to create hands-on, real-world scenarios to help gain skills needed to tackle complex challenges.
CBEA is one of two magnet schools opening in Aurora Public Schools this year. The district plans to open at least one magnet program within each of its seven specialization regions in the coming years.
The school is K through third grade for its first year. Then they're going to build out one grade every year until it's K through 8th grade. Applications are currently being accepted for their waitlist.
