Renovation on the area where the Innovation Commons will be. (Submitted photo)
Through the generosity of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Brophy College Preparatory, 4701 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix, is opening a new facility this fall, an Innovation Commons, a new learning space.
“The Piper grant has been available to all six Catholic high schools in the diocese and each high school will administer their portion of the $4.75M according to their schools’ individual needs,” stated Bob Ryan, Brophy principal in a press release. “By combining the resources of the Internet with modern tools for design and fabrication, we can expect our students to focus not just on knowing more but on doing more. The ultimate goal is that the problems they take on will be those that promote the common good and in that way, they will have a new and engaging way to fulfill their identity as Jesuit students.”
Microprocessors, programming, 3D printers, CNC routers and mills along with other computer aided manufacturing tools will be utilized at first and as the new “Introduction to Innovative Technologies” class gets underway, other equipment will be added, according to the release.
The goal is that by the fall of 2016, a new honors elective will be available for all students who will be directed by a faculty member as they begin partnerships with outside organizations and communities to create and promote projects and innovations that serve the common good, the release stated.