Open House: Archives

After opening its doors for the first time in 2006, School of the Future (SOF) graduated its first senior class last week on June 15, 2010. This 750-student high school, a collaboration between the School District of Philadelphia and Microsoft, was built with a vision to challenge the education status quo. The school partnered with Microsoft to plan, build and support a new model for 21st-century learning communities, applying new approaches in curriculum, teaching methods and staffing. All 118 students, who are called "learners" at SOF, have earned acceptance to at least one postsecondary institution–a commitment they made to each other as ninth graders.

Our own Devin Liddell, Director of Brand Strategy, had the opportunity to fly out to Philadelphia to interview several of the first graduating students profiled for the Graduates piece and press materials PBDH designed for the SOF graduation. To hear each individual's story of growth and accomplishment is inspiring, and despite some of the challenges SOF faced during its initial years of development, it's undeniable that these learners came out more determined, and with plans for postsecondary education–a plan that many of the students wouldn't have had before SOF.

The Competency Award nominations, based on the Education Competency Wheel which guides hiring and professional development and was developed with the support of Microsoft, were given to 14 graduates for their attributes, behaviors, areas of knowledge, and abilities required of successful learners. This Competency Awards piece was a surprise for the nominees who were announced during the graduation. Both pieces were designed to be downloadable PDFs for the press as well as printed pieces to be handed out to graduating students and their families at the graduation.

Check out the coverage by CNN of the School of the Future and its graduating class. Congratulations Class of 2010!