Perry Grant Awarded

RENAISSANCE SCHOOL AWARDED PERRY GRANT TO BUILD SmART LAB

Renaissance School is building integrated lab space to train for the innovative needs of the future

Renaissance School was awarded a matching Perry Foundation grant of $25,000 for a new SmART lab space, an integrated space designed for twenty-first century high school artists and engineers. Building on the school’s strengths as a strong arts school, and in consultation with active researchers in the field of IT and Computer Science, the SmART lab will support computer science, engineering arts, and an innovative STEM / ARTS maker space.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that STEM jobs will grow 10.4 percent by 2033, creating more than a million new jobs in the American labor market. Renaissance School equips students with the skills and creativity that are in chronically short supply in STEM industries today.

“I’m looking forward to the wealth of knowledge on digital applications that this space will provide and applying it in my art, and if I can, it would be good to make it more relevant to the industry’s needs and the latest technological developments such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, and the Internet of Things, which are all areas that have a huge potential for growth in today’s digital age.” -RS Junior

Additionally, Renaissance School is deeply committed to maintaining the historical integrity of the Court Square building and plans to work with contractors who are experienced in preserving historical buildings.  Building of this new space is underway and, thanks to the Perry Foundation’s matching grant, Renaissance School aims to open the new SmART Lab in the fall of 2025.

Renaissance School is Charlottesville’s college preparatory school for academically and artistically advanced high school students. Founded in 1999, the school’s comprehensive liberal arts program is ranked the Niche #1 high school for the arts in Virginia for 2025, as well as top 9% nationally in STEM.