INDIANAPOLIS — Students and staff at Central Christian Academy on Indianapolis' southeast side are starting the new year with big support from the Indiana Department of Education.
In July, the IDOE awarded $10 million to 58 different schools across the state to help them incorporate Indiana Employability Skills into their curriculum.
The funds come from the IDOE's Employability Skills Innovation and Implementation Grant.
"Oh, I think it's going to make a huge difference," second grade teacher Julie Eisenmann said of the impact this could have on the community — even as a first year teacher at the academy.
Central Christian was awarded more than $346,000 in grant money, which is more than any other school in Marion County.
Head of school Edward Ingle said the money will help teachers incorporate employability skills.
"Measuring a student by more than their test score," Ingle said. "Really coming down from academic mastery into what it takes to work in the workplace and be successful."
School leaders say that kind of education is crucial for Central Christian students.
That's because Ingle said the average family of four at the academy makes about $32,000 per year.
"You see the lack of resources," Ingle said. "You see the lack of opportunities, so when a school can step into a community and deliver those resources to everyone that is around it, most of our kids are walking to school or living within a mile or two, so we're really that old, traditional kind of feel for a local school in a residential area."
Additionally, most students don't pursue a college degree, according to Ingle.
"They want vocational pathways, which means internships and the ability to go work with an electrician or a welder, some kind of skilled trade," Ingle said.
Ingle said focusing on employable education could spark real generational change in the neighborhoods nearby.
"It changes a community," Ingle said. "It really does change the income level and the earning potential of a student who comes out that may not be a traditional, four-year college student. I think academic mastery is great, but you have to have practical skills with it."
Central Christian Academy serves around 240 kindergarten through 12th grade students, in addition to more than 20 preschoolers.
The school has already implemented programs to help students succeed in a shorter amount of time.
"We had already rolled out a three-year graduation track for our high school students, so I have nine freshmen right now that are on track to get their Core 40 done in three years," Ingle said.
With this additional grant money, Ingle said the academy can focus on what comes next without worrying about finding funds.
"It would have taken Central Christian years to register and donate the kind of money it would take just to get a certain type of program we have done," Ingle said. "Here, we can do that all at one time, with the assistance of the IDOE."
Eisenmann credits the school's leadership team for knowing the importance of employability education.
"They are doing awesome things here," Eisenmann said.
Ingle credits staff at the IDOE for recognizing the importance of opportunities for all students.
"We are a faith-based school, so we think there is a little bit of divine intervention involved with that process," Ingle said. "Our demographics meet exactly what the IDOE was looking for, and it's exactly what we're looking for in the type of education we want to deliver."
The IDOE grant outlines specific guidelines for adding employability skills to education for all ages, starting in kindergarten.
"They can start critical thinking and problem solving all the way down there, and use different types of skills to do that," Ingle said.
Now, school leaders say their next step is to find community partners who are willing to help hire seniors right out of school.
"We really want to serve our community," Ingle said. "We are a beautiful blend of what Indianapolis actually looks like, and we think we serve that very, very well."
"I'm just super excited for school this year," Eisenmann said.