Olympic High School is a success story whose values are firmly entrenched to ensuring that every student meets his or her full human and economic potential. As a comprehensive high school, Olympic is committed to reshaping teaching and learning by continuing the best practices we have learned from our time as a community of small schools with an increased focus on a 21st century design that better meets the needs of preparing youth to succeed in school, work, and life.
Olympic, with ongoing support of hundreds of Steele Creek stakeholders hungry for updating the design of education, succeeds by employing a collaborative, holistic approach that centers on supporting a variety of “small learning communities” within the campus. Students are provided a high school experience immersed in personalization blended with educational activities structured to develop vital 21st century skills as emphasized by American thought leaders in Education because of their significant role in determining a person’s level of success in life: 1) critical thinking and problem solving; 2) creativity and innovation; 3) communication verbally and in writing; 4) collaboration and teamwork; and, 5) emotional, non-cognitive abilities.
Olympic has been wildly successful in its Next Generational approach as demonstrated by the increases on NC State exams and graduation rates. Most importantly, over 600 organizations have demonstrated their ongoing belief in Olympic’s transformative model by volunteering over 26,000 hours and donating more than $16 M in cash and in-kind towards projects and programs designed so more youth can receive meaningful educational opportunities which promise upward economic and social mobility.
Olympic High School is a 21st century STEAME school – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, and EQ (emotional intelligence), where its acclaimed NAF Career Academies have been recognized nationally for their career AND college readiness programs (OHS ranks in Top 1% nationally). Olympic’s success has drawn extensive national media coverage through CNN, NPR, PBS, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, CNBC, U.S. News and World Report. And, the high school has hosted visits from school districts across the nation and world as well as the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor. Furthermore, a recent #1 Amazon Best Seller about the need for transformation with K-12 Education in America -- Ted Dintersmith’s What School Could Be -- dedicates a section of the book in promoting Olympic’s best practices.
Olympic is the model. Every high school in NC and the country should be like them.
Clifton Vann
CEO, Hyde Park Partners
