New $50 Million Science Wonder in Detroit High School
Detroit Catholic Central High School sure is reaching for the stars with their cutting-edge new facility. They’ve just opened the doors to the George and Mary Turek Hall of Science – a whopping 57,000 square feet of mind-blowing features that are unlike anything a typical high school could dream of.
Yep, we’re talking about stuff like an observatory complete with a powerful Celestron telescope, a sustainable greenhouse, a futuristic robotics arena, and most stunningly, a Redbird flight simulator to give students a chance to learn how to fly (without leaving the ground, of course).
Turns out, generous donations and passionate supporters have made this $50 million project a reality, a project named in honor of the parents of its main donor. Mere words can’t do justice in describing the grandeur of this architectural wonder but trust us, it’s got the vibe of a sophisticated university more than a high school. Oh, and they are having a joyous housewarming party on August 11 – their way of celebrating this unbelievable achievement.
What’s inside this space-age dreamland you ask? Sit tight. It’s featuring several modern laboratories (eight of them are science-related!), four preparation rooms, an engineering space, design labs and a feature-packed ‘MakerSpace’. But what’s promising to take your breath away is a show-stopping Blue Angels jet gloriously suspended over a sprawling robotics arena, a greenhouse where nature and innovation cross paths, the aero-focused Redbird flight simulator and a sky-gazing observatory that can rival several universities.
The incredibly immersive flight simulator lets students simulate flying different kinds of aircrafts and makes them familiar with cockpit views. There are also six smaller flight simulators, thanks to which students can log flight hours that will go towards getting their pilot licenses.
But that’s not all.
The school is installing four telescopes alongside the massive Celestron telescope in their observatory, something that will put Detroit Catholic Central up there with the top-notch observatory facilities. Even more impressive, certain software will allow these young sky-watchers to study cosmic events happening in broad daylight.
Turns out these youngsters might have a chance to throw sensational stargazing parties and project telescopic renditions in a newly built immersion theater that can seat 120 people. This theatre features a colossal 270-degree LED screen for a vivid, larger-than-life experience.
Sophomore, Myles Craft is particularly stoked about the new hall and is excited to study black holes using the brand-new telescope.
Going straight to the stars, this high school has joined hands with NASA in their Museum and Informal Education Alliance, which will offer numerous resources, professional development, firsthand access to NASA experts, and much more. It’s classroom learning taken to a whole new level.
As the STEM Director of Catholic Central undergoes a weeklong training under NASA aegis, there’s a sense of excitement about the knowledge she and other educators will bring back to the high school.
The goal, however, isn’t just to have a cool building, but to focus on the learning and activities that will take place within. Catholic Central continues to grow and provides significant need-based scholarship assistance, making it one of the busiest high schools in town with more than 1,000 students enrolling this year.
It’s heartening to witness a school that believes in giving their students challenging learning environments, exploratory experiences and quite literally, a chance to shoot for the moon!
For more details on Detroit Catholic High School, check out their website at https://www.catholiccentral.net/
