Now Enrolling: Academy of Innovation

We are excited to introduce the Academy of Innovation, a new learning option for students in grades 6-12 who thrive through hands-on, real-world learning experiences. The Academy is open to all Houston County resident students whether they are currently enrolled in the District or new students, including home-school and private-school families.

Students enrolled in the Academy of Innovation will complete their core academic coursework virtually while participating in a required, in-person Innovation Lab one day each week. The Innovation Lab is currently located at the Houston College & Career Academy but will move to the Houston STEM & Career Academy once it opens in 2027.

Through project-based learning, collaboration, and real-world problem solving, students will have opportunities to apply what they are learning in meaningful ways. 

Quick Facts for Families

6-12 Grades Served
7 Project in the Year
3+ Hours in the Lab
$0 Tuition Cost

Virtual Core Academics

Monday-Friday | Self-directed and Flexible

Math, science, English, and social studies will be offered virtually through Edmentum. Certified teachers from the Houston County School District (HCSD) coach, run live support, and help keep students on track. This flexibility allows families to adapt the schedule to their needs. 

Innovation Lab

Lab schedules will be determined based on enrollment. At minimum, a three-hour lab session per week is required.

Students will be required to attend a minimum of one session a week in the lab located at the Houston College & Career Academy. The three-hour session will focus on hands-on building projects (also called Sprints) using drones, 3D printers, sensors, hydroponics, design tools, and other partner-based projects. The students will also learn life skills such as teamwork, community partnership, and public presentation. 

Open Lab Hours (Optional)

Lab schedules will be determined based on enrollment.

Two days of the week, the lab will be open for any student in the Academy to come work on their projects. This structure allows students more time to build, access to the lead teacher, and coaching from mentors.  

Sprints are hands-on projects, typically lasting six to nine weeks and built around a real-world challenge.  Students will work through the following stages for each sprint:

  1. Discover: Identify a real program, interview the people who live it, and define success
  2. Design: Explore approaches, get expert input, and choose a direction
  3. Build: Prototype, test, and revise - in the lab with teachers and coaches close by
  4. Ship: Deliver to the client and hold a demo
  5. Defend: Present to an expert panel and earn a scored competency rubric

In the first year of the program, sprints include:

  • Line of Sight: fly a tiered drone fleet and solve real challenges with aerospace and public-safety partners.
  • Living Systems: run real hydroponic farms and supply a local chef or food bank
  • By Design: design and build products for real clients using a timeline
  • Play Tested: design, code, and play-test games for a real classroom arcade
  • In Their Hands: design and build a custom sensory tool for a specific child who needs it
  • Public Record: research, produce, and install permanent downtown history markers
  • LIA2 (Local Interactive Artificial Intelligence Agent): build AI literacy, fluency, and agency, learning to use emerging technology like AI well and to know when to rely on it and when not to

Once completed, they will present and defend their work to a panel of outside experts - much like professionals do. A panel consisting of an educator, an industry partner, and a peer will use a competency rubric for scoring. 

Students will take their four core courses - math, English, science, and social studies - as virtual courses with Houston County teachers. Students are eligible to earn a fully accredited Houston County School District diploma. The students are also required to take Georgia's End-of-Grade and End-of-Course assessments.

Beyond core classes, the credit follows the learning. Through Georgia's credit-flexibility, the work students do with their sprints earns them credit on their transcript. Credit is earned by demonstrating mastery in subjects such as business, computer science, engineering, and other career & technical pathways.

Alongside the traditional transcript, students build an Innovator Profile, a portfolio of real work scored against five shared competencies:

  1. Problem Framing & Evidence: turn a vague concern into a defensible problem and reason from evidence
  2. Design & Build: move from idea to a working artifact: prototype, test, and deliver
  3. Communication & Pitch: make the work clear and compelling to a non-expert audience
  4. Collaboration & Leadership: produce work with and through other people; coordinate and mentor
  5. Ethics & Stewardship: anticipate impact, consider equity, and take responsibility for what you build

The result: Graduates will leave with both a college-ready transcript and a portfolio of real work to share with colleges and employers.

The Academy is backed by a rich partner ecosystem who bring real projects, mentor student teams, and sit on panels to score sprints. 

Examples include partners such as:

  • Robins Air Force Base and the Museum of Aviation
  • Middle Georgia State University and Central Georgia Technical College (including dual-enrollment pathways for qualifying high-school students)
  • Houston County industry partners across defense, manufacturing, technology, consulting, agriculture, and food science
  • Local cities, businesses, and nonprofits across Central Georgia

The Academy is open to all Houston County resident students in grades 6 to 12. Because so much of the learning is self-directed and hands-on, students tend to thrive when they: 

  • are passing their current courses and are working at or near grade level;
  • have reliable internet and a quiet space to learn at home;
  • are curious and enjoy solving real-world problems;
  • take initiative, stay motivated, and ask for help when it is needed;
  • manage time well and complete assignments and deadlines with limited reminders; and
  • work well both independently and as part of a hands-on team. 

Each student will be issued a district Chromebook and needs reliable, high-speed home internet for the virtual courses.


Frequently Asked Questions

The Academy of Innovation was created for students who learn best by doing. Rather than spending every day in a traditional classroom, Academy students complete their core academic courses virtually and come together each week at an in-person Innovation Lab to work on hands-on projects that solve real problems for real community partners. We built the Academy because the world our students are entering increasingly values evidence of real work, creative problem-solving, and the ability to follow a project through from idea to finished product, alongside strong academics. Our goal is to give Houston County students a bold new learning option, open to families across the county, that prepares them for college, careers, and life.

Yes. The Academy of Innovation is a tuition-free public school program of the Houston County School District. It is open to eligible Houston County students at no cost, just like any other district school, and there are no tuition or program fees to participate. Please note that families are responsible for providing transportation to and from the weekly in-person Lab day.
Because core courses are completed virtually, each student needs a device and reliable home internet. The district provides every enrolled student with a device, such as a Chromebook, along with the digital learning platforms and tools they will use for their coursework. Families are responsible for reliable home internet access.
No, and this matters. The virtual core is flexible, but it is structured and supported. Students are expected to log in for live support with their teachers whenever they feel help is needed and are also responsible for making steady progress to stay on pace. Teachers monitor progress closely and step in early. Flexibility comes with real accountability.
Yes. Through our post-secondary partnerships with Middle Georgia State University and Central Georgia Technical College, qualifying high-school students can pursue dual enrollment (DE) pathways. DE courses must fit the student’s schedule so they can still attend their weekly Innovation Lab session.
Students are supported by several layers of help. Core academic courses are taught by Houston County School District teachers, builder-coaches guide students through their hands-on projects at the Lab, built-in tutoring support helps with the virtual coursework, and a school counselor helps each student and family. Because each grade level is small, students are known well by the adults who work with them, and the team reaches out early whenever a student needs more support.

Yes. Academy students follow the same Georgia Standards of Excellence in every core subject and take the same state assessments, including the Georgia Milestones, as students across the district, so they stay on track for grade-level expectations and graduation. Their progress is monitored closely, and coaches receive regular updates so no student slips through the cracks. Students are also stretched well beyond the basics through hands-on Innovation Sprints and, for high schoolers, opportunities like dual enrollment. If a student begins to struggle, our team steps in quickly to help them get back on pace.

Yes. Student safety is a top priority in the Innovation Lab. Students always work under the supervision of trained staff and coaches, and access to equipment such as fabrication tools requires completing safety training and earning a safety credential before use. Age-appropriate safety protocols and protective equipment are followed throughout the Lab. The space is designed and supervised so that students can build real, meaningful work in a safe and well-managed environment.
The weekly in-person Lab day brings the whole Academy community together. Students collaborate in teams on their projects, share their work at regular showcases, eat lunch together, and connect with mentors and community partners. Optional open lab hours give students even more time to work and build relationships side by side. Academy students also remain eligible to take part in school activities and extracurriculars consistent with district policy. In short, students have many meaningful opportunities to connect, collaborate, and build lasting friendships.
Each grade will have approximately 20 spots in the Academy. 

Next Steps for Apply

All families apply online through Infinite Campus. There is no paper form to complete. Once logged into the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus, follow the steps below to apply:

  • Click on the three lines in the top, left corner (mobile app only)
  • Click on More
  • Click on Online Applications
  • Click on the Start button beside Houston Virtual Extracurricular and Academy of Innovation
  • Follow the steps to complete the application

If you need help with Infinite Campus login or parent portal, click here to visit our Infinite Campus webpage. 

Go to https://www.hcbe.net/centralregistration to complete Step 1 (online application) and Step 2 (make an appointment). On the day of the appointment, go to Central Registration with all of your required documents listed under Step 3 of the website. Upon checking in at your appointment, inform them that you are interested in applying for the Academy of Innovation. After you have registered, additional information will be provided. 


Staff Contacts

Mr. Jacob Harvey, Lead Teacher | jacob.harvey@hcbe.net

Dr. Steven Hornyak, Chief Innovation Officer | steven.hornyak@hcbe.net