EAST HARTFORD — Hartford’s Pathways Academy of Technology and Design has been named the top magnet high school in the United States for 2014 by Magnet Schools of America (MSA), the non-profit organization for the nation’s 4,000 magnet and theme-based schools.
To become eligible for the award, Pathways was first selected as one of 77 Magnet Schools of Excellence by MSA for its high commitment to academic standards, curriculum innovation, diversity, specialized teaching and parent and community involvement. The highest ranked Schools of Excellence were then visited by a national team of judges and considered for the award.
“It all fits together, and I think that’s one of the reasons we won the award. The judges who came in saw it’s a really a school-wide effort to prepare students in a particular way,” said Pathways principal David Goldblum.
Founded in 2003, Pathways is a college preparatory school that combines project-based learning and technology integration in its instructional approach.
The school boasts of partnerships with locally based Fortune 500 companies.
Pathways junior Christopher Cook wants to pursue a career in information systems and already has a paid internship with The Hartford this summer.
“This school has given me so many opportunities to grow as a person, but to also grow in my community,” said Cook.
The school currently has 325 students, and Goldblum anticipates the number to grow by another hundred over the next few years. Students are chosen to attend the school through a lottery.
Pathways recorded a graduation rate of 92.9 percent in 2013, according to figures released recently by the Connecticut Department of Education.
