The Centers for Applied Science and Technology, the creators of the very successful CAST Tech High School downtown, is now opening a school to focus on medical education at Brooks, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Kate Rodgers, who heads the Holdsworth Foundation, which is the educational foundation created by H-E-B CEO Charles Butt, says the school is being created with one goal in mind.
"Lets focus on those industries and demand fields here in San Antonio where we know we have very high wage, high growth, jobs avaialble that are going unfilled," she said.
As CAST Tech is operated with the cooperation of TechBloc, CASTMed, which will open in the fall of 2019, will operate in conjunction with UT Health San Antonio. Like CASTTech, CASTMed will be part of the San Antonio ISD.
Superintendent Pedro Martinez says the school will not compete with the very successful Health Careers High School in the Northside ISD. His vision is to attract students for whom becoming a doctor or a medical reseacher is a far off dream.
"For them, its a distant world," he said. "They cannot see the connection that this is an opportunity for them."
Rogers says the creation of high performing schools across San Antonio is a dream of the Charles Butt Foundation.
“Charles and the amazing folks at H-E-B have pursued a vision for this network and brought it to life through in-kind resources and generous contributions,” Rogers said. “We saw a critical need in San Antonio to help graduates build skills and connections that will allow them to move seamlessly into high-demand jobs. The model benefits both the individual student and the economy as a whole.”
Martinez says while traditional high schools will continue to exist, CAST is creating the 'school of the future.'
“The innovative model of CAST schools is changing the landscape of high school education, and we already are seeing this with the success of CAST Tech,” he said. “The medical-industry immersion students at CAST Med will experience will put them on a higher-level playing field when it comes time for them to enter medical school. And that’s what we want for our students.”
H-E-B, and Mr. Butt personally, are donating $2 million to begin the new project.
photo: Martinez discusses his vision for CASTMed