As we at Augusta Prep live our mission in the present, we are mindful that we are called to prepare our students for
their future. Our current students are graduating in the midst of the “
4th Industrial Revolution,” which is being driven by high-speed Internet, cloud technology, artificial intelligence, automation, 3D printing, and big data analytics.
With such rapid changes across industries, how can schools keep up and make sure students are prepared for the world beyond college?
In response to this challenge, we have developed a vision for a unique future-facing sciences and engineering building that prepares students for these forces and the workplaces of the future. To better equip each and every Augusta Prep student to skeptically interrogate and improve our common world, the new W. Rodger Giles Institute for Inquiry will provide new programming that is more interwoven, inspiring, individualized, illuminating, and iterative than the sciences education of our past. Think less “sit and get” content-heavy lectures and more “hands on” skills stem program work.
This new facility will be the arena in which our students sharpen their stem education skills for college and the workplace - design thinking, prototyping, problem solving, programming, and presenting their novel concepts and innovative creations. This facility will be one of a kind in the Augusta area and not only host traditional science education (biology, chemistry, physics), but expand our technological sciences (coding, robotics, engineering) as well as venture into the more futuristic science learning tools using digital fabrication (3D printing) and augmented/virtual reality. These tools, like virtual reality devices or 3D printers, will be available for use by all our teachers and students, not just those enrolled in required or elective science courses.
Why is this so important?
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In our Lower School two-year-old room, we have the Class of 2038 on campus right now. We believe this facility and the programming there will help prepare them for their future – not our present or past.
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We have amazing faculty delivering great programming in dated spaces from the 20th century which were not designed for robotics, engineering, forensics, coding, or virtual reality.
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We want to draw student talent as Prep will be the only school in the area with such distinctive places and programming.
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This building, and what it embodies, mirrors the future of medical/cyber/tech/industrial Augusta.
If you are interested in learning more about the plans and supporting the project now, please email our Director of Development, Kristin Ludwig at
kristin.ludwig@augustaprep.org.
We are so excited for the future of these children, our school community, and the greater Augusta area.