DARLINGTON, SC (WBTW) – Darlington High School is taking another step into the 21st century with a new idea starting soon.

“Let’s get some teams together, and do learning differently,” said Dr. Greg Harrison, principal of Darlington High School, said he is excited for the district’s new innovation, iAcademy.

“They’re doing these great things and they have kids working in groups, doing hands-on, project-based learning,” Harrison said.

Excited about what he saw, Harrison and other district officials wondered how to bring such ideas to Darlington High School.

The answer, starting next school year, take the current extra building that now makes up Darlington High School’s ninth grade campus and use it to host a new Darlington High, project-based learning academy for 9th-12th graders. Project-based learning means learning by doing–

“It’s real world problems, and then using the content to solve those problems,” explained Darlington High Social Studies teacher Rhett Hughes.

Hughes has already helped his fellow teachers integrate technology into the classroom, and was one of the teachers who brought the iAcademy idea back to Darlington.

“Students were happy,” Hughes recalled. “They were engaged.”

Hughes said the district hopes to better prepare students for college and for future careers.

“The teacher’s job was not to direct so much as it was to come alongside and support,” he explained.

Hughes said the iAcademy is also a response to skills many say are lacking in the workforce.

“This is what businesses and hospitals and healthcare systems, this is what they’re telling us that students need,” said Hughes.

“It could be a good experience for people who don’t usually like group work,” said sophomore Nikeya Wharton, who has applied for the program.

“They’re giving you real-life skills,” she said. “Like collaborating with other people.”

Skills she hopes will prepare her for a future career as a surgeon.

“When you’re a doctor, it’s like they have to deal with different types of people all the time,” Wharton explained.

“We want them to have the best shot at being successful in life,” said Hughes. “We think that this program, the i-Academy is gonna give them that.”

The iAcademy application process is open until February 20th. Contact Rhett Hughes with the Darlington High School for more information on applying.