What seemed like a good idea turned into a great one this summer when the Northland Center for Advanced Professional Studies (NCAPS) held its first Junior Academy Showcase.
With Middle School students from Liberty and Park Hill, the event held at the Gladstone Community Center June 29 was the culmination of a summer program for middle school students with projects to teach professionalism, career exploration and work on a real project for an area business.
NCAPS Executive Director Brett Kisker said that in June, students worked with the Kansas City Aviation Department to design feasible land-use projects for Kansas City International Airport. Nearly 20 groups of students developed plans, including several ideas that aviation officials said they might consider in future planning and development.
“Students pitched ideas from restaurants to museums to distribution warehouses as ways for the airport to make money off undeveloped property. They did a lot of research and even called large corporations to learn more about business needs,” Kisker said. “All of the students came up with great ideas. It was very impressive.”
Kisker hopes to expand the effort next year with more students from more districts, but this was an excellent start. The showcase drew parents, educators, aviation department staff members and members of the public.
