Jersey City and Hudson County officials broke broke ground on the Liberty Science Center High School this morning, about six months after the city council approved a development deal.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The public magnet STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) academy that will be operated by the Hudson County Schools of Technology and has a tentative opening date for 2025.
“This is one of the most important projects that we’re doing in Jersey City. It will be transformational to not only Jersey City, but the entire region and New Jersey as a whole. We couldn’t be more excited to watch this project come to life,” Mayor Steven Fulop said in a statement.
LSCHS will provide programs in Earth (Sustainable Engineering and Climate Science, Life (Biological Sciences), and Space (Astrophysics) to 400 students in grades 9 through 12 from across Hudson County.
“The school will get the next generation inspired and excited about science and engineering, and give them the skills they need to go out and succeed in the workplace,” noted Liberty Science Center President and CEO Paul Hoffman.
“It’s unique to have a school next to the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere… We want all companies that are based [in SciTech Scity] to give back to the high school by providing serious work experience and mentorship to students … Aspirationally, we want this to become the greatest STEM high school in the United States.”
LSCH, students will have access to have intensive mentorships and work experiences with the companies and scientists at SciTech Scity, the 30-acre “City of Tomorrow” being developed by LSC.
This will also include an innovation hub to launch and grow world-changing science and technology start-ups, residential housing for people interested in a community dedicated to using science and technology to build a better future, and public space for outdoor science-related activations.
“This project is but another example of our [Hudson County’s] commitment to education,” said county executive candidate Craig Guy, a former Hudson County Schools of Technology board president.
“This is a revolutionary idea and when we talk about what Mayor Fulop said, about reimagining education, we’re able to do that here. In order to do that, we have to make an impact … if we continue to do what we are doing we will have a great school,” HCST Superintendent of Schools Amy Lin-Rodriguez stated.
LSC will also create preparatory programs for middle-school students from under-served communities in Jersey City and Hudson County who are passionate about science and aspire to attend the new high school.
The $300 million Scitech Scity project is also slated to include Edge Works, an eight-story business incubation hub; Scholars Village, the aforementioned housing area being developed by Alpine Residential, and the four-acre public commons area.
The Jersey City Council approved the development deal by an unusual vote of 4-2(1), with some expressing trepidation over the fact that the city would allocate at least $ 2 million at a year to the county for the next 30 years for the high school without any guarantees about how many students will be from Jersey City.
