Orange Beach Middle School earned $198,890 with its third-consecutive Middle School Innovation Grant, which will serve as an opportunity to improve the school's Career and Technical Education (CTE) offerings.

A memo from Eric Mackey, state superintendent of education, states the grant provides "an opportunity for schools to establish, expand, start-up and/or reinvent CTE experiences for students enrolled in grades 5-8."

Mary Courtney, director of CTE at Orange Beach Middle School, said this grant will go to the Mako Media Studios project that serves to create a "cutting-edge digital media studio designed to foster student innovation in broadcasting, radio and media production."

"The program will connect seamlessly to the high school's career technical education pathway," Courtney said, "by providing students with the foundational knowledge and hands-on experience needed to transition smoothly into more specialized areas of study in media and communications, taking their educational experience that much further."

Courtney said this studio will be an "innovative hub" that works with students on confidence, collaboration and a "wide array of media-related fields." She also said students in this program will be able to showcase their work in areas like the daily announcements and the new jumbotron coming to the athletic facility this summer.

A press release on the announcement stated this grant will allow students to learn skills in creating digital content, maintaining a live stream and operating advanced digital displays such as the jumbotron.

"This grant represents our continued commitment to fostering innovation and ensuring our students have access to tools and training that prepare them for real-world success," Orange Beach City Schools Superintendent Randy Wilkes said in the press release. "We are proud to see the lasting impact of these grants and the opportunities they create for our students to excel in their chosen fields."

According to Courtney, students are "particularly excited" about the "chance to develop valuable, engaging skills" within the studio. She said the faculty is "equally enthusiastic" about the opportunities gained through the grant.

"This approach aims to prepare students to excel further in their career pathways and increase the number of industry-recognized certifications by the time they graduate," Courtney said.

In the past, Courtney said, the grant has gone toward STEM initiatives like a Interspectral 3D scanners, allowing students to perform CT scans on objects or specimens with the ability to "explore intricate details" that provide a hands-on learning experience.

"Exposure to these in-depth learning opportunities will spark interest and equip students with the skills needed for future career exploration, creative projects and technical proficiency," Courtney said.