Technical trade school provides middle and high schoolers with hands-on experience

POST FALLS, Idaho -- Some middle and high school students in Post Falls are opting for a less traditional learning environment in favor of more hands-on experience.

Elevate Academy North, near Killdeer Avenue and Bogie Drive, is a 6-12 grade charter school that blends classroom learning with training in different trades.

Students can study subjects like welding, construction, cooking, manufacturing and the medical field.

9th grader, Lex Blondelo, takes construction class and said he wants to pursue it as a career.

"Last year, in eighth grade, we built dog houses and sold them, and this year, we're going to be building catapults and stuff like that," said Blondelo.

Students said the school gives them a straightforward path toward employment.

Christina, a senior at Elevate, is pursuing a certificate in medical assisting.

"It really sets you up to have a job right out of high school," said Christina. "I can just go straight out of school and already know what I'm going to do."

Christina started off in a traditional high school, but said she began to thrive once she switched to Elevate.

"This is just really one-on-one. The teachers really get to help you, and you get to focus with them. It's really nice," she said.

Elevate Academy North still has openings for enrollment this school year in grades 6, 10, 11 and 12.

For more information on the school, click HERE . For enrollment information, click HERE .

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