Rolling out New Tech

SOUTH BEND - Students in Susan McClements' business class are becoming advertising gurus.

Their job? To create marketing materials for a local musician.

They broke into teams and volunteered for tasks based on their strengths and weaknesses.

Using their newly acquired desktop publishing and word processing skills, the ninth-graders are creating news releases, fliers and ads.

Soon, their real-life “client” will meet with them and see how their work is coming along.

Welcome to South Bend New Tech High School, South Bend Community School Corp.’s newest offering for high school students interested in a different type of learning experience.

“We use authentic projects that represent the (state) standards,” McClements said.

For now, the school is located in its own wing with a separate entrance at Riley High School.

New Tech’s focus is project-based learning.

The principal, John Kennedy, is known as the director. And, New Tech’s five teachers are called facilitators.