Photo courtesy of Hoover City Schools
Brock's Gap Intermediate School students attend one of the school's Genius Lab programs, introducing students to "geniuses" in the community and providing opportunities for productive play, cooperative learning, and acquisition of new skills or passions.
The Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools has announced Brock's Gap Intermediate School as a 2024 CLAS School of Distinction for its Genius Lab program.
The School of Distinction award honors school programs that serve as outstanding educational models and set the benchmark for excellence throughout Alabama.
This year, 234 schools were nominated for this honor, and 222 applications were submitted. Following a rigorous selection process, 32 schools were chosen as the 2024 CLAS Schools of Distinction.
Brock’s Gap Intermediate School’s Genius Lab provides students an opportunity for productive play, cooperative learning, and acquiring new skills or passions through learning labs with local “geniuses” in the community.
Over the past three years, more than 400 students have participated in at least one of the 25+ learning labs offered. These labs cover a wide range of topics, and after each session, the students express their gratitude by writing thank you notes to the visiting "genius.”
The students' enthusiasm for the Genius Lab is evident as many sessions fill up quickly. The program was established in 2021 with support from the school’s Parent Teacher Organization and continues to grow, building connections between students and the broader community while encouraging curiosity, innovation and lifelong learning.
