Birmingham, AL (WIAT) - The Birmingham Education Foundation is partnering with city schools in an effort to change the way students and faculty members approach education.
It's a $5.1 million dollar commitment, of which half has already been realized.
The money is being used to set up a four tear program starting with a Pre-AP initiative for middle school students interested in college preparatory classes.
The second tear of the program targets teachers by adding to their professional development training.
And parents are also in line for some training of their own... Using a program called Parent University parents will learn how to play a more active role in their child's academic interests.
But the best part of the program is in the classroom itself... Career Academies!
And one of those academies at Wenonah High School has already impacted students there.
Kenneth Myree has a dream... a dream that has come alive thanks to the Culinary Academy... Myree now wants to be a chef.
And what he's already learned at school has prepared him for the tough critics at home.
"My dad is used to cooking beef and pork and stuff and i like seafood because of the taste the texture... i like crab legs... it's things like that that sparks me up when cooking."
Superintendent Craig Witherspoon is proud of what this partnership means for the future of the school system.
"This program here is award winning. We're building off that capacity. We're making sure that the students here and the students across Birmingham can and will be successful."
And while not everyone plans to open their own restaurants... several students are impressed to discover their hidden talents.
Junior Binella Brown says she loves the program and her teacher.
"She just opened up and showed us that this is a fun program so I am just interested in it and when I'm finished in high school this is what I want to go into."
Sophomore Michael Simmons says he now has a life skill that will benefit his whole family.
"My grandma cooks all the time and I want to follow in her footsteps so like if she passes I can cook for the family."
