Students meeting at Madison Park High School in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood.Photo: Jared Brosnan/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced plans to renovate Madison Park High School in the city's Roxbury neighborhood, saying she wants to make the school the top vocational tech school in the country.
"We need your feedback now on how to make sure we're designing the best building to fit all the pathways we need for students in the future," said Wu, who met with students at the school on Monday.
The high school, which offers 20 different Career and Technical Education programs including electricity, plumbing and cosmetology, has struggled in recent years with access to trade industries. Principal Paul Neal said many students don't have family or know anyone in the trades, calling it a serious disconnect.
"You can't dream about something that you don't know about," said Neal.
Boston Public Schools has partnered with nonprofit Building Pathways and local unions to get 17 recent graduates into the trades.
"Earn while you learn, you come to school, you get paid to get out and have a high, middle class paying job with benefits and a skill that you can take anywhere you go," said Joe Caparco, the apprenticeship director for Laborers' Union New England Region.
That cohort starts next month and students said they're excited to start.
"Two of my teachers went to Madison Park and straight to the union afterwards, so I felt I could really, kind of, connect with them. And seeing how they turned out, I think that really pushed me forward to wanting to pursue this path," said one student.
The renovations are set to cost the city around $700 million.
WBZ NewsRadio's Jared Brosnan (@JaredBrosnanWBZ) reports.