ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – October 14, 2025 – In a virtual meeting entitled “Skills That Matter,” the Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies (NEAAAT) recently represented its unique vision for high school education with the Future of High School Network, hosted by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The session convened innovative school systems and partners across the country to discuss defining and prioritizing essential skills for students.

NEAAAT, known for its dedication to “doing school differently,” shared its successful, community-driven approach to competency-based education, highlighting its comprehensive internship program as the cornerstone for developing student readiness for the workforce and post-secondary life.

NEAAAT’s competency framework, known as its Portrait of a Graduate, was developed over a year and a half through extensive public input. The school actively engaged thousands of parents, students, community members, and local businesses to define the six essential competencies a graduate must possess to be successful after graduation.

“If you’re not getting student input in what you’re doing in your school, in any layer, then you should be,” said Kimberly Mawhiney, Director of STEM and Grants at NEAAAT. “It ends up being more than just a poster hanging on the wall. It's what the kids know. It’s basically our promise that when our students graduate, they'll have these six competencies.”

The school's internship program places students in 30 to 40 different business and industry locations each semester, providing diverse exposure and hands-on experience. This extensive network relies on clear, co-developed rubrics and sub-competencies that allow employers to assess both technical knowledge and crucial durable skills, such as professionalism and time management.

Ryan Miller, NEAAAT’s Work-Based Learning Coordinator, emphasized the intentionality behind the program’s design. “We are constantly trying to evaluate what's relevant. Really figuring out what are the things that we can assess at every level and at every industry is really important. So, getting that feedback and seeing what was consistent from all was really important.”

During the network meeting, NEAAAT showcased its successful, long-standing collaboration with local industry partner TCOM LP, a defense contractor specializing in lighter-than-air persistent surveillance solutions.

Jim Catteau, Operations Manager for TCOM LP, spoke on the value of hosting NEAAAT interns, noting that the partnership helps TCOM foster future talent and provides real-world context for student learning.

“We bring students here, and we literally show them science and math in action every day. I mean, that is our site,” said Catteau. “They come out of school much better prepared to enter the workforce, or they gain a much better understanding that going to college is truly what they want to do.” Catteau also noted the benefit to his own employees, who gain leadership experience by mentoring the students.

The NEAAAT model demonstrates that by deeply integrating durable skills with technical and academic knowledge, and by making the community a partner in curriculum design, high schools can truly prepare students to succeed in a rapidly changing world.