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A new strategic partnership between Hollister High School and AI company Conectado is bringing high-tech boot camps to the school as part of its Career Technical Education curriculum.
The San Benito High School Board of Trustees introduced the alliance at an August meeting, and shared several other developments regarding improvements at Hollister High and the proposed second high school campus.
Conectado Inc., a company that teaches students about artificial intelligence and bioinformatics—the use of software tools to study biological data—helps prepare young people for a technology-centered future. The company has bootcamps in collaboration with UC Berkeley and Stanford. Last year eight Hollister High students graduated from the Stanford bioinformatics bootcamp.
Conectado CEO Guillermo Diaz Jr said the partnership will be “a significant step towards ensuring that students are not only prepared for the jobs of tomorrow, but are also leading the charge in fields that are transforming industries across the board while making generational change in their families.”
The bootcamps aim to teach in-demand skills along with career readiness, networking and financial literacy. The program will also pair students with mentors who will provide career advice and give students confidence through hands-on learning experiences.
The partnership begins Sept. 23. Click here to learn more about the upcoming boot camps.
Second high school master plan
Also at the meeting, District Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum presented a master plan for the construction of the second high school, which the district has put before voters in the form of two bond measures that will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot. He outlined the need for a second school, the factors guiding the construction site selection, the school’s design plan and funding strategies.
The school would be located in the Buena Vista area, which is identified as a new neighborhood in Hollister’s 2040 General Plan, which expects 10,530 new housing units and 31,575 new residents.
The new high school master plan outlines the phasing and implementation of 46 teaching stations, initially accommodating 1,200 students, with the potential for future expansion. Safety is a priority in the design, with layered security measures from drop-off points to secure building perimeters. The school will also offer specialized career pathways in fields including engineering, information technology, public safety and health sciences.
Funding strategies for the new school include the two local bond measures—Solution 1 and Solution 2—totaling $140 million.
Solution 1 supports general construction and Solution 2 targets vocational training and workforce readiness. Additional funding sources include $46.4 million in state money and $30.9 million from developer fees.
“The master plan for our second high school embodies our community’s aspirations: to preserve our cherished heritage while fostering an environment where future generations can soar to new heights,” Jeffery Small, a Capitol PFG managing partner, told BenitoLink.
He acknowledged “the invaluable contributions of over 590 community members, 1,600 comments and many community discussions over the last few years. We are immensely proud of this shared vision to alleviate overcrowding at Hollister High School and secure a high-quality education for our children and grandchildren.”
The master plan also includes a section dedicated to the ongoing construction of Hollister High’s 8,500-ft cafeteria and multipurpose room, which is expected to reach completion this fall.
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