Revere School offering hope and innovation

Special to The Advocate

While education headlines in Revere have been dominated by the security issues at Revere High School, there is also a noteworthy sign of hope and innovation that could point the way toward a better future for the young people who live there. A recently founded high school in Revere is offering opportunities to students who are eager to learn in new, invigorating and alternative ways.

Founded in 2022, Revere’s CityLab High School is encouraging its 100 students to thrive by thinking outside the box. “I embrace being an alternative school,” says Principal Dr. Stacey Mulligan. “Our school is non-traditional and does education differently.” The school serves a variety of students, many of whom have struggled in larger, more traditional schools.

Even the name, CityLab, reflects how the school views Revere and Boston as an extension of the classroom and a resource for experiential learning. Throughout four years at CityLab, students seamlessly transition from taking traditional classes to pursuing exploratory pathway opportunities in areas with high job potential, including Green Technology, Biotechnology, Computer Science and Visual Communications. Students can earn college credits through dual enrollment partnerships, including at Roxbury Community College, Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology and UMass Amherst. Many also take advantage of paid internships.

Revere CityLab receives technical and organizational support from the Barr Foundation to catalyze new models for high school education in Massachusetts. This high school offers a major bright spot in education today.