ODU and NNPS Maritime Engineering and Environmental Studies Academy
The Maritime Engineering and Environmental Studies Academy (MEESA), which is a collaborative lab school partnership between Old Dominion University (ODU) and Newport News Public Schools (NNPS), welcomed its first class of students this fall.
The new program focuses on maritime engineering and maritime environmental studies and is housed in the Oyster Point business area. It becomes the latest Magnet and Specialty program offering which is open to all NNPS students, with the application period for 2026–2027 opening on October 31 and closing December 15.
At the two-year lab school for 11th and 12th graders, students attend mornings at the program site and the remainder of the day at their home schools. MEESA participants can earn dual enrollment credits toward ODU.
NNPS Telecom program to offer dual enrollment with ODU
NNPS Telecom students will receive college credit for their courses starting this fall under a new partnership for dual enrollment with Old Dominion University. Additionally, Telecom will provide internships for ODU students, which will be mutually beneficial.
NNPS has added dual enrollment to the numerous reasons the Telecom program is attractive to students. The program, which is one of NNPS’ many Career and Technical Education programs, provides students with two years of hands-on experience in all aspects of television production.
Students who complete the two-year Telecom program can earn six elective college credits through ODU. They will receive three credits for TV-I Intro to TV Production their junior year and three credits for TV-II Directing their senior year.
Students in grades 4–8 can explore at virtual after school STEM Academy
NNPS’ new at home Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Academy begins this fall for selected students in grades four through eight to participate in the virtual after-school program throughout the school year.
Over the next three years, the program will serve 900 NNPS students in grades 4–8, with 300 students participating each year. The STEM academies are free with all materials provided and are funded by the Department of Defense Education Activity grant Mission STEM: Pioneering Pathways in Robotics and Space Exploration.
STEM education specialists from the Virginia Space Flight Academy will lead the virtual instruction in three academies on the topics of Aerospace, Robotics & Coding and Astronomy & Astrophysics.
