Denise Renfro, director of the Academy of Green Technology at Douglas Byrd High School, outlined the program's hands-on curriculum and urged students to apply through the Cumberland County Schools Choice Programs website.

"What makes the Academy of Green Technology unique is that our students don't just learn about the future, they build it," Renfro said, describing student projects that include a street-legal electric vehicle, photovoltaic systems and drones. She said those projects connect to local challenges in energy, climate and community resilience.

Renfro framed the program as preparation for a changing labor market: "At a time when the world's energy transition will define every industry and create millions of new green collar jobs by 2050, our students are preparing not just to participate in, but to lead that change," she said. The comment was presented as the program director's projection about long-term employment trends.

Program instruction, Renfro said, emphasizes systems thinking across energy, water, transportation and the environment. "Our students turn ideas into action, designing, building, and testing technologies that reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and strengthen our local communities," she said, adding that graduates move on to college or careers equipped with technical and problem-solving skills.

For more information and application details, Renfro directed listeners to the Cumberland County Schools Choice Programs website and closed her brief presentation with the tagline, "I choose CCS." No formal vote or decision was recorded during this presentation.

The presentation focused on the Academy's curriculum and enrollment; it did not include budget figures, partner organizations beyond the school, or details about admissions criteria.