At New World PreparatorySchool on New York’s Staten Island, children are energetic, engaged, and eager to learn. And the spotless, art-bedecked hallways and vibrant classrooms support a learning environment that’s rigorous but fun.

New World Prep also features the latest Cisco networking, security, and collaboration innovations. And it’s the first school of its kind to leverage Power over Ethernet (PoE) technologies. That means everything from smartboards and digital signage to lighting and environmental systems use low-voltage power and resilient connectivity from the Cisco network, thereby saving energy and opening new possibilities for leveraging data.

It’s all about creating the best possible outcomes for the charter school’s kindergarten through eighth-grade students. And given all the focused learning and enthusiasm on display, one would be hard pressed to know that the school is in an underserved neighborhood where opportunities are not always in generous supply.

“Our children come from homes that are often economically disadvantaged,” said Eugene Foley, the school’s president and principal. “But I wanted our kids, our ‘scholars’ as we refer to them, to have the same opportunities that every other student has.”

The previous school building, in the Richmond section of Staten Island, had fallen into disrepair. So, in 2015, it was razed to the ground, and construction began on a new facility. With grant money, it was purpose-built for modern, connected learning — but with an emphasis on inspiring spaces, community engagement, and novel features like a living wall of plants in a central, sunny atrium.

Angelo Aponte, chairman of the board for New World Prep, was a driving force behind reimagining the school.

“We made sure that what we were going to build was going to be safe and modern,” he said. “We wanted to provide comfort to families that their children were safe while they were learning.”

Today, safety, learning, and connectivity are all closely entwined.

Bob Cicero, Cisco’s director of future-proofed workplaces, led the company’s efforts to transform the school — together with partners Digital Building Solutions LLC and MHT Technologies. The result is a learning environment with cutting-edge technologies that in many ways surpass those at Ivy League universities.

“If we do our job right, it should be transparent,” Cicero explained. “And as you walk through New World Prep, everything is transparent but is operating in a way that amplifies student potential.”

As Cicero stressed, the network is at the center of it all.

“If we think about all the technology components that are here,” he continued, “the network is not only powering the IT side, but also the operational technology supported by our partners at MHT and DBS. And it's powering the ancillary elements like Meraki cameras and the ubiquitous Cisco wireless connectivity solutions. It’s a single, seamless platform that provides a secure environment for these students to learn and to feel safe. It's just super powerful when you think about all those combinations together.”

Future-proof technology for future-proof learning

Brian Lennan, founder and CEO of Digital Building Solutions, was another key partner in delivering the technology, in particular the Power over Ethernet solutions that enable low-voltage, direct connections of systems to the network.

Cisco’s network doesn’t just supply efficient power to devices, systems, and sensors; it captures important data and insights related to safety, environmental and lighting conditions, room occupancy, and more. That means, for example, that environmental and lighting systems can respond to real-time changes in outside light while optimizing air quality (to name but one automated, AI-powered response).

“We feel strongly about this infrastructure,” Lennan said. “Once we have everything on the network, the possibilities are unlimited. And that's what we look forward to in the future — a future with the best network, devices and security to educate the children and make them safe.”

Akram Khalis (AK) is MHT's CEO and co-founder of MHT technologies, makers of the school’s Inspextor smart-building, Power over Ethernet platform. He picked up on the future theme.

“The lighting and other systems in this school are all powered via Power over Ethernet, which allows for future proofing the space,” Khalis observed. “Think about what's coming next: AI learning capabilities. And with this fabric and technology in place, that allows the school to gradually go into these sectors and keep up with the demand of how the technology is moving.”

In the end, the best technology outcome is smiling, exuberant kids bounding through hallways and spilling into classrooms — committed to learning, and well prepared for higher education and beyond.

“We see our students coming out very confident that they're going to do well at their next level,” said Aponte. “They're going to be the best prepared students because of the technology and the teachers that we have here.”

And as Principal Foley stressed, with a modern, secure networking foundation for learning, children are free to explore technology — and learn to use it constructively and creatively, while building the skills that are critical for today’s, and tomorrow’s economy.

“Children who come from underserved neighborhoods often don't have choices,” Foley concluded. “I tell our eighth graders all the time that when you leave us, we want you to make the choices for yourself — through education and personal development.”

See how Cisco technology is transforming education at New World Prep—watch the video below to learn more.