Maritime Engineering, Environmental Studies Academy Coming to NNPS

A collaborative lab school partnership between Old Dominion University (ODU) and Newport News Public Schools (NNPS) has established the new Maritime Engineering and Environmental Studies Academy (MEESA) as a magnet school option for NNPS students for the 2025-2026 school year.

The program will focus on maritime engineering and maritime environmental studies and will be housed at the ODU Brooks Crossing Innovation Lab.

Current tenth graders are eligible to apply for MEESA. Applications for all NNPS magnet and specialty programs for 2025-2026 will be available November 1 and the deadline for applications is December 16.

MEESA is a two-year lab school that students will complete during eleventh and twelfth grades. They will attend a half day at the program site and a half day at their home schools with transportation provided.

Participating students can earn ODU college credits and learn about career opportunities available in various fields related to the maritime industry.

MEESA will focus on student-guided learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) experiential learning; guided inquiry; design thinking; career and technical education; internships; and job shadowing opportunities. It will align with ODU’s education, research, and innovation efforts around maritime engineering and the Virginia Digital Maritime Center, which was created to advance the maritime workforce and drive economic growth in Hampton Roads.