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The quality of a student's education shouldn't be based on their zip code.

Join us in our mission to create a more equitable approach to high school education.

Powered by Purdue University, Purdue Polytechnic High School (PPHS) was created to offer new pathways to Purdue, specifically for K-12 Hoosier students who are underserved by traditional high schools and underrepresented in higher education. PPHS immerses students and their families in an innovative, hands-on learning community.

Mission: Through STEM-focused and real-world experiences, we empower students to create the world they envision by developing the minds of creative problem-solvers and skilled achievers

Vision: We aspire to create a world of equity where every student has the opportunity and access to achieve their goals and to realize their power to solve problems they encounter.

Student Spotlights

We're so proud of the amazing things our educators, students, and families have accomplished together, but don't just take our word for it! Read our student spotlights, below, to learn more about the amazing things our Techies are up to.

Building a Brighter Future

Eric Martinez


Eric, a 2021 PPHS graduate, has been building things since before he could remember. From Legos to K'NEX, his hands were always busy. That's why when he heard of Purdue Polytechnic High School's hands-on, project-based education model, he knew he had to attend.

Over the course of 4 years, Eric built many things, a working go-kart, a cardboard chair that supports the weight of several students, and, perhaps most importantly, a relationship with Coach Jo, the PPHS Schweitzer Center Engineering and Design teacher.

The combination of hands-on projects with the student-focused, individual support he received from his teachers empowered Eric to not only achieve academically but to improve his confidence as well, "At PPHS, our passion projects present us with so many different types of problems to solve,” Eric shared. “It’s built my confidence to learn that not only does every challenge have multiple solutions, but I have the ability to think through the different options because I’ve had the experience of project-based learning.”

Eric is enrolled at Purdue University and studies mechanical engineering.

Pathway to Purdue University

Kayla Owens


The decision to attend PPHS was an easy one for 2021 graduate Kayla Owens. After a field trip to Purdue University in the sixth grade, she set her sights on Purdue University, and when she heard the announcement that Purdue would be supporting the creation of a high school in her city she knew it was where she needed to be. She was the very first PPHS student to enroll in the school and quickly embraced the hands-on, self-directed learning model.

“In the beginning, it was hard because it was a new school,” Owens said. “But now I look back and can say there are so many benefits to going to a nontraditional school. We learn at our own pace and our days aren’t structured like a typical high school with back-to-back classes. We’re treated like college students.”

The field experiences at industry partner sites like Salesforce, Eli Lilly, and Indycar exposed her to careers she had never considered before. She found her passion for technology and is excited to pursue her dream of being the next big innovator in the technology industry. “It’s very exciting,” Owens said. “I want to leave a legacy and show the world that STEM majors are accessible to everybody. I’m pursuing a field where there aren’t a lot of minority women. And I’m eager to see that change."

Kayla is currently attending Purdue University and studies computer and information technology.