News

SLAM Tampa Unveils New SmartLab Studio to Inspire Student Storytelling and Career Readiness

Hands-on media space empowers middle and high school students to collaborate, create, and lead through real-world learning.

SLAM Tampa officially opened its new SmartLab Studio, marking a major step forward in the school’s mission to inspire creativity, collaboration, and college-and-career readiness through hands-on learning. The ribbon cutting event brought together students, educators, and community partners to celebrate a space designed to connect academic learning with real-world applications in media, technology, and storytelling.

Middle and high classrooms are all working together toward a common goal: Rising Together. I could not be more proud of them as they are already accomplishing this mission.

— Sean Waters, Media Instructor at SLAM Tampa

The new SmartLab Studio serves as an immersive environment where middle and high school students work side by side to explore digital media, audio-visual production, and interactive design. With guidance from instructors, learners apply STEM and communication skills to real-world projects—creating podcasts, videos, and digital stories that reflect their communities and aspirations.

“SLAM Tampa’s ribbon cutting represents more than new equipment; it’s about putting the tools for success in the hands of our students and empowering them to tell their own stories, shape their futures, and inspire others,” said Andy Wilson, representing Academica, a long-time SLAM partner supporting innovation in education.

Educators and students have already embraced the space as a hub of creativity and cross-disciplinary collaboration.“This is the most enthusiastic that I’ve ever observed our students while actively taking responsibility for their own hands-on learning,” said Catherine Silagi, Dean of College and Career Readiness. “The SmartLab Studio has transformed how our students see themselves as creators and problem-solvers.”

From filmmaking to digital storytelling, the SmartLab Studio encourages middle and high school classrooms to collaborate under a shared theme—“Rising Together.” “Middle and high classrooms are all working together toward a common goal: Rising Together. I could not be more proud of them as they are already accomplishing this mission,” said Sean Waters, Media Instructor at SLAM Tampa.

This is the most enthusiastic that I’ve ever observed our students while actively taking responsibility for their own hands-on learning. The SmartLab Studio has transformed how our students see themselves as creators and problem-solvers.”

— Catherine Silagi, Dean of College and Career Readiness

“At SLAM, we believe in giving students real-world opportunities to discover their passions and develop their voices. The new media room gives our students the tools to create, innovate, and lead. It reflects our ongoing commitment to providing hands-on experiences that connect what students learn in the classroom to real-world careers,” said Kelly Pierce of the SLAM Foundation.

SmartLab leaders emphasized how the new studio aligns with the company’s broader mission of cultivating future-ready learners nationwide. “We’re not just building STEM skills—we’re nurturing future-ready mindsets. It’s critical to study the measurable impact on student outcomes. When students leave a SmartLab, they carry more than knowledge. They carry the belief that they can shape the world,” said Dr. Jennifer Berry, CEO of SmartLab.

We’re not just building STEM skills—we’re nurturing future-ready mindsets. It’s critical to study the measurable impact on student outcomes. When students leave a SmartLab, they carry more than knowledge. They carry the belief that they can shape the world.

— Dr. Jennifer Berry, CEO of SmartLab

The SmartLab Studio at SLAM Tampa represents a growing movement among Florida schools adopting interactive, project-based learning environments to drive student engagement and workforce preparedness. By fostering collaboration, communication, and creative problem-solving, the SmartLab approach helps students see themselves as innovators, storytellers, and future professionals in STEM and media careers.

The celebration also featured the premiere of a student-produced newscast that showcased the creativity, collaboration, and technical skill students are developing inside the new SmartLab Studio.