Swampscott High School is exploring the addition of a third Innovation Pathways program, giving students the opportunity to focus on a high-demand industry through more hands-on learning.

Innovation Pathways is a state-funded initiative that brings vocational-style work back into traditional public schools. Swampscott is one of nearly 100 school districts that have earned the Innovation Career Pathways designation, according to the Department of Education.

The pathways are designed to provide students with coursework and real-world experience in a specialized industry, preparing them either to enter the workforce directly after high school or to continue on to a 2-year or 4-year college in related fields. Swampscott currently offers two Innovation Pathways: advanced manufacturing and business and finance.

“I think it fits into the overall three major buckets of the high school: working on the culture of excellence, creating and expanding opportunities for students and staff, and developing a community that has an identifiable sense of spirit,” said Principal Emily Zotto. “The innovation Pathways speak to a lot of those tenets.”

Swampscott plans to launch an information technology Innovation Pathway in fall 2026. Zotto noted that all of the Innovation Pathways “transcend the different domains” and are “something that’s really important” to the district.

“It’s a big draw to the schools,” said Lytania Mackey, the district’s director of technology, digital learning, and innovation.

The district has submitted the first part of the application to create a third pathway focused on media and expects to hear back soon, Director of Teaching and Learning Sarah Kent said.

“It’s really popular, and we want kids to do it,” Kent said. “A lot of the courses we already have, and we’re just forming a Pathway program. There will be some new stuff that we have to add.”

The Innovation Pathway program includes coursework at Swampscott High School along with advanced course options such as AP classes or dual-enrollment opportunities. A North Shore Community College course is taught at the high school to support the latter requirement, and some students also travel to the college to take additional classes. Implementation grants have helped support student participation in these courses, Kent said.

Learning within the Innovation Pathways extends beyond textbooks.

“We’ve got kids down there using drill presses and building all kinds of stuff,” Kent said. “That’s not something you get in a typical high school.”

Zotto shared a story of a student who went through Innovation Pathways at Swampscott High School and is now studying at Rochester Institute of Technology. His college professor noted that the student had “already been through a lot of the business and engineering process, just by the nature of the program,” which has translated into his college work.

“The idea behind it is to give them true career skills so they can enter the workforce or a more targeted educational path based on their experience,” Kent said. 

Students also complete an internship or capstone project, strengthening their connection to the community. These internships last about 100 hours over the course of the year, Kent said.

Community partnerships can also take the form of field trips or guest speakers who share insights with classes.

“It’s something that our kids really want and need,” Kent said.“That’s the whole point of an Innovation Pathway, that they get a real sense of what’s happening in that industry.”