ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Nine years after opening its doors, Executive Education Academy Charter School has partnered with Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) to build a $7 million field house and athletic center on the campus.
The 28,000-square-foot sports center will have four basketball courts, an indoor track and retractable batting cages for softball and baseball.
- Executive Education Academy Charter School has partnered with Lehigh Valley Health Network to build a new field house on campus, expected to be done next year
- The athletic center will have four basketball courts, an indoor track, batting cages and volleyball courts
- Lehigh Valley Health Network will hold free wellness clinics and fitness classes for residents at the facility
"This field house is going to be a major asset for our foundation, our school, the city of Allentown and the entire Lehigh Valley community for many years to come," charter school founder Robert Lysek said at a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday.
"Our partnership with LVHN is a game-changer for Executive. Besides collaborating, the partnership will bring internship opportunities to our students with a career pathway program, scholarship opportunities — along with in-house expertise that will provide us with athletic trainers, strength and conditioning professionals and medical and mental health programs that will benefit all our students."
Lysek said that, just as the school's gym now "is used by many local organizations, we expect the same will happen here.”
Sharing with LVHN
The charter school, which refinanced a bond to fund the construction, will share the project's cost with LVHN through leasing and rental agreements, Lysek said.
In turn, the health network will share the space and provide student athletes with physician coverage, athletic training services, performance training, educational scholarships and sports medicine supplies, he said.
LVHN also will host community events at the center for locals such as free wellness clinics and fitness classes.
The field house will be open daily for students and staff and at designated times for residents to play basketball or walk the track.
The project is estimated to be completed in January 2024, Mohawk Contracting and Development.
Students can't wait
According to Lysek, the K-12 charter school has significantly grown since it opened in 2014.
"We have 1,400 students currently enrolled and a sizable wait list with over 1,300 kids," he said.
The field house will be used for gym classes and for the Executive's Raptors football, basketball, track and field, cross country, marching band and cheerleading practices.
"This field house will benefit every single one [of] our students. Even our younger students in elementary school to [the] oldest ones in high school will have a second home to come to. This is an indispensable investment that will change lives for many years to come."David De La Rosa, a member of the Executive Education Charter School's student forum
David De La Rosa, a member of the school's student forum, said his peers are excited about what's to come.
"This field house will benefit every single one [of] our students. Even our younger students in elementary school to [the] oldest ones in high school will have a second home to come to," De La Rosa said.
"This is an indispensable investment that will change lives for many years to come," he said.
