Knoxville Mayor Brown and Knox County Mayor Burchett participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday to officially launch the first school year for the Knoxville STEM Academy magnet high school at the historic L&N Station in downtown Knoxville. The Academy will open its doors on Monday, August 15 to an expected 180 students.

​Knox County Schools, Knox County, and the City of Knoxville partnered to create the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) magnet high school.

The high school was one of two STEM schools identified in Tennessee's Race to the Top proposal and scope of work and it's the only one in the area. Although the school was identified in the state proposal and received significant startup funding from the State of Tennessee, it is a Knox County high school and part of the Knox County Schools. Over time, it will expand to serve a regional student population. "STEM disciplines are tightly aligned with essential '21st Century skills' such as critical thinking, innovation, and problem solving that will continue to be in high demand in the classroom and workplace of the future," said Dr. Jim McIntyre, Superintendent of the Knox County Schools. "Focusing on STEM will give students important foundational knowledge and access to incredibly rich future opportunities.