LAGRANGE — THINC College & Career Academy is one of 10 prize winners in the national CTE Makeover Challenge from the U.S. Department of Education.

As a winning school, THINC will receive $20,000 and a share of in-kind prizes from more than $375,000 in a sponsor prize pool to build a makerspace. This space will provide THINC students the materials and environment they need to create, invent, tinker and explore, helping them build vital career skills, including critical thinking, planning, communication and problem solving.

The list of 10 winning schools was announced June 17 at the White House Champions of Change event, in support of the President’s Nation of Makers Initiative. Launched in March, the CTE Makeover Challenge called on high schools to design makerspaces that strengthen next-generation career and technical skills.

More than 640 schools from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., entered the challenge. Eligible schools were invited to participate in a six week bootcamp program to further develop their makerspace ideas, and submit their final plans to be considered for prizes.

To learn more about the challenge, visit CTEMakeoverChallenge.com.