Neighborhood Academy Adds Hands-On STEM Suite
Pittsburgh families weighing secondary schools can now consider a dedicated STEM wing at the Stanton Heights campus.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Secondary Education
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The Neighborhood Academy, located in Stanton Heights, unveiled the Fleischner Family Innovation Wing, which includes a STEM Suite used by middle and high school students, at the start of the 2026-27 school year. The school opened in 2001 and is supported by benefactor Howmet Aerospace Foundation.
Why it matters
The new space is designed to build students' skills in science, technology, engineering and math, giving Pittsburgh families a local option focused on hands-on STEM learning. Its opening reflects continued investment in secondary education in the city's neighborhoods.
The Fleischner Family Innovation Wing and its STEM Suite were unveiled at the start of the 2026-27 school year at The Neighborhood Academy in Stanton Heights. The space serves middle and high school students, who use it for lab time and research projects.
The players
The Neighborhood Academy
A Stanton Heights school that opened in 2001 and serves middle and high school students with a focus on preparing future leaders.
Howmet Aerospace Foundation
The philanthropic arm of Howmet Aerospace, which supports the school's vision and is a benefactor of the Fleischner Family Innovation Wing.
The details
Students use the STEM Suite for classroom lab time during the school day and for independent research projects. Those projects culminate in the annual STEM Fair held at the end of the school year. The new space was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open it to the school community.
Timeline
2001: The Neighborhood Academy opens and begins focusing on future leaders.
Start of the 2026-27 school year: Fleischner Family Innovation Wing and STEM Suite ribbon-cutting.
End of the school year: Annual STEM Fair held with student research projects.
The Home Front
Pittsburgh families weighing secondary schools increasingly compare dedicated STEM facilities alongside traditional programs. The Neighborhood Academy's new wing adds a concrete, purpose-built STEM space to that local comparison.
If your child is considering secondary schools in the Stanton Heights area, ask the school about access to the STEM Suite and how students use it. Plan to attend the end-of-year STEM Fair to see the research projects firsthand.
The takeaway
Dedicated STEM spaces are becoming a visible factor in how families evaluate secondary schools. Ask prospective schools how their facilities are used day to day, not just what they look like on opening day.
What happens next
The Neighborhood Academy's annual STEM Fair at the end of the school year will showcase student research projects completed in the new space.
Further reading
For more on how local schools are shaping their programs, explore Secondary Education coverage in Pittsburgh.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Pittsburgh's Action News 4.
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