Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has unveiled a newly redesigned, technology-rich innovation space at Ponce de Leon Middle School, aimed at transforming how students learn, collaborate, and engage with academics.
The revamped space features an open-concept design equipped with an interactive floor, flexible seating, and modern furniture, creating a hybrid environment that blends traditional learning with hands-on, technology-driven experiences.
School principal Angela C. Gonzalez said the goal was to create a space that encourages students to actively participate in their education.
“The idea for this innovation space was advancement, to evolve it and create a space where kids want to come to learn and read and hang out and really engage with academics, with curriculum, with their peers and their teachers,” she said, noting that the area has also sparked renewed interest in reading.
A collaborative learning hub
The innovation space includes areas for arts and crafts, board games, and hands-on technology, alongside an interactive floor that allows students to play educational games using movement. The redesigned media center also features modular seating, high-top work tables, and flexible layouts that can be adapted for classes, group projects, or independent study.
Eighth-grade student Leylani Berlanga described the new environment as both engaging and comfortable.
“Kids get to experience a lot more hands-on learning,” she said. “It’s a better learning environment because it’s pretty and comfortable. I love the colors, the couches, the games, and I’m excited to be here with my friends and enjoy this place.”
The space also incorporates new shelving for books and flip-and-nest tables that can be easily stored to maintain an open, multi-purpose layout.
Community and institutional support
The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together district leadership and community partners, including Assistant Superintendent Daniel Mateo, School Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas, and Britton Banowsky, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff Foundation.
Parents have also welcomed the transformation. Roxana Rassi, president of the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association, said the new space is a major upgrade from the previously closed media center.
“It’s super modern, it’s an inviting space for the kids to be here and for the teachers to organize classes, events, and study groups,” she said, adding that clubs such as drama and robotics are expected to make use of the facility.
The project is part of a broader initiative to create 18 innovation spaces across middle schools over a two-year period. The effort is backed by a $2 million partnership involving M-DCPS, the College Football Playoff Foundation, the 2026 Miami Host Committee, and the Orange Bowl Committee.
Officials say the initiative is designed to modernize learning environments and better align them with the needs and expectations of today’s students.
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