See Rock City Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Howard High announced today
Posted on 05/21/2019
Susan Harris, SRC president and COO, announces See Rock City’s involvement in the institute at The Howard School at the scenic overlook at Rock City.Future Ready Institutes in Hamilton County Schools added Rock City to the list of institute partners for the district today as the local tourist attraction announced its association with The Howard School this morning. At Rock City on Tuesday, May 21, officials announced the See Rock City Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management would open this fall at The Howard School. The commitment by SRC Inc. to continue through 2022 includes a significant financial contribution, as well as field trips, job shadowing, faculty touring, advisory roles, and preferential part-time job availability for the students.

“As a multi-brand hospitality company, See Rock City Inc. is excited to partner with The Howard School and the Institute for Hospitality & Tourism Management,” said SRC President and COO Susan Harris. “Tourism is a major economic driver in our region and provides both first jobs and career jobs for thousands of citizens in our community.”

Future Ready Institutes challenge the traditional approach to education in high schools by developing career-themed small learning communities. Themes include medicine, robotics, forensic science, engineering, hospitality, technology, business, marketing, and more. Teachers of all content areas, including English, math, science, and social studies work closely with the career theme teacher to provide classroom instruction through the lens of a career. The goal is for students to clearly understand why a lesson is important and how they will use the information in the future.

“Our team is eager to connect with the students and teachers at Howard,” Harris added. “This partnership is one more way our organization can continue to live into our decades-long legacy of community investment, honoring the commitments made by our founders that have been sustained by our leadership through the years.”

Rock City will provide a variety of opportunities for students as the attraction employees chefs, artists, accountants, marketers, maintenance technicians, horticulture specialists, and professionals in guest service, event production, and leadership.

“Graduates of Hamilton County Schools must be post-secondary ready and prepared to succeed in college or a career after graduation,” said Dr. Bryan Johnson, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools. “The Future Ready Institutes, through partnerships with community leaders like Rock City, allow students to experience careers while in high school and open doors to opportunities for graduates and their families.”

According to a release from See Rock City, Inc., the U.S. Travel Association, travel industry jobs lead to higher wages in comparison to those whose first jobs were in manufacturing, health care, and most other industries. More than four in 10 workers get their start in travel and tourism.

The Hustlin’ Tigers of The Howard School have a proud, long tradition of excellence in the Chattanooga community since 1865. Future Ready Institutes have been a part of the Howard experience since the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year with the Erlanger Institute of Healthcare and Innovation and now the See Rock City Inc. Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The school will also add the Institute of Robotics and Welding and the Institute of Architecture and Construction for the 2019-2020 school year. Kyle Kunkle, with See Rock City, takes students in the new See Rock City Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management on a tour.

The Future Ready Institute program was awarded the Community Impact Award from the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga in the programs first year of operation. The program will open with 27 institutes in high schools in Hamilton County Schools this fall. 

For more information about See Rock City, visit www.seerockcity.com.


See Rock City Inc. contact: Meagan Jolley
Email: [email protected]



Photo: (Top) Susan Harris, SRC president and COO, announces See Rock City’s involvement in the institute at The Howard School at the scenic overlook at Rock City.

Photo: (Right) Kyle Kunkle, with See Rock City, takes students in the new See Rock City Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management on a tour.