Greater Hazleton offers a diverse range of educational opportunities, from preschool to post-secondary. It's a tradition that dates back many decades.

In 1879, Anthracite coal magnate Eckley B. Coxe wanted a place to give students a technical education, something they could only get far out of Pennsylvania. Coxe opened the Industrial School for Miners and Mechanics near Hazleton. Over the years, the school expanded its curriculum, moved to new buildings, and changed its name, but MMI Preparatory School has continued its commitment to a high level of achievement. Today, MMI Prep is one of the finest schools on the East Coast. In recent years, nearly 100 percent of its graduates have gone on to college, many of them Ivy League and other prestigious universities.

MMI Prep is just one example of the many excellent educational institutions in and around our area.

Whether it's public or private, large or small, schools in and around Greater Hazleton give students the tools they need to succeed in the future.

The public Hazleton Area School District has some of the newest, most technologically advanced, and safest buildings in the state, thanks to an $85 million renovation project. The HASD provides quality education to more than 8,500 students in 10 elementary, elementary/middle, and high schools. Ten schools are spread throughout Greater Hazleton so students don't have to spend a lot of time on buses. Many students walk to neighborhood schools.

Technology has been incorporated in the student's day-to-day curriculum, and computers can be found in every classroom. Students are able to utilize technology for distance learning, where they can interact and participate in programs and classes at faraway schools and colleges. From full-day kindergarten to rigorous elementary and middle school classes to intensive block scheduling in high school, Hazleton Area School District students receive a quality education.

Second- and third-graders in the HASD learn conversational Spanish, French, German and Italian. Other elementary-grade children participate in "$Sense," a program sponsored by a financial planning agency which teaches students about money.

The district operates its own vocational-technical school, the Hazleton Area Career Center. This school recently underwent a $14 million expansion and renovation project. With a progressive blend of academics and technical education, courses go far beyond the basics.

The Hazleton Area High School and the Career Center offer students a wide variety of academic, technical, vocational, and college-preparatory courses, including robotics, computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting, honors engineering science, modular home construction, law enforcement, nursing, cosmetology, plumbing, auto body repair, auto mechanics, diesel technology, culinary arts, pastry arts, college Advanced Placement classes, health careers (run in conjunction with Hazleton General Hospital), television production, athletic training, child daycare, jewelry-making, desktop publishing, graphic arts, and electrical technology. There are also vocational transition classes for students with special needs.

The Career Center has a number of school-to-work programs, including a remarkable new work force development program, job shadowing, and mentoring internships.

The Hazleton Area School District has one of the best special education programs in Pennsylvania. The program has been praised by numerous state agencies for its attention to student needs and its efficiency. The district’s staff handles every aspect of special education, from assessment to the creation of individual educational programs to specialized aide-assisted care.

Greater Hazleton's rich religious tradition provides the backbone for Holy Family Academy, a private religious educational institution operated through the Scranton Catholic Diocese. Hundreds of students in grade K-8 attend the Parochial school. Students wishing to continue their Catholic school education at the high school level have their choice between attending Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre or Marian Catholic High School in nearby Tamaqua. Busing services are provided to Marian Catholic.

Immanuel Christian provides students in the elementary and secondary grades with an independent Christian-based education in a private school setting.

These schools and many others successfully blend modern curriculums with traditional values and ethics.

MMI Preparatory School recently completed an $8 million expansion and renovation project. Students in grades six through 12 utilize the latest scientific and computer equipment, rivaling that which is found on college campuses and in research and development labs.

All of these schools provide a wide range of extracurricular activities. From athletics to the arts, our children have the opportunity to broaden their experiences outside the classroom. Our schools remain alive with activity long after the final bell as students conduct their Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science experiments, or prepare legal briefs for a mock trial competition, or practice for a holiday concert.

And, whether it's Friday night football in the fall or afternoon softball in the spring, our students like to compete… and there are a wide variety of team and individual sports from which to choose.

After high school, there are plenty of local opportunities for students to continue their education.

The Hazleton area is home to a branch campus of the Pennsylvania State University, one of the largest public colleges in the country. This quaint hilltop campus is a starting place for many students transitioning to a "big school" setting.

Through its accomplished faculty and superior facilities, Penn State Hazleton offers a Bachelor of Science in Business degree (BSB) which enables students, especially working adults, to begin and complete their baccalaureate degree in business at Penn State Hazleton. PSU Hazleton also offers the first two years of most of the university's 180 baccalaureate degrees and several unique associate degree programs.

A comprehensive continuing and distance education initiative allows the campus to serve the needs of the local business community with customized workforce development programs and offers personal development and informal programs for students of virtually every age and situation.

Also serving the area's higher education needs is Luzerne County Community College, which, in addition to its modern campus just north of Hazleton, offers an impressive series of programs in its downtown Hazleton campus. The Hazleton campus is centrally located and provides both day and night classes.

Lackawanna College maintains a local presence in Hazleton and offers specialized instructional programming as well as a highly regarded police training program.

In addition, the region is home to a number of other educational facilities. These facilities include business and trade schools, an educationally accredited Job Corps Center, and the Career Preparatory Institute, which offers training for those entering business and/or industry, including courses on most industry standard computer software programs.

Because of the strategic geographic location of Greater Hazleton, the world of education is literally at our doorstep. In addition to the outstanding access that the Penn State Hazleton campus provides to the main campus at University Park, area residents seeking higher educational diversity need travel only an hour or so for a cornucopia of educational opportunities. Within short driving distances are King's College, Wilkes University, Marywood University, the University of Scranton, College Misericordia University, Bloomsburg University, Lehigh University and others. These campuses provide everything from two-year associate's degrees to bachelor's degrees to post-graduate and doctoral programs, and have been recognized for both quality and value by respected publications such as U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, and Barron's Best Buys in College Education.

Education need not end after high school or college, either.

The Readiness Employment Ability Development for You (READY) program trains workers in a variety of necessary job skills, such as teamwork and time management. Students must complete a 91-hour course of study, then enter into the job market with more ability - and more confidence. Still in its infancy, 100 percent of graduates have found jobs after completing the program.

Partners in Education (PIE) brings business and education leaders together in an innovative program designed to make sure all students leave school with the academic, technical, and employability skills necessary to be successful in the 21st century workplace. Through PIE, educators and business leaders visit each other's workplace to develop ways to integrate real-life skills into the school curriculum. The group also educates students, administrators, and teachers as to what kinds of jobs are available in Greater Hazleton. It isn't unusual to see a human resources manager or even a CEO talking to students and educators about everything from how to write a resume, to what a specific company is looking for in an employee.

Our educational opportunities are why living to Greater Hazleton is one of the smartest decisions you can make.