Join Us for the 2026 APS Community Showcases
This fall, every Akron Public Schools high school cluster is opening its doors for a Community Showcase. Students, families, alumni, and neighbors are invited to tour our buildings, meet our students and staff, and see our College & Career Academies of Akron (CCAA) pathways and specialty programs in action. Come see everything APS has to offer.
What to Expect at Every Showcase
Each showcase has its own theme, but every one includes stations where you can:
- Meet the APS superintendent
- Learn about scholarships
- Explore extracurricular activities
- Get help planning for college
- Learn about job opportunities
- Discover our specialty programs
This year's showcases also celebrate a milestone: Akron Public Schools' 180th year. Stop by to help us mark the occasion and look ahead to what's next.
Save the Dates: 2026 Showcase Schedule
Find your cluster's showcase below. All Akron families and community members are welcome at every event.
East CLC: We're Going on a Dragon Hunt!
Date: Oct. 9 | Time: 4–7 p.m. | Location: 80 Brittain Rd., Akron, OH 44305
The hunt is on! Calling all football fans and adventure seekers to this year's Dragon Hunt Homecoming, a community showcase packed with hands-on experiences, school spirit, and surprises around every corner. Your mission: grab your Dragon Hunt Treasure Map and set off on an adventure through East CLC. Visit each of our college and career pathways for a family-friendly, hands-on activity and discover the incredible things happening inside your school. Along the way, meet our students, staff, superintendent, and community partners.
Your Dragon Hunt includes:
- A family portrait or professional headshot
- Hot-pressing a dragon onto your own tote bag
- Testing your skills on a welding simulator
- Learning how to change a tire
- Learning hands-only CPR
- Creating your own Dragon-Tail Mix
- Flying a drone
Once you've conquered the Dragon Hunt, the celebration continues! Stay for dinner and get hyped for homecoming with classic tailgate food and snacks, yard game competitions, cheerleaders, and a chance to take on the Fire Department's obstacle course. Don't miss the grand finale: 50 free game-day tickets will be given away! Then head straight to the Homecoming football game to cheer on your East Dragons.
Garfield CLC: Rams' Fall Fest and Trunk-or-Treat
Date: Oct. 22 | Time: 5–6:30 p.m. | Location: 1326 Brown St., Akron, OH 44310
Join us for an evening of family, fun, and celebration at Garfield CLC! Explore Garfield's amazing career pathways, discover Akron Public Schools resources and opportunities, and celebrate 100 years of Garfield history and community. Enjoy our Trunk-or-Treat for Garfield cluster families, connect with staff and community partners, and see all the great things happening at Garfield.
Celebrate our past. Discover our future. Experience what makes Garfield special! All Garfield families and community members are welcome.
North High School: A Night of Viking Pride and Trunk-or-Treat
Date: Oct. 27 | Time: 4–6 p.m. | Location: 985 Gorge Blvd., Akron, OH 44310
Join us at North High School as we celebrate our Viking past, showcase the College & Career Academies of Akron (CCAA) pathways and opportunities available today, and look toward North's bright future. All of Akron is invited to explore our academies, connect with staff and community partners, and experience what makes North special.
New this year: our Future Vikings can enjoy a festive Trunk-or-Treat filled with candy, costumes, and Viking fun! Come see where we've been, where we are, and where we're going.
Ellet CLC: Orange All the Way!
Date: Oct. 28 | Time: 5–6:30 p.m. | Location: 309 Woolf Ave., Akron, OH 44312
Join us at Ellet CLC for an evening where fall festivities meet career exploration! Enjoy pumpkins, face painting, and live demonstrations from the Akron Fire Department, the Summit County Sheriff's Office, Firestone Park Veterinarian Clinic, and more. Explore student pathways in Engineering, Animal Studies, Marketing, and Criminal Justice, and enjoy performances by the Ellet Jazz Band, Madrigals, Windemere Elementary singers, and NJROTC cadets.
Celebrate our community partnerships and discover the opportunities that make us Ellet Proud!
NIHF STEM High School: Innovators of Tomorrow: STEM in Action
Date: Oct. 29 | Time: 5–7 p.m. | Location: 1156 4th Ave., Akron, OH 44306
Discover how NIHF STEM High School prepares the next generation of innovators through specialized pathways in Environmental Engineering, Biotechnology, and Cybersecurity & Network Defense. See how our students engage in real-world, project-based learning that connects classroom instruction with meaningful, hands-on experiences.
Learn about our robotics program, which challenges students to design, build, and compete with autonomous systems while building collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. We'll also highlight our Advisory Board partnerships with industry professionals and community leaders who help shape our curriculum and mentor our students.
You can also visit our community-sponsored Aquaponics Lab, a learner-led initiative in its early stages that explores innovative, sustainable methods for producing rubber and other resources. Our state-of-the-art Esports Lab gives students hands-on experience in a competitive gaming environment while developing essential skills like collaboration, communication, leadership, and problem-solving.
Stop by to see how our STEM programs empower students to drive real-world change.
Firestone CLC: Future Unfolded: Igniting Innovation, Art, and Impact
Date: Nov. 1 | Time: 1–3 p.m. | Location: 470 Castle Blvd., Akron, OH 44313
Join us for a special Community Showcase to discover the exceptional opportunities across the Firestone cluster's elementary schools, middle schools, and high school. Future, former and current students, families, business partners, and community members are invited to explore the campus and learn more about our K–12 programs.
The showcase will feature our renowned Akron School for the Arts, the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme, and our innovative College & Career Academies.
During your visit, you can:
- Tour the building and see our state-of-the-art facilities
- Speak with student representatives from our diverse programs
- Enjoy live performances by our talented students
- View impressive displays of student work
- Take part in learning experiences and demonstrations
Come experience the vibrant community and academic excellence that define the Firestone cluster.
Buchtel CLC: Griffins' Fall Harvest Festival
Date: Nov. 19 | Time: 5–8 p.m. | Location: 1040 Copley Rd., Akron, OH 44320
Join us for the 14th Annual Buchtel Griffins' Harvest Festival & Student Showcase! It's a fantastic night for Akron families and friends to come together and celebrate. Our students have been working hard, and they can't wait to show off their incredible projects and classes. Tour our state-of-the-art pathway labs and enjoy hands-on experiences led by the students themselves.
Get ready to be entertained! Our talented jazz band, JROTC, and cheerleaders will all perform. Enjoy delicious food, great company, and important information about the many exciting opportunities in our community and through the College & Career Academies of Akron (CCAA).
We'll also share student awards, and an Akron native will make a special announcement about future support for our students. This is a night you won't want to miss. We can't wait to celebrate with you!
Explore APS Open Enrollment Opportunities
Open enrollment for the 2027–28 school year runs Oct. 1 through Dec. 15, 2026. If you're interested in a specialty Akron Public Schools program or a school outside your neighborhood, this is your chance to apply. Find out how to apply and which documents you will need.