FORT BENNING, Ga., (April 6 2016) -- After years of development, Faith Middle School will open a new learning annex - a contemporary structure to increase the openness of classrooms to help students develop college and career-ready skills.

College and career readiness is the Department of Defense Education Activity's top priority, said Amy Dilmar, Faith Middle School assistant principal.

She said the annex will provide more socialization and project-based learning for students. Students will be able to do research, work in groups and get loud. They'll be able to spread out and interact easily, especially in the middle part of the annex that has couches and tables - deemed the "hub of activity."

The new annex will feature several new, open classrooms, an open resource room for students to learn how to accomplish life skills, such as cooking, and it'll also cater to students with special needs by having showers and other features. There will also be a gym with a rock-climbing wall.

Dilmar said some classes, such as reading and English Language Arts, are taught together. The teachers and classes are supposed to teach together and have students work in groups, but the current setup has a wall separating the classes.

"The 21st century model is open classrooms - it's not 'I'm in a corner with my kids and you're in a corner with your kids,'" Dilmar said. "It's really about that interactive teaching."

Dilmar said the interactive teaching promotes the type of rigor wanted in today's world.

"Why is rigor so important? Because we want our kids to be not only college ready, but career ready," she said.

Dilmar said the college and career ready standards will be implemented next year. The annex will help students make the most of the standards by having room to problem solve and prepare for future college and career roles. She said students will learn to take what is thrown at them in these roles and not have to repeat them again.

"When you have the college and career ready standards that support that type of thinking, this space (the annex) just gives us the environment to foster," Dilmar said. "Now, can we do it in this building? Absolutely, we are already doing it ... it just makes it easier to have the annex."

Dilmar said the classrooms that are leftover in the current building will have a new purpose. They will be used for more project-based learning exercises; custodians will have a room; counselors will be able to move into classrooms and have groups of kids versus a small office and much more.

The grand opening ceremony for the annex is to be determined.

Read more about the college and career ready standards at http://www.dodea.edu/collegeCareerReady/index.cfm.