If you have lived in Franklin Township for a long time, you have watched Franklin Central grow and change over the years. But there is something pretty special about seeing one of our own FC graduates come back home and help design what Franklin Central will look like for the next generation of Flashes.

For Heather Harbert, that is exactly what is happening. Heather is a member of the Franklin Central High School Class of 2000. She attended Bunker Hill Elementary, Franklin Township Middle School in the building that is now the Franklin Township Learning Center, and Franklin Central High School.

Today, Heather is an architect with Wold Architects and Engineers | VPS and is helping lead the design team working on the renovations and additions at Franklin Central. “Franklin Central played an important role in shaping who I am, so having the opportunity to return as an architect and help shape its next chapter feels very full circle,” Heather shared. “Architecture and design are really about understanding the human experience and learning to observe how spaces affect the way people feel, behave, connect, and learn.”

That perspective is a big part of the work happening at Franklin Central. This project is not just about making spaces look newer. It is about creating spaces that better support students in Purposeful Learning and Meaningful Collaboration through performing, exploring careers, and connecting with one another, not just today, but for years to come.

One of the most exciting additions will be the new Franklin Central Health Sciences Pavilion, made possible in part through a $29.5 million Lilly Endowment grant. Students will have opportunities for hands-on learning in spaces designed to resemble real healthcare environments, including a virtual simulation lab.

It is Purposeful Learning and Meaningful Collaboration in action, giving students authentic experiences while they are still in high school and helping prepare them for whatever comes next.

One area of the project has been especially meaningful to Heather. As a former FC Singer, Heather spent a lot of time in Franklin Central’s performing arts spaces as a student. Now, decades later, she is helping lead the team redesigning those same areas for future generations of performers.

One detail in the new Performing Arts hallway is a pretty cool example of the personal touches Heather and her design team have brought to the project. The blue and gray flooring running through the hallway actually spells out the Franklin Central Fight Song, note by note. The idea came from a member of Heather’s design team, and as the person leading that team, and as a former FC Singer herself, Heather immediately knew it would be perfect for that space.

It is one of those small details that means a little more when you know the story behind it. “Today's learning environments need to be flexible, durable, and ready for what comes next,” Heather said. “The goal is not just to make spaces look new, but to make them work harder and stay relevant for years to come.”

Some of the most meaningful moments for Heather, though, have not happened while looking at blueprints. They have happened while walking the halls during construction meetings and running into former teachers who are now part of the project alongside her.

Mr. French, whose Physics classroom helped spark Heather’s curiosity years ago, is still at Franklin Central, Making A Difference for students today, and has also provided input throughout the renovation process. It is pretty amazing when you think about it. A former student comes home, works alongside some of the teachers who helped shape her, and together they help create learning spaces for future Flashes. That is Meaningful Collaboration in action.

For current Flashes who may someday want to follow a similar path in architecture, engineering, or design, Heather encourages them to stay curious. “Join clubs, volunteer, try new things, and pay attention to the people and places around you. Take art classes, sketch everything, say yes to opportunities, and keep learning. The best architects and designers study people just as closely as they study buildings.”

Years ago, Heather walked the halls of Franklin Central wondering where life might take her. Today, some of those same hallways, classrooms, and performance spaces are being redesigned with her help. And there is just something super cool and special about that.

Another FC alum is coming home, using what she has learned and the talents she has developed to invest in the next generation of the Flashes. And another great example of what it means to Make A Difference in the FTCSC Flashes Community.