The Wareham High School's plan to begin the Academy of Innovators and Entrepreneurs program in the 2016-17 school year moved forward at the Community and Economic Development Authority (CEDA) meeting Monday night.

Members of CEDA voted to endorse a financial assistance request of $20,000 for start-up costs associated with the Academy Innovators and Entrepreneurs (AIE) program slated to begin at the school in the 2016-17 academic year.

The program is designed to augment learning at Wareham Public Schools by pairing rigorous academic disciplines with innovative technical experiences. The funding of the program would be made possible largely by an innovation planning grant from the state of Massachusetts.

The start-up costs were originally requested in August by AIE Project Coordinator Mark J. Blake. The CEDA Board subsequently asked that Blake make a formal request in writing for the funding, as well as a breakdown of the budget showing expenditures and other funds committed to the project. The CEDA Board was recently provided with the budget by way of Wareham Public School Superintendent, Kimberly Shaver-Hood.

In discussions Monday evening, CEDA Board members agreed that they were all in support of the concept of the AIE program, but CEDA Board member Robert Brady indicated that his aim was to also have personal conversations with those who would be active participants in the AIE program.

“I wanted to see the superintendent and the School Committee members who have a stake in this," Brady said. "I wanted to hear that they all believe in it.”

"They did answer our questions,” CEDA Board Member Michael Fitzgerald said. “From what I saw, the people involved are more than committed as town workers or as educators. They are committed personally to the program, which was impressive to me.”

The $20,000 budget breakdown included $7,500 in costs associated with training and teaching, $8,500 in costs associated with working with the Wareham Harbormaster Department, and $4,000 for application fees.

The CEDA Board discussed the particular wording on the budget related the $8,500 for working with the Harbormaster Department which reads, “$8,500 to work with the Harbormaster to begin to build the aquaculture program to incorporate the elements necessary to restore waterways in Wareham.”

The Board agreed that it made sense that Harbormaster Gary Buckminster be the facilitator to open points of access to water, and given that the Harbormaster was also the Shellfish Constable, it made sense that he would be the most aware to oversee aquaculture programs.

The Board voted 4-0 to endorse the start-up funding. CEDA Director, Salvador Pina was unable to attend Monday's meeting.