More than 300 tenth-grade students from Academy School District 20 learned 21st Century skills on Thursday at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

The students were divided into small-groups for different workshops, ranging from advances in technology to health care for the future.

Professors from all over the Pikes Peak region taught them about national and global issues. As well as the education they will need to pursue careers in those areas.

"We want to give the foundation to our students, so they're excited about pursuing education and going on to college in those field and accomplishing bigger things for our nation," said Venkat Reddy, Ph.D., UCCS Dean and Professor of Finance.

This is the first time UCCS has hosted the conference. The university would like to make it an annual event for more high school students in Southern Colorado.