MILWAUKEE–Carmen Middle and High School of Science & Technology Northwest Campus officially joins the historic Harambee neighborhood in Milwaukee.
Over the summer, Carmen Northwest moved into the former HOPE Christian High School, which closed abruptly in 2023.
Carmen Northwest celebrated the move by hosting a community block party on Saturday, July 25.
A celebration filled with food, music, games and dancing.
The Carmen Northwest Principal Ashlei Miller spoke with WTMJ before the event.
“It’s not just about saying, ‘​oh ​here’s ​a ​new ​building ​that’s ​on ​the ​block’,” said Miller. “We ​are ​people ​who ​are ​joining ​this ​community ​and ​want ​to ​make ​sure ​that, ​you ​know, ​we’re ​here ​to ​have ​a ​good ​time ​for ​a ​long ​time.”
Miller said she personally went door-to-door to greet community members.
“​I ​want ​them ​to ​know ​when ​they ​see ​Ms. ​Miller ​walking ​down ​the ​street, ‘​Oh, ​that’s ​the ​principal’,” said Miller. “We ​hope ​that we will ​be ​able ​to ​take ​our ​students ​to ​do ​the ​same ​thing ​so ​that ​they ​know, ​hey ​here ​are ​the ​faces ​behind ​the ​people ​in ​the ​space.”
In Nov. 2026, the Milwaukee School Board voted to stop authorizing the Carmen Northwest campus. The school had to move due to its former building being property of Milwaukee Public Schools.
Carmen Northwest announced in Feb. that they were planning to move to their new location on Martin Luther King Dr.
“There’s ​already ​a ​lot ​of ​legacy ​on ​the ​street,” said Miller. “We ​want ​to ​make ​sure ​that ​we’re ​serving ​the ​same ​students, ​or ​even ​more ​students, ​to ​provide ​them ​with ​resources; match ​the ​curriculum ​with ​the ​learning ​environment ​that ​our ​kids ​need.”
Along with the new building, the school will have upgraded science laboratories, a larger gymnasium and a brand redesign.
The new look was decided by students, alumni, teachers and community members.
“We’re ​six ​miles ​away ​from ​our ​original ​location,” said Miller. “​Having ​to ​​figure ​out ​how ​to ​make ​sure ​that ​we ​honor ​the ​community ​that ​we ​were ​in, ​while ​also ​honoring ​the ​new ​community ​that ​we’re ​joining, ​that ​has ​been ​both ​a ​challenge ​and ​a ​blessing.”
The school did a full rebranding, including a new eagle for their mascot logo.
“I ​just ​wanted ​to ​make ​sure ​that ​people ​knew ​that ​there ​was school ​pride ​associated ​with ​the ​new ​design,” said Carmen Northwest Director of Marketing Krystal Hardy. “We ​incorporated ​that ​in ​lots ​of ​spaces ​just ​to ​show ​it ​off.”
The new eagle can be found on walls, doors, elevators and the hard-to-miss mural in the back of the school.
The classrooms are painted bright colors and have lively plants in each corner.
“The campus is ​a ​lot ​lighter ​than ​our ​former ​campus,” said Hardy. “​I ​wanted ​our ​students ​to ​walk ​into ​a ​space ​and ​feel ​refreshed ​and ​feel ​like ​they ​are ​at ​home.”
Carmen Northwest welcomes students in Fall 2026.
