Students in 7th and 8th grades explore careers, have the opportunity to earn high-school credit, and spark enthusiasm for the future and collaborate with like-minded classmates through Verizon Interactive Learning labs (VILS). 

The VILS program is offered at Austin, Bowie, de Zavala, Johnson, Lamar, Travis middle schools (Houston and Crocketts lab will open in 2024) and provides students with the time and resources to investigate their passions through hands-on exploration of career choices in an interactive and fun project-based learning environment.