Cole F. Walker M.S. Ed., Atlanta educator and technology advocate, envisioned an independent school centrally located in the heart of the city that would serve metro Atlanta, utilize the area's vast educational, cultural, and recreational resources, and become a national prototype in the use of modern technology in education. His desire to "break the mold" resulted in the establishment of the New Century Schools. Compaq, a leader in computer technology, immediately selected New Century Schools to be the first school in the nation to showcase networked multimedia, the company's advanced educational product for schools of the future. By its second year, New Century Schools welcomed 800 visiting educators from around the country to witness first-hand innovative solutions for their own schools. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution has stated that "New Century Schools is designed to be a model for education in the 21st century."