Hundreds of people could be coming to Niles next year as Niles New Tech Entrepreneurial Academy has been selected as a national demonstration site for the New Tech Network.

“It’s a big honor,” said Niles New Tech Director Jerry Holtgren, who received word of the selection a couple weeks ago.

It is rare, Holtgren said, for a first-year program such as Niles New Tech to be designated as a national demonstration site.

“We are one of a few,” he said.

Being a national demonstration site means other schools will visit Niles to see how it is implementing the New Tech program.

Holtgren said schools have visited Niles New Tech in the past, but now that Niles is a demonstration site, visiting schools will have to pay the district a stipend. He isn’t sure how much though.

Holtgren anticipates visitors will also patronize local businesses while in town, giving at least a small boost to the local economy.

He expects the designation will give Niles Community Schools national publicity.

Niles New Tech went through an extensive application process to become a demonstration site.

Holtgren said the school was chosen based on the positive results produced in its first year.