Career Academies to Begin at Lawrence High in Sept.

Lawrence High School students will be able to earn college credits before they graduate, take part in internships and “job shadowing” programs and participate in online/virtual learning, among other things, once three new “academically-rigorous, college-prep” career academies open in September 2011.

The three academies – Arts and Humanities; Business and International Studies; and Science and Technology – have been designed to help students explore possible future careers by exposing them to experiences outside the classroom, while at the same time allowing them to customize their learning by choosing classes that personally interest them.

Students enrolled in the academies will still be required by state law to complete courses in language arts, math, science, social studies and other core subjects, but many of these core classes will be offered in an honors/advanced placement format. In selecting their other, non-core classes Lawrence High School students will be able to pick from what the Lawrence Township school district proudly proclaims is “one of the broadest offerings” of electives in Mercer County.

 “The goal of the academies is to expose students to potential careers via a variety of ‘real-world’ experiences that a student enrolled in the regular high school curriculum likely would not get,” Lawrence High School Principal David Roman said in a news release issued by the district. “We truly are personalizing their experience at Lawrence.”

All juniors and seniors are eligible for the academies, however participation is not mandatory. Enrollment will soon take place for the 2011-2012 school year academies.

Each of the academies is being overseen by an advisory board that is made up of administrators, teachers, parents, community members, and business owners. The courses offered through the academies will evolve over time to meet “student interest and society’s needs.”

“The academies are not brand new ideas, but rather were born out of several years of strategic planning with the community,” said Jill Vaughn, an English teacher at Lawrence High School who is leading the Academy of Arts and Humanities. “Based on research, career academies, which result in small learning communities, help students succeed in high school and beyond.”

Courses in music, theater, photography, graphic arts, television production, government and politics, criminal law, and sociology will be among the electives offered through the Arts and Humanities academy. “Adding to this depth, the academy is looking forward to providing artists in residence workshops and other enriching cultural experiences,” according to the school district’s news release.

“While the academies are set up to prepare all students for college, those students who do not go on to college will have gained valuable experience and skills in addition to a high school diploma.  Whether it’s job shadowing, an internship, or a specialized certification, the ‘extras’ in the academy will prepare students for both college and the workforce,” said Jeffrey Rick, a Lawrence High School business education teacher who is leading the Academy of Business and International Studies.

That academy will offer students electives in sports marketing, accounting, culinary business, early childhood development, fashion design, interior design, and languages like Mandarin, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French and American Sign Language. Thanks to a from the Lawrence Township Education Foundation, the Business and International Studies academy will run the Cardinal Bank within the high school “that not only provides traditional banking services for faculty and students, but also gives student tellers solid, hands-on work experience,” according to the district’s news release.

The Science and Technology academy will offer electives in physics, chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology, health science, marine biology, computer science, engineering, architecture, 3-D modeling, and other fields.

“Students entering academies in 2011 will have the unique honor of helping to mold the future of the academies. Your inspirations and ideas could very well end up as honored traditions, experiences, and features of the academies,” said Chiara Shah, a Lawrence High School math teacher who is leading the Academy of Science and Technology.

The three new career academies build upon two existing academies at Lawrence High School – the 9th Grade Academy, which began in 2008 to help ease the transition for students moving from Lawrence Middle School to the high school; and the 10th Grade Academy, which launched in 2009 to allow sophomores to begin personalizing their education and start thinking about career options.

“One aspect that makes the academies so appealing for students is the Senior Experience,” Vaughn added. “Every student in our academy will have the opportunity to gain job experience, explore leadership, participate in service learning, or attain college credit – all while maintaining a rigorous academic course load.”

Listed below, for quick reference, are some of the classes to be offered by the academies. For additional details, including full course offerings, visit the Career Academies pages on the district’s website.

Lawrence High School Career Academies (At a Glance)

Academy of Arts and Humanities

• Performing Arts
• Fine Arts
• Multimedia Arts: videography, photography, art technology, graphic arts, and radio and television production
• Humanities: history, economics, government and politics, film, human behavior, sociology, law, psychology, philosophy and mass media

Academy of Business and International Studies

• Business Education: computer applications, entrepreneurship, marketing, accounting, investing, sports marketing and management
• Family and Consumer Sciences: clothing fabric and construction, culinary, early childhood development, fashion design, interior design and international foods
• World Languages: Mandarin, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French and American Sign Language

Academy of Science and Technology

• Math: algebra, pre-calculus and statistics
• Science: physics, biology, chemistry, environmental science, forensic science, anatomy and physiology, genetics, marine biology, freshwater ecology and environmental science
• Technology: computer science, inventions and innovations, applied engineering, 3-D modeling, architecture, PC repair and drafting
• Health Science: anatomy and physiology, psychology and microbiological science