Benefits for Students
Students who complete the IT Academy course of study will:

Earn career certifications in hardware/software or digital media equivalent to an entry-level job in IT OR earn 2 full college credits in programming

Participate in a paid, 120 hour internship the summer of their junior year in an IT-related company

Earn NAFTrack Certification, a credential which gives students preferential treatment in the hiring process and higher starting salaries for dozens of companies, including Xerox, Cisco, AT&T, Verizon, JP Morgan, Moody’s, and Hewlett Packard.
Course of Study
The IT Academy and IB Career Program together have the following course requirements:
Students must pass all their classes necessary for graduation. Students will take IB level math, science, english, history, and foreign language.
- In place of their elective classes, students will take classes in a combination of hardware/ network engineering, digital media, or programming.
- Hardware/software track: Principles of IT, Computer Systems, CompTia A+ certification Digital
- Computer programming track: AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science Java
- Digital media courses: digital video production, graphic design
- Personal and Professional Skills (PPS): A two-year course teaching students specific skills for workplace and college readiness, such as professional etiquette, writing, self-management, financial literacy, resume-writing, and interview skills
- Reflective Project: An extended writing project about an ethical dilemma in IT. Students work on this over the course of both years in their PPS class and at home.
- Service Learning: Service work to the broader community, related to IT content if possible. Students plan their service work in PPS and engage in service in and out of school hours.