Registration has come to an end. The students now anxiously await their schedules for the upcoming school year as the administration quietly performs the mathematical technicalities for placing students into their selected classes. The administration, however, has encountered an additional variable in the equation of schedules. Escambia High School has proposed another career academy to join the Engineering and Early Childhood Academies.
The Sports, Recreation, and Entertainment Marketing Academy is expected to enter Escambia High School’s academy of careers. According to the academy brochure its purpose “is to prepare students for employment or advanced training in the sport, recreation, and entertainment marketing and sales industry.” Students will learn the behind-the-scenes technical and public relations aspect of the sports and entertainment world.
Ms. Melia Potter, the assistant principal of academics, notes that although the terms sports, recreation, and entertainment can be misleading, this academy will also address the business and marketing side of the sports and entertainment industry.
“Advertisement is a huge marketing business,” said Ms. Potter. “This academy will show students what goes on behind the scenes.”
Students will begin their ninth grade year with a class on computer applications relevant to marketing field, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Dreamweaver. In the student’s proceding years they will learn the essentials, application, and marketing management of sports and entertainment marketing.
Ms. Potter stated that the objectives taught in this academy are relevant to other aspects of one’s life and career.
According to Ms. Potter, ninth grade students were surveyed to determine their interests and an overwhelming number of students showed interest in sports and entertainment.
“Through the visions of Ms. Mims, the workforce education, Michelle Taylor, and Carl Leiterman, they got together to meet the needs of the students. Not everyone is made for law and education and this academy will reach more students.”
Cynthia Miller, the workforce education career specialist of the Escambia County School District, says the new academy is great for students.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for kids in technology, sales, sports, and entertainment. I went to a classroom to talk about the academies and four young men said they wanted to be professional athletes, yet only one percent actually makes it to the pros. We have sports-minded individuals and we can direct students to become involved in the business world of sports.”
Cynthia Miller made an important note about the upcoming academy.
“I have been running the numbers and not a large number of people in the current ninth and eighth grade levels have applied. Registration closed Monday [March 1] and the administration cannot have the class if there are not 25 students.”
Due to the fact the numbers for classes are still be tallied, Ms. Potter is tentatively expecting the current web design and reading teacher, Mrs. Wayte, to teach the first courses for the academy.
Although the number of students is a core matter which determines if Escambia will have the academy next year, funding is also an issue in what many call ‘these tough economic times’.
The academies across the United States are paid for by the Carl Perkins grant. According to the U.S. Department of Education website, the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) administers the grant in the form of 1.81 billion dollars. Schools receive the funds through state agencies, and the agencies administer the grant based on the states’ population in certain age groups and their per capita income.
Paul Fetsko, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said that the costs of the academies vary.
“The range is so large. It could cost up to tens of thousands of dollars. The West Florida Cox Communications Academy costs ten to twenty grand while the Ecommerce Academy at Washington High School doesn’t cost nearly as much.”
As Escambia High School expands its career academy opportunities, high schools across the state and nation are joining the workforce education movement.
In President Barack Obama’s speech at America’s Promise Alliance Education Event, he addressed the impending drop out rate in America. In order to cope with the situation, the president has proposed following the examples of high schools that give students “individual attention, while also preparing them for real-world, hands-on training the possibility of succeeding in a career.”
The president discussed further his plans to open alternative and charter schools allowing students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and college credit, which is similar to the objectives of the career academies.
Currently, there are 35 high school career academies and 9 middle school academies in Escambia County with 2775 high school students and 425 middle school students enrolled in the academies.
According to the National Career Academy Coalition [NCAC] website, there are over 1,500 career academies with that number steadily growing.
The first career academy was the Academy of Applied Electrical Science at Edison High School in 1969 Philadelphia. In the previous year, the nation was contemplating how to deal with the student’s educational and career needs. Charles Bowser, the executive director of the Philadelphia Urban Coalition, teamed together with the Philadelphia Electric Company [PECO] and Bell of Pennsylvania [Bell] to address the education situation.
The NCAC website stated that 1968 was a time of town riots, increasing high school drop out rates, and increasing youth unemployment. To combat the status quo, the team of Bowser, PECO, and Bell formulated the idea to create a model education program. With the help of the School District of Philadelphia, the plan was initiated at Edison High School consisting of thirty 10th grade students.
In the following year, a second academy was established at University City High School called the Philadelphia Business Academy. In 1975 an Automobile Academy was implemented at West Philadelphia High School.
Each of the academies was designed as “independent not-for-profit corporations”.
According to Paul Fetsko, Escambia County had career academies in the 1970’s.
“Escambia County had a lot of high schools that were vocational and were very successful in the 1970’s. As time went on, though, and the education cycle shifted from vocational education to core academics, the emphasis on student vocation became less important.”
Although the number and emphasis of career academies are increasing, Mr. Fetsko doesn’t necessarily believe there will be more academies added to the county.
“I don’t believe we will add more academies, but they may change as the years go on. Ten years ago no one was doing web design and now as technology has improved more people are doing web design rather than working on automobiles. The school system is going to change with the times.”
Ms. Potter believes that the academies will not over-run academic based curriculum.
“I think the district will look into all schools for academies, but not all students are college bound and career bound. The student shouldn’t be locked into just one track. They should have the opportunity to be able to decide if they want to continue the career academy or not.”
Regardless of the extent the career academies will take, the academies are somewhat continuing its original purpose today by providing students with hands-on project learning and the opportunity to earn college credit. Today’s academies include on-the-job training and participation in competition clubs such as DECA [Student Organization Distributive Education Club of America].
The Escambia County School District Workforce Education states there are many advantages to joining one of its many career academies, which are as follows:
 Hands-on project based learning
 Focus on career preparation through rigorous academic industry certification
 Provides a unique learning opportunity through paid and non-paid work-based learning experiences
 Opportunity to earn college credits
 Participate in classes that match your interest and your future career goal
 Scholarship opportunities
 Individualized guidance and counseling
 Increased interest in attending school
 Decrease in discipline issues
 Academy students have a 10% higher overall GPA
Not only do the academies provide aid to the student, the academies also support the school. A Senate Bill initiated in the 2009-2010 school year stated that 50% of the school’s grade will be based on the existing FCAT-related factors and the remaining 50% will be based on the school’s graduation rate; performance and participation of students in AP, IB, Dual Enrollment, AICE, and students in the career academies; and the high school graduation rate of at-risk students.
In order to be considered for an academy one must have a minimum of “C” overall GPA, zero disciplinary problems, and maintain a 3.0 GPA in the academy classes. The deadlines to apply for the academies were March 1.
The Sports, Recreation, and Entertainment Marketing Academy variable is being calculated amongst the administration. Until the final answer is tallied, the students must wait to determine if this new academy will enter the halls of Escambia High School.