Howdy all, As the writing of "Bears' Guide to Earning a High School Diploma Nontraditionally" begins to wind down, I have one final information request: Do you know of any truly unique programs that lead to a high school diploma (or equivalent)? An example of truly unique might be Harvey Milk High School in New York (for gay and lesbian teens) or Henry Ford Academy of Manufacturing Arts (a charter school tied in with the automotive industry). What I'm not looking for: 1. traditional programs at traditional sites (no matter how academically rigorous) 2. lists of online high schools (got them covered, I think). 3. GED and the like. This is for a chapter on the truly unique and hard to categorize. If you need clarification, you can e-mail me at [email protected]. Thanks! Tom Nixon
Although I have yet to turn up a high school dedicated to teaching cross-eyed transvestites the intricacies of diesel engine mechanics , here are a few schools that may, or may not, be sufficiently unique. MAST Academy in Miami-Dade County (the 4th largest school district in the U.S.), is a public high school dedicated to Marine Sciences. Entrance requirements are extremely rigorous, but about 94% of the students go on to enroll in college. MAST students excel according to traditional measures of student performance, exceeding national averages on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT. The U. S. Department of Education has recognized the Maritime and Science Technology High School with a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence (1994-96) and by Business Week magazine (1993) as one of seven most innovative schools of choice in the nation. There also appears to be a similar, highly regarded, program in Sandy Hook, New Jersey called The Marine Academy of Science and Technology. The Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High (High Tech High) in San Diego is a tuition-free public charter school that appears to be using a novel approach to technology education. It was the subject of a cover story last year in the American School Board Journal. Another high tech school is the "Java-based" Celebration School. It is a partnership between the Walt Disney Company, Stetson University, and the Osceola, Florida school district. The city of Celebration is a small town built by the Disney Company for an estimated cost of $2.5 billion on 10,000 acres of corporate-owned property owned in central Florida. It was a return to Walt Disney’s vision of the future ("Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow") that after his death was thoroughly distorted and used as the basis for the EPCOT Center theme park. Some interesting information on the school is available here. The Okaloosa-Walton Community College Collegiate High School in Niceville, Florida is a unique school in that it, “enables students to earn both a high school diploma and a two-year college degree at the same time through study on a college campus.” Similarly, students at TMCC High School, located on the Truckee Meadows Community College Campus in Reno Nevada, take up to three required high school classes (taught by high school teachers) and up to three college courses each semester (receiving both college and high school credits for the college courses). Although not quite a distance learning school, Seattle Central Community College’s External Diploma Program allows adults (over 21) offers a diploma program for adults who have acquired high-school level skills through life experience. In other words, this appears to be a high school diploma that can be earned via portfolio assessment! Lest I be accused of only focusing on US schools, I should point out that the Geeveston District High School in Geeveston, Tasmania, Australia, focuses on wooden boats, and features courses in wooden boat building and sailing. In the heart of New York's Fashion District, is the High School of Fashion Industries (“Fashion”), whose curriculum devotes itself entirely to the world of fashion. Students can major in Fashion Design, Art or Merchandising. Which, of copurse, reminds me of another school worthy of mention: "The Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good”
The Choir Academy of Harlem One that immediately comes to mind is the Choir Academy of Harlem, which is a school that serves members of the Boys Choir of Harlem, as well as the Girls Choir of Harlem who are in grades 4-12. "Over 500 boys and girls get a complete New York State Regents, college prep curriculum of arts and sciences," according to the web site. For those in the higher grades, there is a robust program that includes typical high school subjects, as well as some specialized curricula: At the high school level, students follow a full college preparatory Regents sequence. The Academy also offers computer classes, visual arts, health, physical education and lab electives. In addition there are innovative courses such as "Global Studies" in history and the humanities, peer mediation and conflict resolution and special science, math and visual arts programs in cooperation with local colleges and community organizations. http://www.boyschoirofharlem.org/CAH/coreprogram.htm
Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship Might be worth mentioning, even if it's an optional GED program. "Because the center's founders long ago recognized the value of a thorough education, the school also provides optional academic courses designed to serve as a springboard for vocational training. Tutoring, a GED program and other academic help are available". http://www.seafarers.org/jobs/entry.html
Some great stuff, folks! Keep it up! I'd love to get some more. I'm always amazed at how many incredibly unique high school programs there are out there. And I just went to a regular b&m school. What a waste! Tom Nixon
tough sledding The most unique private high school in my area closed about six years ago. Shaker Mountain was dedicated to self direction. At the start of the school year the students would help lay out the curriculum. Many things were integrated. So for phys. ed. they went snow skiing (this is VT). But they would calculate the maximum speed going down the hill (algebra & physics). Calculate how the wax worked (a no wax board vs. waxed). etc. It worked well for kids who had trouble with the regular school and who could affort a private one. Many High Schools do have alternative programs attached. Usually to get in you have to have had some kind of trouble. Bellows Free Academy of Saint Albans Vermont has one that is more interesting than the rest in my area. The program has the usual courses. But the students do get to pick a theme. The free period each day is devoted to that theme, and the other classes integrate with it. Last year the theme was the lake, and the students built, from scratch, two wooden canoes. They designed them, pieced and glued them, etc. In may they used them to take water samples for the natural science class. Not a bad approach. All the best!
