THe
InTegraTed cIrcuIT
compuTer cHIp was InvenTed
study: Science and Math or Engineering and In JulY 1958 In dallas. education coordinator at McKinney
Technology (see “Program Profiles” at left). A Independent School District in McKinney.
lot of the same courses can be taken for either Courses in subjects such as Biology,
program, including Technology Systems, One of the academies at A. J. Moore is Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, and
Electricity, Technical Writing, and Electronics. the Academy of Emerging Technologies. Statistics prepare you for tests which, if you
Electives specific to the Science and There, students in the environmental do well, earn you college credit while you’re
Math program of study include Aquatic sciences program work with the U.S. Army still in high school.
Science, Scientific Research and Design, Corps of Engineers to create a wetland to “Taking rigorous math and science AP
and Meteorology. Electives specific to clean up a lake that is a main source of courses put me at a level where I could
Engineering and Technology include water for the community. compete in college with students who
Construction Systems, Manufacturing attended prestigious private schools or math
Systems, and Architecture Construction. A head start on College and science academies,” says David Leal,
If you’re planning on going to college in this an applications engineer with Freescale
Certified skills cluster, it’s a good idea to take Advanced Semiconductor in Austin. Leal graduated
What if you love technology, but don’t have Placement (AP) courses in math and science, from Rice University with a degree in
the funds or desire to go to a four-year college? says Cheryl Yowell, career and technical electrical engineering.
There are plenty of careers in the cluster that
require less than a bachelor’s degree, particularly
technician positions. Some jobs require a
two-year associate’s degree in engineering,
engineering technology, or computer science.
S P o T L I G H T
Other careers require only a certification
you can earn during or after high school.
Chris Newton, a junior at the Academy of
HIGH-tECH HIGH
Irving in Irving, says career and technical
project Lead The Way at the Science Academy of South Texas
education (CTE) courses are preparing him
to get his certification as a Cisco network
associate technician.
T
he science academy of south Texas (sciTech) salinas, a sciTech alumnus. “That way they’ll get
in mercedes is ranked as one of “america’s best excited about engineering and they’ll be more likely
“These classes have helped me figure out
High schools” by Newsweek magazine. It focuses to study it in college.”
what I want to do. Actually getting a job has
on science, Technology, engineering & mathematics sciTech’s engineering, math, and science classes
become a reality,” says Newton. Once certified,
and offers students a head start on college. are an effective college initiation. “I was very well
he will be eligible for jobs paying $18 an hour.
sciTech features the national project lead The prepared even though I came from an economically
way curriculum—a series of courses that prepares disadvantaged area,” says salinas, who goes to the
special Academies
students for rigorous college engineering programs franklin w. olin college of engineering in needham,
Some school districts take education in Science,
and gives them practical experience working on massachusetts, “and I attend a top-ranked, very
Technology, Engineering & Mathematics a step
real-world projects. selective engineering school.”
further (see “High-Tech High” at right). They
mark schroll, a sciTech technology teacher, when students come to sciTech they expect it
establish separate high schools or academies
says the curriculum is unique—students graduate to be challenging. “They may not always like that
within high schools that focus entirely on
with a minimum of five pre-engineering courses part when they are knee-deep in their work, but
STEM careers.
and twice the math and science courses required they see the payoff at the end,” schroll says. “They
These schools offer hands-on, project-based
by the state. watch as upperclassmen receive scholarships and
courses and usually have more advanced
“Though sciTech is a public magnet high go on to world-class colleges.”
laboratories and equipment, says
school, we have no entrance requirements for
Angela Rheiner, director of career
the students,” schroll said. “we get interested
academies for A. J. Moore Academy
students from all walks of life and all skill levels. we
in Waco. Some require students
draw students from many different school districts
to complete an internship or a
that stretch from one end of the rio grande valley
senior project.
to the other.”
“The idea is to introduce engineering to high
school students from an early age,” said ben
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