High School Academies: Schools of Choice

Each high school in Lafayette Parish now offers a specialized academy that is open to students throughout the parish regardless of school zones.  Any student interested in one of the academies should talk with the counselor about the application process and curriculum requirements for each academy.  More information about the academies is available at www.lafayettechoice.com.  The Schools of Choice Career Academies are:

Acadiana High    Academy of Finance
The mission of Acadiana High School Business and Finance Academy is to expand the financial knowledge of our students through education and training in Business and Financial Literacy.  Through a partnership with local businesses, community leaders, teachers, and family members, the Academy will provide students with lifelong skills needed to become productive members of the community and workforce.  This Academy enables students to see themselves in an expanding career field, set personal goals, and establish career opportunities that will follow them throughout the years.

Carencro High    Academy of Information Technology    www.carencrohighschool.org/AOIT
The Academy of Information Technology introduces students to the broad career opportunities in today’s digital workforce and, in the process, equips them with the personal, analytical, technical, and communication skills they need to seek higher education and/or to enter the digital workforce.  The strands of study will consist of: digital media, web design, programming, databases, networking, and computer maintenance giving all students the opportunity for IT industry certification and/or advance college credit.  It will provide paid internship opportunities.

Comeaux High    Academy of Design
The Academy of Design at Ovey Comeaux High School offers opportunities for specialized training to students with an interest in careers in the Graphic, Visual, and Design Arts.  Our goal is to help prepare students to enter the workforce or to pursue additional education and training at the technical college or university level.  Unique to the Academy of Design is the Bench Jewelry Facility, which is outfitted with state-of-the-art jewelry-making equipment.  Completion of all four levels of training prepares a graduating student for employment in the Bench Jewelry field.

Lafayette High    Academy of Health Careers
The Lafayette High Academy of Health Careers is a program of instruction that ensures that students selecting a career in health care have every opportunity to meet their career and educational goals and are prepared to meet the demands of a rapidly changing professional world.  Elements of the program include: partnerships with health care professional agencies; mentors/guest speakers to motivate and encourage students; School-to-Career emphasis to allow students to see relevance of school and the real world of professional healthcare; teaching teams where students are assigned to a team of specific academy teachers; integrated focused curriculum in which multiple courses work in collaboration with each other and make connections with materials studied in class and the world of health care; and sense of caring and special support from peer academy students and core teachers.  The program is open to first time freshmen and sophomores parish wide.  Freshmen must enroll in the Introduction to Health Occupations course and sophomores must enroll in both the Introduction to Health Occupations and either Health Science I or Allied Health I courses.

Northside High    Academy of Engineering
The Academy of Engineering serves dual purposes.  The main goal is to prepare students to be successful in a post-secondary field of study related to Engineering or Industrial Technology.  The second goal is to help students to determine which specific Engineering or Industrial Technology discipline most appeals to them and catches their interest as a possible future career.

Special Academy Programs Off-Campus
Students attending their zoned high school may also enroll in the special academy programs offered at the schools listed below:

W.D. Smith Career Center    Academy of Hospitality, Travel and Tourism
The Academy provides public high school students knowledge and skills for a successful career in one of the world’s largest industries.  Academic learning experiences are combined with hands-on work experience to help students develop thinking and problem solving skills.

Lafayette Charter High School    CLK-IT (Computers for Louisiana’s Kids - Information Technology)

Arts Academy: Moss Annex