The Academy of Computer Science at Citrus High School started in the 2016-17 school year. Since then, students have gone on to colleges and universities all over the country.
The goal of the program is to provide students with the best foundation possible in the computer sciences. In the Academy, students will have the opportunity to earn many industry certifications including Microsoft Office Specialist, Microsoft Technology Associate, Adobe Certified Professional and more. Students will learn coding using Block-Based Programming, Python, HTML/CSS and Java. They'll also take Advanced Placement courses and much, much more.
Another incredible perk of being in the Academy of Computer Science is INNOVATION PROJECT FRIDAY. Students are given the opportunity to work on a "passion project," something they typically wouldn't have the opportunity to work on in school. Examples of projects include video game design, creating audio and video podcasts. Student will learn additional programming languages, learning different languages (Spanish, Japanese, Italian, etc), learning how to play musical instruments and much more. The idea of Innovation Project Friday is that learning should not be constrained to what students are "told" to learn. It's an opportunity for students to decide themselves what they "want" to learn. These projects teach them valuable skills and learning strategies that will help them, not only in the Academy of Computer Science, but in all of their high school and future courses.
The program consists of 6 elective classes over 4 years. The breakdown is as follows:
9th grade: Advanced Information Technology & Foundations of Programming
10th grade: AP Computer Science Principles & Web Technologies
11th grade: AP Computer Science A (Java programming)
12th grade: Cybersecurity Fundamentals
If you have any questions about the program, please email Jerry Swiatek at [email protected]