In September of 2007, the Academy of Math, Engineering and Science (AMES) will be available to incoming freshmen students from Atlantic County. This will be the school’s fourth Academy, joining the three current programs, Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management, Information Technology and Health Science and Medicine.

The Career Academy concept began at ACIT in September, 2000 with the formation of the Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management Academy. This was the school’s first venture into full-time programs. Prior to that, the school was strictly a shared-time facility where students got their vocational education while receiving their academic programs at their home high schools. In an Academy, the students receive their vocational-technical program, as well as all of their academic courses, at ACIT.

The process of forming AMES began in 2005 with the creation of an advisory board comprised of professionals from engineering, architectural and similar firms. The group assisted in formulating a challenging curriculum designed to attract creative, highly motivated students with a desire to prepare for an engineering-related career. According to ACIT Superintendent Dr. Philip Guenther, “It is anticipated that a large majority of these students will pursue an advanced degree upon graduation, as is currently the case with our present Academies. Many of our graduates are attending prestigious colleges and universities, and due to the challenging nature of AMES, I am certain that the percentage will increase once these students graduate.”

“With the concurrent enrollment agreement we have with Atlantic Cape Community College, students can earn up to 15 college credits in their senior year, and even more by taking online courses,” stated ACIT Coordinator of Curriculum and Special Projects Dr. Johanna Johnson. “This shortens the length of time that the graduate needs to attend college and saves them, and their parents, a significant amount of money as they pursue their college degree,” she added.

In addition to the four Academy programs, ACIT continues to maintain a wide variety of shared-time courses, primarily for high school juniors and seniors. For more information, call 609-625-2249, extension 1206.