The Turner Community Development Foundation is a leading supporter of the Technology Academy at Riverside High School. The Technology Academy includes more intensive high-tech courses with an emphasis on the growing field of computer networking and network defense / cyber security. The Academy is open to students from many districts across Western Pennsylvania and aims to engage and challenge students more than does traditional coursework. Hickory High School in Hermitage PA is also providing support to the program.
The academy system in Western Pennsylvania was born from the Regional Choice Initiative, a Voluntary Public School Choice federal grant administered by the Beaver County Intermediate Unit spanning five years and focused on the disengaged or underserved populace that all schools contain. The grant allows schools to pool their resources, share coursework and teachers, thus providing prospects that are unprecedented. This Technology Academy utilizes this grant and concentrates on performance-based coursework. This coursework includes mentoring that supports students to complete a rigorous and diversified learning experience blending content knowledge and skill. The ultimate expression of that coursework is goal setting and collaborative problem solving techniques utilizing performance tasks that extend beyond the classroom.
The Turner Community Development Foundation has partnered with the Community Development Outreach Fund to provide an endowment for the Technology Academy. These endowments will help pay for increased teacher training as well as necessary equipment for the classes. The two charities are also providing some of the top experts in the areas of programming, networking, cryptography, and cyber security to consult with the program and its students. Beyond assisting with the course material, industry experts help the students make decisions on picking a college major, choosing college classes, and finding a job after college. The Academy exemplifies the merging of public sector and private industry to achieve maximum educational results.
Also planned for the near future is a closer relationship with area colleges and universities to provide collegiate-level, accredited coursework as the capstone to the program.
Available courses include:
- Networking fundamentals
- Hardware and operating systems
- Web page design
- Database management
- C++ programming
- Network security
- Intermediate computer networking
- Advanced C++ programming
- Java programming
- Intermediate network security
- Advanced computer networking
- Advanced Java programming (prep for AP exam)
- Advanced network security / hacking
- Technology help desk
- Advanced website development
- Wireless communications/networking
- Independent study