WB Academies Brochure

West Boca Raton Community High School is committed to educate, affirm, and inspire each student in an equity-embedded school system.

West Boca Raton Community High School is an educational and working environment, where both students and staff are unimpeded by bias or discrimination. Individuals of all backgrounds and experiences are embraced, affirmed, and inspired. Each and every one will succeed and flourish.

We will take ownership for students’ academic mastery, emotional intelligence, and social-emotional needs by creating environments where students, families, staff, and communities will develop agency and voice. A joy of learning is fostered in each student and a positive vision for their future is nurtured. Each student’s cultural heritage is valued and their physical, emotional, academic, and social needs are met. ...WE SEE YOU.

The Sports Management and Recreation Academy provides students the opportunity to pursue a course of study leading to college degrees in sports management, marketing, recreation, health and fitness. Students take courses that stress communication, problem solving, teamwork, business and technology and sports related internships. For Hands-On experiences, students plan and run at least one sporting event. Through internships and special projects, students apply business knowledge learned in school and through local community partnerships.

The Academy of Aviation & Aerospace at West Boca Raton Community High School is designed to prepare students for a career in the aviation industry. The program immerses students in the latest cutting-edge technology in Aviation and Airport Management including but not limited to; pilot knowledge, aerodynamic principles, airspace, weather, flight deck instruments, Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), radio communications, safety, and airport management.

West Boca Raton Community High School has partnered with both the Boca Airport Authority and Lynn University to offer students a myriad of experience opportunities, dual high school and college credits, and practical aviation industry experience within the local community. All students applying to this program must meet the following eligibility criteria: 2.5 GPA. Once in the program, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA.

The Medical Sciences Academy is an NCAC/ACTE National Model Academy. The Medical Sciences Academy offers multiple strands that are each designed to provide students with the medical skills and training to succeed in post-secondary healthcare education and/or to successfully transition into the healthcare workforce. This comprehensive program combines a very rigorous academic curriculum with intense clinical and laboratory experiences. Students have the opportunity to earn medical certifications in each program and all medical students will have one to two years of clinical experience at area hospitals and other health care facilities.

WBHS offers five different program strands to select from: Emergency Medical Responder, Health Unit Coordinator, Medical Lab Assisting, Emergency Medical Technician and Pharmacy Technician. This program gives the students a chance starting their 3rd year in the academy to go on "clinicals" in which the students travel to various clinical sites including: West Boca Medical Center, CVS, Walgreens, therapy clinics, athletic events and/or Coral Springs Fire. During clinicals, students gain hands-on experience with patients that brings the curriculum to life. By the time students graduate from this program, they have the opportunity to earn multiple certifications including: Pharmacy Technician, Emergency Medical Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, Certified Medical Administrative Assistant, EKG, Phlebotomy, Health Unit Coordinator and Certified Patient Care Technician. This program has produced doctors, veterinarians, pharmacy technicians, nurses, EMTs and therapists who are currently active in their field. In order to be eligible for the medical program, students must have a 3.0 GPA.

The Performing Arts Academy consists of Band, Dance, Theater and Vocal. Each focus area is unique and allows students to explore their creativity. In order to get into the Performing Arts Academy, students must pass an audition in their art area of choice and meet the minimum 2.0 GPA requirement.

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The West Boca Raton HS Vocal Academy, is made up of 125 student musicians performing in 5 different musical ensembles. As one of the top choral programs in Palm Beach County and the state of Florida, the Vocal Department consistently receives Superior ratings at District and State level.

Recently, the Vocal Department was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall to participate in the 2023 World Premiere of a newly composed piece as well as various Invitational Chorus programs offered only to select top ensembles in the state of Florida. Students routinely qualify for Florida All State, Regional and National American Choral Directors Association Honor Choirs, allowing them to sing with the top students in the state and nation.

West Boca High's Dance Academy is a creative dance academy intended to inspire students to work on one’s crafts in pursuit of scholarship in education and learning through the art of dance while creating impact on the surrounding community of Boca Raton. Functioned through grass-roots initiatives with a focus on teaching life lessons by providing experiential learning & creative workshops.

As the West Boca Theatre Arts Academy , we believe in providing educational and entertainment value for both its students and audience members alike. We are committed to excellence both on the stage and behind the scenes. It is in this commitment that we provide a safe environment for actors to explore characters and their emotional depth, musicians to perfect their skill, and technicians to learn and hone the craft of technical theatre. Theatre at West Boca High School is not a place to “put on a play” but rather a community of artists. Artists working to develop the skills needed to communicate effectively and work as a team. Artists that will understand the importance of confidence, self respect, and the support of each other. We form friendships and shape memories that will last a lifetime. We inspire each student to embrace his or her uniqueness and encourage them to be the best artist, student, and citizen each is capable of being.

Fun Facts: 3 Time winner of the South Florida Cappies Award for Best Musical; Performed by invitation 4 times as a Mainstage at the Florida State Thespian Festival for over 7000 theater students; Dream Award winner for Best Musical; Invited 3 times to perform at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland; toured theater in London and California 4 times with students; and our productions are seen by over 6000 returning patrons annually. Finally, our traveling Musical Theater troupe, “Bulls on Broadway” gives back to the local community in and around Palm Beach County performing for our senior population, and many others! This all under the direction of our award winning Theatre Director who has been honored with both local and state Teacher of the Year, and the 2022 Dream Awards winner of the Inspiring Theatre Educator Award!

The West Boca Raton HS Band program, known as the Vanguard, is one of the premier instrumental music programs in all of Palm Beach County. The Vanguard currently consists of 165 students who make up its seven different large performing ensembles (Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Bands 1 and 2, Percussion Ensemble, and Pep Band) as well as its numerous small ensembles and combos.

The Vanguard shines as one of the top band programs in both Palm Beach County and all of Florida, as each of its ensembles consistently receive Superior ratings at both the District and State levels.

Over the last decade, the West Boca Band program has received many different awards, honors, and accolades, including:

• 20 different bands have received Superior ratings (the highest rating possible) at their respective FBA State Music Performance Assessments. This is by far the most in PBC during this time and more than double the amount of the next closest school.
• 50 different bands have received Superior ratings at their respective FBA District Music Performance Assessments. This is also among the highest in PBC during this time.
• Performed at the 2018 Music for All National Concert Band Festival held in Indianapolis, Indiana. We were the 2nd band in the history of Palm Beach County to be invited to perform at this prestigious event.
• Performed at the 2022 Music For All Regional Concert Band Festival sponsored by UCF in Orlando. We were one of only 8 bands from Florida invited to perform.
• Performed in both the 2016 and 2020 London New Year’s Day Parade and Chamber Concert performance, which was viewed by millions of people worldwide. We are planning another trip to Europe to perform in the 2024 New Year’s Day Parade in Rome, Italy.

The Digital Design Academy program offers two innovative pathways to challenge students using a laboratory and classroom-based curriculum that will prepare them for competitive college design programs as well as successful design careers beyond. This program includes a sequence of courses providing coherent and rigorous content that aligns with Florida’s academic standards and enhances students’ critical thinking and computer technology skills. Students enrolled in these courses will have the opportunity to design projects using the latest, cutting-edge technology building the technical knowledge and skills necessary for future careers as Graphic Designers, Engineers, Architects, and more.

Technical Design

In the Technical Design Track, students utilize Auto Desk software including; Auto CAD, Inventor, Fusion, and Revit for architectural, mechanical, and 3D projects.

These programs promote the understanding of operating complex two and three-dimensional graphics, editing, and image analysis tools. This allows the student to better understand, illustrate, explain, and present technical design renderings used in the industry. Students also have the opportunity to obtain Industry Certifications and work with 3D printer processes.

Graphic Design

The Graphic Design Track prepares students for employment in the Digital Design industry as Information Technology Assistants, Production Assistants, Digital Assistant Designers, Graphic Designers, and Multimedia Designers. Most importantly, it incorporates technical skills found only in visual technologies, conventional and digital procedures, multimedia productions, graphics, web page design, electronic media, and other emerging technologies. Students also have the opportunity to obtain Adobe Industry Certifications as well as career-related skills in marketing and advertising.

Students applying to this academy must have a 2.0 GPA and will be required to submit a portfolio of their work demonstrating their creativity, interests, and technical ability.

The Culinary Academy of West Boca Raton Community High School is a program that offers students an opportunity to train in all areas of food preparations and service. The curriculum is designed to train and prepare students for a career in the Culinary Arts. It is unique in that it offers students the opportunity to work in actual food service situations. We have a state of the art kitchen and facility. An award winning Culinary team and support of the Community academy Advisory Board(CAAB).

The board is comprised of experts in the Culinary field as well as successful business and community leaders. The curriculum is designed that at the end of the three years or four years in the academy, the students will have a base knowledge of Culinary arts and food service management. Students will gain practical experience that will enhance their resume and prepare them for entry into a career in the Food service Industry. They can be certified by national organizations such as The National Restaurant Association, with a "Pro Start" certificate, "ServSafe" certified, membership in the American Culinary Federation and the National Technical Honor Society.

The Computer Science Academy includes two tracks to help students focus on a career field: Cybersecurity and AP Computer Science. All Computer Science students begin by taking IT Fundamentals where they are introduced to computer hardware troubleshooting and various operating systems. Students also have the opportunity to earn Microsoft Office Specialist and Microsoft Technology Associate certifications. By their sophomore year, students can choose to follow the Cybersecurity track or AP Computer Science track.

The Cybersecurity track teaches students how to secure a network from unauthorized activity. On campus, we house an external network designated for student use that students can practice fortifying and hacking. Students can also earn industry certifications if they choose to pursue the Cybersecurity track.

The AP Computer Science track consists of two classes: AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A. AP Computer Science Principles is “designed to be equivalent to a first-semester introductory college computing course. In this course, students develop computational thinking vital for success across all disciplines, such as using computational tools to analyze and study data and working with large data sets to analyze, visualize, and draw conclusions from trends. The course is unique in its focus on fostering student creativity.” AP Computer Science A is an “introductory college-level computer science course. Students cultivate their understanding of coding through analyzing, writing, and testing code as they explore concepts like modularity, variables, and control structures.” Students have the opportunity to earn college credit in both AP Computer Science classes if they pass the exam at the end of the year. Students entering this program must have a 3.0 GPA.

Dual enrollment is the practice of allowing a student to be enrolled in two academic institutions at once. Usually, this involves a high school and a college and for West Boca students it includes Palm Beach State College, FAU, LYNN and UF. The credits apply both to high school diploma requirements and college graduation requisites.