TheEdisonAcademy

The Edison Academy is one of six academies in the Fairfax County Public School system. It is located at Thomas A. Edison High School in Alexandria, Virginia. The Edison Academy offers advanced, technical and specialized courses that primarily focus on career fields in the curriculum cluster of International Studies, Business, Engineering or Scientific Technology.

Transportation | Quote of the Day | Día Catálogo Español | Fall 2011 Academy Newsletter

Edison Academy Registration forms are available here: Enrollment Application. The application includes directions and the required forms in electonic format. Fill out the forms and take them to your base school counselor. Your counselor will provide a transcript and copy of this year's attendance to include with your application.  Your base school counselor will then forward the application to the Edison Academy. A detailed student application process including the application can be found here.

If you have questions please call 703-924-8100 or you can email any staff member.

The Edison Academy is one of five academies in the Fairfax County Public School system. It is located at Thomas A. Edison High School in Alexandria, Virginia. The Edison Academy offers advanced, technical and specialized courses that primarily focus on career fields in the curriculum cluster of International Studies, Business, Engineering or Scientific Technology. Most classes are a year long, the IT classes are the exception, they are offered by semester or every other day for the year. Most programs will prepare students to earn national certifications of proficiency in their career related studies. Academy programs will emphasize career experiences with Springfield and Alexandria based businesses. Students take four classes at their home school and earn one, two or three credits at the Academy. Three sessions are taught each day, AM classes, Midday classes and PM classes.

The Academy is strategically located in Alexandria Virginia a short drive from the major business centers of metropolitan Washington D.C. Our students have advanced academic knowledge and are working toward advanced competency levels in their academic coursework. The Academy offers the local business community a unique opportunity to become involved in the process of educating students to meet the industry needs of our workforce.

Want to learn more about the Edison Academy? Then check out this video!

Transportation may be provided within limitations for students attending classes at the Academy at no charge. Students are shuttled from their home schools. Shuttle schedules are arranged for each of the three sessions of classes. Student parking is permitted at Edison Academy when appropriate parking permits have been obtained. Academy Bus Schedule.

Chris Castillo a past student from Oracle - Database Design had this to say about his experience in the class.
" My computer science professors are surprised when I tell them that I have an SQL certification from Oracle. From their experience in teaching, high school students are not taught SQL or even receive an SQL certification. That is left to the upper level college students. I consider myself lucky that I was given the opportunity to take such an important class at such a young age. Very few high schools offer their students Oracle or a similar class. I would have never guessed that taking the Oracle class would make me decide to pursue a career in technology.  I am a Computer Science major at the University of Mary Washington. I am using the skills I learned in the Oracle class and applying them to everyday computer science classes here. Without the Oracle class, I would not feel as confident and be as efficient in any computer science class as I am today."

Edison Academy Employment Opportunities

Students of Edison Academy. Did you know that part-time and full-time employment opportunities that are relevant to your academy studies are often posted for you in Blackboard under the "Job Opportunities" button of "Career Experiences At Edison Academy" ? You may also find current job postings on the Edison Academy Facebook page for Edison Academy, Fairfax County Public Schools or by clicking on the Facebook page link on this website. If you want assistance with preparing resumes to apply for job openings, Ms. Williford, Career Experience Specialist, in the Edison Academy office is available to help you.

Edison Academy is an official Microsoft IT Academy Pilot High School Center

The Virginia Department of Education has designated The Edison Academy as an official Microsoft IT Academy Pilot High School Center. This membership provides access to some of the latest Microsoft training resources and Microsoft Certification exams free of charge to students.

Vocational Tech Grads Buck the Jobs Trend

CBS News did a story about Vocational Grads, check it out here.

ACTE October Newsletter Features Edison Academy Article

The ACTE October Newsletter has an article about the Edison Academy. Check it out here.

Virginia SkillsUSA members come to Washington

On Sep 20th 2011 Senator Warner had a meet-and-greet with several Virginians who were in town attending a SkillsUSA conference. Robert Stringham, the Heating and Air Conditioning teacher at Edison, was one of the representatives. Senator Warner had an opportunity to talk about his support for CTE and how as Governor of Virginia he oversaw the largest single investment in K-12 Education in Virginia's history. There are more pictures and an article on Senator Warner's website here.

National Competition Recognition for FBLA

Congratulations to Oracle student Jackie P. of Edison Academy and Stuart High School who competed in the Database Design and Application competition and received an eighth place award at the National Future Business Leaders of America Conference held this summer. The awards are part of a competitive events program sponsored by FBLA-PBL featuring nearly 60 different events—representing a wide range of activities and business and leadership development—in which students could participate.

National Competition Recognition for SkillsUSA

Edison Academy Culinary Students David B. and Leonardo X. are acknowledges for their top 20 accomplishments at the Summer National SkillsUSA Conference Competitions in Kansas City, MO. David B. finished 14th of 44 contestants in Culinary Arts, and Leonardo X. finished 11th of 32 competitors in Food and Beverage Table Service in the competitions.

Congratulations to Newly  Hired Student Interns!

Bryan Powell, an Edison Academy Oracle student, was hired for an I.T. internship for the summer and will continue this 2011/2012 school year working for the non-profit organization, Computer Core, located in Alexandria, VA.
Javier Gomez , an Electrical Construction and Engineering student, was hired for a maintenance internship with the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, Operations and Maintenance Department at Mount Vernon Estate for the summer and will continue in the 2011/2012 school year. He will be joining Senior, Jose Marquez, who is continuing his internship at Mt. Vernon which he began in 2010 and several other past interns who are now employed with the Association in full-time and part-time positions.

Edison Academy Signs Articulation Agreement With Sheet Metal Workers Union

Edison Academy has signed an articulation agreement with the Sheet Metal Workers Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee of Sheet Metal Workers Local #100 to benefit students in the Heating Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR) program. Through this agreement, students who successfully complete their second year in the HVACR program at the Edison Academy and qualify for the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee's program will have the opportunity to start as a second year apprentice immediately after high school with all the pay and benefits at that level. The agreement includes a waiver of the math entrance exam, health insurance, retirement, and a salary that currently stands at over $45,000 per year for the HVACR students. The HVACR program at Edison Academy is the only high school program in FCPS offering training and instruction in the HVACR field. It was the first high school training program in the country to be accredited by HVAC Excellence, the first accrediting body for HVAC training programs in the United States. HVACR students from Edison Academy are regularly recognized for their accomplishments at competitions offered by the SkillsUSA organization and for community service projects they undertake in their local community. All of the students in the second year of the academy's HVACR program passed their EPA section 608 certification exams for refrigerant handling.

General Motors Donates Saturn Vue

General Motors Corporation recently donated a 2003 Saturn Vue to the Edison Academy Automotive programs as part of their General Motors Service Operation's ongoing support for technical training . Edison Academy Students will use the Vue as a training ground to learn about servicing GM vehicles for alignments, brakes, engine performance, electrical diagnostics and repairs, steering and suspension, and more and having knowledge of the GM brand will be helpful in preparing them for industry certifications which require knowledge of multiple brands.

Landscape Design Partners With Clermont Elementary

The Edison Academy Landscape Design and Turf Management Class has partnered with Clermont Elementary School to provide elementary students with supplemental hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) lessons and activities for fourth and fifth graders to teach lessons in ecology, planting, and green gardening concepts. Elementary students have learned how to conduct a soil ph test, how to discern weeds from viable plants, the proper way to clean a garden plot for healthy organic gardening, how to make organic compost and amending soil for better plant growth.  The Academy students will continue to work with Clermont Elementary throughout the year to oversee the planting of spring crops and to teach further lessons on soil and plant preservation and water conservation which will include the installation of rain barrels and irrigation systems for the Clermont gardens.  Students will also mentor minority students at the elementary school to provide role models and to help build self esteem.

Animal Science Program Featured on NBC 4

Students Give Up Saturday Mornings for Rescued Dogs

A group of Edison High students gathers in an animal sciences classroom Saturdays to help rescued dogs find families.
Watch the story on NBC4's website here.

 

Electrical Engineering and Construction Students Wire House

Students in the Electrical Engineering and Construction program at Edison Academy are really wired about their experiences assisting in the construction of a house listed on the market for $788K in Springfield, Virginia. The house is one of 18 homes built in Fairfax County by students from the FCPS residential construction program through a partnership with the Foundation for Applied Technical Education (FATE).More than 40 students from the Edison Academy electrical construction and engineering program worked on the house under the supervision of a licensed master electrician. Students installed the entire house’s electrical system  including low-voltage lighting, a whole-house intercom and stereo system, multiple TV-cable-data connections, all lighting, light fixtures, and outlets, as well as appliance preparation.

Earn College Credit! - Dual Enrollment Agreement with NVCC

You Can Get a Head Start on Your Future at Edison Academy Through the Dual Enrollment Agreement with NVCC! If you're looking for ways to cut the costs of a college education even BEFORE you graduate from high school, a great opportunity is available through the Northern Virginia Community College dual enrollment program.  High School students, who are at least 16 years of age, may simultaneously earn high school and college credit by taking Culinary Arts, Automotive Technology, Oracle or Heating Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration classes here at Edison Academy. 

A reduced NVCC tuition rate may be charged for participation in a dual enrolled course, but successful completion rewards the student with credits earned to satisfy both high school graduation AND earn a NVCC college transcript. Course credits may even be transferable to other institutions in Virginia depending upon the course taken and the college degree program which the student is pursuing.

For more information about NVCC go here.

Cosmetology/Key Center Partnership

The Academy Cosmetology program has a great partnership with the Key Center which allows students to interact benefiting both schools. Watch the video.

 

 

 

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