At HRA we believe that a college-preparatory education should be more than accruing AP credits, amassing activities, and aiming for top grades. The REACH Initiative, as part of HRA's upper school program, encourages students to engage in real-world learning through mentorships, internships, summer jobs and community engagement, as well as offering students with an identified passion the opportunity to pursue a directed course of study in one of five focus areas.
Current research shows that today’s college-bound students are more stressed than ever before, feeling that they may be, as was claimed in the award-winning documentary film by the same name, in a ‘race to nowhere’. This was the inspiration behind the HRA REACH Initiative (Real-world Experience & Academic CHoice).
 
We believe that the academic experience should be tied to relevant real-world experiences whenever possible.  The twenty-first century economy requires the ability to think creatively, to collaborate, and to communicate effectively, all skills that begin in the classroom but that are enhanced and made more relevant by exploration outside the school’s walls. These experiences might take the form of summer internships, mentorships, part-time jobs, leadership opportunities, or more.

Working in a professional setting provides high school students invaluable opportunities to see the relevance and real-world applications of their classroom experiences, to develop and clarify a passion, and to practice workplace culture and etiquette.  Hampton Roads Academy’s REACH Initiative connects students to these kinds of professional experiences as a way of facilitating for our students a richer, more textured understanding of, and appreciation for, the relationship between academic success and professional satisfaction and achievement.
 
HRA’s curricular program offers the breadth necessary for students to focus their classroom studies in a particular area. A component of the REACH Initiative, in addition to helping students connect with relevant experiences outside the classroom, is providing them the opportunity to delve deeply into a course of study about which they are passionate. Interested students may apply to pursue one of five focus areas that will be noted on their academic transcript upon graduation.
Areas of Focus

List of 5 items.

  • The Applied Sciences and Technology Focus

    The Applied Sciences and Technology Focus

    Purpose: The goal of the Applied Sciences and Technology course of study is to inspire and encourage those students who have a defined goal to pursue studies, and possibly a career, in a STEM field such as engineering, math or science research, integrated technology, computer science or others. It is a thorough, planned course of classroom study, combined with relevant real-world experiences and independent work through a capstone project in the field. The program is based on gaining a more thorough understanding of the fundamentals of these areas, as well as the possibility for their application to real-world pursuits.

    Program: The program will consist of a prescribed course of study in math and science at Hampton Roads Academy, volunteer internships or mentorships in a related field, as well as a senior project dedicated to one of these areas. Students who have successfully completed the course of study will have their work recognized on the academic transcript. Progress toward satisfying the program goals will be evaluated each year. All other graduation requirements will be met.
     
    Academic Requirements:
    In addition to regular graduation requirements, students must take:
    • Math through calculus (any level)
    • Three of the following seven courses: Physics, AP Physics I, AP Physics II, Digital Engineering, Java or Python Computer Programming, AP Statistics, Research Methods
    Courses taken as an Independent Study with a grade of Pass/Fail will not qualify for the academic requirements.
     
    Professional Internships, Mentorships, and Off-Site Experiences:
    Students must have at least two significant experiences (approved in advance, related to the field) outside of school to complement the in-school study. Experiences of this type may be available through internships or mentorships at a local university, Jefferson Lab, NASA, etc., or through academic programs such as the Virginia Summer Governor’s School and others.

    The student’s senior project will be related to the field of Applied Sciences and Technology and will have been approved in advance.

    A reflective essay at the end of the senior year will address the program experience in general and will serve as the final program requirement.

  • The Environmental Studies and Outdoor Leadership Focus

    The Environmental Studies and Outdoor Leadership Focus

    Purpose: The goal of the Environmental Studies and Outdoor Leadership course of study is to inspire and encourage those students who have an interest in environmental conservation and outdoor leadership skills. It is a thorough, planned course of classroom study, combined with relevant off-site experiences as well as a capstone project in the field. The program is based on gaining a solid background in these areas, while also gaining real-world experience.

    Program: The program will consist of a prescribed course of study at Hampton Roads Academy, as well as experiences such as internships with local environmental conservancy organizations and outdoor leadership groups, independent study, or other study programs (to be approved in advance), in addition to a senior project in a related field. Students who have successfully completed the course of study will have their work recognized on the academic transcript. Progress toward satisfying the program goals will be evaluated each year. All other graduation requirements will be met.
     
    Academic Requirements:
    In addition to regular graduation requirements, students must take:
    • Three of the following five courses: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics, Research Methods
    Courses taken as an Independent Study with a grade of Pass/Fail will not qualify for the academic requirements. 
     
    Professional Internships, Mentorships, and Off-Site Experiences:
    Students must have had at least two significant experiences (approved in advance, related to the field) outside of school to complement the in-school study. Experiences of this type may be available through local environmental and outdoor leadership groups, universities, and so forth, or could consist of additional study through programs such as the summer Governor’s School. Students must also earn advanced certification in a related field (i.e. challenge course certification, wilderness safety and first aid, Eagle Scout/Gold Award, etc.), also to be pre-approved.

    The student’s senior project will be related to the field of Environmental Studies and Outdoor Leadership and will have been approved in advance.

    A reflective essay at the end of the senior year will address the program experience in general and will serve as the final program requirement.

  • The Fine Arts Focus

    The Fine Arts Focus
    Purpose: The goal of the Fine Arts course of study is to inspire and encourage those students who have a defined goal to pursue a passion for or career in an arts-related field. It is a thorough, planned course of classroom study, combined with relevant off-site experiences as well as a capstone project in the field.  The program is based on gaining a solid background in the various fine arts areas, as well as an understanding of how people process and portray the human experience.

    Program: The program will consist of a prescribed course of study at Hampton Roads Academy, as well as experiences such as internships at local theaters, musical groups, museums or art studios, independent study, summer Governor’s School or other study programs (to be approved in advance) in addition to a senior project dedicated to a fine arts area. Students must be candidates for inclusion into one of our three arts honor societies including: Tri-M, NAHS and NSDA. Throughout their time at HRA students must dedicate time to the arts outside of the classroom with at least three years of involvement in production on stage, in concerts and/ or exhibitions on and off campus. Students who have successfully completed the course of study will have their work recognized on the academic transcript. Progress toward satisfying the program goals will be evaluated each year. All other graduation requirements will be met.

    Academic Requirements:
    In addition to regular graduation requirements, students must take:

    ● At least five semesters in the fine arts while in grades 9-12

    Courses taken as an Independent Study with a grade of Pass/Fail will not qualify for the academic requirements.

    Professional Internships, Mentorships, and Off-Site Experiences:
    Students must have had at least two significant experiences (approved in advance, related to the field) outside of school to complement the in-school study. Experiences of this type may be available through local museums, universities, theater companies, musical groups, art galleries or could consist of additional study through programs such as the summer Governor’s School.

    The student’s senior project will be related to the field of Fine Arts and will have been approved in advance.

    A reflective essay at the end of the senior year will address the program experience in general and will serve as the final program requirement.

  • The Global Studies Focus

    The Global Studies Focus

    Purpose: The goal of the Global Studies program is to inspire and encourage those students who have a demonstrated interest in and passion for foreign languages and world affairs. Students selecting studies in this area may later pursue careers in foreign service or policy, international business, politics and more. It is a planned course of classroom study and relevant experiences to give the student both the theoretical and practical background to pursue their ambitions. The program is based on building a progressively clearer understanding of the interconnectedness of our world.
     
    Program:
    The program will consist of a prescribed course of study in language(s), international relations and government, as well as travel experiences and active participation in internships, organizations like Model U.N., Operation Smile, Youth Volunteer Corps, or other relevant work or study. Philanthropy Club and NSDA membership in the Extemporaneous Speaking category would qualify as well. Students who complete this course of study will have their work recognized on their transcript. Progress toward satisfying the program goals will be evaluated each year. All other graduation requirements will be met.
     
    Academic Requirements:
    In addition to regular graduation requirements, students must take:
    • One world language taken at HRA through the AP level 
    • International Relations (in addition to the required government graduation requirement)
    • AP Comparative Government (in addition to the required government graduation requirement)
    OR
    • One world language taken at HRA through the AP level and a second world language taken at HRA through at least the second level 
    Courses taken as an Independent Study with a grade of Pass/Fail will not qualify for the academic requirements.
     
    Professional Internships, Mentorships, and Off-Site Experiences:
    Students applying to the Global Studies program will commit to an ongoing, active role in Model U.N., Operation Smile, YVC, Philanthropy Club, NSDA competition in Extemporaneous Speaking, or a combination of these. Active participation will include a leadership position and/or conference attendance, service trip, service hours, etc.
     
    In addition, students should pursue at least two significant out-of-school experiences, approved in advance, that relate to this field. Examples would be a Governor’s School program in a language; summer study or an immersion program such as at Concordia Language Villages in MN; a summer course in global politics; or an internship experience with an international business or non-profit, etc. 
     
    The student’s senior project will be related to the field of Global Studies and will have been approved in advance.

    A reflective essay at the end of the senior year will address the program experience in general and will serve as the final program requirement.

  • The Health Sciences Focus

    The Health Sciences Focus
     
    Purpose: The goal of the Health Sciences course of study is to inspire and encourage those students who have a defined goal to pursue studies and perhaps a career in the medical arts as, for example, a physician, nurse, physical therapist, athletic trainer or EMT. It is a thorough, planned course of classroom study, ancillary training and hands-on experience to give students both the theoretical and practical background that will serve as a strong basis to pursue their ambitions. The program is based on building a progressively clearer understanding of the training and study required to enter one of these fields.
     
    Program: The program will consist of a prescribed course of study in the sciences at Hampton Roads Academy, as well as a range of other possible experiences: volunteer internships with a local hospital and/or associated practices, study or mentorship programs outside of school, practical experience under the supervision of the HRA athletic training program, and so forth. Outside experiences will be approved in advance, as candidates may pursue different training opportunities. Program members will be expected to complete a significant number of field-related hours of community service above the current graduation requirements of HRA. Students who have successfully completed the course of study and ongoing service requirements will have their work recognized on the academic transcript. Progress toward satisfying the program goals will be evaluated each year. All other graduation requirements will be met.
     
    Academic Sequence:
    In addition to regular graduation requirements, students must take:
    • At least three of the following courses: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP Psychology, Anatomy and Physiology, Foundations in Sports Medicine, Research Methods
    • One of the courses must be at the AP level
    • Math through calculus (any level)
    Courses taken as an Independent Study with a grade of Pass/Fail will not qualify for the academic requirements.
     
    Professional Internships, Mentorships, and Off-Site Experiences:
    Certification in CPR and First Aid is required for all program participants. Students who have completed the Foundations in Sports Medicine class may get hands-on experience as an athletic training student aide (minimum hours required during a sports season, during both practices and games) Other internships and mentorships are available through local hospitals, universities, and associated programs. Summer programs such as Camp Cardiac (EVMS) or Sports Med Camp (William and Mary) provide further opportunities, as do more advanced certifications like an EMT summer training course. Two such experiences (pre-approved) are required. An athletic training internship at HRA will count as one of these experiences.
     
    The student’s senior project will be related to the field of Health Sciences and will have been approved in advance.

    A reflective essay at the end of the senior year will address the program experience in general and will serve as the final program requirement.

Hampton Roads Academy

739 Academy Lane
Newport News, VA 23602
admissions@hra.org
P: (757) 884-9100 | F: (757) 884-9137
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