Walter M. Williams High School - Academy of Finance

Academy of Finance

Williams is home to the Academy of Finance, a school within a school that is administered in collaboration with the National Academy Foundation, a national network of high school reform focused smaller learning communities that focus on areas such as health sciences, tourism, entertainment, finance, and other areas of business. The program is unique in that there are less than ten high school campuses in North Carolina that host a program of this type. Established on the campus in 2005, the Academy provides a rigorous curriculum, enhanced by opportunities to build professional relationships with area finance and business leaders, as well as demonstrate relevance through community based internship and service-learning experiences. As part of this small learning community, students have contributed to service and social justice by providing tax assistance to low income families and individuals, some of whom have contributed almost one-hundred service hours to the project annually. In addition, students take college level courses for credit, hear guest presentations from members of the business community, participate in internships, and take exploratory field trips to area colleges and universities. Campuses visited since 2009 include the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and the Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University. Field-based experiences allow students to put into practice skills learned in the classroom and interact with members of the business community. In recent years, an extended classroom experience was created which allowed Academy students to tour the financial district of New York City, following a similar visit to Washington, D.C. in 2008. Support for the Academy from the Burlington business community is facilitated by a community-based advisory board, made up of business leaders, parents, and alumni. A student advisory board allows students to contribute to the decision-making process within the Academy as well as develop leadership skills and become engaged in the life of the Academy and school at large. A partnership with Alamance Community College makes the college level coursework possible. Initiated during the administration of former principal Gary Thornburg, the Academy is presently under the direction of Ms. Rhonda Farmer.