Without a key that unlocks motivation . . . Eleanor Roosevelt High School's program this year involves all 3,237 students, including 281 seniors in year-long internships. The effort began as a science and technology academy in 1991 but expanded in 1997 to include five more academies, in arts and communication, business, law and global affairs, information technology, and health and human services. Laura Grace, director of academy programs, said all ninth-graders take a survey to determine their interests. In the 10th grade, they select an academy.
Employers say they love to work with bright high school students.
Career academies such as those at Eleanor Roosevelt are well-established in many states and in several District high schools. Miller, who is based in Pittsburgh, cited evidence that higher academic standards at many schools stem from state programs that have little to do with the vocational internships. For students struggling to learn to read and write, the critics say, days spent running errands in a factory or an office are a waste of time. There is more to education than securing gainful employment. Knowledge of history, science, mathematics and literature is valuable regardless of whether it leads directly to a job.