Halifax High School business academy promotes college and career readiness

Students at Halifax High School are becoming college and career ready for business-related occupations through course offerings in the district’s new Wildcat Business Academy. Using Pennsylvania’s career and technical education program of study for Accounting as the foundation for its curriculum, the Wildcat Business Academy affords students the opportunity to major in business during their junior and senior years of high school.

Course offerings include two levels of Accounting, Introduction to Business, Entrepreneurship, Technical Writing, Business Law, Marketing, and Microsoft Office Applications. Students are further encouraged to apply skills learned in the classroom by pursuing internship and cooperative education opportunities with local businesses. College credit is also available by completing the National Occupational Career and Technical Institute exam during their senior year.

A critical component of the Wildcat Business Academy’s curriculum is a school store called “The Den.” A student-run enterprise sponsored in part by Mid Penn Bank of Harrisburg, it affords students an opportunity to learn all aspects of business management by actually managing a business. Students choose the merchandise, create the advertising, maintain the accounts and serve the customers. Participation in the high school’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) further challenges students to develop their potential as leaders through service and workforce education activities.

Workforce development data proves that business-related jobs are high-priority occupations that provide family- sustaining wages and limitless opportunities for success. The Halifax Area School District is proud to support the Wildcat Business Academy, a program that ensures students are college-and-career ready as the future business leaders of Pennsylvania.