Student Academic Concentration (SAC) Fair
Students in eighth grade and Upper School students attended the Student Academic Concentration (SAC) Fair during club times. The SAC program is a specialized academic program where students select an academic concentration, take specialized courses during the school year and summer and produce a capstone project to achieve a specialized diploma that helps jump start their college careers.
Each SAC student works with an advisor of the discipline who helps guide their course choices and develop their senior projects. For instance, students in the STEM SAC have experiences with mentors currently in the fields, take field trips and participate in service projects that benefit the MVA community, while also developing their academic skills in STEM areas. SAC concentrations currently are:
- Global Perspectives
- Business, Innovation, & Entrepreneurial Development (BIED)
- STEM with concentrations in Engineering, Biomedical, Sustainability, Chemistry/Physics, and Computer Science
The fair was the idea of Amber Morgan and James Tanis, Biomedical concentration students, who believed wanted to spread the word and share in the excitement of finding their passion early.
“James and I were discussing the SAC programs and noticed that not many people knew about them,” said Amber. “We brainstormed ideas on how to increase participation in these programs and came up with an idea to do a fair. That way, each program could be represented and our peers could get a chance to explore each program. I am so glad to say it was a success and I hope to see the programs grow in the future!”
“We came up the SAC fair as an interactive a way to raise awareness about the program among students,” said James. “We are glad to say the SAC fair was a huge success and hope to see new faces in the program.”
With the new opportunity to integrate the University of Florida’s dual enrollment program, classes can be chosen from that list in order to build college credit as well. “By holding the fair, we spread the word to students already enrolled in Upper School that had no idea this opportunity existed, and to rising freshman, helping to ignite their excitement for one of these fields,” Dr. Caryn Long, Middle School science teacher and STEM SAC lead. “It was a huge success and we want to thank the program advisors and the SAC students who did an amazing job promoting their specialty areas.”
Parents or students with questions can contact the following advisors for more detailed information and once decided, can sign the SAC contract in Ms. Parker’s office in the Upper School.
- Dr. Archie Arghyrou – Global Perspectives arghyris.arghyrou@montverde.org
- Dr. Caryn Long – STEM SAC caryn.long@montverde.org
- Mr. Lance Walsworth – Business, Innovation & Entrepreneurial Development lance.walsworth@montverde.org
