Academy Showcase shows off high school academies

High schools offering specialized academies put on a showcase on Wednesday night at the Earl Warren Showgrounds.

Student volunteers set up interactive displays and talked about what their academies have to offer.

San Marcos High School offers health career, leadership, and entrepreneurship academies.

Dos Pueblos offers engineering, and International Baccalaureate academies and Santa Barbara High School offers visual arts, computer science and multimedia academies.

Royce Blevins said it was overwhelming to have so many choices. She will be entering high school next year and might choose a public school instead of a private school because of the opportunities.

Jonny Herrera feels the same. Herrera said the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy seems like a good fit.

He is aware that on about 40 percent of the applicants get accepted, but he is confident he’ll get in if the chooses to apply.

Educators said interacting with the students already in the academies helps younger students decide.

Students are being asked to apply to academies now and fill out Intradistrict transfer applications by January 31, if they wish to be accepted in an academy outside their local school.