NAF Academy of Innovation

NAF is a national network of career-themed academies typically located within public high schools. They are designed as small learning communities within these schools, which helps to facilitate a personalized environment. NAF academies offer high school students a unique opportunity to explore potential careers. Students get to meet business professionals and participate in activities that reflect the business world and enhance the academy’s traditional and career-focused cu­rriculum. Through this experience, NAF academy graduates are better prepared for college, career, and future success.

The NAF educational design fits within your school’s traditional educational experience. It’s not just one experience or one course. Students in NAF academies participate in career-focused courses and work-based learning activities that reflect the business world throughout their high school years, with schoolwork and activities becoming increasingly more focused and practical as students approach graduation. Through this continuous learning process, students are inspired to attend college with a career path in mind and have a better idea of how their educational experience will prepare them for their future careers.

All NAF academies have advisory boards made up of local business people and community members. Joining the advisory board would allow you to play an active role in shaping your child’s educational experience. Advisory board members advise the curriculum, projects, fundraising efforts, and organize work-based learning activities for students.

There is no cost to join a NAF academy. NAF is included as an option in your school/district. Raytheon Technologies is covering the initial costs of the academy including membership for the first two years. The school/district will pay the nominal membership fee to NAF afterward.

Through NAF, students are eligible for scholarships and become part of a network of nearly 120,000 students across the country experiencing that same relevant and engaging educational and work-based learning experiences. In addition, NAF students can earn NAFTrack Certification, NAF’s employability credential that serves as NAF’s seal of college and career readiness. Students who earn NAFTrack Certification demonstrate readiness by completing 4 semesters within the program of study and an internship with a satisfactory business-partner-completed assessment.

Through NAF, students have many unique opportunities beyond what a typical high school student may have. Students participate in a series of work-based learning activities that give them access to expertise from business professionals, exposure to work environments, and opportunities to hone their professional skills. NAF students also participate in paid internships that help build their resume, provide opportunities for networking, and build their future ready skills. In the classroom, students participate in career-focused courses and complete projects that are relative to the working world.

Yes. The national senior graduation rate is 98%, with 92% college-bound.  We can provide countless individual stories of success.

NAF academies expose children to career options while they are still in high school through career-focused curriculum, work-based learning activities, and connections with business professionals. Students learn about career pathways through activities like career fairs, mock interviews, and job shadows and begin to prepare for careers by building the skills needed to succeed. They also gain knowledge in what higher educational opportunities would align with their career goals. 

Yes. From being able to list specific career courses that may align with college majors, to including work-based learning experiences and internships, to earning college credits while still in high school, your child’s resume and college applications will stand out from the rest.

NAF is all about college, career, and future readiness, no matter the path your child chooses. Many NAF academies provide assistance with college applications, the FAFSA, and choosing the right college. NAF students participate in college level work, and many NAF academies have relationships with higher education institutions that help to facilitate college tours.

Being in a NAF academy may help your child obtain scholarships. NAF offers several scholarships to NAF seniors each year, and many scholarship opportunities aligned with NAF’s career themes exist. NAF students have stronger resumes rich with career focused courses and work-based learning experiences that stand out when they apply for scholarships.

The benefit from being a part of NAF doesn’t stop in high school, NAF is a lifelong experience, full of opportunities to network, discover exciting new industries and give back to their NAF academies. Graduates are encouraged to join the Alumni Network to engage with industry partners, participate in virtual and in-personal alumni events, apply for scholarships and college internships and more.