academies of art

academies of art, official organizations of established artists. Lorenzo de' Medici's informal circle of great artists and thinkers was modeled on similar groups formed in classical Greece. The first official academy, the Accademia del Disegno, was founded in Florence by Vasari in 1561. Offshoots of this were the prototypes for the powerful Academie royale de peinture et de sculpture founded in 1648, the first of many French academies. The academies dictated elaborate conventions and aesthetic doctrines for the manufacture of works of art and the term "academic" came to imply derivative rather than creative work. The English Royal Academy, founded in 1768, now serves primarily as an art school and exhibition facility. The American Academy in Rome is a school that embraces many fields, including music and classical studies.

Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology is a public, magnet high school located in Jacksonville, Florida. The students of Peterson Academy are interested in more than just a high school diploma. Students choose Peterson to begin gaining skills in the industry of their choice while earning their High School Diploma and potentially gaining several college credits.

Majors

Majors at Peterson include:

Communications Academy: The Communications Academy offers students several choices to begin careers in the communications industry or begin earning college credits in a communications major. Courses include: Television Production, Graphic Design and Commercial Arts, and Computer Programming.

Aviation Academy: In conjunction with the Florida Community College, students enroll in the Aviation Academy to learn extensively about aircraft design and maintenance, flight technology, and engineering.

Culinary Arts Academy: The Culinary Arts Academy presents students with the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to become an Executive Chef in four star restaurants and hotels or who are interested in owning their own restaurant. Students learn in a State of the Art kitchen and are able to serve their creations in an actual operating restaurant located inside of the school’s atrium.

Automotive Technology Academy: Students in the Automotive Technology Academy study to become Automotive Technicians and Engineers. In a full service, state of the art garage, students make high tech repairs, paint cars, and rebuild custom and modern vehicles and trucks of all kinds.

Childhood Development Academy: The Childhood Development Academy is perfect for students who are interested in a career in teaching or child psychology. The Childhood Development Academy tackles the early childhood development stages and operates an actual operating daycare on the grounds of the school.

Cosmetology Academy: The Cosmetology Academy affords students the opportunity to learn the skills of Make-up artists, Estheticians, Nail Technicians, and Hair Designers and Stylists. Once students have completed this course and take the State Boards, they will be fully accredited with the State of Florida and will be able to start in their career immediately following high school.

Student body

Students at Peterson are as diverse as the Academies they attend and are welcoming of students of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and interests. Students are 55% Caucasian, 35% African American, and 10% Other. Peterson Academy has an average enrollment of 1,200 students in grades 9 - 12.

Extra-curricular activities

The college preparatory high school offers several extra-curricular activities including Student Government, Student Council, Yearbook Club, Guitar Club, Chorus, Anime Club, Computer and Radio Technology Club, Drama Club, National Honor Society, National Beta Club, Cosmetology Club, Spanish Club, Rocketry Club, Martial Arts Club, Water Sports Club, Bible Club, Cheerleading, Dance Team, Communities in Schools Team, NTHS, Vocational Industry Clubs of America (VICA) Skills USA, Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), Peterson Roses, and men’s and women’s Basketball Teams. The school is currently awaiting approval from the Florida High School Athletic Association to start a football team. After approval it will be at least 2 years before one will be started.

History

The school was originally built as the Westside Skills Center in 1969. Students from neighborhood high schools attended the Skills Center for half-day programs where they studied vocational programs and attended their neighborhood high schools for standard academic classes. The Skills Center was closed and the school converted to a college preparatory Magnet School in 1999 and no longer offered programs to students who attended other schools.

Standards

Students are accepted in the Peterson on a lottery system and must maintain a 2.5 grade point average in order to remain enrolled. Peterson, like all public schools in the state of Florida, is held to the FCAT Testing Standard and is rated as a high C.

External links

• Frank H. Peterson Website