Computer Science Academy

Are you a high schooler who loves to code? Does the idea of creating your own computer programs or video games sound exciting? Then this is the place for you!

• Students study advanced placement science and math alongside computer science courses to prepare them for similar study in college.
• Students learn industry-standard programming languages and tools, including how to program a game engine to create a game of their own design!
• Students study Game Development, AI, Robotics, Cybersecurity, Digital Electronics, and even work with customers to build real systems in the Capstone course.
• At the Rockwell campus, CSA students compete for professional internships before college! Both OG&E and OMES (Oklahoma Management and Enterprise Services) have partnered with CSA with the intent of establishing a pipeline of the best students into those organizations. Industry partners work with Capstone students to identify outstanding candidates for internships. Internships usually focus on cybersecurity and/or software development.
• At the Danforth campus, the Capstone course is a collaborative effort between the Computer Science, Engineering, and Biosciences and Medicine Academies. Students work in a group to research a problem and prototype a solution to that problem. The capstone course will focus on the design process and research methods.

Important things to know

• Students select either the AM or PM session of the academy; the other half of the school day is spent at the student's high school (where students will take the remaining courses/electives that count toward graduation).
• Rockwell CSA meets on an A/B schedule, so classes alternate days.
• Danforth CSA meets on a modified hourly schedule. Each student will attend three hour-long classes each day except Wednesday. On Wednesday, students will have a three hour long lab class, which is the fourth course on the student’s CSA schedule. This class only meets once a week, but allows the student more time to work on big projects in one sitting than a traditional hour long class.
• Academy courses and grades transcript to the student's home high school just as they would if they took the courses at their home high school.
• Transportation is provided to and from the student's home high school.
• Home-schooled students are welcome at the academy (but will need to provide their own transportation).
• There is NO COST for high school students to attend the academy, though there may be recommended items to purchase such as a TI-84+ calculator.
• No previous programming experience is required.

Students may participate in any of the following extracurricular activities:

• Technology Student Association
• CyberPatriot
• National Technical Honor Society
• Superintendent's Leadership Academy
• TEAMs Competition

Students attend up to three (3) years, and graduates should be planning to pursue a college or university track to earn a degree in some discipline of computer science. Up to 22 college credit hours for Advanced Placement courses are available upon passing the appropriate AP College Board Exam(s).

What an industry partner (OGE) says about CSA

“From a Cyber Security perspective, I believe that the Francis Tuttle Computer Science Academy has been a great connection. We’ve hired multiple students from the Academy in both an intern and full-time contractor roles for Cyber Security and I believe that it has the opportunity to be an excellent workforce pipeline for us. The students are knowledgeable, receive great instruction from Mr. Harbert and others and more than met the expectations that were laid out for the group projects we engaged them in. We look forward to future opportunities to engage with students from the Academy.”