Sophomore Project

Students in the Academy are enrolled in cohort classes along side their IT class. In the sophomore year, the students take Web Design/Video Production, AOIT and English II-IT. The focus during this year for the students is collaboration with the cohort classes. In addition to small collaborative projects, a major

theme is also chosen. Here is one example of how the theme is intertwined and finalized into one major project at the end of the year.

This year's project is centered around the book, “The Bedford Boys”. The book is based on a group of men from Bedford, Virginia who fought at Omaha Beach on D-Day, most of whom gave their lives. Students read the book as a part of the English class and learn about D-Day as a part of the AP World History Class. We then infuse field trips and guest speakers and use the skills learned in Web Design/Video Production to create a documentary.

Field trips have included a trip to the National D-Day Memorial and the National Guard Armory in Bedford, Virginia, the Tank Museum in Danville and even two overseas trips to England, where the Bedford Boys trained, and to the beaches of Normandy, France. Speakers included Bud Parsons, a local veteran who fought in WWII and the author of the book, Alex Kershaw. Students interviewed veterans at the D-Day Memorial and filmed at all of the events to create the documentary.