NAF Engineering Academy

NAF Mission Statement

The Burbank Unified School District NAF Academy will provide an academic and technology based program that inspires students to become respectful and successful members of a continually evolving global community. Through high quality instruction, community service, shadowing experiences, and internships, students will graduate with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college, the workplace, and the world beyond.

The NAF Engineering Academy is a set of STEM courses put together to provide high school students with soft skills, engineering ideals, and help develop responsibilities. There are various projects, field trips, internship and job preparations that the students have access to that prepare them for the working world.

Engineering 1

This STEM course is a basic introduction to engineering for all students. Students who complete this course will learn the concepts necessary in order to develop their ideas into solutions that will improve our lives. Exciting hands-on learning activities like data comparison of heart rates, rating consumer products, destructive testing and building speakers apply math, science, history and English content from other courses in a STEM experience. This course makes science and mathematics more engaging, interesting, concrete, and relevant. The course’s intention and purpose is to educate students in a “main line” method by providing STEM education for everyone. While providing a STEM-based education for all students, those interested in becoming practicing engineers clearly benefit from this course content.

One of my favorite projects in Engineering 1 was building a CO2-powered wooden car. This project taught me the basics of aerodynamics and how small design changes could impact speed and performance. I experimented with different shapes and wheel alignments, learning how factors like friction and weight distribution influenced the car’s movement. Testing my designs and making improvements helped me better understand how engineering principles can lead to a more efficient and faster model.

Engineering Construction & Design

This STEM course, Engineering Construction and Design, introduces students to fundamental engineering principles with a focus on practical applications in construction and design. Through engaging, hands-on activities such as designing structural models, analyzing materials, and conducting stress tests, students apply concepts from math, science, and technology to solve real-world engineering challenges. The course promotes critical thinking and collaboration, helping students learn to turn ideas into functional designs. Whether students are exploring engineering as a career or looking to enhance problem-solving skills, this course makes engineering accessible and relevant by connecting classroom knowledge to real-life applications.

In Construction and Design, I built a treasure box, which required precise measuring and woodworking skills. This project helped me understand the importance of accuracy in engineering, as even small errors could affect the final product’s quality and functionality. I also learned about using various hand tools and techniques to create a polished finish. It was rewarding to complete a functional item that highlighted both creativity and craftsmanship.

AP Physics

This physics course is a qualitative and quantitative study of the central concepts of physics, including mechanics, thermodynamics, waves, sound, light, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics. Emphasis will be placed on mental imagery that relates to things and events that are familiar in the everyday environment. Physics concept 65 will be studied with the use of demonstrations, laboratory investigations, multimedia presentations, and student projects. Laboratory work will include some computation.

Building a bridge out of wooden skewers in AP Physics was a valuable experience in structural engineering. I learned about load distribution, tension, and compression, and it was exciting to see how materials could be combined to create a strong, lightweight structure. Testing the bridge with weights and observing where it held or failed taught me practical lessons in physics, including why certain shapes like triangles add strength. The project deepened my understanding of stability in engineering.

Engineering 2

This advanced engineering STEM course makes a contribution to the curriculum by providing opportunities for students and teachers to link content together and apply it to solve problems. More and more jobs demand advanced skills, requiring people to be able to learn, reason, think creatively, make decisions, and solve problems. An understanding of science, technology, engineering and math and their methods contributes in an essential way to these skills. Principles of Engineering is a team-based advanced course designed for most students. The Principles of Engineering courses' intention and purpose is to educate students in a “main line” method by providing STEM education for everyone. While providing a STEM-based education for all students, those interested in becoming practicing engineers clearly benefit from this course content.

One of the most exciting projects in Engineering 2 was designing and building a fighting robot. This project taught me about mechanics, motor functions, and teamwork as we worked to make our robot both resilient and heavyweight in competitions. I learned about electrical circuits and selecting materials for durability. Working with my team taught me collaboration and problem-solving, especially as we adapted our design to make the robot stronger and more responsive in each round of testing.

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