October 16, 2009
The opening of Chicago Public Schools’ new Air Force Academy High School was marked today with a special ceremony attended by school and elected officials, and representatives of the U.S. Air Force and Air Force JROTC Command.
The new high school, which is located at 1301 W. 14th St., currently has 127 freshman student-cadets. AFAHS will add one new class per year until it has a full roster of freshmen through seniors.
AFAHS is CPS’s sixth, and newest, military academy high school, and will offer a college preparatory curriculum by placing a strong emphasis on aerospace science, engineering, reading and writing. In line with the Air Force JROTC program, student-cadets will also develop their leadership skills in an environment that promotes citizenship, community service, responsibility, character and self-discipline.
The opening ceremony included addresses by school leaders and special guests, a video presentation to attendees and the recitation by student-cadets of the Air Force JROTC Guiding Principles.
AFAHS has a partnership with the Adler Planetarium that promotes its science and engineering curriculum. Every five weeks, the school’s entire student body, along with staff, will spend an instructional day at the planetarium conducting experiments and participating in presentations and hands-on experiences presented by the Adler and AFAHS staffs.
“This unique partnership will benefit all of our students, and our visits to the Adler are a far cry from your average school field trip,” said CPT Yashika Tippett-Eggleston, AFAHS Superintendent/Principal. “These experiences will augment our other science and engineering offerings and help prepare our students to achieve their full potential.”
The high school will employ Air Force JROTC instruction, which is conducted by U.S. Air Force-certified retired commissioned and non-commissioned officers. Student-cadets will have daily formations, wear Air Force JROTC uniforms and be presented with a variety of leadership opportunities.
For coursework offered around aerospace science, freshmen will learn about frontiers in aviation history; sophomores will study the science of flights; juniors will examine space exploration; and seniors will investigate aerospace careers and manage the cadet corps.
Leadership instruction, by year, includes: for freshmen, customs and courtesies; for sophomores, effective communications skills; for juniors, management and ethics; and for seniors, college preparation.