Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology

The Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology or The Academy is a branch school of the Horry County Schools system in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. It has a focus on specialized majors and has qualifying status as a Blue Ribbon School and as a New American High School.DescriptionThe Academy for Arts, Science, and Technology is a nationally certified STEM program school located in Myrtle Beach, SC. Approximately 700 Students from the nine feeder high schools in Horry County, SC community attend AAST. All students enter through an application process. AAST is a 9 - 12 STEM school organized around specific career majors. AAST's mission is to ensure that students are successfully prepared to enter their career of choice or next level of education in pursuit of life goals through personalized, integrated, technologically-supported, standards - based programs of study in the STEM/ STEAM career areas. The career majors program consists of seven majors which include, Advanced Art, Theater, Digital Communications, Entertainment Technology, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Engineering, Computer Science, and a general STEM Studies strand. Four of the career majors are encompassed under the STEM program of study; however, AAST's program design recognizes that students' interests in STEM areas are greatly enhanced when they are offered the opportunity to explore arts and humanities electives to support their interest in pursuing careers in STEM/STEAM areas.AAST's student ACT and SAT average scores are consistently above the state and national average. AAST been recognized as a New American High School, a National Blue Ribbon School, and American School Boards Association's Magna Award finalist, and a SREB High Schools That Work Platinum Pacesetter School in 2014. In April 2016, AAST was accredited by AdvancED as a whole school STEM learning environment through a rigorous, research-based, evaluation process. AAST is one of 50 nationally certified STEM schools under AdvancED. AdvancED STEM Certification is the first internationally recognized mark of quality for STEM schools and programs, signaling the growing emphasis placed on STEM education by educators, politicians and business leaders around the world. In earning this certification, AAST has demonstrated its commitment to preparing its students for their educational and career opportunities of the future by ensuring its students will have the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their postsecondary pursuits and as workforce contributors in the 21st-century economy.