Pasadena Unified Graduates Its First APP Academy Class

Seniors in the inaugural class of the App Academy at Pasadena High School have completed the innovative four-year high school program where they learn computer science through mobile, web, and game development, in addition to taking regular college preparatory classes. The program is supported by the Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF).

A capstone event on May 20 showcased seniors’ five-month projects, including a first-person horror adventure game, a city cost-of-living comparison web application, and an R2D2-style articulating mobile robot.

Curriculum content for the four-year program is based on cutting-edge industry and research practices and is approved by the UCOP (University of California Office of the President). Computer science courses are focused on teaching the in-demand skills and languages of top companies such as Google, Apple, and Facebook. Classes are designed to teach topics and skills through engaging, rigorous projects that mirror industry products or applications