What is Stride Career Prep?
Are you a 6th–12th grader looking to get a jump-start on your future? With Stride Career Prep, you can use your high school years to figure out where you want to go and how to get there. In addition to core courses, you'll take career-focused electives to explore your options and find your passion—all while earning your high school diploma. Discovering what you want to do now can prepare you to dive into a career right out of high school or help you make the right decision about your college major.
Career Fields
Take career-focused electives in the high-demand career field of your choice:
You can also:
Participate in career clubs
Prepare to take industry-recognized certification exams upon graduation*
Gain workplace skills
Stride Career Prep Motivates Students to Find Their Passion
"The career focused classes are a great preparation for life and the job place." –Amy Johnson, ARVA Head of School
Career Clubs
Stride Career Prep students can enroll in career clubs, also called career technical service organizations (CTSOs). CTSOs give students with similar career interests the opportunity to connect, practice professional skills, work on service projects, take field trips, and compete against other schools at the local, state, and national levels. Stride Career Prep at ARVA offers these career clubs:
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
FBLA helps students prepare for careers in business and business-related fields through leadership development, academic competitions, community service, awards, and more.
Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)
This national CTSO is for students interested in the services surrounding families and consumers. Participation allows students to:
- Build real-world skills
- Explore career opportunities
- Engage in events and competitions
- Apply for scholarships and awards
National FFA Organization (FFA)
This intracurricular organization is available for students enrolled in an agriculture course. FFA is committed to providing students with a path to achievement in leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Students in FFA can:
- Build valuable skills through hands-on learning
- Explore their interests in a range of agricultural careers
- Participate in competitions based on real-world agricultural skills
Technology Student Association (TSA)
TSA is a national, nonprofit CTSO of middle school and high school students who are engaged in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Since TSA was chartered in 1978, over 5,000,000 student have benefited from membership. Students in TSA can:
- Compete in a wide variety of STEM competitions—from biotechnology and cybersecurity to STEM animation
- Participate in intracurricular activities and community service
- Gain 21st-century leadership skills
SkillsUSA
With curriculum that covers 130 job categories and more than 600 national partners—businesses, trade associations, and unions—SkillsUSA gives students the opportunity to:
- Practically apply what they learn in the classroom
- Take courses in addition to those offered by the ARVA course catalog
- Participate in academic competitions and community service activities
- Connect with like-minded students who have similar career and academic interests
- Earn scholarships offered exclusively through SkillsUSA
*Many Microsoft®️ Office certificates can be earned after completing one course. Other certificates require more classes to be better prepared, and students who participate in the program for at least two years will have further preparation for certification testing.
