NAF (non-profit organization)

NAF (nonprofit organization)
FormerlyNational Academy Foundation
Company typeNon-profit organization
IndustryEducation
Founded1980
FounderSanford I. Weill
HeadquartersNew York, New York
Number of locations
620 academies
Area served
37 states, Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
Key people
Sanford I. "Sandy" Weill, Founder and Chairman; Lisa Dughi, CEO
ServicesPublic-private partnerships in key local sectors create academies within traditional high schools to create learning environments and internship opportunities in industries with jobs
SubsidiariesIn 2002, Career Academies U.K. were the first affiliates set up outside the U.S.
WebsiteNAF.org

NAF is an industry-sponsored nonprofit with a national network of public-private partnerships that support career academies within traditional high schools.[1][2] Each academy focuses on a theme that addresses the anticipated future needs of local industry and the community it serves in five major "college prep plus" fields of study that encourage and facilitate college preparation and technical training on career paths in finance, hospitality and tourism, information technology (IT), engineering, and health sciences.[3] In 2019, the NFL awarded eight social justice organizations, including NAF, with a $2 million grant for "reduc[ing] barriers to opportunity."[4]

The program is designed to build a work-ready future workforce by emphasizing STEM-related industry-specific curricula in the classroom and work-based learning experience, including summer internships. NAF has created career academies in 620 high schools in high-need communities in the contiguous United States and its territories since 1980. In one high-profile example, it partnered with United Technologies in 2020, launching two $3 million engineering academies in high schools in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.[5] During the height of the pandemic in 2020, corporate partner Verizon created a virtual internship program to accommodate social distancing protocol for participants.[6]

Numerous studies of the NAF model have concluded that "sustained, quality employer involvement in education is possible,"[1] and that their programming helps provide equitable opportunities for minority students[7] in "low-socioeconomic and high-risk backgrounds."[8] Other research also credits the work-study model with promoting successful equity and inclusion.[9]

  1. ^ a b Hughes, Katherine L.; Karp, Melinda Mechur; Orr, Margaret Terry (September 2002). "'Business partnerships for American education': employer involvement in the national academy foundation's high school career academies". Journal of Vocational Education & Training. 54 (3): 365–394. doi:10.1080/13636820200200205. S2CID 145743032.
  2. ^ Barlas, Stephen; Cordes, Bill; Dowsett, Christopher; Devonish-Mills, Linda; Ryan, Jodi (November 2007). "IMA Signs Cooperative Agreement with NAF". Strategic Finance. 89 (5): 14, 17. ProQuest 229783505.
  3. ^ David Stern, Charles Dayton, and Marilyn Raby. Career Academies: A Proven Strategy to Prepare High School Students for College and Careers. University of California Berkeley. Updated February 10, 2010 pp30
  4. ^ "NAF". www.influencewatch.org. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  5. ^ Journal, Rosario Fajardo, The Weekly (11 March 2020). "United Technologies, National Academy Foundation Launch $3M STEM Partnership". The Weekly Journal. Retrieved 2021-02-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "Virtual Internships with NAF". www.verizon.com. 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  7. ^ Bailie, Frances (2007-03-26). How a Technology Grant from the National Academy Foundation Has Begun to Make a Difference for Minority Students in an Urban High School. Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). pp. 762–769. ISBN 978-1-880094-61-7.
  8. ^ Carlson, Aspasia Angelou (2017). Perceptions of the First Graduating Class of the National Academy Foundation Finance Academy in an Urban Title I School (Thesis). ProQuest 2022340612.
  9. ^ Hakimov, Gafurjon; Dykanaliev, Kalybek (2018), "Preparing of Masters of Vocational Education for Conducting Research Activities", Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 179–185, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-73093-6_19, ISBN 978-3-319-73092-9