Each Central Academy Department had the daunting challenge of selecting just one senior to receive a special commendation for their work in their discipline. Click the headline to find links to the speeches about each of the seniors selected for 2018.
Robert Nishimwe was elected to be the Senior Speaker for 2018. Known for his incredible accomplishments, compassion, and activism, Robert said, “I ask that we become more conscious of how our language, actions, and beliefs impact others.” Robert started at Central Academy in the 7th grade as a member of the Prep Academy and has … Read more »
Aaron Choi taught himself hip-hop from watching YouTube videos growing up, but when he realized that videos could only take him so far, he decided that he wanted to venture out and learn about all types of dance forms and Des Moines Public Schools helped him make this new found passion a reality. Click the headline to watch a recent video of his work
Dezell Turner, East High, was selected as the FY2018 Senior Scholar by his peers at Central Academy. To get an idea about Dezell, check out the video he created for his MIT application by clicking the headline and then clicking the link, “Etch-a-Sketch Calculus”.
Congratulations to juniors Natalie Chartier, Ben Wonderlin, and Cammy Primeau for earning perfect scores on the ACT exam taken in February! Click the headline to read the District story about them.
So, you’ve ordered your AP Exams, now what? Click on the headline to visit our AP Exam page. NOTE: The locations, times and dates for each exam are listed. This is important because some exams you take at your home school even if you took the class at Academy. Some exams are ONLY offered at Academy, no matter where you took the class! Check it out! We will complete pre-administration in late April.
Student leaders organized the Unity Through Diversity Political Forum to demonstrate how they would like political discourse to work in the United States. See it for yourself:
Audience members said:
“Listening to these teenagers discuss the tax system with more knowledge and nuance than any politician I’ve heard lately.”
“I am amazed at this panel’s ability to tackle a wide range of difficult issues. How can we, in school and society, facilitate the transfer of these conversations to the “next level”? These students give me hope; how do we guarantee their leadership in the future?”
“I love that none of you toed a party line tonight. You showed maturity, nuance, humanity, and understanding. In a political debate, you’d be criticized for inconsistency. How do we shift the paradigm so that THIS is the model for political discourse in the US?”
Listen to Academy Alumnus, Apple Amos (East), talk about her experience at Central Academy when she addressed the Class of 2015 at the Senior Recognition Ceremony. Success without struggle is not nearly so sweet!
The Alumni Network was established to foster support for the continued excellence in education at the Academy. The Network will serve as a vehicle for fundraising activities, alumni networking, and volunteer efforts directed at enabling the continued success of the Academy. Find them at http://centralacademyalumninetwork.org/
P: 515-242-7888 | E: centralacademy@dmschools.org
Central Academy was established in 1985 by the Des Moines School District. The Academy is a program dedicated to providing a challenging, fast-paced, academic curriculum for students with exceptional abilities. Read More…
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For over 100 years, Des Moines Public Schools has been educating the students of Iowa's capital city. Today, we are the largest provider of public education in Iowa, with more than 30,000 students and nearly 5,000 teachers and staff at work in more than 60 schools throughout the community.
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