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Prodigy Academy Master Curriculum Book
A comprehensive, integrated framework spanning CTE/Trades, Sports, Arts/Media, Cultural Languages, and Mental Health — designed to empower every learner from age 3 to 18. Programs will be implemented based on meeting the minimum group requirements for participation. Some activities require less participants than others, however if we can meet the requirements for participation we will always implement the program.
One Academy. Many Pillars of Excellence.
Prodigy Academy integrates ten interconnected program areas into a single K–12 framework — rigorous, career-aligned, and tailored to every learner's unique path.
Leadership & Governance
The Leadership & Governance pillar cultivates the next generation of civic leaders, policymakers, and community advocates. From mock city councils to youth policy chapters, students develop the skills, vocabulary, and confidence to engage authentically with public systems at every level of government.
Leadership: Classes, Clubs & Competitions
Core Classes
  • City Management 101
  • Policy Analysis & Advocacy
  • Public Speaking & Debate
  • Mock Trial & Law Basics
  • Student Government Operations
Extracurriculars
  • Model United Nations
  • Youth City Council
  • Debate Club
Junior Organizations
  • National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)
  • Student Council (Jr Level)
  • AYA Youth Policy Chapters
Competitions & Key Dates
  • NSDA Alabama Tournament — Feb 6 (reg. close)
  • NAACP Della M. Bryant Oratorical — Ages 5–18, Sep 27
  • Youth of the Year Luncheon — Feb 19
Volunteer Opportunities
  • Habitat group builds
  • City hall shadowing programs
Business & Finance
The Business & Finance pillar equips students with the entrepreneurial mindset and financial literacy skills demanded by today's economy. From B2B sales simulations to real estate investing basics, students learn by doing — running real pitch clubs, participating in junior achievement programs, and earning IRS-recognized certifications before graduation.
Business: Classes, Clubs & Competitions
Core Classes
  • Entrepreneurship Launchpad
  • Personal Finance & Economics
  • Business Law
  • Project Management Fundamentals
Extracurriculars & Volunteer
  • Junior Achievement Company Program
  • Shark Tank Pitch Club
  • SCORE Mentoring Sessions
  • Small Business Fairs
Competitions
  • NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
  • Blue Ocean Competition
  • National Personal Finance Challenge
Junior Organizations
  • FBLA Jr (Future Business Leaders)
  • DECA Explorers (Middle School)
  • YEA Clubs
Technology, AI & Engineering
In a rapidly automated world, Prodigy Academy ensures every student graduates technology-literate — and many graduate technology-certified. The Tech pillar spans coding, artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, and cybersecurity. Students with 2e designations are accelerated toward industry certifications such as CompTIA A+ (no minimum age) well before traditional timelines.
Tech: Full Program Breakdown
Classes & Curriculum
  • Intro to Coding (Python/Scratch)
  • AI & Machine Learning Basics
  • IT Fundamentals (CompTIA A+)
  • Robotics Engineering
  • 3D Printing & Design (CAD)
  • Web Development & Cybersecurity
  • Data Analytics
Organizations & Competitions
  • Code.org Clubs
  • FIRST Robotics Jr
  • CyberPatriot Teams
  • NSBE Jr
Key Contest Deadlines
  • 3M Young Scientist Challenge — Apr 30 (Grades 5–8)
  • Regeneron STS — November (Seniors)
  • VEX Robotics World — April–May
  • Google Science Fair — Regional
Arts, Media & Publishing
Prodigy Academy's Arts, Media & Publishing program is one of the most expansive in alternative education. Students pursue a SAG-AFTRA pathway through drama production, earn Adobe certifications through graphic design, and publish original works through the school's literary magazine and book pipeline. This program is a top-performing revenue center, with over $235K in likely grant wins.
Arts: Classes, Competitions & Revenue
Core Classes
  • Visual Arts (Painting/Sculpting/Drawing)
  • Creative Writing & Poetry
  • Book Publishing Pipeline
  • Film/Drama Production (SAG-AFTRA Path)
  • Music Production Engineering
  • Photography & Graphic Design
Extracurriculars & Organizations
  • Drama Troupe (ITS Thespians)
  • Literary Magazine
  • Film Club
  • National Art Honor Society (NAHS)
  • Tri-M Music Honor Society
  • International Thespian Society (ITS)
Competitions & Key Deadlines
  • River of Words — Jan 31
  • Scholastic Art & Writing Awards — Jan (regional)
  • Alabama Writers Forum Literary Awards — Feb 15
  • Sidewalk Youth Film Fest (Birmingham)
Industrial Trades Program
Prodigy Academy's CTE/Trades program is a cornerstone of workforce development for the Birmingham region. Beginning as young as age 6, students gain hands-on proficiency in carpentry, plumbing, electrical systems, automotive repair, welding, HVACR, fire sprinkler installation, and CNC machining. Industry-recognized certifications — including NCCER Core (14+), OSHA 10 (14+ observer), and ASE Entry (16+) — are embedded in the curriculum.
Trades: Full Program Breakdown
Trade Disciplines Offered
  • Carpentry & Cabinetmaking
  • Plumbing & Pipefitting
  • Electrical Wiring & Systems
  • Automotive Repair & Auto Body
  • Welding & Fabrication
  • HVACR Systems
  • Fire Sprinkler Installation
  • CNC Machining & Manufacturing
Organizations & Competitions
  • SkillsUSA Chapter (Local/State/National)
  • SkillsUSA Collegiate Prep
  • ACE Mentor Program
  • Shop Club + Habitat Mini-Builds
Key Contest Deadlines
  • SkillsUSA Championships — March–June
  • WorldSkills Youth (prep for Shanghai, Sep)
  • Trades Olympics (HS events)
In-Kind Sponsors
  • Home Depot & Lowe's (tools/kits)
  • IBEW (gear), Summit Fire (sprinklers)
  • Brasfield & Gorrie (mentors)
Sports Program: Traditional + Boardroom/Elite
Prodigy Academy offers the most comprehensive youth sports program in the region — spanning nineteen sports across two tiers. Traditional sports build athletic foundation and community teamwork, while Boardroom/Elite sports like tennis, golf, fencing, and sailing introduce students to networks and environments accessed by future executives, diplomats, and civic leaders. Ages 3 and up.
Traditional Sports Offered
Basketball
Fundamentals to competitive team play
Soccer
Skills, tactics, US Youth Soccer affiliates
Karate / MMA / Boxing
Self-defense, discipline, competition ready
Football
Tactics, conditioning, team strategy
Volleyball & Baseball/Softball
Team sports for all skill levels
Boardroom / Elite Sports Offered
Elite sports expose students to social environments and professional networks traditionally gatekept from under-resourced youth. Prodigy Academy's Boardroom/Elite tier opens every door — from country club courts to competitive sailing regattas — giving students competitive credentials across ten elite disciplines.
Tennis & Golf
Strategy, etiquette, and country club-ready competitive skills
Fencing & Archery
Precision sports; USA Fencing Y14/Y12 eligible
Rowing, Sailing & Squash
Endurance, navigation, and agility-based elite athletics
E-Sports & Billiards
Scholastic E-Sports Association; cognitive precision sports
Cultural & Foreign Languages Program
Prodigy Academy offers six languages tailored to serve diaspora communities, faith traditions, and global professional development — Arabic, Amharic, Swahili, French, Spanish, and Hebrew. This program bridges cultural identity with academic excellence, ensuring students can communicate authentically across the communities Prodigy serves. Starting at age 5, language learning is embedded into daily life on every campus.
Languages: Courses, Clubs & Competitions
Arabic Immersion
Serves Middle Eastern and North African diaspora communities; connects to State Department exchange programs
Amharic for Diaspora
Heritage language instruction connecting Ethiopian and Eritrean families to cultural and linguistic roots
Swahili Heritage
Pan-African diaspora focus; supported by community cultural centers
French Conversation
Société Honorifique de Français; National French Exam (March)
Spanish Business
Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica; Spanish Olympiad (April)
Hebrew Faith/Culture
Levite JCC partnership; connecting Jewish diaspora students to heritage
Health & Medical Program
The Health & Medical pillar prepares students for one of the fastest-growing career sectors in America. From Medical Terminology and CPR certification to Allied Health pathways leading to PTA and Respiratory Therapist roles, Prodigy Academy provides a clear, credential-backed pipeline into healthcare. The Peer Counseling extracurricular also supports the academy's mental health mission across campuses.
Health: Classes, Organizations & Competitions
Core Classes
  • Medical Terminology & Basics
  • Mental Health First Aid
  • Allied Health (PTA/OTA Intro)
  • CPR / First Responder Certification
Extracurriculars
  • HOSA Prep Club
  • Peer Counseling Program
Volunteer Opportunities
  • Red Cross Blood Drives
  • Senior Center Visits
Junior Organizations
  • HOSA – Future Health Professionals
  • Psi Alpha (Psychology Honor Society)
Competitions & Key Dates
  • HOSA State Leadership Conference — Feb 26–27
  • Knowledge Bowl (Medical Scenarios)
Key Certifications
  • CPR/AED (all ages)
  • CET EKG Technician (16+)
Green Science & Environment Program
Prodigy Academy's Green Science program bridges environmental literacy with real-world problem solving. Students design home and industrial recycling systems, develop climate change solutions, cultivate edible campus gardens, and compete in national environmental art contests. The program integrates seamlessly with trades (green building), technology (environmental data), and health (urban food access).
Green Science: Curriculum & Competitions
Home & Industrial Recycling Systems
Students design and implement recycling programs for school, home, and community partners, earning volunteer hours and media content revenue.
Climate Change Solutions & Green Inventions
Project-based learning focused on real environmental challenges. Eligible for EPA Student Video Contest (Spring) and River of Words Environmental Art (Jan 31).
Urban Gardening & Agriculture
Campus garden builds, community food distribution, and Eco Club activities. Connects to National Junior Environmental Association and Green Schools Alliance membership.
Environmental Conservation
Community cleanups, recycling drives, and conservation fieldwork. National Geography Bee state qualifiers for advanced students.
Mental Health Program
Mental health is not a supplemental program at Prodigy Academy — it is a core service embedded in every campus and program. The Mental Health program employs licensed professional counselors (LPCs) and bills Medicaid for therapeutic sessions.
Students receive support for a wide range of concerns — from major life events to the everyday challenges that quietly impact learning. No concern is too small.
Clinical & Behavioral Support
  • ADHD assessment and ongoing support
  • Anxiety and depression treatment
  • Trauma-informed counseling
Family & Life Transitions
  • Divorce, separation, and custody changes
  • Grief and bereavement — deaths in the family
  • Major household or life disruptions
Social & Academic Wellbeing
  • Peer conflict and relationship challenges
  • Academic stress and performance anxiety
  • Identity development and self-esteem
  • Everyday worries that affect focus and learning

Every student's concern matters. Whether a student is navigating a personal crisis or simply having a hard week, Prodigy Academy's counselors are available, embedded, and ready to help.
Student Media Enterprises
Prodigy Academy students don't just learn about media — they run a real media company. The Student Media Enterprises program operates across all campuses and programs, producing professional-grade content, serving local business clients, and generating pocket income for students while funding program expansion. Every piece of content is student-produced and monetized through advertising, sponsorships, and client work.
Publications & Print Media
  • School newspaper — print and digital editions
  • Literary magazine featuring student poetry, stories, and essays
  • Yearbook production and design
  • Program-specific newsletters (trades, arts, sports, etc.)
  • Community magazine distributed to local Birmingham businesses
Digital Content & Social Media
  • YouTube channel — tutorials, educational content, behind-the-scenes
  • Podcast network — student interviews, program spotlights, community stories
  • Instagram, TikTok, and platform social media management
  • Blog content creation and SEO optimization
  • Email newsletter campaigns for clients and the academy
Video Production
  • Documentary filmmaking on student projects and community issues
  • Promotional videos for local business clients
  • Event coverage — sports, competitions, performances
  • Tutorial and how-to video series
  • Short films and creative student projects
Audio Production
  • Music production and recording studio services
  • Voiceover work for commercials and educational content
  • Sound design for video and multimedia projects
  • Radio show production and broadcast
Client Services & Revenue Streams
Student Media Enterprises operates as a real business — pitching, contracting, and delivering professional services to Birmingham-area clients.
Client Work
  • Local business marketing packages (video, social, print)
  • Event photography and videography
  • Graphic design — logos, flyers, brochures
  • Website design and ongoing maintenance
  • Advertising sales for student publications
Revenue Model
  • 60% student commission on all client work secured or produced
  • Advertising revenue from local business partners
  • Subscription models for premium content
  • Client production contracts
  • Sponsorships and community partnerships
Student Roles & Career Pathways
Every student in the program holds a real role with real responsibilities — building a professional portfolio and résumé from day one.
Journalism & Editorial
Reporters, editors, photographers, and layout artists producing content for print and digital publications.
Video & Audio
Videographers, producers, directors, and sound designers creating original and client-facing media.
Digital & Marketing
Social media managers, content strategists, and SEO specialists growing audiences and brand presence.
Business & Accounts
Sales representatives, account executives, and project managers who pitch clients and manage deliverables.

Student Media Enterprises is more than a program — it's a working business that teaches real-world skills, builds professional portfolios, generates income for students, creates sustainable revenue for the academy, and delivers genuine value to the Birmingham community.
Cross-Program Honor Societies & Jr Organizations
Junior organizations and honor societies are the backbone of Prodigy Academy's co-curricular credentialing system. Membership builds college applications, scholarship eligibility, and professional network access — long before graduation. Every program maintains dedicated chapter affiliations.
General Academic
  • National Honor Society (NHS)
  • National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)
  • Mu Alpha Theta (Math)
  • Rho Kappa (Social Studies)
Trades & Business
  • SkillsUSA Chapter
  • FBLA Jr (Future Business Leaders)
  • DECA Explorers
  • HOSA (Future Health Professionals)
STEM
  • NSBE Jr (Black Engineers)
  • IEEE TryEngineering
  • Code.org Clubs
  • CyberPatriot Teams
Arts & Leadership
  • National Art Honor Society (NAHS)
  • Tri-M Music Honor Society
  • International Thespian Society
  • AYA Youth Policy Chapters
2e / Gifted & Advanced Learner Framework
Prodigy Academy's curriculum is built from the ground up to serve twice-exceptional (2e) and gifted learners. Students who are academically advanced, neurodivergent, or both receive individualized acceleration pathways, grade-skip waivers, and early access to professional certifications — with documentation support for all competitive programs that require grade or age verification.

Our Core Belief: 2e students are not problems to fix — they are assets with extraordinary potential. Prodigy Academy's ten-pillar model provides multiple pathways for every student to shine on their own terms.
What is Twice-Exceptional (2e)?
Twice-exceptional students are simultaneously gifted or highly talented AND have one or more learning differences or disabilities — such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, processing disorders, anxiety, or sensory integration challenges. Traditional educational systems often fail these students in two critical ways:
Missed by Gifted Programs
Their learning differences mask their giftedness — they don't "look" like typical gifted students, so they are never identified or given the enrichment they need.
Underestimated by Special Ed
Their giftedness masks their challenges — they compensate so well that their real struggles are invisible, and their true potential goes unrecognized and unsupported.
The Prodigy Difference
We see the whole student. Our ten-pillar model ensures that every talent has a stage, and every challenge has a support — simultaneously, not in competition with each other.
2e Profiles: Who We Serve
Twice-exceptional learners don't fit one mold. Here are examples of the students Prodigy Academy is specifically built to support:
🧮 Math Prodigy + Dyslexia
Solves complex equations mentally but struggles with written work — needs oral exams and text-to-speech tools.
🎨 Exceptional Artist + ADHD
Creates museum-worthy work in hyperfocus but needs movement breaks, flexible scheduling, and project-based assessment.
💻 Advanced Coder + Autism Spectrum
Builds sophisticated applications but benefits from structured social scripts, sensory accommodations, and direct instruction in soft skills.
🎵 Talented Musician + Processing Speed
Performs at conservatory level but needs extended time on assessments and chunked instruction for written tasks.
🎤 Brilliant Debater + Anxiety Disorder
Articulates complex arguments with ease but requires counseling support, low-stakes practice environments, and test anxiety accommodations.
Identification & Assessment
Prodigy Academy uses multiple pathways for identification — recognizing that no single test or score captures the full picture of a 2e learner.
Portfolio-Based Talent Assessment
Students demonstrate abilities through curated work samples, projects, and performances across all ten pillars — not just standardized tests.
Cognitive & Learning Difference Screening
Comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations identify both intellectual strengths and processing challenges, administered by qualified specialists.
Teacher Observations & Parent Input
Structured observation protocols and parent questionnaires surface talent and challenge patterns that formal testing may miss.
Talent ID Across All Ten Pillars
Giftedness is assessed across academic, artistic, athletic, technical, and leadership domains — ensuring no extraordinary ability goes unrecognized.
Individualized Learning Plans (PEPs)
Every 2e student at Prodigy Academy receives a Personalized Education Plan (PEP) — a living document that evolves with the student and is co-created with their input.
01
Comprehensive Profile Development
Assessment results, portfolio review, teacher input, and family collaboration are synthesized into a full strength-and-challenge profile.
02
Goal Setting with Student Voice
Students participate meaningfully in setting their own academic, social, and personal growth goals — building self-advocacy from day one.
03
Acceleration + Accommodation Plan
The PEP outlines simultaneous acceleration in areas of strength and targeted supports for areas of challenge, with no ceiling and no deficit-only framing.
04
Regular Progress Monitoring
Quarterly PEP reviews adjust goals, supports, and acceleration pathways based on student progress, changing needs, and emerging interests.
Academic Accommodations & Supports
Assessment Accommodations
  • Extended time on all formal assessments
  • Alternative formats: oral presentations, projects, demonstrations
  • Reduced-distraction testing environments
  • Scribe, reader, or recorder support
  • Chunked assessments across multiple sessions
Assistive Technology
  • Text-to-speech and speech-to-text tools
  • Graphic organizers and visual planning software
  • Audiobook access for all required reading
  • Calculator and math support tools as appropriate
Environmental Supports
  • Flexible seating options in every classroom
  • Sensory tools (fidgets, noise-canceling headphones, lighting options)
  • Scheduled movement breaks and co-regulation spaces
  • Predictable routines with advance notice of changes
Instructional Modifications
  • Modified assignments that maintain rigor while addressing challenges
  • Chunked instructions with visual supports
  • Pre-teaching of key vocabulary and concepts
  • Flexible grouping and choice in demonstrating learning
Enrichment & Acceleration Options
Subject Acceleration
Students advance in specific subjects while remaining with age peers in others — no all-or-nothing grade skipping required.
Grade Skipping
Full grade acceleration available when developmentally appropriate, with holistic social-emotional readiness assessed alongside academic criteria.
Dual Enrollment
Qualified students enroll in college coursework — regardless of age — with accommodations transferred and honored by partner institutions.
Independent Study
Passion-driven deep dives into student-selected topics, culminating in a publishable, exhibitable, or competition-ready product.
Professional Mentorship
Students are matched with field professionals in their areas of passion — relationships that accelerate both skill and career clarity.
Competition by Ability Level
Students compete at their academic and skill level, not their age level — opening doors to regional and national recognition earlier.
Social-Emotional Support
2e learners face unique social-emotional challenges — perfectionism, anxiety, identity confusion, and the exhaustion of compensating for hidden challenges. Prodigy Academy addresses these directly:
2e Peer Community
Students are grouped with other 2e learners for advisory and social activities — providing the relief of being truly understood by peers who share similar experiences.
Targeted Counseling
Counselors trained in 2e social-emotional needs address perfectionism, anxiety, self-advocacy skills, identity development, and the grief of unmet potential.
Resilience & Growth Mindset
Structured programming builds tolerance for challenge, healthy responses to failure, and an internal definition of success not dependent on external validation.
Celebrating Neurodiversity
Neurodivergent identities are honored as strengths. Students learn to understand and articulate their own brains — building lifelong self-awareness and self-advocacy.
Strength-Based Philosophy

The Prodigy Academy Approach: We start every conversation about a 2e student with what they can do. Supports for areas of challenge are scaffolded through areas of strength — so a student with dyslexia who loves debate learns to read through argument analysis, not isolated drills.
Leverage Interests Across Pillars
Every student has at least one pillar where they can experience deep success. That success becomes the emotional and motivational foundation for tackling harder challenges.
Build Confidence First
Students who feel genuinely capable in their strength areas develop the resilience and self-trust needed to persist through their areas of challenge.
Strengths as Scaffolds
Instructional design intentionally uses student strengths as the entry point for developing weaker skills — making support feel empowering, not remedial.
Parent & Staff Partnership
👨‍👩‍👧 Parent Partnership
  • Regular collaborative communication and PEP co-development
  • Parent education workshops on 2e learning and neurodiversity
  • Resources and referrals for outside evaluations and therapy
  • Advocacy training: how to navigate college admissions, testing accommodations, and scholarship applications as a 2e family
  • Family support network connecting 2e families across the program
🏫 Staff Training & Development
  • All staff trained in 2e identification, characteristics, and instructional response
  • Deep dives into ADHD, dyslexia, autism, anxiety, and other common profiles
  • Differentiation and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies
  • Trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming instructional practices
  • Ongoing professional development and case consultation with specialists
2e Policy: Key Provisions
1
Age Flex & Grade Verification
Students who have skipped grades may participate in competitions at their academic level with documentation. DECA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, and FBLA all allow participation with school verification letters.
2
Early Certification Access
CompTIA A+ has no minimum age — students as young as 9 may sit for the exam. OSHA 10 allows observers from age 14. AWS Welding certification is accessible at 16. QuickBooks and Google PM have no age floor.
3
Play-Up Policy
Most major organizations — including SkillsUSA, HOSA, FBLA, and DECA — allow 2e students to compete at higher grade levels with documentation. Prodigy maintains standard documentation packets for each organization.
4
Advanced Tools & Projects
2e students in trades access advanced equipment under supervised safety waivers according to ability. In STEM, they lead robotics teams and advanced AI projects. In arts, they are first assigned to paid student media roles.
Daily Academic Structure
Every Prodigy Academy student follows a structured daily framework that balances core academics with hands-on application, elective exploration, and media/enterprise production. The schedule is designed to maximize certification pathways without sacrificing academic depth.
This four-block structure is consistent across all campuses. Each block is approximately 90 minutes, with 20 hours of community service required per semester embedded into extracurricular and volunteer slots.
Core Certifications Roadmap
Prodigy Academy's certification pathways are tiered by age and program, ensuring every graduate leaves with at least one industry-recognized credential. Certifications are embedded in class instruction — not offered as optional add-ons — so credential attainment is a program outcome, not an afterthought.
1
Ages 9–13
CompTIA IT Fundamentals (no age min), QuickBooks User (no age min), Adobe Certified User
2
Ages 14–15
OSHA 10 (observer status), NCCER Core, MSSC Certified Production Technician, CET EKG (16)
3
Ages 16–17
AWS Welding, ASE Entry-Level Automotive, LEED Green Associate, Google Project Management
4
Age 18 / Graduation
CGFM (Government Finance), CompTIA A+, VITA IRS Tax Prep Certification
Business & Professional Services Program
Beyond the foundational Business & Finance pillar, Prodigy Academy offers a dedicated Professional Services track covering real estate investing, tax preparation certification, insurance sales fundamentals, and junior project management. These skills translate directly to employment and entrepreneurship — and students in this track are eligible for IRS VITA certification before turning 18.
Professional Services: Classes & Competitions
Core Classes
  • Real Estate Investing Basics
  • Tax Preparation Certification (VITA/IRS)
  • Insurance Sales Fundamentals
  • Project Management (PMP Jr)
Extracurriculars
  • Investment Club
  • Mock Business Fair
Volunteer
  • Tax Aid Clinics (community VITA sites)
  • Real Estate Tours
Junior Organizations
  • Young Investors Society (YIS)
  • Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA Jr)
  • DECA Fundamentals
Competitions
  • CCEE Financial Advisors Contest (tax scenarios)
  • EVERFI Tax Simulation
  • National Personal Finance Challenge (Apr–May Nationals)
Certifications
  • IRS VITA Tax Prep (no age minimum)
  • QuickBooks Certified User (no age minimum)
  • Google Project Management Certificate
Volunteering & Community Service Framework
Community service is not optional at Prodigy Academy — 20 hours per semester is a graduation requirement for all students across all campuses. Volunteer activities are tightly integrated with program learning, so students build skills while serving. Every volunteer placement generates documentation for college applications, scholarship eligibility, and honor society membership.
Habitat for Humanity
Group build days alongside professional tradespeople. Trades students operate shared 3D printers; Habitat provides the build site and mentors. Both parties benefit.
Recycling & Environment
Community cleanups, campus recycling drives, and neighborhood beautification projects. Doubles as Green Science lab hours for eligible students.
Senior Center Visits
Health program students conduct senior wellness check-ins, CPR awareness demonstrations, and technology literacy sessions at community senior centers.
Translation & Cultural Service
Language program students provide translation services for immigrant families at clinics, schools, and government offices — fulfilling volunteer hours while serving diaspora communities.
Junior Boards & Civic Leadership Placements
Prodigy Academy places eligible students on the junior advisory boards of prominent Birmingham institutions — providing real governance experience alongside community professionals. These placements are among the most powerful résumé builders available to K–12 students in Alabama.
BCRI Junior Board
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute — students engage with civil rights policy, museum programming, and community advocacy at one of the South's most significant cultural institutions.
Ballet Poinsettia Junior Board
Arts governance experience alongside professional arts administrators. Connects directly to the Arts & Media program and ITS Thespians pathway.
Youth City Council
Birmingham Youth City Council participation — students draft policy briefs, present to council members, and shadow city officials. Core Leadership & Governance extracurricular.
General Core Curriculum: Subjects & Careers
The General Core applies to every student on every campus. It is the unifying academic backbone of Prodigy Academy, ensuring all students graduate with foundational competencies across five domains regardless of their specialized program track.
Trades Master List: All Disciplines
Prodigy Academy's trades curriculum is the most comprehensive offered by any K–12 program in Alabama. The full master list — drawn from CTE standards, AIDT workforce requirements, and industry partner input — spans traditional construction trades, emerging manufacturing disciplines, and specialized technical fields.
Construction Trades
  • Carpentry & Cabinetmaking
  • Plumbing & Pipefitting
  • Electrical Wiring & Systems
  • Fire Sprinkler Installation
  • Cement Masonry
  • Glaziers (glass installation)
Manufacturing & Advanced
  • Welding & Fabrication
  • CNC Machining
  • 3D Printing / Construction
  • Mechatronics Technology
  • Instrument Technology
  • HVACR Systems
Automotive & Specialized
  • Auto Repair & Auto Body
  • Aviation Mechanics
  • Logistics & Supply Chain
  • Health Physicist (emerging)
Arts & Creative Full Curriculum
The Arts & Creative program at Prodigy Academy is among the most expansive in K–12 alternative education. Beginning at age 3, students explore visual arts, music production, fashion design, creative writing, book publishing, and film/drama — with a structured SAG-AFTRA pathway for students pursuing professional performance careers. Adobe and Unity certifications are embedded in the digital arts track.
Music Production & Engineering
  • Recording studio operations and audio engineering
  • Music theory and composition
  • Digital audio workstations (Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton)
  • Beat making and electronic music production
  • Live sound engineering and mixing
  • Music business and copyright
  • Instrument instruction (piano, guitar, drums, vocals)
  • Songwriting and arrangement
  • Podcast and audio production
  • Certifications: Avid Pro Tools, Apple Logic Pro
Painting, Sculpting & Drawing
  • Traditional media (oil, acrylic, watercolor, charcoal, pencil)
  • Sculpture (clay, wire, mixed media, 3D forms)
  • Figure drawing and portraiture
  • Landscape and still life
  • Abstract and contemporary art
  • Mural design and large-scale public art
  • Gallery exhibition preparation
  • Art history and criticism
  • Portfolio development for college applications
  • Competitions: Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Congressional Art Competition
Fashion Design
  • Sketching and technical drawing
  • Pattern making and draping
  • Sewing and garment construction
  • Textile selection and fabric science
  • Fashion illustration
  • Collection development
  • Fashion business and merchandising
  • Sustainable and ethical fashion
  • Fashion show production
  • Industry software (Adobe Illustrator for fashion)
  • Internships with local boutiques and designers
Creative Writing & Book Publishing
  • Poetry, short stories, novels, screenwriting
  • Journalism and feature writing
  • Editing and revision techniques
  • Literary analysis and critique
  • Publishing process (traditional and self-publishing)
  • Book design and layout
  • Marketing and author platform building
  • Literary magazine production
  • Writing competitions and submissions
  • Author readings and book launches
  • Partnerships with local publishers and literary organizations
Drama / Film (SAG-AFTRA Path)
  • Acting techniques (method, Meisner, classical)
  • Voice and movement training
  • Scene study and character development
  • Audition preparation and technique
  • On-camera acting for film and TV
  • Stage production and technical theater
  • Directing and cinematography
  • Screenwriting and storyboarding
  • Film editing (Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro)
  • SAG-AFTRA eligibility pathway (vouchers, Taft-Hartley, union membership)
  • Professional headshots and demo reels
  • Connections with Birmingham film industry and casting directors
  • Student film festivals and competitions
  • Theater productions (fall play, spring musical, one-acts)
Students are encouraged to pursue multiple arts disciplines simultaneously, building diverse skill sets. All tracks are designed to foster professional portfolios, provide industry-recognized certifications, and open doors to real-world opportunities.
Prodigy Academy: Who We Serve
Prodigy Academy is designed to serve the students most often left behind by traditional education systems — and to prove that they are among the most capable, creative, and determined learners in the nation. Every program is built with this belief at its core.
1st–6th Students (Main Campus)
All learning styles, all backgrounds. 2e/gifted acceleration built in.
Community Learners
Students seeking enrichment, acceleration, and community-based learning opportunities beyond traditional school settings.
Home School Cover School
Prodigy Academy serves as an umbrella school for homeschooling families, providing official transcripts, oversight, and access to all programs and resources.
Cross-Curricular Integration Model
One of Prodigy Academy's most distinctive design choices is deliberate cross-curricular integration — ensuring that no program operates in isolation. Green science principles appear in trades labs, business skills appear in media enterprises, and health literacy is embedded in sports training. This integrated model reflects how careers actually function, and prepares students for the multi-disciplinary demands of the modern economy.
Prodigy Academy: Founding Philosophy
"Every student who walks through our doors deserves access to the full spectrum of human possibility: trades, technology, arts, business, health, language, sport, and leadership. Prodigy Academy is built to deliver exactly that."
The Master Curriculum Book is not a compliance document — it is a declaration of what education can look like when it is designed around students rather than systems. Prodigy Academy integrates many program pillars, dozens of industry certifications, and hundreds of competition and scholarship opportunities into a single, coherent, and financially self-sustaining institution.
The 2e framework ensures that no student is held back by age or grade convention. And the student media enterprises ensure that every learner generates real income and real skills — not just transcripts.
A Curriculum for Tomorrow's Leaders
This Master Curriculum Book outlines Prodigy Academy's commitment to a holistic, integrated, and student-centric educational experience. Our programs are meticulously designed to foster critical thinking, creativity, and real-world skills, ensuring every student is prepared not just for a career, but for a life of purpose and impact. We believe in the transformative power of education tailored to individual potential, cultivating talent across all disciplines.