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Advanced Career Education Center at Highland Springs

High Tech

High Tech Academy

Program Overview

High Tech Academy (HTA) is a dual-enrollment STEM program that gives students the opportunity to take college-level engineering, math, and physics classes in a challenging environment with other motivated students. HTA students can earn up to 29 college credits during their junior and senior years of high school! Students participate in hands-on honors engineering classes and work together to solve problems, all while earning college credit in mathematics, physics, and engineering. If you are a motivated HCPS student interested in getting a head start for college, this program is for you! 

A large, diverse group of people gathers in a bright indoor warehouse or hall, smiling together for a photo.

    • Precalculus I* [Reynolds MTH 161]
    • Precalculus II*[Reynolds MTH 162]
    • Calculus I* [Reynolds MTH 263]
    • Calculus II* [Reynolds MTH 264]
    • Differential Equations* [Reynolds MTH 267]
    • Statistics* [Reynolds MTH 245]
    • General Physics I* [VCU PHYS 201]
    • General Physics II* [VCU PHYS 202]
    • Introduction to Engineering* [VCU ENGR 101]
    • Engineering Statics* [VCU EGMN 102]
    • Hon Engineering Explorations I [HCPS 8450]
    • Hon Engineering Analysis & Applications II  [HCPS 8451]

    *denotes dual enrollment course

    • NOCTI Pre-Engineering Certification
    • Workplace Readiness

Program Overview

The Engineering Program is a dynamic, two-year opportunity for juniors and seniors from all county high schools. Students can:

  • Earn up to 29 college credits through partnerships with VCU and Reynolds Community College.
  • Build professional networks by connecting with potential employers for internship opportunities.
  • Explore career paths through hands-on field trips to engineering sites.

Located at the ACE Center at Highland Springs, the program is independent of the Highland Springs High School engineering program and operates on an alternating-day schedule. Students continue to attend their home high schools, allowing them to maintain participation in sports, marching band, clubs, and other activities.

Annual Program Fee: $10–$20, depending on the number of engineering courses taken.

    • Interested HCPS students can apply online during the fall of their sophomore year.
    • To be eligible for the program, students must meet the following criteria:
      • Currently enrolled in Algebra II or Precalculus.
      • Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
      • Finish Algebra II or Precalculus with at least a C.
    • Students may still apply after the fall application deadline if spots are available and will be considered for acceptance through mid-spring.

High Tech Course Tracks

Meet the Instructors

Ms. Allison Buschy teaches Honors Engineering I and II and supports the dual enrollment engineering courses. As a licensed Professional Engineer, she has an extensive background in civil engineering and has worked in various fields throughout the Commonwealth. Ms. Buschy enjoys teaching engineering concepts by doing hands-on projects with students.

Questions? Please email me: ambuschy@henrico.k12.va.us

Mr. Sal Brusco teaches all of the math classes for High Tech Academy. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Mathematics Education and a Master of Science from Duquesne University in Computational Mathematics and Statistics. He's been teaching for 11 years and this is his first year at ACE.

Questions? Please email me: srbrusco@henrico.k12.va.us

Engineering Project & Event Photos

  • A student wearing safety goggles carefully builds a model using sticks and tape in a classroom.
    Egg Drop Device
  • A student wearing a black hoodie adjusts a small blue fan on top of a handmade white gazebo model in a classroom.
    Renewable Energy
  • A diverse group of students proudly poses around a large, handcrafted wooden Christmas tree in a classroom.
    Real-World Community Project
  • Three young men participate in a science competition, examining a homemade leg brace.
    Prosthetic Legs
  • Four students crouch in a school hallway, testing and positioning three colorful, handmade toy cars on the floor.
    Mousetrap-powered Cars
  • A student uses a blue hot glue gun to assemble a mousetrap car in a workshop.
    Mousetrap Cars Take 2
  • Four students gather around a desk to observe a small wooden bridge model mounted on a testing apparatus.
    Balsa Bridge
  • A smiling young man sits at a wooden classroom desk, holding a small popsicle stick catapult.
    Catapult
  • A tall wooden tower model stands mounted on a brown shake table platform in a classroom.
    Earthquake-proof Tower
  • A smiling young person with long dark hair, wearing a blazer, stands in an event hall with a stage in the background.
    TSA State Competition
  • A student wearing glasses and a participant tag numbered 522 sits at a red and white checkered table, sketching a design.
    Engineering Design Process
  • A hand holds a handmade toy car constructed from a cardboard tube, plastic wheels, and a spinning blue propeller.
    Electric Car
  • A group of six young adults pose together outdoors on a sunny day with name tags on their shirts.
    Engineering Firm Field Trip
  • A student kneels on a workshop floor, intently observing several small, handmade engineering projects displayed on a large white sheet.
    Rube Goldberg Machine
  • A smiling young man holds up a handmade paper airplane in a brightly lit workshop or classroom.
    Balsa Airplane
  • Seven students proudly hold up their certificates and awards inside a classroom.
    Senior Awards