Next school year, Waipahu High School will offer new Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses and pathways in the majority of its academies. State guidelines for CTE curriculum are changing, so schools across Hawaii will adjust to align with new guidelines.  

 Academy of Arts & Communication

The Academy of Arts & Communication will offer a new Gaming pathway. Bryant Murakami will teach courses in this pathway, and explains that gaming is a “growing industry for a lot of students to pursue after this pathway.”

 “The gaming pathway will be part of a larger Marauder Media Network, which consists of news channels such as WHS News and more entertainment-driven channels such as Marauder Television,” Murakami says. The games that students design will be branded under Marauder Gaming alongside these counterparts. There will be a variety of other games that students will produce, such as card games and board games.

Academy of Health & Sciences

The Academy of Health & Sciences (AHS) currently offers the following pathways: Medical Biotechnology, Clinical Health, and Health & Nutrition. The academy also offers the courses Nutrition 1 and 2, Medical Biotechnology, and Clinical Health 1 and 2. 

However, next school year, the Health & Nutrition pathways, as well as the associated courses Nutrition 1 and 2, will be replaced by a Human Performance & Kinesiology pathway and course. According to AHS Counselor Jared Yamamoto, Human Performance & Kinesiology “will be focused a lot on physical therapy, athletic training, sports medicine,” and related topics.

Additionally, the Clinical Health pathway and course will be renamed Nursing Services.

Academy of Industrial & Engineering Technology

Within the Academy of Industrial & Engineering Technology (IET), the Computer Networking and Information Technology pathways will be combined into a Cyber Security pathway. A computer science class will be available for students from all academies to take.

While the Engineering pathway will remain the same, several other pathways will be renamed. Automotive Technology will be known as Maintenance and Light Repair. Electronics Technology will be renamed Automation and Robotics. Building and Construction will be renamed Residential and Commercial Construction. Metals Technology will become Welding, and Design Technology will be renamed Architecture.

Some IET courses will also be renamed. IET Assistant Principal Brandy Yagi says, “We’re used to seeing something like ‘Metals’, but now that class is going to be called ‘Welding’ so that we align with the state names.” A few other courses that will be renamed include Electronics Technology, which will be renamed Automation and Robotics Technology; Building and Construction, which will be renamed Residential & Commercial Construction; and Design Technology, which will be renamed Architecture.

Academy of Natural Resources

The Academy of Natural Resources (ANR) will continue to maintain its three current pathways; however, their names will be changed. The Production pathway will be renamed Agricultural and Food Production Business. The Environmental Resource Management pathway will be renamed Natural Resources and Wildlife Management. Finally, the Natural Resources Biotechnology pathway will be renamed to Food Systems.