Houston High School Academy Application

Houston High School offers the Honors Academy and the Leadership Academy, open to both residents of Germantown and non-residents. The advantage of being part of the academies is that they offer a focused educational experience tailored to your interests and goals. Joining an academy offers an exclusive opportunity to engage deeply in your areas of interest alongside fellow students who are your passion and drive, fostering a unique environment for specialized learning and personal growth. The Honors Academy provides rigorous academic challenges and opportunities to earn college credits, while the Leadership Academy emphasizes developing leadership skills, fostering community impact, and enhancing personal growth within a small cohort of students with similar goals.

The Houston High Honors Academy challenges students to pursue excellence both in academic coursework and school and community leadership. Members of the Academy have chosen to distinguish themselves academically and to participate actively in service to the school and local community.Through the Honors Academy experience, students cultivate life skills such as leadership, cooperation, organization, and responsibility. During their senior year, Honors Academy members will complete a capstone project as a culminating experience that will carry them beyond their high school years.

Admission to the Honors Academy will be determined by a combination of academic performance, standardized test scores, application responses, a writing sample, an interview, and satisfactory discipline and consistent attendance.

The Houston High Leadership Academy is a dynamic program developing students' abilities to lead, collaborate, and contribute positively to the school community. Leadership Academy students are deeply involved in the school community through both academic and extracurricular pursuits, providing them opportunities to hone their leadership skills and work to achieve the goals they set for themselves. During their senior year, Leadership Academy members will complete a capstone project as a culminating experience that will carry them beyond their high school years.

Admission to the Leadership Academy is based on a student interview, academic performance, the Houston Way video submitted by the student, and a record of satisfactory discipline with consistent attendance.

Students will be invited to interview for either academy based on the application, writing sample/video, grades, and test scores. Once the application is submitted, students will be contacted with further instructions.

Students are encouraged to apply for the academy that they fill will best enhance their future goals. If a student is interested in both academies, the student can apply for both. Those who qualify and apply for both academies will have the opportunity during the interview to clarify their priorities with our admissions team as students are only permitted to be in one academy.

If you have any questions, please email HHSadmissions@gmsdk12.org

Houston High School accepts applications to each academy year-round.
Email*
Address to which we will send the confirmation email with a summary of your application details.

Demographic Information
Student Name*

First NameMiddle NameLast Name
Student Email*
example@example.com
Student Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Student Date of Birth*

MonthDayYear
Date
Home Phone*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Parent (1) Name*

First NameLast Name
Parent (1) Email*
example@example.com
Parent (2)Email
Optional/Alternate Email
Gender*

FemaleMalePrefer not to say
Application Type

Your response to both questions below will have no bearing on admission.
This applicant wishes to be considered for ___________.*
Does the applicant currently reside in the attendance zone (Germantown Resident) for Houston High School? If you are unsure, please use our Interactive School Zone Locator Map to check your address.
Please select one.*

Germantown Resident Applicant
We are pleased to announce that students currently enrolled in Germantown Municipal School District (GMSD) schools are entitled to an Early Action process during the application window for our prestigious academies. This exclusive opportunity allows our students to become part of a smaller, focused cohort of like-minded peers, fostering a unique environment for specialized learning and personal growth. Joining these academies offers a chance to engage deeply in your areas of interest alongside fellow students who share your passion and drive.

For assistance with academic records, report cards or TCAP score reports, our dedicated school counselors are here to help. Riverdale School students can reach out to Janie Trenthem at Janie.Trenthem@gmsdk12.org or Pamela Doocy-Curry at Pamela.Doocy-Curry@gmsdk12.org. Houston Middle School students can contact Carla Christian at Carla.Christian@gmsdk12.org.
Open Enrollment at Houston High School

Add the information that is good for them to know here.
As part of our commitment to providing quality education and diverse opportunities, Germantown Municipal School District (GMSD) offers an Open Enrollment option. This is especially relevant for students applying to our prestigious Houston High School Academies.

Key Points of Open Enrollment:

Priority Admission: Applying through one of our academies is a primary pathway to ensure admission for the upcoming school year. In the order of priorities for open enrollment, academy students receive high consideration.

Tuition Fee: There is a nominal tuition fee for attending Germantown Municipal Schools, which is estimated to be $521 per student per year for students who live in Shelby County but outside of Germantown. For more information regarding this fee, please review the GMSD policy 6.2061.

Academy Advantage: Joining an academy means becoming part of a smaller cohort of like-minded students, fostering a focused and enriching educational environment.
I have read and acknowledge the text above in regards to open enrollment.*

Clear

Personal Information

This section gives our admissions team a glimpse of the applicant outside of the core academic setting. Please make sure the applicant personally provides these answers. Answers should be approximately 3-5 sentences in length.
What class(es) outside of your core classes do you enjoy? What do you enjoy most about it? *
(art, band, choir, creative writing, STEM, gym, foreign language, etc.)
What activities are you involved in outside of the school day?*
(clubs, athletics, hobbies, organizations, etc.)
One important aspect of the academy experience is community service. Describe a community service project you have been involved in at school or in the community. What did you learn from that experience?*
Describe a time when you have exhibited leadership at school or in the community.*
Integrity means being true to ourselves and being honest, upright, and decent in our dealings with others. Describe a time when you have exhibited integrity even when it might have been unpopular. What did you learn from that experience?*

Honors Academy Writing Prompt
Many scientists and environmental activists have been researching and refining alternative energy sources for transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but this comes at a high cost to consumers. After exploring the articles below, write an essay based on the following prompt:Electric cars are a viable alternative to gas-powered vehicles. Defend, challenge, or qualify this statement using evidence from the provided articles.

Sources:
1. "Will hot sales of hot car help us cool down the planet? Tesla betting on it"
2. "California Gov. Newsom orders 2035 phaseout of gas-powered vehicles, calls for fracking ban"
3. "Should the government subsidize electric cars?"

To support your ideas, cite textual evidence from at least two of the provided articles. You may incorporate specific examples from your own knowledge and experience. Be sure to identify your sources by the name of the publication. If you use outside sources, please identify them in your essay and include a list of sources at the end of your essay in MLA format.

Remember that your response will be evaluated on your understanding of the articles and on the quality of your writing.

Your essay should be between 500-600 words in length. After composing your essay in a word processing program, you will upload the document as a .pdf or .doc attachment.
Writing Sample Upload*

Your writing sample will be evaluated on focus, organization and structure, use of evidence, level of analysis, and language mechanics (punctuation, spelling, and grammar).
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Leadership Academy Video Prompt
Instructions: Create a 60-second video to accompany your application to the Leadership Academy at Houston High School. Your video should reflect your unique story and aspirations, focusing on the following key points:

Why Houston High School? What draws you to Houston? Express how the Leadership Academy aligns with your future academic and career goals.

Impact and Legacy: Reflect on the type of impact you wish to have at Houston High School. How do you see yourself making a difference in our community

Guidelines:
- Your video should showcase your leadership potential in a professional way yet creative, reflecting your personal narrative.
- Ensure clarity and conciseness, as the time limit is strictly one minute. Videos longer than 60 seconds will not be considered.
- Videos don't need professional production but should maintain a standard of quality (i.e. make sure our team can both see and hear you clearly in the video). Videos filmed on phones are perfectly acceptable.
- Consider both content and presentation—let your personality and enthusiasm shine through!
Note: This video is a crucial component of your application. It offers a window into your aspirations, values, and potential contributions to the Houston High School community. We look forward to seeing your story unfold!
Upload your Leadership Academy Video Submission Here.*

.MP4 or .Mov files only
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Application Submission Page
"You're Almost There!"

Congratulations on reaching the final step of your application to our Houston High School Academies. Before you submit, please take a moment to review your application and ensure all information is accurate and complete.

Checklist:

Personal Information: Verify that your name, contact details, and personal information are correct.

Academic Records: Ensure all transcripts and academic records are attached and up-to-date.

Essays Responses: Double-check your essays or video submissions for completeness and adherence to the word/time limit.

Video Submission: [If applicable] Make sure your video file is uploaded and plays correctly.

Technical Support: If you encounter any technical issues, please contact hhsadmissions@gmsdk12.org.

Final Acknowledgement:

Honesty Declaration: By submitting this application, you affirm that all information provided is accurate and truthful.

Data Privacy: We respect your privacy. All information provided will be used solely for application processing and will not be shared with third parties without your consent.

Post-Submission Information: After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email with a summary of your application details. You can expect to hear back from us regarding your application in early February.

Contact Information: For any further queries or academy tours, please feel free to contact our admissions office at 901-756-2370.

Thank you for applying to our Houston High School Academies. We look forward to reviewing your application and learning more about you.
Should be Empty:

	100-90	89-80	79-70	69-60	not applicable
English
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Foreign Language

Demographic Information

Application Type

Germantown Resident Applicant

Open Enrollment at Houston High School

Academic Background

Current Grades:

TCAP/EOC ELA and MATH Score Reports from the 2022-2023 school year

Additional Academic Information

Standardized Testing Information

Personal Information

Honors Academy Writing Prompt

Leadership Academy Video Prompt

Application Submission Page

"You're Almost There!"

Checklist:

Final Acknowledgement: