THE NATIONAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION (NAF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) intermediary organization. Its mission is to sustain a notional network of career academies to support the development of America's youth toward pwesonal and professional success--in high school, in higher education, and throughout their careers.

NAF currently operates Academies in three industry themes:

    •   Finance
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    •   Travel & Tourism, and
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    •   information technology

NAF Academies, which are targeted to urban centers but also located within suburban and rural school districts, represent business/school partnerships that prepare young people for future careers through a combinatio of school- based curricula and work-based experiences. The industry component features paid internships, which provide students with a real-world context for their classtoom learning. NAF provides a full range of technical assistance and program support to all partners in the career academy effort Key to NAF's  ability to support this mission are four core organizational beliefs:

     •  Career academies support improved student achievement and motivation; they are a mechanism for           whole- school reform; they provide an expanded pipeline for workforce  development; and, NAF Academies           actively encourage diversity in the workforce.

     •  Quality career academies are built upon four pillars:
     •   industry-validated curriculum; staff development; local advisory boards; and, paid student internships.
   
     •  Partnerships among schools, businesses, communities and government are critical to the success of career           adademies.
 
     •  Intermediary organizations--which bring together schools, businesses, communities and government--are           essential to building and sustaining successful local and national partnership