Center for Community Engagement
2026-2027
Our Center for Community Engagement (CCE) coordinates cross-divisional work in experiential learning; service learning; entrepreneurship and leadership; and diversity, equity, and inclusivity initiatives.
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Sort Order | Course Name | Grade Levels | Description | Prereqs/Coreqs | Term | # of Days/week | Credits | ADV designation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 1 | Community Research and Activism S1 | 9, 10, Flex, 11, 12 | Students in this course choose their own topic and develop a semester-long project that engages them deeply in our local community. Past course topics have included poverty and inequality in Raleigh; educational disparities in Wake County; voting rights in NC; and policing in the Triangle. Students partner with others both inside and outside the Cary Academy community. Course culminates in formal presentations to and/or solution implementations with community stakeholders, along with deep reflection on the overall course experience. | Prerequisite: approval of the Center for Community Engagement. | S1 | 2.00 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 2 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 2 | Entrepreneurship: Small Business Operations S1 | 9, 10, Flex, 11, 12 | What occurs unbeknownst to customers to ensure the smooth operation of a small business? This course offers students opportunities to experience operating a small business through engagement in the school’s entrepreneurial learning lab, The Hub: café | lab | store. This course will immerse you in the front-of-house operation of the business, as you take on the role of Team Member. Class time on the floor of the entrepreneurial learning lab will acquaint you with hygiene procedures, drink preparation and development, point-of-sales skills including appropriate handling of cash, customer service, merchandising, marketing, and inventory management from receiving to daily counts to FIFO stocking to calculating and monitoring product and ingredient expiration dates. Assignments and group work in and out of class will introduce the basics of entrepreneurship and the building blocks of business. Students in this course will engage in hands-on customer-facing front-of-house tasks in The Hub: café | lab | store. This course meets during one scheduled 80-minute block and its corresponding C-day block, plus one additional class period per week scheduled by the instructor in conversation with the student during morning or afternoon club blocks, during lunch, or after school. | None | S1 | 1.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 3 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 3 | Entrepreneurship: Small Business Leadership Development S1 | 10, Flex, 11, 12 | What constitutes effective team leadership and how do supervisors contribute to the smooth operation of a small business? This course offers students opportunities to practice operating a small business with guided support through engagement in the school’s entrepreneurial learning lab, The Hub: café | lab | store. This course will immerse you in the front-of-house operation of the business, as you take on the role of Team Leads in Training, mentoring students new to the Entrepreneurship: Small Business Operations class while under the supervision and tutelage of a student Team Lead and the instructor. Class time on the floor of the entrepreneurial learning lab will acquaint you with how to set clear expectations; lead by example as you continue to engage in daily operational tasks; and train, evaluate, and provide supportive feedback to peers and adults. You will be expected to communicate effectively not only with your Team Members and Team Leads, but also with student Core Leaders, often asynchronously. Assignments and group work in and out of class will support your development as a leader within the context of a small business.This course meets during one scheduled 80-minute block and its corresponding C-day block, plus one additional class period per week scheduled by the instructor in conversation with the student during morning or afternoon club blocks, lunch, or after school; during this lab period with the instructor, Team Leads in Training will practice running The Hub's operations without a Team Lead to guide them. Students may repeat this course as needed as they work towards developing a portfolio including lab performance and coursework to be selected as a Team Lead in the Entrepreneurship: Small Business Team Leadership course. | Prerequisite: successful completion of Entrepreneurship: Small Business Operations. | S1 | 1.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 4 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 4 | Financial Literacy S1 | 9, 10, Flex, 11, 12 | This course is designed to provide high school students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed financial decisions. They will build financial literacy through discussions, activities and projects that model real-life situations like wages, salaries, bank accounts, sales tax, income taxes, car loans, mortgages, investments, car insurance and health insurance. The course aims to prepare students for independent living after high school by providing them with the tools to avoid common financial pitfalls and make sound decisions. | Prerequisite: completion of Algebra 1 or Algebra of Non-linear Functions | S1 | 1.00 | 0.25 | N/A |
| 5 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 5 | Wilderness Exploration and Leadership S1 | 10, Flex, 11, 12 | Designed for and offered to all levels of Wilderness Club leaders & experienced (min. 1 trip) aspiring leaders. This is a semester class and may be repeated as you gain experience and progress through the leadership program. This is a graded course. The club leader meetings are separate from the course, but also a key component of managing the program. There is a required leader retreat for team bonding, training, and planning. The backbone of this course involves fostering the student leadership program that supports and sustains the Wilderness Education Program. This course is required for students currently serving on the Leader Team in the Wilderness Club. Our club trips are student-led which necessitates a common core of essential knowledge and skills across the Leader Team. We use the wilderness as our classroom. We lead students in self-contained, self-powered wilderness exploration. The goal is to exit “civilization” & travel through protected wilderness areas carrying everything we need on our backs. Life is simplified to its basic ingredients: water, food, and shelter. Successful backcountry excursions require diligent planning and preparation. We’re responsible for preparing students for understanding, accepting, and preparing for risks, discomforts, and challenges that they have never faced before. This responsibility provides great opportunity for leadership and growth. The curriculum of this course is designed to prepare you to lead with confidence. Our leadership team structure is also designed to provide elevating levels of experience and responsibility as you potentially progress from Leader-in-Training (LIT) to Team Leader (TL) to Core Leader (CL). For more information, visit our website: cawilderness.org | Prerequisites: EITHER acceptance to the Wilderness Club leader team (club leaders are required to take this course) OR experience of at least one trip and aspiration to join the Leader Team + permission of instructor. | S1 | 1.00 | 0.25 | N/A |
| 6 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 6 | Community Research and Activism S2 | 9, 10, Flex, 11, 12 | Students in this course choose their own topic and develop a semester-long project that engages them deeply in our local community. Past course topics have included poverty and inequality in Raleigh; educational disparities in Wake County; voting rights in NC; and policing in the Triangle. Students partner with others both inside and outside the Cary Academy community. Course culminates in formal presentations to and/or solution implementations with community stakeholders, along with deep reflection on the overall course experience. | Prerequisite: approval of the Center for Community Engagement. | S2 | 2.00 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 7 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 7 | Entrepreneurship: Small Business Operations S2 | 9, 10, Flex, 11, 12 | What occurs unbeknownst to customers to ensure the smooth operation of a small business? This course offers students opportunities to experience operating a small business through engagement in the school’s entrepreneurial learning lab, The Hub: café | lab | store. This course will immerse you in the front-of-house operation of the business, as you take on the role of Team Member. Class time on the floor of the entrepreneurial learning lab will acquaint you with hygiene procedures, drink preparation and development, point-of-sales skills including appropriate handling of cash, customer service, merchandising, marketing, and inventory management from receiving to daily counts to FIFO stocking to calculating and monitoring product and ingredient expiration dates. Assignments and group work in and out of class will introduce the basics of entrepreneurship and the building blocks of business. Students in this course will engage in hands-on customer-facing front-of-house tasks in The Hub: café | lab | store. This course meets during one scheduled 80-minute block and its corresponding C-day block, plus one additional class period per week scheduled by the instructor in conversation with the student during morning or afternoon club blocks, during lunch, or after school. | None | S2 | 1.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 8 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 8 | Entrepreneurship: Small Business Leadership Development S2 | 9, 10, Flex, 11, 12 | What constitutes effective team leadership and how do supervisors contribute to the smooth operation of a small business? This course offers students opportunities to practice operating a small business with guided support through engagement in the school’s entrepreneurial learning lab, The Hub: café | lab | store. This course will immerse you in the front-of-house operation of the business, as you take on the role of Team Leads in Training, mentoring students new to the Entrepreneurship: Small Business Operations class while under the supervision and tutelage of a student Team Lead and the instructor. Class time on the floor of the entrepreneurial learning lab will acquaint you with how to set clear expectations; lead by example as you continue to engage in daily operational tasks; and train, evaluate, and provide supportive feedback to peers and adults. You will be expected to communicate effectively not only with your Team Members and Team Leads, but also with student Core Leaders, often asynchronously. Assignments and group work in and out of class will support your development as a leader within the context of a small business.This course meets during one scheduled 80-minute block and its corresponding C-day block, plus one additional class period per week scheduled by the instructor in conversation with the student during morning or afternoon club blocks, lunch, or after school; during this lab period with the instructor, Team Leads in Training will practice running The Hub's operations without a Team Lead to guide them. Students may repeat this course as needed as they work towards developing a portfolio including lab performance and coursework to be selected as a Team Lead in the Entrepreneurship: Small Business Team Leadership course. | Prerequisite: successful completion of Entrepreneurship: Small Business Operations. | S2 | 1.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 9 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 9 | Financial Literacy S2 | 9, 10, Flex, 11, 12 | This course is designed to provide high school students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed financial decisions. They will build financial literacy through discussions, activities and projects that model real-life situations like wages, salaries, bank accounts, sales tax, income taxes, car loans, mortgages, investments, car insurance and health insurance. The course aims to prepare students for independent living after high school by providing them with the tools to avoid common financial pitfalls and make sound decisions. | Prerequisite: completion of Algebra 1 or Algebra of Non-linear Functions | S2 | 1.00 | 0.25 | N/A |
| 10 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 10 | Wilderness Exploration and Leadership S2 | 9, 10, Flex, 11, 12 | Designed for and offered to all levels of Wilderness Club leaders & experienced (min. 1 trip) aspiring leaders. This is a semester class and may be repeated as you gain experience and progress through the leadership program. This is a graded course. The club leader meetings are separate from the course, but also a key component of managing the program. There is a required leader retreat for team bonding, training, and planning. The backbone of this course involves fostering the student leadership program that supports and sustains the Wilderness Education Program. This course is required for students currently serving on the Leader Team in the Wilderness Club. Our club trips are student-led which necessitates a common core of essential knowledge and skills across the Leader Team. We use the wilderness as our classroom. We lead students in self-contained, self-powered wilderness exploration. The goal is to exit “civilization” & travel through protected wilderness areas carrying everything we need on our backs. Life is simplified to its basic ingredients: water, food, and shelter. Successful backcountry excursions require diligent planning and preparation. We’re responsible for preparing students for understanding, accepting, and preparing for risks, discomforts, and challenges that they have never faced before. This responsibility provides great opportunity for leadership and growth. The curriculum of this course is designed to prepare you to lead with confidence. Our leadership team structure is also designed to provide elevating levels of experience and responsibility as you potentially progress from Leader-in-Training (LIT) to Team Leader (TL) to Core Leader (CL). For more information, visit our website: cawilderness.org | Prerequisites: EITHER acceptance to the Wilderness Club leader team (club leaders are required to take this course) OR experience of at least one trip and aspiration to join the Leader Team + permission of instructor. | S2 | 1.00 | 0.25 | N/A |
| 11 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 11 | Entrepreneurship: Small Business Team Leadership | 10, Flex, 11, 12 | What constitutes effective team leadership and how do shift supervisors contribute to the smooth operation of a small business? This course offers students opportunities to experience operating a small business through engagement in the school’s entrepreneurial learning lab, The Hub: café | lab | store. This course will immerse you in the front-of-house operation of the business, as you take on the role of Team Leader, supervising two distinct shifts of students in the Entrepreneurship: Small Business Operations class. Class time on the floor of the entrepreneurial learning lab will acquaint you with how to set clear expectations; lead by example as you continue to engage in daily operational tasks; and train, evaluate, and provide supportive feedback to peers and adults. You will be expected to communicate effectively not only with your Team Members but also with student Core Leaders, often asynchronously. Assignments and group work in and out of class will support your development as a leader within the context of a small business. Students in this course will engage in hands-on customer-facing front-of-house tasks in The Hub: café | lab | store. | Prerequisites: EITHER a High Pass in Entrepreneurship: Small Business Operations OR a Pass in Entrepreneurship: Small Business Leadership Development and the Art and Design: Teamship rotation, as well as the recommendation of the instructors. | Year | 2.50 | 1.00 | N/A |
| 12 | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | donna_eason | 17/02/2026 01:24 AM | 12 | Entrepreneurship: Small Business Management | Flex, 11, 12 | What is involved in managing a small business? Students in this course learn to assist in the management of the school’s entrepreneurial learning lab, The Hub: café | lab | store. This course will immerse you in the back-of-house operation of the business, as you take on the role of Core Leader. You will have the responsibility to research, develop, and pitch to management ideas for strategic shifts regarding product development, sourcing, cost analysis, pricing, market development, marketing, and merchandising. Areas for consideration include e-commerce, kiosk and mobile ordering, fulfilment and delivery, and loyalty programs. Upon receiving approval from management, you will be responsible for communicating action items to peers within relevant departments: Team Leadership, Product Development, Marketing. You will also report on and pitch recommendations regarding The Hub’s environmental, social, and governance practices. By the end of the course, you will be equipped with practical skills to make informed strategic decisions and communicate with your team to create a lasting impact on your business ventures. Students in this course will engage in hands-on customer-facing front-of-house tasks as needed. Students are welcome to repeat this course. | Prerequisites: successful completion of Entrepreneurship: Small Business Team Leadership as well as the recommendation of the instructor. | Year | 2.50 | 1.00 | N/A |
| Sort Order | Course Name | Grade Levels | Description | Prereqs/Coreqs | Term | # of Days/week | Credits | ADV designation |
