Millennium 6-12 Collegiate Academy in Tamarac is really two schools in one.
A middle school with all the courses, activities, and athletics you’d expect in a traditional school, along with a boutique, magnet high school which only has just over 200 students.
“We pride ourselves in giving the personalized learning experience for our students,” said principal Francine Baugh.
The high school curriculum is designed for each student to graduate with a high school diploma and an AA degree simultaneously, through a mix of AP classes and classes taken at Broward College. Next year, the school will have its first graduating class.
“So our school is for those students who need that personalized touch, you know if your child doesn’t want to get lost in a large environment, Millennium is the best place for you,” Baugh explained.
They don’t have high school sports at Millennium, and that’s part of the draw. Students can come from any part of Broward County to attend, but they must apply for the limited positions. Space is limited to 75 students per graduating class.
“They’re really, purely want to work on their schooling and their academics, we do have a lot of clubs that they’re involved in,” said Jody Gaver, the high school counselor who knows every high school student by name.
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For example, the Spanish club created its own puppet show. The debate team mentors its middle school counterpart. And the spoken word poetry club is just getting started.
“Women are seen as either too skinny or too fat to be beautiful, she tries and she tries but she just can’t reach a fashion model’s size,” says one member of the team as she recites her work.
Millennium is one of only 6 schools in Broward County which offers Chinese as a language elective, and it also has the global studies course for 8th graders. It’s an international digital exchange program.
“This is our second year of the program, our students get an opportunity to work with and collaborate with students from all over the world,” Baugh said.
The high school here is obviously not for everyone, but it does surround its students with like-minded kids who are focused on academics. There’s still time to apply for next school year.
