Business & Technology

Department Overview

DESCRIPTION OF EXCELLENCE

Lead with Purpose, Serve with Love, and Impact in Faith - Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10-11

DISTINCTIVE EXPERIENCE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Building on foundational learning in business, technology, and engineering courses, students apply their knowledge through real-world, hands-on, and project-based experiences offered in a variety of co-curricular programs. These opportunities—including the Startup Business Challenge, DECA, Startup Incubator, Mock Trial, Social Innovation, Walley’s Student-Based Enterprise, and Speech and Debate—allow students to deepen their skills, explore interests, and engage in authentic experiences that help them “learn by doing.”

Visit our BEI program page for more information.

Business Courses

Business

*NEW* AP Business with Personal Finance

Additional Course Details

• This course is a DECA approved course
• For transfer students, please work with your counselor to confirm eligibility 

Business Fundamentals

This course provides students with the skills needed to effectively organize, develop, and manage a business. They will understand how the market economy and ownership lead to wealth creation. Students will learn not only the skills necessary to become a successful businessperson but also the attitudes, characteristics, and techniques needed to succeed. Personal financial literacy will be explored to help them meet their financial goals in life. Students will build analytical skills through solving complex problems and making sound decisions in order to produce a viable business.

In this course, emphasis is placed on the functions of business management: organization, management, finance, marketing, distribution, promotion, and selling. Additional topics to be covered include the government's role in a business, the assessment of personal skills, the components of the free enterprise system and its place in the global economy, human relations and interpersonal skills, career planning, the importance of business ethics, and the role quality and service play in business.

Additional Course Details

• This course is a DECA approved course.

Entrepreneurship Practicum (H)

In this hands-on course, students have the unique opportunity to dive into the world of small business management and put theory into practice, i.e. “Learn by Doing.” Walley’s student store is a real-world classroom where students gain practical experience operating and managing every aspect of the business. Students actively participate in managing all facets of the business, bringing their innovative ideas to life as the course continues to grow and expand into new areas of business exploration.

Students develop essential skills in project management, business development, operations/inventory management, sales, marketing, budgeting, human resources, customer service, and teamwork. This course challenges students to engage in critical thinking, creativity, and practical problem-solving. Through collaboration and effective communication, students gain the tools and confidence to thrive in real-world business environments, making this course an essential foundation for future success in any professional field.

Additional Course Details

• Enrollment space is limited in this course.
• This is a DECA approved class.

Entrepreneurship (H)

What are the key factors in the process of creating a company? What fundamental knowledge and skills do entrepreneurs need to develop an idea into a business opportunity? The Entrepreneurship Honors course provides students in grades 10-12 the ability to go through the planning and development process to launch their own startup during this yearlong, project-based course. Students will build upon the lessons and skills learned in the Business Fundamentals course and work through the process from ideation to product development.

As part of this course, all students will participate in the President’s Business Challenge competition, allowing them to pitch their ideas to seasoned Silicon Valley venture capitalists. Students will interact with top industry leaders through personal mentoring as they go through the process from concept to launch. They will gain valuable experience in teamwork and collaboration as they learn to problem-solve and develop innovative business solutions that are viable, profitable, scalable, and sustainable. The end product will be a formal pitch deck that identifies their problem/opportunity, solution/product, TAM (total addressable market), go-to-market strategy, pro forma income statements, product brochure, and mock prototype.

Students will use a variety of curricula such as Entrepreneurship, Practice, and Mindset by Professor Heidi Neck at Babson College and/or Disciplined Entrepreneurship developed by Professor Bill Aulet at the MIT Center for Entrepreneurship and go through the 24 steps to take their startup idea from inception to implementation.

Additional Expectations: As with other advanced academic courses, students can expect two to three hours of homework per week. There are also 3 mandatory events outside of the classroom, these include the Mentorship Kickoff event, and semi-final/final rounds of the President’s Business Challenge, and BEI showcase.

Additional Course Details

• Enrollment space is limited in this class.
• This course is a DECA approved course.

Social Innovation (H)

This course introduces the concepts of innovation, design thinking, and impact in the social sector and teaches students to apply an entrepreneurial mindset to create sustainable solutions that address social needs in our community and beyond. We will explore historical approaches to social change, along with the strengths and limitations of the current social impact sector. We will examine how design thinking can be applied in different institutional, cultural, and economic contexts, with a particular emphasis on user empathy and stakeholder engagement. We will also study the various financial and corporate structures available to a social enterprise, including for-profit, nonprofit, B-corp, and hybrid structures.

Through experiential learning, students will be exposed to social innovation. Students will use projects and both local and international case studies to discover the perspectives and strategies that drive real-world change. In the first semester, students will assess factors on our school campus that negatively affect the student experience, and engage in the design thinking process to come up with innovative, implementable solutions that are then formally proposed to school administrators. The second semester project will take place in partnership with a local government agency or nonprofit, in which students apply their knowledge to research, ideate, prototype, and test possible solutions to real-world problems faced by the local community before presenting their solutions to local leaders. Students will learn about and implement the following tools in their work: needfinding, ethnographic research, human-centered design, rapid prototyping, partnership building, and pathways for scaling solutions.

By the end of this course, the successful student will be able to demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills to analyze and evaluate qualitative and quantitative data to develop and implement solutions. Students will also develop effective communication and collaboration skills by working in groups, and present solutions to community leaders and decision-makers. Equally important to success in this class will be the ability to practice curiosity, humility, open-mindedness, and concern for others.

Additional Course Details

• Enrollment space is limited in this course.
• This course is a DECA approved course.

Computer Science Courses

Computer Science

Introduction to Computer Science (CodeHS)

AP Computer Science Principles (CodeHS)

AP Computer Science A (CodeHS)

This course covers basic and advanced topics of Java programming—including types, methods, conditionals, strings, and objects—in preparation for the AP Computer Science A exam. Students design and implement solutions to problems by writing, running, and debugging computer programs using algorithms and data structures. Students also recognize the ethical and social implications of computer use.

Additional Expectations: As with other advanced academic courses, students can expect two to three hours of homework per week, including programming assignments.

Data Structures and Algorithms (H)

Additional Course Details

• Enrollment space is limited in this course.

AP Cybersecurity *New*

AP Cybersecurity

AP Cybersecurity is a yearlong high school course that offers a broad introduction to the field and aligns closely with a college-level, introductory cybersecurity course. Students learn about common threats and vulnerabilities and how they combine to create risk. Students study how individuals and organizations manage risk and how risk can be mitigated through a defense-in-depth strategy. Students explore specific vulnerabilities, attacks, mitigations, and detection measures across a variety of domains including physical spaces, computer networks, devices, and data and applications. Throughout the course, students consider the impact of cybersecurity on individuals, organizations, societies, and governments. Content and skills taught in the course align with the professional skills outlined in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Workforce Framework. 

AP Cybersecurity is part of the AP Career Kickstart™ group of courses, which are designed to accelerate high school students on their paths to in-demand careers.

Additional Details: Along with the potential to earn college credit, students with qualifying scores on the exam will earn the AP Cybersecurity Credential. Created in partnership with industry experts, AP Career Kickstart Employer-Endorsed Credentials accelerate students’ progress toward in-demand careers and align with the needs of employers, college-level coursework, and secondary CTE programs.  

Additional Expectations: Prior exposure to computer programming is helpful but not needed to succeed in this course.  Students should also have a strong background in mathematics. As with other advanced academic courses, students can expect two to three hours of homework per week, including cybersecurity labs.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Because AP courses are taught at a college level, freshmen should enroll only if they already demonstrate advanced writing, reading comprehension, and communication skills. In addition, students taking an AP Computer Science course should have a strong foundation in math and logical reasoning. Students without this foundation may find the pace and expectations especially challenging.

Tech Support Internship

This real-world experience emphasizes both technical and soft skills and prepares students for college and future careers in information technology and related fields.

Interns will also have optional opportunities to work on special projects, earn general community service hours, and prepare for various technical proficiency certifications.

Additional Course Details

• There is no additional course fee if taken as an eight class.

Engineering Courses

Engineering

PLTW: Introduction to Engineering Design (H)

This course exposes students to the design process, research, and analysis used in engineering. Students learn about global and human impacts and how to use the standards and technical documentation of engineering to address those impacts. Students also learn about the importance of teamwork and clear communication when using engineering solutions. Students use 3D solid modeling design software to help them formulate solutions to proposed problems. The skills taught culminate in an ability to effectively document work and communicate solutions to peers and members of the professional community.

Principles of Engineering (H)

Principles of Engineering (H)

This honors, college-preparatory course provides students with a broad introduction to engineering through hands-on design challenges and technical skill development. Students explore key concepts across multiple engineering fields, including the building blocks of mechanics, circuits and microcontrollers, fluids, statics and kinematics, material properties, structural design, and control systems. Using industry-standard tools—such as 3D modeling software, prototyping equipment, programming environments, and robotics hardware—students bring solutions to life while strengthening problem-solving, documentation, and communication skills. The course includes at least three major engineering projects each semester and prepares students for advanced STEM coursework and future engineering pathways.