Pittsburgh Obama 6-12 is an International Baccalaureate World School located in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood. The International Baccalaureate Program is recognized worldwide for the rigorous education it provides. All 11th and 12th grade students at the Obama Academy are enrolled in IB Diploma Program classes, which are college level classes taught over a two-year span. Obama Academy students have the option to sit for oral and written examinations in each of the Diploma Program classes they take to obtain college credit. Students who score well on examinations in 6 core areas, document a significant number of hours of extracurricular activities, and write additional papers, can earn an IB Diploma. Many colleges and universities allow students who earn the IB Diploma to skip their freshman year entirely. To prepare students for the challenges of the Diploma Program, 6th through 10th grade students participate in the Middle Years Program. In the Middle Years Program, teachers add to the standard Pittsburgh Public School curriculum to provide students with the skills and background knowledge necessary to succeed in the Diploma Program classes by focusing on holistic learning, intercultural understanding and communication. All Obama Academy students in grades 6 through 12 have one period of foreign language instruction every day. Students must be committed to documenting extracurricular community service, action and creativity activities.
All sports available to Pittsburgh Public School students are offered at the Obama Academy. Extracurricular activities include National Junior BETA Club, National Honor Society, Youth and Government, Student Ambassadors, Student Council, PA Junior Academy of Science, World Drumming Ensemble, Chorus, Library Club, Steel Drum Band, Musicals, One Act Plays, Orchestra, Concert Band, Marching Band, school newspaper (obamaeagle.org), Interact Club, Charles Drew Science Competition, Black History Art and Essay Contest, Ski Club, All City Art Competition, All City Music Festival, Teen Forums, Future Programmers Club, Language Clubs, Chess Club, Cheerleading, and Drill Teams, Pittsburgh Regional Science Fair, PPS City Science Exposition, Creek Connections, Project THINK, Math League, and Intramural Sports. There are also collaborative partnerships with Pitt Honors College, CMU Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering programs, Gateway to the Arts and Pittsburgh Ballet Theater and other area colleges and universities.
International Baccalaureate Courses Offered:
English, French, Japanese, Spanish, German, History of the Americans, Theory of Knowledge, Mathematics, Mathematical Students, Theatre, Film, Visual Arts, Music, Physics, Biology, Chemistry
Additional Educational Services:
Learning Support, Speech & Language, Itinerant Hearing and Vision, Autistic Support, Emotional Support, Occupation Therapy and Physical Therapy, Regional Life Skills Support Classroom, Regional Autistic Support Classroom
