About the Academy

  • We need our students today to answer the call to be tomorrow’s heroes, and middle school is an ideal time for students to begin thinking about how they can be a future hero.  

    Through the Public Service Academy, students explore how they can one day make a difference in the following career fields: education/teaching, criminal justice, public safety, emergency medical care, and government.

    Academic and career exploration is important during the middle school years as it is a time of self-discovery for adolescents.  Students have opportunities to learn about what it takes to become a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, lawyer/judge, teacher, and leader in municipal/county government.  Field trips, guest speakers, community service opportunities, and the teacher cadet program give students an up-close and hands-on approach to learning about what it means to serve the public.

    This program creates a pathway for students to participate in the Public Service Academy at Cherryville High School.

    Students from outside the Chavis attendance area who will be in the sixth grade for the 2024-2025 school year may apply for this program. A lottery process will be used to determine the 50 sixth grade students who will attend (from outside the John Chavis attendance area).  


    You can learn more about the Public Service Academy @ John Chavis Middle School by reviewing the resources on this webpage. If you have questions or need additional information, please send us an email: schoolchoice@gaston.k12.nc.us.




    Public Service Academy

Have Questions?

  • If you have questions or need additional information, please send us an email: schoolchoice@gaston.k12.nc.us.

    The deadline to apply for one of our 22 school choice options was Friday, March 8 at 5:00 p.m.