The South Johnston High School IDEAL Academy is a 4-year opportunity for all interested JCPS freshmen who wish to obtain career skills and potential college credits while engaging in hands-on learning and internship experiences.  Any freshman can apply and interview. Students that are accepted from outside of the SJHS district would need to provide their own transportation to our campus. 

IDEAL Academy also offers certificate pathways for students that are either dual enrolled in homeschool, private school, or JCPS Virtual Academy. The certificate pathways are also available to 10th-11th grade students at South Johnston High School or transfer students from other high schools. 

This unique opportunity is a collaboration between Johnston County Public Schools and the University of Mount Olive.  Students have the opportunity to obtain a High School Diploma and an Associate's Degree within 4 years at SJHS (Associate's Degree Pathway only) OR they can choose to participate in a different pathway heavily focused on their career area of interest.  

Students may choose from 4 pathways in The IDEAL program.  

The pathways are: Associate's Degree Pathway, Animal Science Pathway, Horticulture Pathway, and Career Ready Pathway. The academy utilizes blended high school classes that pair academic core and agricultural curricula.  Hands-on learning is blended with Project Based Learning (PBL) instruction and internships to provide students with meaningful and engaging experiences.