River City High School

Engineering, Science & Technology Academy

Academy Promo 2024-25

The ENGINEERING, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY is a sequence of 4 courses in the Engineering & Architecture industry sector.
In all Career Technical Education (CTE) courses you can expect: Rigorous Academics, Technical Mastery & Professional Skills

The courses need to be accomplished in succession with a C- or better in the capstone course in order to be considered a pathway completer. Additional participation in the Career Technical Student Organization: SkillsUSA is encouraged. Possible certifications to be earned in the pathway courses: IPC certification for THT soldering, IPC certification for SMT soldering & CMOS Certification.

The goal of the Engineering Technology pathway is to ensure that all students will have hands on experience in building/trouble shooting circuits and be a part of the collaborated classes. Students will be eligible to earn credits through Los Rios Community College. The desired outcome is that they become educated and responsible leaders in a democratic society.

Career academies are small learning communities within larger high schools, enrolling students in grades 10-12. Each year students take classes together, including core academic subjects and at least one career-technical course related to the academy's career theme. A team of teachers works with the same group of students over several years, linking instruction across disciplines and over time.

Students will learn to use different electronic equipment, master industry standard soldering skills, as well as be able to demonstrate critical thinking and trouble shooting skills. All of these are the key skills required by industry. Students can choose to be a part of the ACE mentoring program after school. This will help them to learn more about the engineering fields and participate in relevant field trips that add to their knowledge base of Architecture, Construction and Engineering. The Mentors bring real world, modern experience to the program which allows the students to get current information about the trades industry.

CTSO——SkillsUSA

SUMMARY OF COURSES

Intermediate Electronics

Year: 10

RCHS Graduation Requirement: Elective

UC/CSU - G

Prerequisite: complete application

Electronic circuits and theory have an emphasis on construction. Students acquire extensive knowledge and skill with tools, machines and instruments used in building a variety of electronic devices. Instruction is primarily project-based in that students design and construct a strobe light using etching and tinning process, Christmas tree, burglar alarm, and breadboard circuits. Students learn about solar cells and its applications and build solar charger notebooks. Within the realm of semiconductor theory, students will have a broad study of diodes, transistors, logic gates, truth tables and Boolean Equation to prepare them for the Digital Electronics Class. Students will work towards achieving an IPC certification for Through Hole Technology (THT) soldering their sophomore year.

AC/DC Circuitry

Year: 11

RCHS Graduation Requirement: Elective

UC/CSU - G

Prerequisite: Intermediate Electronics

In this course, students will learn to recognize and design both direct and alternating current circuits. Emphasis will be on the use of the oscilloscope, function generator and frequency counter. Stress will also be placed on understanding and using the mathematical formulas necessary for the design and function of electric/electronic circuits. There will be an opportunity for students to learn how to design and construct a circuit board from scratch for their strobe light using etching and tinning process. Students will work towards achieving an IPC certification for the Surface Mount Technology (SMT) soldering technique their junior year.

Digital Electronics/Semiconductors

Year: 12

RCHS Graduation Requirement: Elective, third year Science

UC/CSU - D

Prerequisite: Intermediate Electronics and AC/DC Circuitry

This course is similar to the EEE 64. Introduction to Logic Design at a UC/CSU. This course is based on the principles and laws of traditional electronics and electrical theory. Digital Electronics and embedded micro-computers are in every product that is either plugged into a wall or operated by batteries, and is therefore a technology that all people are exposed to in their daily lives. Students will begin with a study of basic electrical theory then move on to learn the basic principles and theories of digital circuits on Multisim. The curriculum embraces the educational tenets of project based learning and Covers the following topics: logic gates, binary number system, conversion between number systems, Boolean algebra, Karnaugh maps, combinational logic, digital logic design, flip-flops, programmable logic devices (PLDs), counters, registers, memories, state machines, designing combinational logic and state machines into PLDs, and basic computer architecture.

CMOS Mask Design

Year: 11 - 12

RCHS Graduation Requirement: Elective

UC/CSU – G

Prerequisite: Intermediate Electronics, AC/DC Circuitry and Digital Electronics/Semiconductors

This course is an entry level integrated circuit (IC) layout and design in CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Silicon) technology aligned with INTEL Design rules. Practical experience in drawing Logic diagrams, transistor level schematics, cross-sectional views, STIK diagrams, and in converting STIKS to the actual layout of the layers that will be used to manufacture the IC. The course stresses application of design rules, area estimation, and pin and bus placements based on INTEL design specifications. Students will work towards achieving CMOS Mask design certification their senior year.

--ELECTIVE COURSE: NOT IN PATHWAY--

Digital Electronics (Exploratory)

Year: 9-12

RCHS Graduation Requirement: Elective, third year Science

UC/CSU - D/G

Electronics are everywhere: just think of every product that plugs in or uses a battery! In this exploratory course we'll examine the principles and laws of electronics and electrical theory. Get hands-on as we cover the topics of logic gates, binary number systems, combinational logic, and digital logic designs. Projects include soldering robot blinkers, lighting 3D trees, rigging burglar alarms, constructing strobe lights, designing digital displays, and building electronic dice.

POTENTIAL CAREERS

High School Diploma	2 Year College Degree	4 Year College Degree
Soldering Technician	Electronics Technology	Electronic Engineering
Assembly Technician	Biomedical Technology	Mechanical Engineering
Productive Technician	Robotics Technology	Many other engineering fields
Electrical Apprenticeship	Telecommunication Technology
	Mechatronics Technology
	Fiber Optic Technology

Thank You...

I wanted to say thank you! I have been at Tesla for 4 years now. I work producing Semi
trucks and inverters. I spent two of the years reworking pcbas and I wouldn’t be where I
am now without you and your class.
- Jacob Stewart

Hello again Ms. Alavi,
I once again must thank you for being a great engineering teacher. I passed my
Intro to Logic design class with an A and I still had the knowledge you passed to
me.Thanks a ton Ms. Alavi.
- Andrew Herrera

Everything you taught me is really helping. Thank you so much Yusufi. I thought I
will never use this stuff. I am a aircraft mechanic with Federal Aviation
Administration here in Sacramento
- Maher Tayeb