The High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media (IAM-HS) was established in 2008 with the guidance of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's), as the first public high school dedicated to teaching young people about advertising, design and media that is changing how public education is working with private industry.

Providing a quality education for each of its students and equipping them with the communication skills needed to compete in a 21st century job market, IAM-HS is part of a select group of Career and Technical Education (CTE) schools that blend rigorous academics with real-life work skills. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg made CTE programs a citywide priority in 2008, in an effort to boost student achievement and help nurture a sustainable pipeline of viable talent from New York City Schools.

The 4A's mission with IAM is to provide an education model aligned with the needs of the advertising and media industry, to equip students with core competencies needed to pursue post-secondary education and teach skills required to be successful as advertising professionals.

In Spring 2012, Michael Roth, Chairman and CEO of Interpublic Group, congratulated the first graduating class, comprised of 47 seniors, at the Brooklyn Museum and welcomed them into our industry. This talented group of individuals made history by becoming the first high school to place in The One Show Young Ones Competition, an acclaimed international advertising, interactive and design student competition with entrants from over 125 advertising and design schools across 22 countries, but also placed and received a merit award.

In Fall of 2012, "IAM Advertising," an in-house advertising agency, launched with the mission to incorporate the skill-sets students learn in the classroom with real-life campaigns. The students are currently working with PBS through the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC), the agency's first client.

For more information about the school, visit IAM's website.

For ways to get involved, contact Julius Dunn (jdunn@aaaa.org).