Padua Academy - Committed to Fulfilling your Promise to Her

When your daughter was born, your faith in an uncertain world was reignited. You saw hope where there was despair. You saw light where there was darkness, and joy where there was sadness. For it was in her eyes that you saw promise. And because of that, you swore you’d do everything in your power to ensure her future was bright.

For almost three-quarters of a century, Padua Academy has been entrusted to helping parents fulfill this promise made to their daughters. Through a highly personalized high school experience, we encourage young women to find their individual light, to strengthen it and set it free, not just for the world to see, but as a change engine, that leaves the world better than they found it. 


Securing Her Future AND..the World’s

With a 100% acceptance rate at four-year colleges, it’s no secret that Padua should be at the top of your prospectus for college preparatory high schools. However, our students are learning that often times achievement is anonymous, and sometimes even top-secret.

Deep within the hallows of our Computer Science Department, cybersecurity expert Fred Stinchcombe is teaching his students (many of whom aren’t even old enough to take Driver’s Ed yet) how to use cryptographic techniques to stop the subversion of confidential data. 

It’s just another day on N. Broom Street. 

But to those future cyber criminals actively seeking to find vulnerabilities in U.S. data systems that could compromise our very way of life, the young women of Padua have a message…”be ready, because we are.” 

For the sixth year in a row, Padua Academy has won the coveted CyberPatriot title through participation in the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, the largest cyber defense competition in the country and hosted by the U.S. Air Force Association.

“There is still a huge dirth of much needed experts in the cyber sciences, making our national data infrastructure highly vulnerable. But very few secondary schools have been quick to embrace the consistent shifts in workforce needs. I’m proud to say Padua is one of them,” says Mr. Stinchcombe.

Dr. Mary McClory, our Principal, takes great pride that Padua and its faculty are “able to adapt our curriculum to address the needs of a rapidly changing global marketplace,” while at the same time, “not straying from our spiritual and service oriented roots.”

An experienced science educator herself, Dr. McClory knows “ we all face challenges entering the workforce. Some of the challenges I faced have been overcome with time, but in their place, new ones have been born. For a young woman to set herself apart, she needs to have the confidence to believe in her God-given talents, knowing she has the community called Padua Academy that will always have her back.” If there’s one thing she has learned over the past 24 years at Padua it is that “you are never alone, both as a student here and once you leave as alumnae.”

Meanwhile, back in Mr. Stinchcombe’s Computer Science class, his students are still busy exploiting mock code, preparing for the 2019 Cyber Defense Competition. “The technology curriculum at Padua is beyond comprehensive, but what I love most is that it’s highly inclusive.” And it’s this inclusivity that has sparked the interest of so many of these young women to join competitions. Mr. Stinchcombe believes that “with the continued drive towards problems-based learning, there’s no better way to learn than by being whisked into the flurry of a competition.” 

“As a young person you learn really quickly that to win, you need to engage in teamwork and creative thinking. It supplies so many life lessons that just can’t be taught within the confines of a classroom setting.” 

In addition to having won their 6th straight CyberPatriot title, Padua also has the honor of being a state champion in the SANS Girl Go CyberStart Competition, as well as being the only Delaware Chapter of the National WiCyS organization (Women in Cyber Security). If you’re interested in having your eighth-grade daughter spend the day with one of our students from any subject matter, please email us at admission@paduaacademy.org  In addition to Python, Java, Web Design and Linux talk, we might even serve up some Raspberry Pi.
 
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