Extracurriculars
Students attending the Health Sciences Academy will have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities and sports through Pershing Middle School. Students are not able to participate in their homeschools as they become Pershing students for their 8th-grade year. The Pershing Athletics page has more information.
Elective Courses
Students complete their fine and practical arts courses in partnership with Pershing Middle School. Students will finish their school day by traveling to Pershing to complete these courses during the 7th block of the day. These courses include art, choir, band, orchestra, PE, PLTW, and others.
PE is a required 8th-grade course and can be completed in a variety of ways. Students may take PE through LAUNCH either in the summer prior to their 8th-grade or during their 8th grade year. Students may also take a seated course at Pershing, but it is important to note that seats are limited, so we suggest doing it in the summer if possible. Click here to learn more about LAUNCH.
**Students who are in a full-year band or orchestra will need to complete PE through LAUNCH.
The Health Sciences Academy is a unique learning opportunity housed within Mercy Hospital Springfield for 50 of Springfield Public Schools’ eighth-grade students. Students spend their year at Mercy in specially designed, state-of-the-art classroom facilities, using health care as the lens for problem-based learning. Students explore different careers, learn from professionals in the medical field, and implement projects to impact the health of our community. 
