Andrew West/news-press.com Dunbar High School students Tyrone Johnson, 16, right, gets help with a lab report from David Leflett, center, and Gabriel Maduro, 16, during a Microsoft Certified System Administrator class in the Academy for Technology Excellence. Dunbar is being featured by Microsoft for its’ successful technology academy. Order Picture AN EARNINGS BOOST What does a certification mean to a student? A survey purchased this month by Certification magazine lists the following average salaries for people with certifications. The ones listed here are offered by Dunbar High: • Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: $80,340 • Cisco Certified Network Associate: $74,810 • Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: $72,340 • CompTIA Network+: $60,890 • CompTIA A+: $57,340 • Microsoft Office Specialist: $55,770 • Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician: $55,240 ALSO FROM NEWS-PRESS.COM Photo Gallery: Spotlight on Dunbar High DELIVERING YOUR WORLD • Subscribe to The News-Press • Place a classified ad • Printer friendly version • Email this article

Dunbar High School will soon be the talk of the international computer industry, thanks to Microsoft.

A video crew from the Seattle-based software giant has been at the Fort Myers school this week interviewing students, teachers and administrators about Dunbar’s successful Academy for Technology Excellence.

Microsoft plans to use the video to promote Dunbar’s program and possibly to replicate it in other schools across the nation and world. The company recently named Dunbar the nation’s first Microsoft Certified High School.

“If you put a pinpoint on a map where Dunbar High School is, this is it,” said Rick Wells, a Seattle freelance videographer who’s producing the feature for Microsoft. “This is the program. It’s a success story.”

Microsoft has taken a keen interest in Dunbar since the school received national recognition as a Magnet School of Distinction and one of 15 innovative technology programs in the country by T.H.E. Journal, a computer trade magazine.

Last year, the academy’s second, students passed 236 tests to receive 213 industry-recognized certifications. So far this year, students have added 75 more certifications to that total, said Denise Spence, the academy’s lead teacher.

Many of those certifications are endorsed by Microsoft. The certifications mean better paying jobs.

Microsoft also has provided enough vouchers for certification tests so that all 800 students — not just the 110 in the technology academy — can take the exams at no cost. It typically costs between $70 and $200 to take such a test.

“It’ll help people with their job opportunities,” said Daniel Vidrine, a 17-year-old senior from Fort Myers. “It’ll improve how people view our school.”

Dunbar Principal Carl Burnside said he was excited by the recognition.

“This is a good opportunity for Dunbar,” he said as the video crew taped an interview with Spence. “Once again, it shows the great things that this school is doing.”

Students, both in the academy and in the rest of the school, say they hope the publicity Microsoft is heaping on Dunbar will help the school overcome a negative reputation it has mainly because of its inner-city location.

“It’s so wonderful that a school can have something so big,” said Jharius Manuel, 17, a senior from Fort Myers who is not in the academy.

Cody Nelson, 16, a junior from San Carlos Park, is in the academy. He has received eight Microsoft certifications. He is aiming for two more next year.

“We finally got the recognition we deserved,” Nelson said. “We are finally being recognized as No. 1.”