And They'll Serve Detentions at Gitmo

From architecture to agriculture, almost every high school in the country has some kind of school-to-work program that aims to hook kids with relevant academics and real-life job training.

Well, how about this one?

In a sure sign of the times, Maryland's Joppatowne High School has become the first in the country to consider the economics of terrorism. Students in its "Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness" magnet program, which opened in August, will choose one of three tracks: Engineering and technology, criminal justice and law enforcement, or "homeland security science."

According to the school's website, the homeland security industry is growing from a $40 billion business in 2004 to an estimated $180 billion industry by 2015. With the magnet program, students will have the opportunity to prepare for related jobs, and "provide services back to the community, the State and the Nation."

--Mary Ellen Flannery