[center][hr][h1]|| The Setting: The Academy Program ||[/h1][hr][/center]


[indent]The Academy Program is a world-wide organization that works in conjunction with the many governments of the world in order to produce safe learning environments for young Metahumans to use their powers. They are a global organization that caters to this specific goal. There are 32 Academies based in North America. Each Academy is jam packed with the best technology and learning environments a person can have. 

The students are the purpose of the Academy, for they are trained in how to use their powers in accordance to their nation's standards. The students are given real skills so they can possibly survive out in the world. The main thing the students are put through are trials,  some of which are tackled in groups whilst others are faced alone. Students are scored based on how well they perform in these trials and those who score higher have a tendency to graduate at a faster rate. The Academy excepts a wide variation of student age groups, with ten years being the minimum age whilst the oldest tend to be found in their early twenties, all coming from a variety of different backgrounds .. There are three types of students. "Fresh" students are the boys and girls that are fresh to the Academy. "Returning" students are those who have attended the Academy before, and didn't meet the criteria to get their Certificate. "Full" students are the people who choose to live on the Academy full time, either to get an education there, or because they don't have a stable home to head back to. That's one thing that the Academy Program is known for - they house Metahumans who are wards of the state, where foster parents are incapable of taking them in.

The Academies are usually staffed by Metahumans (as that's the best way to teach someone how to use their powers), but they are also staffed by regular people. Many of these empowered teachers are known as Instructors. The Instructors are Metahumans that teach the students how to use their powers in efficient, safe and practical manners. There's a large team of them, though nowhere near as many students. Each of them specializes in a different type of power. Whether it's Elemental training, or Shape-shifting and transformations. They do it all, and they can help their students. 

To say the Academy program was a massive success would be an understatement. Thousands of Metahumans attend the academies, and leave as graduates, fully prepared for society. The Academy Program has roots far back to the very start of Metahumans, as they sprung up some time after Metahumans were revealed to the world, started by one woman named Hannah Swam who pitched the idea to the US government. After the first "official" Academy, which is now known as Academy 3, was created, other academies were created across the US to provide training to young Metahumans. Following the success of the first Academy, the other thirty-two Academies were established. Despite this government support the Academy Program has become largely independent from the US government with minimal oversight beyond DOVE's involvement.

On that note, the US Academy Program works very closely with DOVE - as the latter group often sends Metahumans to Academies to socially and academically develop in a safe learning environment, and come back with knowledge of how to properly apply their powers. Many students who attend the Academies find employment with RAVEN or DOVE and because of the deal between the Academy Program and the US government, there's always a few members of DOVE on hand at each Academy, though RAVEN is also known to make a presence when necessary.[/indent]



[hr][h2]| Notable Academies |[/h2][hr]


[hider][h3]| Academy 1 ("Camp ThinkerRock") |[/h3]
[indent]Built shortly after World War II, Camp ThinkerRock is a Superhuman training facility that has been used for decades by the US Government. First as secret training grounds for training NEST Agents, as more 'official' locations were made, Camp ThinkerRock has seen less and less activity to the point where it was completely desolate save for the people "guarding" it. In fact, there had been talks about decommissioning the facility alltogether. Pushing towards the 1980's, however, the Academy Program gained prominence and through that the Camp was founded with a singular purpose: training younger Superhumans to effectively use their powers and become productive members of society. The location was purchased by the Academy Program (Because NEST didn't want it) and became Academy 01. The first Academy. The entire camp was re-purposed into a "summer-camp for Superhumans" where younger students would have the chance to train. The guise was simple, a super private summer camp in the middle of no where, the nearest town being miles away from the camp so that everyone had the anonymity to use their powers on a larger scale without it being reported. However, the camp didn't exactly get a large amount of campers due to lack of interest, and the fact that there were larger and better Academies didn't help matters. It didn't get more than a few people at a time, which is rather underwhelming to the staff. A few higher ups were able to strike a few deals with NEST to force some more kids into Camp ThinkerRock. Such as picking up juvenile delinquents, or giving runaways a home. This wasn't super desirable, but the staff plan on "working out the kinks" for these campers and turning them into responsible Metahumans. If they make a profit out of this, why does it even matter what they've done beforehand? They might actually learn a thing or two while in the camp such as putting their powers to practical uses and learning not to rely on them so much.
 
ThinkerRock's main campsite is a large area that features plenty of locations that are spaced out from each other. Connected via paths, the camp has buildings and places to fulfill all of the campers needs. The place is split into four sections. The Main Grounds for basic camper needs. The Recreation Area, to keep them entertained. The Training Grounds, for them to train with their powers and take their hero courses. And the Beach, where a few locations are. But the campsite isn't the entirety of ThinkerRock's facility. Naturally, the camp is located in the middle of a heavily wooded area. Forests are far as the eye can see. All of the facility ground's combined (The campground, the forest, and the buildings off campground), equates to 3500 acres (Roughly four square miles). Meaning that it's a massive location, and hard to easily leave. The perimeter of the entire facility grounds are surrounded by a large thirty-five foot brick concrete wall. These walls are to keep people out of the facility, along with keeping extra animals away. Surrounding the main campgrounds is a massive forest, that have animals of all types. These forests have paths through them, going to every notable location, but ending at the walls that keep the campers in. This forest has everything you'd see in an actual forest. Rivers, ponds, large rocks, and more. And evil monsters. Never forget the evil monsters. The camp is next to a large body of water known as the The Jay-Thompson Lake. This lake is enormous, almost making up a good 20% of those 3500 acres. Around this lake are the facility's many features. There is even military base, all on the shores of the Lake. These are all left behind from the Cold War days. However, there is a mysterious island in the center of the lake, one that holds a strange castle. When asked about this castle, the Counselors tell everyone to go no where near that place.

However, there is a small town; St. Portwell, several miles away from the Facility. With the fall of NEST, there are members of DOVE present at all times.[/indent]


[h3]| Academy 218 |[/h3]
[indent]Academy 218 is the [i]premiere[/i] Academy for American Metahumans . Apart of the Academy Program which has been fully approved by the NEST Organization (Before DOVE took control), Academy 218 serves the purpose of serving trials and deeming young Superhumans capable of responsibly using their powers and functioning in society. This Academy is one of many, but 218 in particular is one of the most famous and respected ones out of all of them. As it's often compared to a resort, as it's built on an island not too far off the coast of Alaska. The island is usually blanketed by a thick sheet of snow because of it's location (And the date). Covered in a crystal white blanket of snow, which never seems to stop falling. The island has an extensive, diamond white forest, and frozen lakes which perfectly reflect the light of the moon, and incredible wildlife; our elegant rabbits, arctic foxes, and even the few reported polar bears living deep in it's wondrous forests are just a few examples of what to expect. It gives the Academy a very unique look (Because snow makes everything awesome) The only way in and out is by boat, and there's a schedule for it. The Island itself is a circular location, with plenty of natural landmarks such as rivers, hills, and there's even a mountain not too far away from the Academy. The island itself is covered in a massive black forest with a few landmarks. This forest is as far as the eye can see, and only stops at the beaches of the island. With the Academy standing in the very center of it, standing tall and proud over the woods. Academy 218 has the appearance of a high-tech, modern-day, castle. The building has a very open design that was created with concrete and glass, with metal supports. The entire Academy has paths that are lined with plant life of all sorts. [/indent]


[h3]| Academy 101 |[/h3]
[indent]Easily the most interesting Academy. Opposed to being a building in some location, the Academy is actually a purpose-built cruise ship that traverses the scene. It's almost like a resort, stacked with all sorts of fun. While the interior sections of it have the places you'd usually expect from the Academies (Dorms, training halls, etc), it's [i]insanely[/i] durable, and well maintained, so it's unlikely to receive any serious damage. It was produced due to a deal between the Academy and a variety of both North and South American nations, and is sustained through the Academy's extensive funding (along with a number of select, private investors). This roaming Academy travels along the coastline of the entire American continent, often taking stops in other Academies (Mainly Academy 218).[/indent]
[/hider]