The Health Academy and the Media Academy, two innovative high school intervention programs for at-risk youth in Oakland (California), are examined. A collaborative effort of the school district, business, and community, the academies are school-within-a-school programs that engage about 120 at-risk students each in specific academic curricula for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students offering smaller classes and increased personal attention. Ethnographic methods, such as participant observation and semi-structured interviews, are used to examine the impact of the program on students in terms of their improved attitudes toward school, academic performance, social bonding, and future orientation. Findings show that not only did the academies teach the students specific academic skills for college entrance, but they also helped to improve the students' attitudes and self-esteem. Virtually every student interviewed had college plans, and 14% of academy students took the Scholastic Aptitude Test more than once. These outcomes can be attributed to smaller classes and block-scheduling, which helped to develop close bonds and friendship among the students and their teachers. In addition, the academy curriculum, by virtue of its pertinence to the outside world and the interesting manner in which it was presented, maintained and increased students' interest in school. Statistical data are presented in one table. A 22-item list of references is included. (Author/JB)