Cary Academy
{{Short description|Private school in Cary, North Carolina}}
{{For|Freeman Grant Cary's academy in Ohio|Ohio Military Institute}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox school
| caption = Cary Academy main quad
| pushpin_map = North Carolina#USA
| name = Cary Academy
| logo = Cary acamedy logo.png
| logo_size =
| motto = Discovery, Innovation, Collaboration, and Excellence
| image = Cary Academy main quad.jpg
| image_size =
| opened = 1997
| founder = Ann Goodnight
James Goodnight
Ginger Sall
John Sall
| type = Private
| grades = 6–12
| ceeb = 340601
| us_nces_school_id = A9903317
| head of school = Dr. Michael Ehrhardt
| accreditation = Southern Association of Independent Schools
| tuition = $34,000
| administrator =
| address = 1500 North Harrison Avenue
| city = Cary
| state = North Carolina
| zipcode = 27513
| country = United States
| coordinates = {{Coord|35|49|12|N|78|46|9|W|display=it}}
| affiliation = National Association of Independent Schools
| conference = North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association
Capital Area Middle School Conference
| enrollment = 773
| teaching_staff = 77.9
| ratio = 9.9:1
| campus_type = Suburban
| campus_size = {{convert|52|acre|m2}}
| colors = Blue and gold {{Color box|Blue}}{{Color box|Gold}}
| mascot = Charger
| yearbook = Kaleidoscope
| website = {{URL|http://www.caryacademy.org/}}
}}
Cary Academy is an independent, coeducational, nonsectarian, college-preparatory secondary school located in Cary, North Carolina.{{Cite web |title=Cary Academy in Cary, NC |url=https://high-schools.com/directory/nc/cities/cary/cary-academy/a9903317/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=high-schools.com}} The school emphasizes the use of technology in the classroom, the arts, and foreign exchange.{{cite web |last=Hamashima |first=Les |date=2004 |title=Investing in the Future |url=http://www.sas.com/news/sascom/2004q1/feature_sasinschool.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222092346/http://www.sas.com/news/sascom/2004q1/feature_sasinschool.html |archive-date=22 December 2009 |access-date=29 March 2011 |website=SAS.com Magazine |accessdate=}}{{Cite web |last=Jamie |first=Berger |date=2013-07-09 |title=The History of Cary Academy |url=https://carycitizenarchive.com/2013/07/09/the-history-of-cary-academy/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=Cary Citizen Archive |language=en-US}}
History
Cary Academy was founded by Ann and James Goodnight and Ginger and John Sall in 1996, though the first classes were not held until 1997.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=January 5, 2011 |title=SAS Institute CEO Jim Goodnight on Building Strong Companies - and a More Competitive U.S. Workforce |url=https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/sas-institute-ceo-jim-goodnight-on-building-strong-companies-and-a-more-competitive-u-s-workforce/ |access-date=2020-02-19 |website=Knowledge at Wharton |language=en}} Goodnight and Sall are co-founders of SAS Institute. The school was founded on the motto “Discovery, Innovation, Collaboration, and Excellence." SAS continues to support the school through a scholarship program.{{Cite web |title=SAS Cary Academy Scholarship Program |url=https://learnmore.scholarsapply.org/sas-cary/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=learnmore.scholarsapply.org}}
The school has a 65–acre campus. The school buildings are in the neoclassical style with ornate columns at entrances. It was modeled after the University of Virginia and was designed by Cherry Huffman architects of Raleigh, North Carolina.{{cite web |title=Cherry Huffman Architects - Cary Academy |url=http://www.cherryhuffman.com/web/projects/Cary%20Academy#start |accessdate=29 March 2011}} In 2003, the Sports and Education Annex was completed, allowing more space for both athletics and foreign language classes with a second gym and additional classroom space.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} Later, a 22,500 ft2 STEM center was added to the Sports and Education Annex, including a STEM innovation lab, six wet and dry laboratories, preparation rooms, and common areas for students.{{Cite web |title=Cary Academy Science Building - Newcomb & Boyd |url=https://www.newcomb-boyd.com/project/cary-academy-science-building/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Cary Academy STEM Building |url=https://www.ls3p.com/portfolio/cary-academy-stem-building/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=LS3P |language=en-US}}
In September 2004, the United States Department of Education named Cary Academy one of 255 public and private schools that had won its No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon award since the inception of the program.{{Cite web |date=2004 |title=U.S. Department of Education 2004 No Child Left Behind – Blue Ribbon Schools Program |url=https://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2004/2004-schools.pdf |website=U.S. Department of Education |page=13}}
In July 2011, the original head of the school, Don Berger, announced his stepping down after the 2011–12 school year. He was replaced by Dr. Michael Ehrhardt in July 2013.
In January 2019, the 24,000-square-foot Center for Math and Science was completed, providing a maker space, classrooms, a greenhouse, and laboratories.{{Cite journal |date=2020 |title=Campaign for Cary Academy: From Blue Prints to Brick and Mortar |url=https://online.flowpaper.com/7bc20773/camagazinesummer2020noann/#page=8 |journal=The Magazine of Cary Academy |issue=Summer |pages=4–7}} That same year, the library was also renovated and the track was upgraded.
Demographics
The demographic breakdown of the 777 students enrolled for the 2021–22 school year was Asian 202 (26.1%), Black 60 (7.8%), Hispanic 31 (4%), Native Hawaiian/Pacific islanders 1 (.1%), White 417 (53.9%), and Multiracial 62 (8%).{{Cite web |title=Cary Academy |url=https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&Zip=27560&Miles=10&ID=A9903317 |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=National Center for Educational Statistics |language=EN}}{{Cite web |title=Cary Academy |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/north-carolina/cary-academy-325520 |access-date=July 16, 2022 |website=U.S. News & World Report}} The school has a minority enrollment of 46.1%. The student gender division is 52% female and 48% male.{{Cite web |title=Explore Cary Academy in Cary, NC |url=https://www.greatschools.org/north-carolina/cary/2586-Cary-Academy/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=GreatSchools.org}}
In 2022, tuition was $26,995 with 14% of students receiving an average allocation of $18,105 in financial aid.
Rankings
Niche gives Cary Academy an overall ranking of A+.{{Cite web |title=Explore Cary Academy |url=https://www.niche.com/k12/cary-academy-cary-nc/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=Niche |language=en}} Niche also ranks the school as #1 in private high schools in North Carolina. The school is the 20th largest private high school in North Carolina.
Academics
Cary Academy includes grades six through twelve. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.{{Cite web |title=Cary Academy |url=https://sais.org/schools/school/?org_id=a0f0d978-dd21-4ada-893d-e4f2ed55e3ba |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=SAIS.org}}
=Arts=
The school's art courses include architecture, ceramics, computer animation, design, drawing/sketching, graphics, painting, photography, sculpture, technical design and production, textiles, and video and film production. In addition, the school's music courses include band, choir/chorus, jazz band, and orchestra. Cary Academy also offers performance arts courses including creative writing, dance, drama, poetry.
= Foreign language and exchange =
The school offers four language courses—Chinese-Mandarin, French, German, and Spanish—starting in middle school. In addition, a foreign exchange program that allows 100 upper school students to travel to Argentina, Germany, Ecuador, China, or France each year. Between 95 and 98% of students participate in this program.
= Technology =
From its inception, Cary Academy has placed a heavy emphasis on technology. From 1997 until 2006, Cary Academy featured desktop computers in every classroom, as per the "one-computer-per-student" policy in use at the time. For the 2006–07 school year, these were replaced with tablet PCs issued to every student.
Extracurricular activities
=Athletics=
Cary Academy is a Division 1 member of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA).{{Cite web |title=Member Schools – The North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association |url=https://www.ncisaa.org/member-schools/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |language=en-US}} It is also a member of the Capital Area Middle School Conference.{{Cite web |title=Capital Area Middle School Conference (CAMSC) |url=http://www.capitalareamsc.com/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=www.capitalareamsc.com}}
Boys athletic teams include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, and wrestling. Girls athletic teams include basketball, cross country, cheerleading, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
== NCISAA State Championships ==
- Boys Cross Country 2017, 2024{{Cite web |title=Championships |url=https://www.caryacademy.org/athletics/championships/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=Cary Academy |language=en-US}}
- Boys Swim Team 2015, 2019
- Girls Swim Team, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022{{Cite web |last=James |first=Sutherland |date=2022-02-16 |title=Charlotte Hook Lowers Pair of NCISAA Records As Cary Academy Girls Win D1 Title |url=https://swimswam.com/charlotte-hook-lowers-pair-of-ncisaa-records-as-cary-academy-girls-win-d1-title/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=2018-2019 Swimming |url=https://archives.ncisaa.org/index.php?sport=15&years=2018-2019 |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=archives.ncisaa.org}}
- Girls Track and Field, 2012
- Varsity Girls Cross Country 2006, 2012, 2017
- Varsity Boys Tennis Team 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015
= Clubs =
Student clubs include the Art Club, the Chess Club, Community Service Club, the Drama Club, Foreign Language and Culture Clubs (Covering Chinese, Spanish, French, and German), Investment Club, Math Club, National Honor Society, the Robotics Club (FRC #5160), SADD, the Science Club, Tech Club, Speech and Debate Team, the Step Team, Student Council / Government, and the ACSL Club.
= Publications =
Cary Academy has a Literary Magazine, a student newspaper called The Campitor, and yearbook called The Legacy.{{Cite web |date=February 5, 2019 |title=Cary Academy Literary Magazine |url=https://issuu.com/caryacademywlitmag2019/docs/2019winterlitmagnew |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=issuu.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=The Campitor: Cary Academy School Newspaper |url=https://blogs.caryacademy.org/campitor/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=The Campitor |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Legacy // Cary Academy // Cary, NC {{!}} Yearbook, Cover, Book cover |url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/grizzly-gamut-basha-high-school-chandler-az--242068548708472159/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=Pinterest |language=en}}
= Speech and Debate =
Cary Academy's Speech and Debate Team participates in competitions of the Tarheel Forensic League.{{Cite web |title=Past Champions |url=https://www.ncspeechanddebate.org/past-champions.html |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=Tarheel Forensic League |language=en}} In 2004, the team was state champions, winning the Governor's Cup.{{Cite web |title=League History |url=https://www.ncspeechanddebate.org/league-history.html |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=Tarheel Forensic League |language=en}} The Cary Academy chapter of the National Speech and Debate Association received the Leading Chapter Award for the Tarheel East District in 2007, 2013, and 2015.{{Cite web |title=History |url=http://caryacademydebate.weebly.com/history.html |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=Cary Academy Speech & Debate |language=en}} The National Speech and Debate Society named Cary Academy #28 on the Top 100 Schools, which includes both public and private schools, for the 2020–21 school year.{{Cite web |title=Media: National Speech & Debate Association Announces 2020-2021 Top 100 Schools |url=https://www.speechanddebate.org/news/ |access-date=2022-07-16 |website=National Speech & Debate Association |language=en-US}}
== Team State Championships ==
== Individual State Championships ==
- 2003 NC Extemporaneous Speaking State Champion: Ed Winstead
- 2004 NC Extemporaneous Speaking State Champion: Will Harbor
- 2004 NC Lincoln Douglas Debate State Co-Champions: Haley Nix and Keith Pocaro
- 2007 NC Lincoln Douglas Debate State Co-Champions: Kevin Cotter and Robert Thorstad
- 2008 NC Lincoln Douglas Debate State Champion: Arjun Chandran
- 2008 NC Public Forum Debate State Champion: Mikie Rooney and Andrew Copeland
- 2014 NC Congressional Debate State Champion: Ted Waechter
- 2014 NC Lincoln Douglas Debate State Champion: Laura Cabana
- 2015 Virginia Sutherland Circle of Honor (Hall of Fame): Carole Hamilton
- 2021 NC Impromptu Speaking State Champion: Sophia Liu
- 2021 NC Informative Speaking State Champion: Katherine He
- 2021 John Woollen TFL Student of the Year: Ritvik Nalamouthu
- 2022 NC Declamation State Champion: Isabel Chang
- 2022 NC Impromptu Speaking State Champion: JR Cobb
- 2022 NC Informative Speaking State Champion: Katherine He
Notable alumni
- Alex ter Avest, actress
- Charlotte Hook, swimmer{{Cite web |title=Charlotte Hook Bio |url=https://swimswam.com/bio/charlotte-hook/ |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}}
- Travis May, technology company founder and president
- Trey Murphy III, professional basketball player
Notable faculty
- Mindaugas Timinskas, former varsity basketball head coach and former professional basketball player
References
{{Reflist}}{{Cary, North Carolina}}
{{Wake County, North Carolina Schools}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cary Academy}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Cary, North Carolina
Category:Private high schools in North Carolina
Category:Private middle schools in North Carolina
Category:Educational institutions established in 1996
Category:Schools in Wake County, North Carolina
Category:Preparatory schools in North Carolina