Athens Academy

10/09/2026

Our fifth graders recently enjoyed an overnight adventure to Birmingham, Alabama! After reading "The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963," students had the opportunity to connect their classroom learning to history with a visit to the 16th Street Baptist Church. The trip also included stops at Vulcan Park and the McWane Science Center, along with plenty of opportunities for fun, exploration, and bonding with classmates and teachers. It's a great way to bring learning to life and make memories together!

10/08/2026

Senior Evangeline Bina combined her passion for music with her interest in science and medicine for her Capstone project, "Music and Child Development: The Impact of Music Therapy, Education, and Performance." Through extensive research, interviews, musical performances, and community service, Evangeline explored how music influences brain development and supports children's cognitive, emotional, and social growth. She presented and defended her project before the Capstone Committee on Monday, October 5.

As part of her experiential learning, Evangeline participated in a variety of challenging musical programs, including Camp Amped at Athens' Nuçi's Space, the University of Miami's Frost School of Music Songwriting and Performance Camp, Belmont University's Summer Vocal Arts Intensive, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's Orchestra Camp. An accomplished violinist and vocalist, she also performed at AthFest, participated in the GMEA District Honors Orchestra as concertmaster, and performed with the Athens Academy Chamber Group. These experiences helped her develop as a musician while strengthening her leadership, collaboration, and performance skills.

Evangeline's academic research focused on the relationship between music and the brain, particularly the potential benefits of music therapy for neurodivergent children. Her research paper was accepted for publication in the American Journal of Student Research, an outstanding accomplishment for a high school student.

For the community contribution portion of her Capstone, Evangeline developed and led "Mastering Melodies: An Intro to Music Camp" at Athens Academy during summer 2026. Working alongside faculty advisor Elisa Olson, she introduced kindergarten through second-grade students to foundational music concepts through interactive lessons, games, and activities designed to foster a lifelong appreciation for music.

Through this ambitious project, Evangeline gained valuable experience as a researcher, musician, educator, and leader, while discovering new ways to share her passion with others. The Capstone Committee was pleased to pass Evangeline's project after an outstanding presentation and defense.

10/08/2026

This morning Tiffany Jones, the OBTA director for the state of Georgia, dropped by Lori Neves’s freshman biology class to present her with her certificate as the Outstanding Biology Teacher of the Year for 2026. The award, given by the National Association of Biology Teachers, is presented annually to exceptional biology educators in each state in recognition of excellence in teaching biology and life science, fostering strong relationships with students, and contributing positively to their schools and communities. Way to go, Ms. Neves!

10/08/2026

Yesterday we had several parents and alumni volunteers—who are also attorneys—helping our sixth graders prepare for the prosecution and defense of Johnny Cade in the upcoming trial on October 23. It’s part of their study of “The Outsiders,” and it’s one of our favorite Middle School traditions!

Thank you to Jim Woodward, Reid Peacock, David Lefkowitz, Anna and Michael Caplan, Brien Nelson, Amy Irving White ‘01, Jenni Olson, Warren Caswell, and Caroline Loftin. Several others will join them this week and next and we appreciate their time and expertise!

10/06/2026

Artscape 2026! On Wednesday, September 30, we celebrated some of Athens Academy’s talented student artists at a special reception in the Myers Gallery.

This annual curated show features the best of the best from student artists across all grade levels, with an incredible variety of media represented—including sculpture, ceramics, watercolor, collage, pencil drawings, self-portraits, and so much more.

Artscape 2026 will remain on display in the Myers Gallery through the end of the calendar year. Be sure to stop by and see the creativity and talent of our Spartans for yourself!

10/02/2026

The Upper School Peer Support Program got into the Homecoming spirit last week with a special “Snack Down” event, filling large decorated bags with treats to help fuel all the Homecoming preparations on Friday, September 25. It was a fun way for PSP members to show their support for the people working behind the scenes to make Homecoming Week a success.

That’s what Peer Support is all about—Spartans supporting Spartans!

09/30/2026

Congratulations to this week’s SpARTan Spotlight, freshman Ty Thitaram!

Ty is a multi-talented percussionist who has lit up the Fine Arts department with his dedication to making good music over the last four years. He received a superior rating at the District 14 Solo/ensemble Festival in 2025 for a fantastic classical snare solo and won a coveted percussion spot in the North Georgia Youth Winds this fall.

Ty has played a pivotal role in helping his dream of starting a drumline in Upper School come to fruition, and the ACAD community is reaping those benefits as we speak. At any given time he can be found playing bongos on a park bench on campus, tuning bass drums in a practice room, working in the sound booth at Bertelsmann, or jamming with his friends in the Band Room. The joy he finds in making music simply radiates from him. Ty will be playing drumset at Porchfest with his band, Thingamajig, in a few weeks - go check them out!

09/30/2026

Last Thursday our seniors met their first grade buddies, and together they planted daffodil bulbs in the beds outside the Science and Art Building. They'll see each other again several more times this year, including when they decorate the tree at the Holiday Celebration in December--a tradition that dates back to 1985. It's a very special part of being a senior--and a first grader--at Athens Academy!

09/30/2026

Athens Academy is proud to be the #7 ranked private school in the state for the third consecutive year, as well as the #1 school outside of Metro Atlanta.

In addition, Athens Academy moved up one to the #5 best school for STEM education in the state for public and private schools.

Way to go, Spartans!

Stacker compiled a list of the best private high schools in Georgia using data from Niche.

09/29/2026

Athens Academy is pleased to announce that twelve members of the Class of 2027 have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation: five students as Semifinalists and seven as Commended Students.

Congratulations to Sumit Alexander, Nicholas Chester, Milo Gabara, Chloe McPherson-Kim, and Noam Thrift, who have been named Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Program. As Semifinalists, these five students represent the top 1-2% of the highest scoring seniors across the country. They will continue in the competition for National Merit scholarships, which will be announced in the spring.

Of the 900+ private schools in the state of Georgia, Athens Academy is proud to have the third largest number of National Merit Semifinalists recognized this year (tied with Pace Academy and Woodward Academy). Athens Academy is also the only private school in the Athens area to have National Merit Semifinalists.

In addition, seven seniors have been recognized as National Merit Commended Students, representing the top 3-4% of the highest scorers across the country. Congratulations to Evangeline Bina, Sophia Coppins, Emma-Jane Kirk, Beckett Newland, Eva Saraf, Nicholas Song, and Ben Warner.

“We are incredibly proud of these twelve students and all they have accomplished,” said Head of School Jeff Miles. “This recognition reflects not only their academic talent, but also the hard work and determination they have shown throughout their years at Athens Academy. They are truly some of our best and brightest, and it is a joy to see them recognized for something they have worked so hard to achieve.”