Blair Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blair Academy |
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Old Academy Building
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| Address | |
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2 Park Street
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United States
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| Coordinates | 40°59′06″N 74°57′50″W / 40.98500°N 74.96389°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, Boarding, Day |
| Motto | Venite, Studete, Discite ("Come, Study, Learn") |
| Established | 1848 |
| NCES School ID | 00869091 |
| Head of school | Peter G. Curran (2021–present) |
| Faculty | 59.8 FTEs |
| Enrollment | 467 (as of 2024–2025) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 8.0:1 |
| Campus | Rural, 463 acres (1.87 km2) |
| Color(s) | Navy blue White Gray |
| Athletics conference | Mid-Atlantic Prep League |
| Team name | Buccaneers |
| Rival | Peddie School |
| Accreditation | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools |
| Tuition | $75,900 boarding; $52,900 day (2024–25) |
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Blair Presbyterial Academy
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The Mill, built 1825, also part of the Blairstown Historic District
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| Area | 55 acres (22 ha) |
| Architect | Addison Hutton |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001944 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | January 24, 1992 |
Blair Academy is a school where both boys and girls learn together. It's a boarding school, meaning some students live there, and it's also a day school for students who go home after classes. It's for high school students.
Students usually attend from ninth grade (around 14 years old) all the way through twelfth grade (around 18 years old). There's also a small class for students who want to study for an extra year after high school. The school's campus is huge, covering about 463 acres (1.87 km2) in Blairstown. This town is in Warren County, New Jersey, and is about 60 miles (97 km) west of New York City.
For the 2024–2025 school year, Blair Academy had 467 students. There were almost 60 teachers, which means there was about one teacher for every eight students. This allows for lots of individual attention. Students came from many different backgrounds, including many international students.
Contents
What Students Learn
Blair Academy's learning program helps students get ready for college. The courses are designed to meet the requirements for getting into different colleges. In 2024, the school changed its approach to advanced classes. Instead of using the traditional Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Blair created its own special curriculum. This new plan lets students show their skills in advanced subjects in many different ways.
Sports and Teams
Blair Academy mostly competes in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League. This league includes other schools like Peddie School, Lawrenceville School, and The Hill School. Blair's team mascot is the "Buccaneer", and their teams are often called the "Bucs." The school colors are navy blue, white, and gray.
Blair's biggest rival is The Peddie School. They have played football against each other since 1903, making it New Jersey's oldest continuous high school football rivalry. Every November, the two schools compete in a big fall sports event. The winning school gets the Kelley-Potter Cup.
Before the big Peddie Day competition, the campus is full of school spirit! Banners hang from windows, often making fun of Peddie's Falcon mascot, which Blair students sometimes call the "Peddie Chickens." In November 2021, Blair won the Kelley-Potter Cup for the ninth time.
Basketball Stars
Blair's basketball program has helped many players go on to play professionally. Some famous former students who played in the NBA include Luol Deng, Charlie Villanueva, and Royal Ivey.
Football Heroes
Many talented football players have come from Blair Academy. Dion Lewis, a former Blair football player, was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2011 NFL draft. He received many awards in 2010 for his amazing skills. Other notable former students who play for the Baltimore Ravens are Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo.
Swimming Success
The boys' swimming team at Blair Academy has a strong history. They won the NJSIAA state Non-Public state championship several times in the past, including in 1926, 1932, and from 1935 to 1940.
Wrestling Champions
The wrestling team is Blair Academy's most successful sports program. Under coach Jeff Buxton, the team won 31 National Prep Titles in a row, from 1981 to 2012. Many Blair wrestlers have become NCAA champions and All-Americans. One famous former wrestler, Bobby Weaver, even won an Olympic gold medal! The team has won over 40 National Team Championships, making it one of the best high school wrestling programs in the country.
School Buildings and Campus
Most of the buildings at Blair Academy have a special architectural style called Richardson Romanesque. Even the newer buildings are designed to look similar to the older ones. There are six main buildings where students have classes: Clinton Hall, Bogle Science Center, Timken Library, Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts, Weber Hall, and the Chiang-Elghanayan Center for Innovation and Collaboration.
The Bogle Science Center, which was updated in 2019, has modern labs and classrooms for science. It also has a 100-seat auditorium. The Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts, opened in 1997, has a large 500-seat theater and smaller practice rooms. The Timken Library was renovated in 1998.
New dorms have been built for students, like Annie Hall for girls (opened in 1999) and Kathryn Hall and Lakeside Hall (opened in 2015). The Romano Dining Hall was finished in 2000.
Between 2006 and 2009, the school greatly improved its sports facilities. They added a lighted turf field for football, field hockey, and soccer, with new stands and a track. Ten new tennis courts were built, and some are lighted for night play. There's also a new baseball field and expanded grass fields.
The main athletic center, called Hardwick Hall, was updated in 2009. It has seven squash courts, three gymnasiums, wrestling areas, and a fitness center. It also includes Blair Commons, where you can find the school's bookstore and a snack bar. Blair also has its own nine-hole golf course!
In 2010, the center of the campus became a pedestrian-only area, meaning no cars are allowed there. The Chiang-Elghanayan Center for Innovation and Collaboration, a modern building with lots of technology, opened in 2017. It's home to the technology and fine arts departments. In 2018, a golf training center was added, and in 2021, a crew training center and an outdoor basketball court were opened.
Quick Facts
Student Life
- Total students: 470
- Most students (84%) live at the school (boarding).
- The number of boys and girls is almost equal.
- About 8 students are in the post-graduate class.
- Students come from 30 different countries and 25 different states in the U.S.
Costs
For the 2024–25 school year, it costs $75,900 to live and study at Blair Academy. For day students, who go home after school, it costs $52,900. This covers tuition, study rooms, and meals at school.
Blair Academy helps many students with financial aid. About 36% of students receive money to help pay for school.
Teachers
- There is about 1 teacher for every 6 students.
- The Head of School is Peter G. Curran.
Accreditation
Blair Academy has been officially recognized by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools since 1928. This means the school meets high standards for education.
School Groups
Blair Academy is part of several important school organizations, including:
- ADVIS – Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools
- NAIS – National Association of Independent Schools
- NJAIS - New Jersey Association of Independent Schools
Campus Features
The school's campus is set among 463 acres (1.87 km2) of rolling hills. It's located near the Delaware Water Gap, a beautiful natural area. In 1992, the campus was added to the National Register of Historic Places because of its important history and architecture.
Famous Former Students
Many people who went to Blair Academy have become well-known in different fields:
- Jabri Abdur-Rahim (born 2002), basketball player
- John C. Bogle (1929–2019), who started The Vanguard Group, a big investment company.
- John W. Campbell (1910–1971), a famous science fiction writer and editor.
- John Cassavetes (1929–1989), an actor and director.
- Ray Davis (born 1999), an NFL football player.
- Luol Deng (born 1985), a former professional basketball player for teams like the Chicago Bulls.
- Tim Eustace (born 1956), a former member of the New Jersey government.
- Temi Fagbenle (born 1992), a professional WNBA basketball player.
- A.J. Ferrari (born 2001), a champion wrestler.
- Bob Guccione (1930–2010), a magazine publisher.
- James Hagerty (1909–1981), who was the White House Press Secretary for President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
- Royal Ivey (born 1981), a former professional basketball player and now a coach.
- Sanoussi Kane (born 2001), an NFL football player.
- Dion Lewis (born 1990), an NFL football player.
- Tucker Max (born 1975), a best-selling author.
- Olivia Miles (born 2003), a college basketball player.
- Steve Mocco (born 1981), an Olympic wrestler and mixed martial artist.
- David Ojabo (born 2000), an NFL football player.
- Odafe Oweh (born 1998), an NFL football player.
- Ed Sabol (1916–2015), who founded NFL Films, which makes movies about football.
- John Sebastian (born 1944), the lead singer and guitarist for the band The Lovin' Spoonful.
- William E. Simon (1927–2000), who was the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
- Hudson Taylor (born 1987), a college wrestling coach and founder of Athlete Ally.
- Charlie Villanueva (born 1984), a former professional basketball player.
- Bobby Weaver (born 1958), an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling.
