North Yarmouth Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids North Yarmouth Academy |
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The facade of NYA's main building is flanked by the Safford Center (left) and the Curtis Complex (right)
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148 Main Street
, 04096
United States
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| Coordinates | 43°47′56″N 70°11′08″W / 43.798839°N 70.185535°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Co-ed, prep school |
| Established | 1814 |
| Head of School | Ben Jackson |
| Faculty | 57 |
| Grades | Toddler - Postgraduate |
| Enrollment | 403 |
| Average class size | 14 students |
| Student to teacher ratio | 10:1 |
| Color(s) | Black and orange |
| Athletics | 16 interscholastic sports |
| Mascot | Panther |
| Website | |
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North Yarmouth Academy
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1841 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000097 |
| Added to NRHP | March 4, 1975 |
North Yarmouth Academy (also known as "NYA") is a special school in Yarmouth, Maine. It's a private school for both boys and girls. Students can attend from a very young age all the way through high school and beyond. NYA helps students get ready for college.
The school started way back in 1814. At that time, it was in a place called North Yarmouth. Later, in 1849, the town of Yarmouth was formed, and that's where the school is now. About 394 students go to NYA, and classes usually have around 14 students. NYA also has 25 different sports teams for students to join.
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What Students Learn and Do
At NYA, students usually take five main classes each year. They can also choose extra classes that interest them. A cool rule at NYA is that all students must join a sports team or a theater group every season. This helps them stay active and try new things.
NYA offers 18 special classes called Advanced Placement (AP) courses. These are like college-level classes that can help students earn college credit early.
Sports and Activities
Students at NYA love sports! All students in grades 6 through 12 play on a team or do another after-school activity three times a year. Many graduates from NYA even go on to play sports in college.
Music is also a big part of NYA. Most middle school students and many high school students are part of a music group. There are 12 different music groups you can join at NYA.
Helping the Community
NYA students are very helpful. In one school year (2010-2011), they spent over 4,500 hours helping different groups in the Greater Portland area. This shows how much they care about their community.
School Growth and Changes
Over the years, NYA has grown a lot. From 2001 to 2011, they built a new science center. They also updated an old building, Russell Hall, to be a foreign language center. NYA added a special turf field for sports and built the Priscilla Savage Middle School in 2003. The school also got more money to help teachers and to welcome students from different backgrounds.
In May 2025, NYA bought a new building in Yarmouth. This building opened for students who live at the school (boarding students) in the fall of 2025.
NYA also added a Lower School in 2013 for younger students, from Pre-K to 4th grade. In 2014, they even started a program for toddlers (ages 18 months to 3 years old). The Lower School uses a special teaching method called Montessori for the youngest kids. This method helps children be curious and love learning. It also prepares them well for middle school.
School Buildings and Fields
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The NYA campus has many buildings for classes and art. It also has two buildings just for sports. Outside, there are two sports fields, three tennis courts, and a softball field. Two of the oldest buildings, Russell Hall (built in 1841) and Academy Hall (built in 1847), are very important and are listed as historic places.
Here are some of the main buildings at NYA:
- Priscilla Savage Middle School: This is where grades 5-8 have classes. It also has a health office and a community room.
- Peter W. Mertz Science Building: Science and some math classes for both middle and high school students are held here.
- Higgins Hall: This building is for music, including choir and band. It also has a special theater space and practice rooms.
- Russell Hall: This old building is now used for foreign language classes. It also has a hall of fame for famous athletes from NYA.
- Academy Hall: This building used to be for 7th and 8th graders.
- Blanchard House: This is where art classes for students up to 5th grade take place.
- Dole House: This building holds offices for admissions, alumni, and marketing.
- Curtis Complex: This is the main building for high school students. It has a learning center, a gym, a cafeteria with a stage, and the main school office.
- Toddler House, Storer House: These two classrooms are for the youngest students, ages 18 months to 3 years old.
- Merrill Lower School Building: This is the main building for Lower School students, from primary grades to 4th grade. It was updated in 2013 and made bigger in 2014.
Sports at NYA
North Yarmouth Academy believes in being active! Every student in grades 6 through 12 must join a sports team or another activity each season of the school year.
Sports Offered
NYA offers 25 different sports for both boys and girls. These include teams at the Varsity level (for more experienced players) and Junior Varsity level (for developing players).
Sports Facilities
Gymnasium
NYA's gym is connected to the Curtis Complex. It has offices for the athletic director, locker rooms, and a Hall of Awards. The gym is used for basketball, volleyball, and big school meetings.
Fields
In 2006, NYA changed Lewis Field from grass to a special turf surface. Now, NYA has two main sports fields: one turf field (Lewis Field) and one grass field (Denney Field). Lacrosse, soccer, and field hockey teams play their home games on Lewis Field. Knight Field is used for softball and baseball.
Travis Roy Ice Arena
The NYA Ice Arena was built in 1975. In 1998, it was updated and named after Travis Roy, a famous hockey player. The arena was also significantly renovated in 2022 and 2023. It has a fitness room, a warm viewing area, locker rooms, and a pro shop. It's home to NYA's ice hockey teams and also used by Yarmouth High School teams and other local hockey groups.
The Poulin Family Tennis Courts
NYA has three tennis courts and a practice wall. These courts were rebuilt and named The Poulin Family Tennis Courts in 2019.
School Sports Rivalries
NYA has two friendly sports rivalries. One is with their local rival, Yarmouth High School. The other is with Waynflete School in Portland.
Famous People Who Went to NYA
Many interesting people have gone to North Yarmouth Academy over the years. Here are a few:
- John C. Hall: A doctor and politician from Wisconsin.
- Leonard Swett: A close friend of President Abraham Lincoln.
- Oliver Stevens: An American lawyer and politician.
- T.A.D. Fessenden: An American lawyer and politician.
- Charles Addison Boutelle: A U.S. congressman for many years.
- Augustus W. Corliss: A writer and historian.
- Harlan Prince: A sea captain and politician.
- Oliver O. Howard: A general during the Civil War and founder of Howard University.
- Charles Henry Howard: An officer during the Civil War.
- John Albion Andrew: Governor of Massachusetts.
- George Frederick Barker: A doctor and scientist.
- Augustus Burbank: A doctor and former president of NYA.
- Henry J. Bean: An American lawyer and judge in Oregon.
- Edward C. Plummer: An American author, historian, and lawyer.
- Thomas Young Crowell: He started a publishing company.
- Frank Knight: An expert in trees, for whom Knight Field is named.
- Ernie Coombs: A famous television personality, known for his show "Mr. Dressup."
- Carl Henry Winslow: A fire chief.
- Mike McHugh: A professional ice hockey player.
- Eric Weinrich: A former professional hockey player in the NHL.
- Eric Fenton: A professional ice hockey player.
- Travis Roy: A hockey player who, after an injury, started the Travis Roy Foundation and became a motivational speaker.
- Oliver Wahlstrom: A professional hockey player for the New York Islanders.
- Haley Bennett: A Broadway conductor and music director.
See also
