Oak Ridge Military Academy facts for kids

Oak Ridge Military Academy Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Oak Ridge Military Academy, September 2013
Location in North Carolina Show map of North Carolina Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	NC 150 and NC 68, Oak Ridge, North Carolina
Area	96 acres
Built	1851
Architect	Milburn, Frank P.; Armfield, Will G.
Architectural style	Queen Anne, Mission/spanish Revival, Classical Revival
NRHP reference No.	83001887
Added to NRHP	March 17, 1983

Oak Ridge Military Academy (ORMA) is a special school in North Carolina. It helps students get ready for college. It's also a military school, which means students learn about leadership and discipline.

ORMA is one of the oldest military academies in the United States. It was also the first military boarding school to welcome girls. The school is located in the town of Oak Ridge, North Carolina. It is recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

The school started in 1852 because local families wanted good education. It closed for a few years during the Civil War. It reopened in 1866. From 1875 to 1914, two brothers, J. Allen Holt and Martin Holt, led the school. They helped it become one of the best in North Carolina.

The campus has 21 buildings. Some important ones are Alumni Hall and Benbow Hall. Oak Ridge offers activities that focus on being active and learning military skills. In 2019–2020, about 50 students attended the school. The academy offers many advanced classes, including 11 honors courses.

School History

Early Years (1852–1914)

Oak Ridge was started in 1852 by local families. They wanted to help education in their community. On April 7, 1850, 43 people gave money to build a new schoolhouse. The school was first called Oak Ridge Male Institute. But in 1854, it changed its name to Oak Ridge Institute. This was because some local girls would also attend.

Oak Ridge Institute opened on March 3, 1853. It had 18 courses and 63 students. By 1856, it had 85 students. Most of these students came from outside Oak Ridge. The school became a regional boarding school.

The American Civil War caused the school to close from 1862 to 1866. Almost all the students who were old enough joined the Southern army. The main schoolhouse burned down in September 1865. But the school reopened after the war.

From 1875 to 1914, two brothers, J. Allen Holt and Martin Holt, led the school. Under their leadership, Oak Ridge Institute became a top prep school in North Carolina. It had business and humanities classes. It also had clubs for reading and debating. Its sports teams played against big colleges like Wake Forest and the University of North Carolina. Some of its baseball players even played in the major leagues.

Becoming a Military Academy (1914–1981)

Oak Ridge Institute sign, 2013

In 1914, Professor Thomas E. Whitaker took over the school. A big fire destroyed the main schoolhouse and the Chapel on January 14, 1914. But Whitaker rebuilt Oak Ridge and turned it into a military academy.

During First World War, the Junior Reserve Officer Training Program (JROTC) came to the campus. In 1929, Oak Ridge officially became an all-boys military high school. Its name changed to Oak Ridge Military Institute. From 1929 to 1967, Oak Ridge also had a junior college program.

During the Second World War, many alumni from the academy served. 127 of them received a Purple Heart. Another 27 earned the Silver Star. In 1972, Oak Ridge made history. It became the first military high school in the United States to allow girls to attend. Because of this, the school's name changed to Oak Ridge Academy. JROTC was optional for girls then. By 1981, all students, both boys and girls, had to take part in JROTC. The school's name changed again to Oak Ridge Military Academy. As of 2014, Oak Ridge was the oldest military high school still open in the U.S. It was also the third oldest military academy overall.

Today's Academy (1981–present)

Since 1972, Oak Ridge has been a private school. It is coeducational, meaning both boys and girls attend. It is also a college preparatory military boarding school. Some students from the local area attend as day students. It is one of eight co-ed military academies in the U.S.

The Oak Ridge Military Academy Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This means its buildings are important historical sites. The academy has a middle school (grades 7–8) and a high school (grades 9–12).

In 1991, the state of North Carolina officially named Oak Ridge as its military school. The school is recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). It first got this recognition in 1899. ORMA is also part of other important school groups. It is the only active military school to win the National High School Drill Team Championship in 1996.

In 2006, the academy started a "Campaign for Renovation and Repairs." They raised $216,000. This money was used to fix roofs, repair buildings, and add new parts to the school.

Campus Life

Oak Ridge Postcard featuring Alumni Hall.

The Oak Ridge Military Academy campus has 21 important buildings. These include Oakhurst (built in 1897) and Maple Glade (built in 1905). Other buildings are the Alumni Building (1914) and the Chapel (1914). There are also dormitories like Whitaker Dormitory and Holt Dormitory. The King Gymnasium (from the 1920s) and the Infirmary (1938) are also on campus.

The school is located in Oak Ridge, North Carolina. It is close to the Piedmont Triad International Airport. It is also about eight miles northwest of Greensboro, a large city in North Carolina.

Alumni Hall is a two-story building on campus. It was built in 1914. Benbow Hall was built in 1905 for classrooms. The academy also has a small chapel on its grounds.

Academics and Learning

Student Enrollment

In the 2019–2020 school year, 50 students were enrolled at Oak Ridge. The school has about 13 teachers. This means there are about 4 students for every teacher. This small class size helps students get more attention.

Almost all of the academy's students (98 percent) are accepted into colleges. For the 2023–2024 school year, the tuition for Oak Ridge was $17,000.

School Programs

Oak Ridge's classes are divided into four main subjects. These are English, Math, Science, and History. The academy offers 11 honors classes. These are more challenging courses for advanced students. It also offers 3 AP courses. These are college-level classes that can earn students college credit.

Fun Extracurriculars

Oak Ridge holds a "Junior Cadet Leadership Challenge" camp every year. This camp lasts for five days. It includes physical activities, leadership training, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) training.

Oak Ridge also publishes a magazine called the Oak Leaf. It comes out twice a year. The magazine shares news about the campus and school events. It also includes news about alumni, who are former students.

Famous Former Students

Images for kids

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  Oak Ridge Military Academy, September 2013