ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY

ALBUQUERQUE ACADEMY IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED INDEPENDENT, COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL THAT SERVES A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY IN GRADES SIX THROUGH TWELVE. THE SCHOOL OFFERS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE A PASSION FOR LIFELONG LEARNING, FOSTER CREATIVITY AND CONNECTION, AND ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY SERVICE. THE ACADEMY OPENED ITS DOORS IN THE FALL OF 1955 WITH 12 BOYS IN GRADES 7 THROUGH 9, TWO TEACHERS, AND FOUNDING HEAD WILLIAM WILBURN. CLASSES WERE HELD IN RENTED SPACE IN THE PARISH HALL OF ST. MICHAEL'S AND ALL ANGELS CHURCH. IN 1957, ENROLLMENT HAD GROWN TO 75 BOYS AND THE SCHOOL MOVED TO A 27-ACRE SITE ON NORTH EDITH BOULEVARD IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM. THE FIRST CLASS OF SEVEN BOYS GRADUATED IN 1960. IN 1966, THE SCHOOL MOVED TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION, AND IN 1967/68 WAS HOME TO 405 BOYS. GIRLS WERE ADMITTED BEGINNING IN 1973. FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 2024/25, THE ACADEMY SERVED 1,198 GIRLS AND BOYS IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 12.THE ACADEMY'S REMARKABLE GROWTH WAS MADE POSSIBLE LARGELY THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATIONAL GIFT OF ALBERT G. SIMMS, A NEW MEXICO FINANCIER AND RANCHER, AND HIS WIFE, RUTH HANNA MCCORMICK SIMMS. IN THE EARLY 1960'S THE SIMMS GAVE OR BEQUEATHED TO THE ACADEMY (IN TRUST) MORE THAN 12,000 ACRES OF UNDEVELOPED LAND AND 8,000 SHARES OF ALBUQUERQUE NATIONAL BANK STOCK. THE UNDEVELOPED LAND HAS BEEN SOLD RESULTING IN THE ENDOWMENT THAT TODAY ENABLES EDUCATION IN A BEAUTIFUL AND UPLIFTING ENVIRONMENT, AND ALSO HAS PROVIDED THE SCHOOL ITS CAMPUS.THE UNIQUENESS OF THE ACADEMY IS DUE, IN LARGE PART, TO ITS COMMITMENT TO ITS ADMISSION POLICY, AND TO PROVIDING ACCESSIBILITY TO QUALIFIED STUDENTS FROM THROUGHOUT THE GREATER ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY. EVERY ACADEMY STUDENT BENEFITS FROM THE SCHOOL'S COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY. DIRECT SUPPORT FROM THE ENDOWMENT COVERS APPROXIMATELY 12% OF THE COST NOT COVERED BY TUITION.A FURTHER COMMITMENT OF THE ACADEMY IS TO DIVERSITY AND DEDICATING THE SCHOOL'S RESOURCES TO CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH ALL STUDENTS CAN THRIVE. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL THE SCHOOL'S CONSTITUENTS TO MAKE THIS ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING AND TO FOSTER MUTUAL RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER. STUDENTS OF COLOR (INCLUDING STUDENTS OF MIDDLE EASTERN, HISPANIC, AFRICAN AMERICAN, ASIAN, AND NATIVE AMERICAN ANCESTRY) REPRESENTED APPROXIMATELY 57% OF THE TOTAL STUDENT POPULATION FOR THE 2024/25 SCHOOL YEAR. APPRECIATION FOR DIVERSITY IS ALSO EXTENDED TO THOSE OF VARIOUS SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS.ACADEMY STUDENTS BENEFIT ACADEMICALLY FROM SMALL CLASSES (AVERAGING 13 STUDENTS PER CLASS) AND A TEACHER-TO-STUDENT RATIO OF 1:10.THE ACADEMY CURRICULUM IS RIGOROUS AND EXCLUSIVELY COLLEGE PREPARATORY. 24 ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES WERE OFFERED IN THE 2024/25 SCHOOL YEAR. THE 2025 GRADUATING CLASS HAD 17 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP SEMIFINALISTS AND 3 COMMENDED STUDENTS. THERE WERE 167 STUDENTS IN THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2025. ALMOST ALL ACADEMY GRADUATES ENROLL IN A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IMMEDIATELY UPON GRADUATION.

SUMMER PROGRAMTHE ACADEMY SUMMER SESSION OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO 1,311 CHILDREN OF THE GREATER ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY (MOST NONAFFILIATED WITH THE REGULAR SCHOOL YEAR) TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ENRICHING AND EXCITING SUMMER EXPERIENCE DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025. THE PROGRAM HAD MANY CLASS OFFERINGS INCLUDING EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, A DAY CAMP, VARIOUS SPORTS CAMPS AND SWIM INSTRUCTION FOR CHILDREN FROM PRESCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL. CREDIT CLASSES IN MATH AND SCIENCE ARE ALSO OFFERED TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.THE SUMMER PROGRAM HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ACADEMY SINCE 1984, REINFORCING THE SCHOOL'S UNIQUE MISSION OF ACCESSIBILITY, AFFORDABILITY, EXCELLENCE AND OUTREACH. AN IMPORTANT OUTREACH EFFORT IS THE MULTICULTURAL SUMMER HONORS PROGRAM, A SUMMER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR ACADEMICALLY TALENTED AND MOTIVATED AFRICAN AMERICAN, NATIVE AMERICAN, HISPANIC, AND OTHER STUDENTS WHO WILL BE ENTERING THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADES. OVERALL, THE SUMMER PROGRAMS BUILD A BROADER SENSE OF COMMUNITY AS SUMMER STUDENTS AND THEIR SIBLINGS, AS WELL AS CHILDREN OF FACULTY AND ALUMNI, RETURN SUMMER AFTER SUMMER. THE SESSION IS STAFFED BY QUALIFIED AND TALENTED INDIVIDUALS WHO COME FROM THROUGHOUT NEW MEXICO AND THE WIDER NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY.COMMUNITY ACADEMY:COMMUNITY ACADEMY SUPPORTS THE ACADEMY'S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND LIFE-LONG LEARNING. COMMUNITY ACADEMY OFFERS A CONTINUING EVENING LECTURE SERIES, FREE OF CHARGE TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, PRESENTED BY ACADEMY FACULTY, ALUMNI, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WITH EXPERTISE IN THEIR FIELDS.