11 Facts About Durham Academy

Thirty-eight percent of Durham Academy's students are people of color, as are 17 percent of teachers.

Durham Academy was founded in 1933, as the Calvert Method School, by George Watts Hill and his wife.

Durham Academy became a member of the National Council of Independent Schools and added an eighth grade.

In 1971, Durham Academy purchased and broke ground on 42 acres of land on Ridge Road to launch the Upper School.

In 1983, Durham Academy celebrated its 50th anniversary with ceremonies led by founder George Watts Hill.

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That same year, Durham Academy began hosting the Durham County Special Olympics, which includes an estimated 400 athletes from all Durham County Public Schools.

Students at Durham Academy have won national titles in chess and debate, and a member of the Class of 2007 was awarded second place in the Intel Science Talent Search.

Durham Academy had the first high school boys lacrosse program in Durham County.

Since 2010, Durham Academy has won 2 NCISAA state championships and had 10 NCISAA championship runner-up finishes.

The cross country and track programs at Durham Academy are particularly notable, with 39 team state championships and 196 individual titles during the tenure of former head coach Dennis Cullen.

Several Durham Academy athletes have gone on to Division I programs, including Duke University, University of Vermont, U S Naval Academy, Wake Forest University, Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.