Oak Hill Academy

Since 1878, Oak Hill Academy has transformed the lives of generations of students. In the heart of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, our small, co-ed, college-preparatory boarding school combines structure with self-reliance, discipline with discovery, and a guiding hand with a warm heart. Our curriculum challenges the brightest students and encourages those who may feel less motivated or who may be experiencing difficulty in their current school setting. Our structured and relational environment provides the opportunity for students to redefine themselves in very positive ways.

In the mid 1800s, members of small Baptist churches in Ashe County, North Carolina, and Grayson County, Virginia, envisioned a place of learning for the children of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain Region. In 1873, the New River Baptist Association of Virginia voted to establish Oak Hill Academy. Oak Hill held its first session in the fall of 1878. Traditional hallmarks of the school have remained intact throughout the generations: co-educational, boarding, Baptist affiliated, mission-focused, and uniquely diverse.

Oak Hill Academy inspires academic success, cultivates personal growth, and personifies a healthy community while fostering relationships among students, families, and our school. We are a coeducational Baptist-affiliated boarding school that provides a college preparatory education (Grades 8-12) in a small, structured, and nurturing environment.

With such a rich heritage, Oak Hill Academy has experienced many different facets of leadership and association. At one time in the mid twentieth century, the Academy was concurrently operated by the local public school system and by different sections of the Baptist Convention. Today the school is governed by an independent board of trustees.

While the constituents of the Academy might now arrive to the 270-acre campus from afar, and accreditation is bestowed from state and nationally recognized education associations, the beautiful setting and intentionality of the school’s program continue along the visionary path of the Oak Hill Academy founders.

Of course much has changed since the school’s inception in 1878. New buildings, modern technology, and contemporary methods of learning characterize our daily operations today. Yet, at its core, the spirit of Oak Hill Academy remains intact … administration, faculty, and staff members partnering together on “the hill” in a life-affecting mission. Providing an educational alternative to today’s teenagers and their families … what could be more important?

The Oak Hill Academy mission is proudly steeped in tradition dating to 1878. This is a mission that remains vibrant and relevant, and continues unabated.