Southern Preparatory Academy

Southern Preparatory Academy is a private military boarding academy providing the best in academics, leadership, and athletics, structured on a foundation of moral and ethical values that develop young men of integrity, competence, and excellence who are prepared for the work of life.

Our purpose and vision are to prepare our cadets for the responsibilities of life and offer the best in academic instruction coupled with the discipline of a military program. Southern Preparatory Academy is recognized as one of the premier military boarding schools for young men in the United States.

A boarding school environment provides many more benefits for your child than most people initially realize. From an education standpoint alone, there is a huge advantage to living with students who are taking the same courses: it gives them opportunities to teach each other after class, learn from one another, and have easy access to study groups for every course – every student gains from the process. The much more impactful advantage to boarding school is the social development that teens are able to experience. For most teens, going to a boarding school gives them much more independence than they would have at home, but they are still able to be in a safe and structured environment. Giving teens the opportunity to manage their own time grants them an extremely smooth transition when they go to college.​

The Academy was founded by Dr. Lyman Ward in 1898 as a non-profit, non-denominational, co-educational institution for rural youth. The original purpose was to provide a secondary education for those with the ability to learn and the willingness to work. A long list of illustrious alumni attests to the need and the effect of the program. A charter was granted in 1901 by the State of Alabama, the school being incorporated in the name of "The Southern Industrial Institute, Inc." Shortly after the death of Dr. Ward in 1948, the military department was added and the school became "Lyman Ward Military Academy."

While keeping pace with modern educational methods over the years, much of the original philosophy of the school's founder has been retained. Precedence is given to the development of Christian ideals and self-reliance. The high standards set by the Academy have fitted Southern Preparatory Academy students for acceptance by outstanding universities throughout the country. In 2019, Lyman Ward Military Academy rebranded to Southern Preparatory Academy, a name that represents the same values as years past but brings the academy into the 21st century. Our goals of instilling discipline, preparedness, and All American values into the young men of our future are at the forefront of our academy, through academics, military training, and a holistic approach to life and learning.