Athens Academy

The Middle School Brickmasters robotics team has arrived in Ontario and they are ready to compete! LET’s GO SPARBOTS! 🤖

A great article about our very own Coach Neville Anderson!

Anderson ’84: "I Am a Better Man Because I Attended VMI" - VMI Alumni Agencies The Georgia Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association inducted Neville Anderson ’84 into its Hall of Fame Jan. 16, 2026. The Association did so in recognition of Anderson’s accomplishments at Athens Academy in Athens, Georgia, where he has coached for 23 years. They include leading t...

Athens Academy is proud to announce that rising senior Eva Saraf has earned admission to two of the nation’s most prestigious journalism programs: the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference in Washington, D.C., and the Medill-Northwestern University Journalism Institute, widely known as the “Cherubs” program.

Eva was selected as Georgia’s representative for the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference, which will be held this summer in Washington, D.C. Hosted by Freedom Forum, the conference brings together 51 high school juniors—one from each state and the District of Columbia—for an immersive journalism experience focused on developing the next generation of journalists and media leaders.

In addition, Eva has been accepted to Medill-Northwestern University Journalism Institute, one of the oldest and most respected summer enrichment programs for high school students in the United States. Since 1931, the Institute has welcomed outstanding students to Northwestern’s Evanston campus for intensive educational experiences in journalism, theatre arts, film and video, debate, and playwriting.

Students in the program are affectionately known as “Cherubs,” a nickname coined in the 1930s by Northwestern Dean Ralph Dennis. His vision “to bring together gifted young people and superior teachers in an atmosphere of affection, knowledge, and trust” remains at the heart of the program today. As the oldest and largest university-based program of its kind, the journalism institute provides students with the opportunity to develop their skills alongside talented peers and accomplished instructors.

According to Athens Academy Writing Center Coordinator Tricia Edmison, “Eva became an editor for The Spartan Review shortly after taking Writing for Publication as a freshman, and she will be next year's editor-in-chief. Her tireless commitment to journalism through internships with The Red & Black and her writing in The Oglethorpe Echo fueled her personal growth and transformed The Spartan Review. Eva's work continues to improve the quality of our publication, but more importantly, she continues to inspire a new generation of Spartan storytellers.”

Athens Academy congratulates Eva on these remarkable achievements and looks forward to seeing her continue to pursue her passion for journalism on both the national and collegiate stage.

Over the course of the 2025-26 school year, the fifth graders collected an incredible 1,000 pounds of plastic bags and wrapping, earning a recycled plastic bench through the Trex recycling program. They even assembled the bench themselves!

This achievement was truly a community effort. Special thanks to City of Refuge for collecting plastic wrapping throughout the year, fifth-grade parents Anne Fair Woodward and Katie Ryan for making weekly deliveries, and the Upper School Environmental Club for helping transport collections for recycling.

Together, we kept thousands of plastic bags out of landfills and turned them into something our community can enjoy for years to come. What an outstanding example of teamwork and environmental stewardship!

And that’s a wrap! Thank you to the PSO for another amazing Faculty Post-Planning Luncheon! We celebrated our colleagues who are moving on to new adventures and enjoyed a delicious lunch from Mama’s Boy followed by a drawing for over 100 fantastic items donated by generous families and local businesses. It was a great way to finish the year! 💚

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER, SPARTANS!

This week a group from the Athens Academy boys' basketball team is enjoying a trip to Vienna, Austria! They've been busy practicing several hours each day but have still found time to visit beautiful sites including St. Stephen’s cathedral, the Belvedere Palace, and the Danube Canal, and they even had the chance to see an opera. They're also enjoying the delicious pizza, sausage, ice cream and Vienna’s famous Sacher Torte chocolate cake. Thank you to the Rutledge family for coordinating this great opportunity for our student-athletes!

Last Friday we celebrated Middle School Honors Day for the Class of 2030 as they graduated to Upper School! It was a special day for the students, their families, and their teachers, and the ceremony capped off another great year on Spartan Lane.

Have a great summer, Spartans!

The Lower Schoolers were serious about Field Day this year! They came to compete--and they had an awesome time!

Have a great summer, Spartans!

(And a big thank you to Jenny Richardson for the gorgeous photos!)

Tomorrow marks John Thorsen’s "last day of school" after twelve years of faithful leadership to Athens Academy, and we have had the best time celebrating him throughout this year.

From handwritten letters and signed books to silly socks, ice cream parties, ornaments, receptions, and countless heartfelt moments, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends have found meaningful ways to thank John for the care, commitment, and steady leadership he has given this school community.

These gestures, both big and small, reflect the sincere gratitude so many people feel for John and Laura. Athens Academy is better because of his leadership, and while he will be greatly missed, we are thankful for the lasting impact he leaves behind. 💚

(And in case anyone is wondering, John will still be around this summer until the end of June...but tomorrow is his last last day of school.)

Lower School loves Water Day, too!