Some things just go together… peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper, the South and sweet tea… As someone who spent formative years in the South, it was quite a rude awakening to find that not all tea is created equal throughout the country.
I distinctly remember visiting family in Ohio as a teenager. We were out to eat, and the waiter came to take drink orders. When it was my turn, I confidently said, “sweet tea,” to which the waiter responded, “We don’t have that.” Then, trying to ease my confusion, he pointed to the little caddy of sugar and sweeteners on the table as a possible remedy. Anyone who has ever been a consumer of sweetened iced tea surely knows that just throwing in a packet of Sweet-n-Low or Splenda is not the same as adding sugar during the brewing process.
If someone were to add to my aforementioned list of things that go together, I’m not sure that anyone would associate boarding school with the South. More common in other areas of the country, boarding schools provide an alternative student experience, traditionally within the high school years. Living on campus can provide a multitude of benefits for both students and families, including increased academic support, stronger relationships and healthier levels of independence and responsibility.
By launching a residential extension to its day program, Currey Ingram Academy aims to establish the long-standing tradition of boarding school in the South. Residential life at Currey Ingram Academy will continue its mission of supporting and empowering students with learning differences to achieve their fullest potential, yet now within an enriching, 24/7 environment, as well.
Within a safe residential and learning environment, Currey Ingram Academy students will strive to be present, prepared and proactive, as an additional emphasis is placed on the development of social-emotional skills and executive function as part of the residential life program.
This new boarding-initiative is not interested in just providing students a place to sleep and study. Using its location as an advantage, the campus of Currey Ingram Academy is mere minutes from Nashville, which comes calling with the sounds of music, nature, sports and history, making it an ideal location to be a student. Consistent, concentrated efforts will be made by residential life staff to provide a well-rounded student experience.
While it may take the notion of boarding school some time to reach “sweet tea status” in the South, the benefits of such an educational experience could prove life-changing for many families in our region. Currey Ingram Academy firmly believes this, and is leaving no stone unturned in the pursuit of finding mission-aligned students and families who want to join this transformational journey.
