ATHLETICS

The complete student is one who performs academically to the best of his or her abilities and at the same time attempts to participate in non-academic activities when possible. These activities offered by Newberry Academy fall into two categories, athletics and academic. The school belongs to the South Carolina Independent School Association and makes every attempt to participate in as many athletic offerings of the association as possible. The decision as to which team sports are chosen for participation is based on the availability of interested students. Currently the school's varsity offerings consist of girl's softball, basketball, swimming and soccer, and of boy's soccer, basketball, swimming, golf and baseball. The basketball is also offered at the middle school level for girls and B-team level for boys.

Cheerleading is available at three levels beginning in the first grade. Grades nine through twelve provide a varsity squad and grades six through eight make up the junior high squad. Girls in grades one through five may participate in the Eaglettes and they perform at home varsity basketball games.

The school operates an intramural program in both soccer and basketball beginning at the four-year-old level for soccer and the five-year-old level for basketball. These practices and games are conducted on Saturday mornings for basketball and during afternoon and early evening hours on weekdays for soccer. Participation ends at the conclusion of the sixth grade.

Academic competitions are also offered by the Independent School Association and provide opportunities for Newberry Academy. Students to go head to head with top students from many of South Carolina's fine private schools. Currently the school is participating in the spelling bee ( grades three through eight), the literary meet ( middle and high school), and the math meet (middle and high school). The school has had individual state champions in many of these competitions with the most recent being the winner of the state middle school math meet.

Organizations

Newberry Academy believes that music should be a part of all student's curriculum therefore music classes are required through grade four, and from grades five through eight the students have to choose between chorus and band. High school students are not required to participate in either band or chorus, but a very high percentage do continue to do so. Middle school and high school choruses offer an opportunity for students to use their talents to entertain at school functions and also participate in choral clinics and competitions. Band is offered from grade five and Newberry Academy currently is the smallest private or public school operating a marching band program. The band also entertains at school functions and participates in local Christmas parades.