The King's Academy (West Palm Beach, Florida)

History

The King's Academy was founded by a group of Christian business leaders in August 1970 and opened on the campus of Belvedere Baptist Church in West Palm Beach, Florida. In 1971, the school purchased a 20-acre campus on Cherry Road where it remained until the 2004 school year. In August 2005, The King's Academy moved to its current 60 acre location at Belvedere Road and Sansbury's Way in Palm Beach County, Florida. In 2010, the school opened a second high school location on Caribbean Avenue in Clewiston, Florida.

Since 1970, four presidents have overseen the day-to-day operations of the school: Kye Harris (1970–74), M. Nelson Loveland (1974–99), Jeffrey M. Loveland (1999–2016), and Randal L. Martin (2016–present). Since the school's inception, six chairs of the board of governors have served: M. Nelson Loveland (1970–74), Lloyd Prouty (1974-75), Stanley F. Frederick (1975–87), Gene Martin (1987–93), David Fiebig (1993-2006), and Clyde S. Meckstroth (2006–present).

National Awards and Recognition

The King's Academy has received a number of national honors, including:

1986: The school received national recognition for excellence in education from President Ronald Reagan and U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett as one of the top 60 private schools in the country.

1988: The band performed at the White House during President Ronald Reagan's term.

1989: On January 20th, the school's band students were selected to play for President George H.W. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle at their inaugural parade.

2007: Christian school researcher Dr. Gene Frost cited the school as one of the seven best Christian schools in America in his book, Learning from the Best: Growing Greatness in the Christian School.

2014: Dr. Frost reiterated the school's top seven national ranking.

2014: Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education for President Barack Obama, named the school a National Blue Ribbon School as an Exemplary High Performing School; one of 50 private schools to receive the honor.

2015: The National Football League named the school to its Super Bowl High School Honor Roll.

2016: The school's musical theater program was named one of the nation's five best by the American High School Theatre Festival, winning the award for its performance of "Jekyll & Hyde."

2016: The school's boys golf team won a national championship at the Antigua National High School Golf Invitational in Scottsdale, Arizona; defeating the Utah state champion team by 11 strokes, the Arizona champion by 15 strokes, and the Illinois winner by 25 strokes.

2017: The school's choir and dance students were selected to perform for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at their inaugural concert.

2017: The school's competitive cheerleading team earned National Grand Champion honors, defeating all teams, at the Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders ("FCC") National Championships in Orlando, Florida.

Academic Profile

The King's Academy offers a college preparatory program for students from preschool to 12th grade. The King's Academy is fully accredited by four accrediting bodies: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, AdvancED, the Association of Christian Schools International and the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. The school's most recent re-accreditation study was completed in 2013 and resulted in an extension of the school's accreditation through 2018.

Secondary School

The King's Academy's secondary school educates students from 7th to 12th grade. On average, 99% of The King's Academy's graduates enter college, with 96% of graduates matriculating into a four-year university or college. Other graduates commit to service in the United States military branches. The King's Academy offers 22 Advanced Placement courses and 29 hours of dual enrollment credits in partnership with Palm Beach Atlantic University. In 2012 and 2013, the school's senior classes (121 and 115 graduates) received college scholarships worth $7.6 million and nearly $7.0 million, respectively. Recent graduates of the school have been accepted by selective universities including Harvard University, Yale University, Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Air Force Academy, Duke University, Florida State University, Georgetown University, University of North Carolina, New York University, University of Florida, and Vanderbilt University.

Business Magnet Program

In 2013, the school established a business track for high school students. Business-minded students can earn a certificate of completion by taking electives in American entrepreneurship, economics, ethics, foreign language, marketing and statistics; while being a member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA-PBL).

STEM Magnet Program

In 2015, the school established a STEM magnet program for high school and elementary students, offering an academically-rigorous science, technology, engineering and math curriculum. Students that complete the STEM track receive a certificate of completion.

Pre-Law Magnet Program

In 2016, the school established a pre-law track for high school students. Students interested in the field of law can earn a certificate of completion by taking six electives in law-related classes including Introduction to Law, Constitutional Law, Business Law I and II, Criminal Law, and Oral & Written Advocacy.

Sports Medicine Magnet Program

In 2017, the school established a sports medicine track for high school students. Students interested in the field of athletic training can earn a certificate of completion by taking five electives in sports medicine-related classes including First Aid & Safety, Care & Prevention of Athletic Injuries, Health Explorations I Honors, Health Explorations II Honors, and Anatomy and Physiology Honors.

Elementary School

The King's Academy's elementary school educates students from pre-Kindergarten to 6th grade. The school's elementary students’ average scores ranked in the top 15 percent of private schools nationally for 2013 and 2014 academic standardized testing; qualifying the school as a Blue Ribbon Elementary School according to the U.S. Department of Education. As a result, the school was named a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School. In addition to academic subjects, the School's elementary program provides instruction in art, band, cognitive development, Latin, music appreciation, physical education, Spanish, science laboratory, technology and vocal music. Optional after-school extracurricular activities are offered for athletic and fine arts development.

The School's elementary students compete in local, regional and state band and vocal assessments; Odyssey of the Mind; and the Palm Beach County (Florida) Science Fair. There, one student's science project was judged by Dr. Craig Layman, fellow and professor of ecology at North Carolina State University, as "one of the most influential sixth grade science projects ever conducted, demonstrating something that scientists should have done years before." Her research on the Lionfish's adaptability to fresh water was published in the scientific journal, Environmental Biology of Fishes, and was featured on CBS This Morning.

Explore Program for the Gifted

The elementary school offers a gifted student magnet program providing instruction and guidance in project-based learning, technology-centered activities, critical and creative thinking, and problem solving. Using a multi-disciplined approach, students are given the opportunity to research, create their own products and projects, and solve real-world problems.

Athletics

The King's Academy's Lions athletics program competes in the following sports: Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Swimming, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field, and Volleyball.

As a full member of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), the school fields approximately 50 boys and girls teams in 23 FHSAA-sanctioned varsity sports. In 2014, The King's Academy joined the independent Southeastern Football Conference for football only.

Athletic Championships

In 1992, The King's Academy's baseball team defeated Tallahassee Maclay for the school's first Florida state championship, and won another state title in 2001. The King's Academy volleyball team won the Florida state title in 1993, in 1994, and again in 2006. The King's Academy competitive cheerleading team won five consecutive FHSAA state championships from 2010 to 2014.

In 2016, The King's Academy's boys' golf team won the school's first national championship at the Antigua National High School Golf Invitational in Scottsdale, Arizona. The school's competitive cheerleading team earned National Grand Champion and FHSAA Public School Champion honors at the 2017 FCC National Championships in Orlando, Florida.

In all, varsity teams competing for The King's Academy have won 110 FHSAA district championships, 35 FHSAA regional titles, 10 FHSAA state championships, and 2 national championships:

(*) National title. (**) State runner-up. (^) FCC Division championship. (^^) Southeastern Football Conference championship.

Athletic Facilities

The King's Academy's football, soccer and lacrosse teams play home games on campus at Kahlert Stadium, a lighted, natural turf facility with seating for 1,200 fans. Lion and Lady Lion volleyball and basketball teams compete in the M. Nelson Loveland Sports and Fine Arts Center's gymnasium, which houses a game court and two practice courts and has seating for 800 spectators. The School's property also contains lighted baseball and softball fields, a track and field facility, six competition tennis courts and a USATF certified 5-K cross-country course. In 2015, the school built the Full-Page Aquatic Center, comprising a 25-meter competition swimming pool and pool house, for use by its swimming teams.

On-campus athletic training facilities include a field house with weight and athletic training rooms, a covered basketball and volleyball pavilion, a golf practice facility, and three prescription athletic turf practice fields (football, multi-purpose and lacrosse). In all, The King's Academy maintains 15 acres of natural turf fields for its athletic program.

Athletic Hall of Fame

The King's Academy honors athletes with outstanding high school careers by inducting them in the school's Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame honorees receive a plaque on the south side of the M. Nelson Loveland Sports and Fine Arts Center. To date, the following athletes have been inducted: Jeff Loveland '75 (HOF Class of 2002), Kerry Smith Paguaga '78 (2002), Scott Hamilton '81 (2002), Amy Freeman '95 (2002), Kristi Frenier '96 (2002), Heath Evans '97 (2002), Steve Hustad '80 (2003), Pedro Arruza '92 (2003), Kimmy Carter Bloemers '98 (2003), John James '83 (2004), Jennifer Mossadeghi '99 (2004), Karen Jackson Chapin '94 (2005), Troy Roberson '98 (2005), Rebekah Sentgeorge Haine '93 (2006), Carrie Lorenz Himes '01 (2006), Mark Roncase '91 (2007), Janet Meckstroth Alessi '78 (2007), Coach Jon Roncase (2007), Thomas "Gator" Brooks '01 (2009), Kathryn Hallquist '02 (2009), Danielle Bradley '06 (2012), Colt Morton '00 (2012), Hailey Neal '07 (2013), Hillary Neal '07 (2013), Andrew Woodward '84 (2014), and Christina Alessi '10 (2016).

Retired Number

In February 2016, The King's Academy retired 1997 alumnus and Super Bowl champion Heath Evans' high school football number, 10.

Conservatory of the Arts

Beginning with elementary band, choir and music theory, students at The King's Academy are offered classes in the creative and performance arts. In middle and high school, students perform in Broadway-style musicals, a full dance program, His People and His Voice choirs, jazz and concert bands, percussion, symphony, broadcasting, film and digital arts, stagecraft, visual arts, and marching band.

Performing Arts

In April 2013, the school's students performed the world premiere of Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (an English adaptation of the German-language musical Der Glöckner von Notre Dame). This performance was made in collaboration with Walt Disney Executive Studios. After viewing the performance, Disney executive Brian Turwilliger commented, "The story was so beautifully crafted and displayed in new and fresh ways." He explained that Disney will now offer The Hunchback of Notre Dame to be performed at other schools and amateur theaters, as it did with Beauty and the Beast after another Disney-The King's Academy collaboration in 2000 resulted in the world amateur stage premiere of the musical.

In 2015, the school's production of The Sound of Music was featured on an episode of ABC News' 20/20. The school's production of Jekyll & Hyde earned a 2016 top high school musical theatre program award from the American High School Theatre Festival and an invitation to perform Les Miserables at the 2017 Fringe Festival in London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland. Other recent stage productions have included:

Instrumental Arts

The King's Academy offers instrumental classes for elementary students starting with beginning band in 5th grade and intermediate band in 6th grade. Secondary students may choose to continue their studies in the school's concert and symphonic bands. The King's Academy also offers classes in woodwinds, percussion and strings.

The King's Regiment

The school's marching and parade band, The King's Regiment (formerly known as the Marching Lions) is a 3-time state runner-up (2008, 2010 and 2012) in Class A at the Florida Marching Band Championships. In 2013, the Marching Lions finished 10th in the nation (Class A) at the Bands of America's Grand National Championships, held at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium. Recent performances by The King's Regiment have included:

Prior performances by the Marching Lions included:

STRYKE Wynds

In 2014, the Marching Lions' directors formed an independent instrumental ensemble, STRYKE Wynds, to compete in Winter Guard International's Independent Open Winds Class. In its inaugural season, the group, consisting of eight TKA students and other high school instrumentalists, was a silver medalist at the 2015 WGI Winds World Championship. The ensemble won a gold medal at the 2016 WGI Winds World Championship.

Notable Alumni

Heath Evans graduated from The King's Academy in 1997 and was a running back for 10 years in the National Football League with the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, and Miami Dolphins and played college football at Auburn University. He won Super Bowl XLIV as a member of the Saints. After Heath's retirement from the NFL, he became a TV analyst for the NFL Network.

A 2007 graduate of the school, Emmanuel Lamur played linebacker in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Bengals, and currently plays for the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at Kansas State University. His twin brother Sammuel Lamur '07 also graduated from The King's Academy, played at Kansas State and is a quarterback for the Tampa Bay Storm in the Arena Football League.

Lauren Jelencovich graduated from The King's Academy in 2003 and is a professional soprano singer. While a student at the school, she won the grand prize on Ed McMahon's Star Search television show. After studying vocal performance, opera, and musical theater at the Manhattan School of Music, she has performed around the world at venues such as Carnegie Hall and the MGM Grand Las Vegas and currently tours globally as a lead vocalist with Yanni.

Colt Morton graduated from The King's Academy in 2000 and was a Major League Baseball catcher for the San Diego Padres. He played college baseball at North Carolina State University.

A 2005 graduate of the school, Tess Soltau studied acting at Carnegie Mellon University, and is a Broadway and television actress. She played Glinda as part of the Broadway company of Wicked and previously starred as Wednesday Addams in the Broadway production of The Addams Family. She has appeared off-Broadway in the world premiere of Sheryl Crow's The Diner, as well as in Far From Heaven and Into the Woods. She also guest starred in recurring roles on several television shows including Law & Order: SVU (as Caroline Pereira) and White Collar (as Miranda).

A 2008 graduate of the school, Sam Tanabe studied musical theater and dance at Point Park University, and is a Broadway actor. He played Sammy as part of the Broadway company of Allegiance.

A 1988 graduate of the school, Dr. Juli Slattery is a clinical psychologist and broadcast media professional. She was co-host of the nationally syndicated Focus on the Family daily radio broadcast with Jim Daly from 2010 to 2012 and is President of the non-profit organization, Authentic Intimacy. She has also authored books including Finding the Hero In Your Husband, No More Headaches, Beyond the Masquerade and Guilt Free Motherhood, and is a regular contributor to Today's Christian Woman magazine.

Gary Wallace graduated from The King's Academy in 1986, studied at the University of Central Florida and hosts a nationally syndicated morning radio show, as Wally on "The Wally Show". His show is heard on over 100 radio stations nationwide on the WAY-FM Christian radio network. Previously, Wally was the host of a nationally syndicated contemporary Christian music radio program, Total Axxess. Wally delivered the commencement address at the school's 2014 graduation ceremony.

A 1989 graduate of the school, Dr. Karl Shoemaker is an author and professor of legal history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After playing professional baseball in Italy, he earned a J.D. degree from Samford University and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. His book, Sanctuary and Crime in the Middle Ages, won the John Nicholas Brown Prize of the Medieval Academy; and he has appeared on C-SPAN to debate the merits of unionized workers.

Dr. Elizabeth Ennis graduated from The King's Academy in 1979. She received her M.D. from the University of South Alabama in 1989 and completed an internship in Internal Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she also completed her residency and a fellowship in Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism. Dr. Ennis is Chief Medical Officer and Vice President, Medical Education & Research for Baptist Health System of Alabama, a nonprofit group of 43 hospitals and clinics. She is board certified in internal medicine and endocrinology and also maintains a private practice focused on thryroid and pituitary disorders. She has been recognized as one of the Best Doctors in America.

A 2000 graduate of the school, Sgt. Philip Jones studied instrumental music at Southern Methodist University and travels globally as second baritone section leader for the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, also known as "The Commandant's Own".

Kent Annan graduated from The King's Academy in 1990 and is a Christian missionary, author and co-founder of the educational non-profit Haiti Partners with Tony Campolo. A graduate of Princeton University, he has authored books including Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle and After Shock: Searching for Honest Faith When Your World is Shaken, and has been a contributor to the Huffington Post, Christianity Today, and CNN.com. He has also appeared on national TV and radio in support of Haitian relief efforts on The Hour, 100 Huntley Street, and National Public Radio's The Story.

A 2000 graduate of the school, Matthew Wensing studied humanities at the University of Chicago. A software developer, he created Stormpulse.com; a hurricane forecasting and weather intelligence tool used by Fortune 500 companies, the White House situation room, and 6.5 million private users annually. Wensing is CEO of Riskpulse, an Austin, Texas-based emerging risk management firm.

Rachel Rossin graduated from The King's Academy in 2005. She studied graphic design and art history at Florida State University, where she also founded The Greenhouse Project to benefit Uganda's Greenhouse Orphanage. She is a multimedia artist who works in oil painting, installation, and digital programming (CAD and virtual reality). Rossin is a virtual reality fellow in residence at New Inc., New Museum's art incubator. Recent solo exhibits of her work have been held at Elliott Levenglick Gallery, New York; Signal, Brooklyn; Spring/Break Art Show, New York; Schoolhouse Projects with Ideas City, New York; and the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, Jacksonville, Florida. Her virtual reality work was reviewed in the New York Times.

A 2010 graduate of the school, Christina Alessi plays professional volleyball for the Super Liga volleyball club in the Philippines and previously played for the Halmstad Volley Club in Sweden, where she was a national finalist. She played college volleyball for Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Dr. Dominique Musselman graduated from The King's Academy in 1980 and is Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Miami. She previously served on the faculty at Emory University. Dr. Musselman researches the pathophysiology of cytokine-induced neurobehavioral symptom complexes suffered by patients with cancer. Her work has been published in the scientific journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

D.J. Carter graduated from The King's Academy in 2003 and is Assistant Director for the television show The Middle. He holds a master's degree in Television and Film Production from Loyola Marymount University where he joined the Directors Guild of America Assistant Director Training Program. He has also worked on shows including Silicon Valley, The Mentalist, Transparent, Castle and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Notable Faculty

Keith Allen is a pre-engineering and mathematics teacher at the school. He also is The King's Academy's head football coach. Previously, Mr. Allen coached college football at Oklahoma, Texas Christian, San Jose State, and was head football coach at Southwest Baptist University for six seasons, still holding the school record for most wins.

Jennifer Arrington is a science teacher at the school and holds a master's degree in nutrition and immunology from Texas A&M. Mrs. Arrington is also the author of Trusting for Tomorrow, a book about coping with celiac disease.

Jonathan Martin is a physical education and athletic training teacher at the school and holds a degree from the University of South Carolina. Mr. Martin played college football as a safety for South Carolina and played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys and in Italy. He also coached college football at the University of Kentucky.

David Snyder is the director of performing arts at the school. Mr. Snyder holds a master's degree in musical theatre from Ithaca College and performance certificate from Juilliard. Previously, Mr. Snyder performed on Broadway as resident piano accompanist and assistant music director for the Tony-nominated Cabaret, A View From the Bridge, and 1776. He was also a member of the Disney Production Team and the Broadway cast of Beauty and the Beast. Mr. Snyder has also won the Outstanding Teacher of the Year award from the National Thespian Association of Education.

Brad Wilkerson is the school's varsity baseball coach. Previously, Mr. Wilkerson was a Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman with the Montreal Expos, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, and Toronto Blue Jays. He was named 2002 MLB Rookie of the Year by the Sporting News and won an Olympic gold medal for USA Baseball at the 2000 Sydney games. Mr. Wilkerson played college baseball at the University of Florida and was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2014, he was named National Volunteer Coach of the Year by USA Baseball.

Steve Peifer is the Director of College Counseling at the school. Mr. Peifer was awarded the 2010 Excellence in Education Award from the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, the 2013 Guidance Professional of the Year from the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals, and the 2007 Yale University Counseling Award. Mr. Peifer, author of A Dream So Big about his relief efforts in Africa, was honored by CNN's "Heroes for Championing Children" program for his founding of a school lunch program in Kenya, which feeds 20,000 students each day.

Former Faculty

Linda Moskeland Fuchs, wife of University of Florida president W. Kent Fuchs, taught French, yearbook and elementary art at the school in 1977 and 1978. Mrs. Fuchs subsequently became an art historian and holds master's degrees in art history from the University of Chicago and Cornell and a master's degree in Biblical studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

William H. Vimont was the school's founding headmaster in 1970. Mr. Vimont coauthored the Victory Drill Book, a systematic approach to high speed phonetic reading. This book of speed reading drills was used at The King's Academy during the 1970s and 1980s and is still in print.

Jennifer Winters was a broadcasting, acting and vocal arts teacher at the school. Previously, Mrs. Winters performed on Broadway as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera and in Broadway national tours as Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Maria in West Side Story, and the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She also appeared on television on Seinfeld, Guiding Light, and Third Watch and was a television news anchor and reporter in Virginia Beach and Norfolk, Virginia.

Board of Governors Award

With an award given in memory of the late Amy Halle Hinckley, TKA Class of 1980, the school's Board of Governors annually honors an outstanding elementary faculty and high school faculty member. Nominees are selected by the school's administration and winners are determined by a vote of the school's faculty. Ms. Hinckley was a Spanish teacher in Texas, Florida, and Georgia and was known for her dedication to students. Past winners of the award include Trish Reelitz (2003), Retta Calcutt (2004), Doug Raines (2005), Heidi Patchin and Kim Phillips (2006), Fatima Silva (2007), Kim Leslie (2008), Chris Huether (2009), Kim Smith (2011), Kevin Shaw (2012), Delia Albee (2013), David Snyder (2014), Robin Phillips (2015), and Jamie Gatchell and Mary Virkler (2016).

Wall of Fame

The school honors long-term teachers and administrators with a bronze plaque on the west side of the M. Nelson Loveland Sports and Fine Arts Center. Generally, individuals retiring with more than 25 years of service are selected. To date, twelve honorees have been enshrined including M. Nelson Loveland (President, 25 years), Jon F. Roncase (Athletic Director, 31 years), Jean A. Frazier (Elementary Teacher, 30 years), Mary Anderson (Spanish Teacher, 29 years), Andreana M. Wisniewski (Dean, 29 years), Retta Calcutt (Elementary Teacher, 27 years), C. Ernest Tatham (Founding Board Member), Robert G. Fletcher (History Teacher, 30 years), Sharon Caldwell (Dean, 27 years), Wendy Nordine (Librarian, 25 years), Patricia Reelitz (English Teacher, 28 years), and Andrew Camizzi (Art Teacher, 39 years).

Campus

The King's Academy is located on approximately 60 acres at the northeast corner of Belvedere Road and Sansbury's Way in Palm Beach County, Florida. Most of the campus was constructed in 2005 and consists of 15 buildings (Lower Elementary, Administration, Upper Elementary, High School Administration, High School Science, High School Education, M. Nelson Loveland Sports and Fine Arts, Elementary Music, Cafeteria, Rosemary Beaumont Library, Field House, Bus Garage/Maintenance, Events Center (completed in 2012), Full-Page Aquatic Center (completed in 2015), and Page Family Center for Performing Arts (completed in 2017)) encompassing approximately 215,000 square feet.

In 2015, the school added Studio 70, a television broadcasting facility.

Remote Locations

The school also operates The King's Academy Preschool at remote locations in Boynton Beach, Greenacres, Loxahatchee, Palm Beach Gardens, and Royal Palm Beach, Florida; at the Boynton Beach Community Church, Church in the Palms’ Community Center, Trinity West Church, Cross Community Church, and Connect Church of Royal Palm, respectively. In 2010, the school opened a high school extension in Clewiston, Florida, on the campus of Clewiston Christian School. This campus offers Christian secondary education for students in grades 7 to 12. In 2013, this extension was fully accredited and in 2014, welcomed its first graduating class.

Online Learning

In 2010, The King's Academy established an internet-based school for middle and high school students called The King's Academy Online. The online program offers approximately 140 courses, with advanced placement courses and dual enrollment credits from Christian institutions including Indiana Wesleyan University and Taylor University.

During the 2012-13 school year, two of The King's Academy Online's students, in 6th and 8th grades respectively, completed a 67,000 mile trip to all 50 American states and five of 10 Canadian provinces while enrolled. Their accomplishment was featured on the Today show.

International Student Program

International students from Bahamas, Brazil, China, Finland, Great Britain, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, and Switzerland have studied at the school. The King's Academy is licensed to accept qualified F-1 status students and employs a Director of International Learning to assist international families and students. The school has established ESL (English as a Second Language) academic support, tutoring and college counseling. The school also celebrates certain cultural holidays and offers international food options in its cafeteria.

Notable Visitors

Dan Whitney, also known as Larry the Cable Guy, attended the school in the late 1970s through 1980. His father, Tom Whitney, was the school's elementary principal. In 1987 and 1988, television host Chuck Woolery and actress Jo Ann Pflug's daughter, Melissa Woolery, attended the school. Baseball Hall of Fame member Gary Carter's children graduated from the school during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Carter also served as a third base coach for the school's softball team. Former Miami Dolphin Glenn Blackwood was a school board member and his children also graduated from The King's Academy. Blackwood served as the school's head football coach in 2001 and 2002 and as an assistant football coach from 2003 to 2006.

In 1974, radio personality Paul Harvey spoke at a benefit to raise funds for the school's new cafeteria at its Cherry Road campus. NBA center Chris Kaman's neurofeedback seminar was hosted by the school and was broadcast nationally on ESPN's Outside the Lines program in January 2008. In August 2011, Christian singer Jonny Diaz performed a concert at the school. GMA Dove Award winning songwriter Michael Neale has performed at the school several times. In 2011, filmmaker and political commentator Dinesh D’Souza visited The King's Academy's campus. In 2012, United States Representative Allen West spoke to a school assembly and answered questions from students. In 2014, United States Senator Ted Cruz of Texas spoke to the school's political science club and read Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham to the school's elementary students.

The King's Academy also hosts a visiting author series. Past speakers have included Jerry B. Jenkins, best-selling author of the Left Behind series; Josh McDowell, popular Christian apologist and author; Jerel Law, author of the Son of Angels young adult fiction series; Melody Carlson, author of the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, and Bill Myers, best-selling author of the The Adventures of McGee and Me animated series and film director.

Publications

The King's Academy publishes student-produced elementary (EL) and high school (HS) yearbooks (both named The Sceptre) annually, monthly student-written newspapers (Roar, formerly The Lion Ledger and The Scroll) and semi-annual magazines (The Chronicle). During the school year, the school also issues a weekly online edition of TKA E-News.

Yearbooks

From 2014 to 2016, the school's yearbook program was named a Jostens National Yearbook Program of Excellence.

Recent yearbooks have included:

From the school's inception to 2015, its yearbooks were as follows: