Camden Military Academy is a private military boarding school located in Camden, South Carolina

Camden, South Carolina

Camden is the fourth oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is also the county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was an estimated 7,103 in 2009...

. Camden Military Academy accepts male students in grades 7 through post-grad.

History

Camden Military Academy in Camden, South Carolina was originally founded as Camden Academy in 1950. Colonel James F. Risher, the president of Carlisle Military School, purchased the facility in 1958, and the name was changed to Camden Military Academy. His son Lanning P. Risher was the School's first headmaster and served in the position for 37 years. In 1974, Lanning Risher led Camden Military Academy through a reorganization as a non-profit, tax-exempt institution.

Camden Military Academy's mission, first articulated by Colonel James F. Risher, headmaster of Carlisle Military School and founder of Camden Military Academy, is to accept young men of unfulfilled promise and lead them to a future of success. This philosophy, with its roots firmly established at Carlisle, has served young men at Camden now for half a century. Cadets learn to practice the concepts of honor, integrity, and duty as they grow in their everyday lives on campus. They learn to accept responsibility for their successes and failures in the classroom, on the athletic fields, and in their military roles. Cadets are encouraged to develop their own individual strengths and talents while at the same time to respect the rights of others.

Philosophy

The school's philosophy is to develop the "whole man" to the end that he is prepared not only academically, but also emotionally, physically, and morally, to face the trials and meet the opportunities that will be his after he leaves Camden Military Academy.

Military program

The military program at Camden Military Academy provides one of the most beneficial aspects of campus life. The student body is organized into a Corps of Cadets consisting of five companies. Cadets live in their company area within the barracks. A tactical officer is assigned to each company and closely supervises the activities and life of the cadets within his company. He monitors each cadet's academic progress, conduct, and overall development and is readily available to cadets seeking advice or counsel.

Military training is valuable because it instills neatness, precision, promptness and self-control. It teaches a young man to take pride in his country. He learns to take orders before he is given the authority to give orders. Through this process, a cadet learns that he is responsible to his fellow students for his actions. As a cadet develops, he is given more responsibility. As part of the military program, the Academy requires that all high school cadets participate in the JROTC program and attend classes in leadership development. Camden Military Academy is designated as a Military Institute (MI) Junior Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) School and has consistently been rated as an Honor Unit with Distinction by the Department of the Army. The JROTC program requires students to participate in drill and ceremonies, and to attend two classes in leadership development per week. Seventh and eighth grade students, although not part of the JROTC program, are required to participate in all drill and ceremonies. The Cadet Challenge Program, the varsity rifle team, and the precision drill team are also supervised by the Military Department. Military training is unquestionably one of the great assets of Camden Military Academy

Sports

A full program of athletics and physical training is incorporated into the program of Camden Military Academy. In all sports, emphasis is placed on the development of sportsmanship and character in those who participate. At the Academy, the athletic program may be best described in three groups.

Interscholastic

The Academy provides each cadet with a number of athletic opportunities. Varsity football, cross-country, basketball, wrestling, golf, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, track, tennis and marksmanship attract much interest. The Academy teams, known as the Spartans, are usually strong contenders for honors in South Carolina and the Southeast.

Activity period

In addition to interscholastic sports, the Academy offers an excellent intramural program as part of the activity period held twice each week. Although engaging in varsity athletics is optional, participation in activity period intramurals is required when a cadet is not involved in sports, which ensures the physical fitness of all cadets.

Athletic facilities

The Academy's athletic facilities are available during cadet free time. The cadets enjoy swimming in the Academy's pool during the fall and spring. The Academy track and weight room are always available. There are three athletic fields and three tennis courts on campus. Year-around golfing privileges at a local golf course are also provided.

Football, Basketball, Soccer, Baseball, Lacrosse, Tennis, Track, Cross Country, Wrestling, Bowling, Golf, and Marksmanship.

Academics

The academic program is structured around a traditional class day, with all students taking six academic classes a day,and half day Saturday classes every other weekend as well as JROTC. All class sections are small with typically fewer than 17 students in a class. Students are apprised of their academic progress every two weeks. Those students who earn less than a "C" for the two-week grading period in any class are required to attend a tutorial time with their teacher. In addition, a mandatory teacher-supervised study period is conducted five nights a week. All students are monitored, and assignments are checked. Students who maintain a "B" or better average may elect to study in the Cline Library. The library is available to other students during this time by faculty permission and is open daily to all students. The Academy encourages library use and has a full-time professional librarian available to assist in that usage.

Enrollment

Camden Military Academy has an enrollment of approximately 300 students. The exact number of students enrolled at Camden Military Academy varies throughout the school year as students are dismissed and accepted.
Tuition at Camden Military Academy is $17,595 a year.