Cary Academy is an independent, coeducational, nonsectarian, college-preparatory secondary school located in Cary, North Carolina. The school emphasizes the use of technology in the classroom, the arts, and foreign exchange. History Cary Academy was founded by Ann and James Goodnight and Ginger and John Sall in 1996, though the first classes were not held until 1997. Goodnight and Sall are co-founders of SAS Institute. The school was founded on the motto “Discovery, Innovation, Collaboration, and Excellence." SAS continues to support the school through a scholarship program. The school has a 65–acre campus. The school buildings are in the neoclassical style with ornate columns at entrances. It was modeled after the University of Virginia and was designed by Cherry Huffman architects of Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2003, the Sports and Education Annex was completed, allowing more space for both athletics and foreign language classes with a second gym and additional classroom space. Later, a 22,000 STEM center was added to the Sports and Education Annex, including a STEM innovation lab, six wet and dry laboratories, preparation rooms, and common areas for students. In September 2004, the United States Department of Education named Cary Academy one of 255 public and private schools that had won its No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon award since the inception of the program. In July 2011, the original head of the school, Don Berger, announced his stepping down after the 2011–12 school year. He was replaced by Dr. Michael Ehrhardt in July 2013. In January 2019, the 24,000-square-foot Center for Math and Science was completed, providing a maker space, classrooms, a greenhouse, and laboratories. That same year, the library was also renovated and the track was upgraded. Demographics The demographic breakdown of the 777 students enrolled for the 2021–22 school year was Asian 202 (26.1%), Black 60 (7.8%), Hispanic 31 (4%), Native Hawaiian/Pacific islanders 1 (.1%), White 417 (53.9%), and Multiracial 62 (8%). The school has a minority enrollment of 46.1%. The student gender division is 52% female and 48% male. In 2022, tuition was $26,995 with 14% of students receiving an average allocation of $18,105 in financial aid. Rankings Niche gives Cary Academy an overall ranking of A+. Niche also ranks the school as #1 in private high schools in North Carolina. The school is the 20th largest private high school in North Carolina. Academics Cary Academy includes grades six through twelve. It is accredited