▁throughout ▁the ▁state . ▁The ▁sixth - grade ▁students ▁take ▁an ▁over night ▁trip ▁in ▁Bear ▁C any on ▁and ▁go ▁on ▁day ▁tri ps . ▁The ▁sevent h ▁grad ers ▁go ▁to ▁Bear ▁C any on ▁for ▁four ▁days ▁and ▁three ▁night s . ▁The ▁eight ▁grad ers ▁go ▁on ▁a ▁half - week ▁retre at ▁together ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁and ▁the ▁nin th ▁grad ers ▁go ▁on ▁small - group ▁remote ▁back pack ing ▁tri ps ▁in ▁a ▁regional ▁w ilder ness ▁area . ▁The ▁ 1 0 - 1 2 ▁students ▁may ▁take ▁classes ▁in ▁out door ▁leadership ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁k ay aking , ▁clim bing , ▁and ▁mountain ▁b ik ing . ▁ ▁Student ▁body ▁The ▁school ▁is ▁roughly ▁half ▁boys ▁and ▁half ▁girls , ▁and ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁students ▁self - ident ify ▁as ▁students ▁of ▁color ▁or ▁mult icult ural . ▁The ▁Academy ▁also ▁ranks ▁among ▁the ▁top ▁independent ▁secondary ▁schools ▁with ▁regard ▁to ▁need - based ▁financial ▁aid ▁offered ▁to ▁students , ▁total ing ▁nearly ▁one - qu arter ▁of ▁the ▁student ▁body ▁and ▁$ 4 . 6 ▁million ▁dollars . ▁ ▁Al bu quer que ▁Academy ▁pr ides ▁itself ▁on ▁its ▁ 8 : 1 ▁student / te acher ▁ratio . ▁ ▁Tw enty - five ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Class ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁were ▁recognized ▁as ▁National ▁Mer it ▁Sem if inal ists , ▁and ▁the ▁class ▁earned ▁an ▁average ▁A CT ▁score ▁of