Woodward Academy (also known as Woodward or WA) is a private, co-educational college-preparatory school for pre-kindergarten to 12th grade on two campuses located in College Park and Johns Creek,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, United States, within the Atlanta metropolitan area.

History

Woodward Academy was founded in 1900 as Georgia Military Academy. Originally an all-male school, in 1964 it became coeducational and was renamed Woodward Academy in 1966. The boarding program was discontinued in 1993. Woodward draws its students from 23 metro Atlanta counties taken to school by

MARTA Marta may refer to: People * Marta (given name), a feminine given name * Märta, a feminine given name * Marta (surname) * Marta (footballer) (born 1986), Brazilian professional footballer Places * Marta (river), an Italian river that flow ...

, Woodward buses, parents, or carpool. The school has two campuses – the Main Campus in College Park (preK-12) and Woodward North in Johns Creek (preK-6).

Academics

Woodward Academy is divided into five schools. Located on the Main Campus in historic College Park are the Upper, Middle, Lower, and Primary schools. The second campus, Woodward North, serves preK through sixth grade. The Primary School has students in preK through 3rd grade, the Lower School has 4th through 6th grade students, the Middle School has 7th and 8th grade students, and the Upper School has students in 9th grade through 12th grade.

Athletics

Woodward Academy's athletics program sponsors 18 varsity sports across fall, winter and spring seasons. Woodward (formerly Georgia Military Academy) has won 84 State Championships administered by the

Georgia High School Association The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) is an organization that governs athletics and activities for member high schools in Georgia, USA. GHSA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. The association has 46 ...

History and traditions of (GMA)

''The Woodward Story, A History of Georgia Military/Woodward Academy 1900-1990", by Robert Ballentine, published 1990 by Jostens Printing and Publishing; content used with permission of the copyright holder, Woodward Academy Inc., College Park, Georgia, USA.'' Georgia Military Academy (GMA) was a private, college-preparatory military school located in College Park, Georgia that taught both boarding and non-boarding students from its founding in September 1900 to 1965. It was called GMA by its students, faculty and staff. In 1965 its Board of Directors changed the corporate name to Woodward Academy and discontinued

Army ROTC The Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (AROTC) is the United States Army component of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. It is the largest Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program which is a group of college and university-based officer tr ...

as well as all the school’s previous military traditions and customs. Georgia Military Academy was opened in September 1900 by Colonel John Charles Woodward and his wife, Lucile Woodward, in the single three-story building which became known as Founders Hall. The building had been the site of a previous, short-lived military academy known as Southern Military Academy. The campus consisted of sixteen acres of unimproved scrub land. The first class of thirty cadets lived and worked in Founders Hall in its eight resident rooms. Founders’ Hall included ten classrooms, laboratories, a library and an armory. By the 1901 term, enrollment had grown to fifty cadets, the grounds had been cleared, a garden, hog pens and a small dairy had been added. By 1907, GMA had grown to one hundred and twenty cadets and ten teachers. The first major construction at GMA was Rugby Hall which was completed in 1902 and which contained fourteen resident rooms for teachers and cadets. A gymnasium was added in 1907 which later became known as the “Old Gym.” In 1908, at the order of President Teddy Roosevelt, a Regular U.S. Army officer was posted to serve as a full-time military instructor. In that same year, a football field was constructed and dedicated.

The years 1911 to 1925

During the years leading up to and immediately after World War I, GMA continued to expand and took on greater importance in Georgia and National history. In 1914, its founder Col. Woodward was instrumental in launching the Association of Military Colleges and Schools (now known as AMCSUS) of which GMA became a founding member school. In 1916, GMA was established as a Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corp (“JROTC” or “Junior ROTC”) under the National Defense Act of 1916. Six hundred GMA alumni served in World War I and most served as commissioned officers. Thirteen GMA alumni were killed in WWI and are memorialized in Monument Row along the central avenue of Woodward Academy also honoring alumni killed in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and in military conflicts since 1973. The campus grew to over twenty-five acres and other iconic buildings were added, all in the same red brick with white column architectural style including Memorial Hall, the Founders Hall Annex and the New Gym which was believed to be the largest gym of any prep school in the country. The New Gym was renovated to administrative offices in 1943 and continued in use until 1975. GMA was designated as an Honor Military Academy in 1925. In June 1925 GMA was notified that it had achieved the designation of Honor Military Academy in a letter from then Major General

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...

who would later become famous as

General of the Army Army general or General of the army is the highest ranked general officer in many countries that use the French Revolutionary System. Army general is normally the highest rank used in peacetime. In countries that adopt the general officer fou ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Every year from then forward the Corps of Cadets prepared for its annual Army inspection to decide whether the “Honor” designation could be maintained. GMA Cadets painted, cleaned, mopped, oiled, policed, polished, mended and drilled for weeks in preparation. In the military tradition of preparing for inspection, no outside help was ever received. This annual ritual exemplified the Academy’s emphasis on personal self-reliance and attention to detail. The Honor Military Academy designation gave GMA the right to appoint one cadet to each of the four Service Academies.

Challenging years – the Great Depression

The years beginning around 1926 were financially challenging for GMA. The day student population had declined to seven cadets by 1926. Colonel Woodward cultivated a relationship with Cuban friends and persuaded Major N.J. Castellanos and his wife Maria to join the faculty. Recruitment of Cuban students and other full-tuition-paying students from other countries helped keep GMA going. During these years, teacher salaries were low and some teachers were working for room and board. The iconic Memorial Gate was dedicated by the Class of 1929-1930 and the band got their first uniforms. Lucile Woodward, co-founder of GMA, died in 1931.

The Great Gesture – 1932

In 1932, in what became known as the “Great Gesture,” Col. Woodward transferred all his ownership to and became a co-founder of the non-profit corporation known as Georgia Military Academy. The Academy, now a corporation with a governing board, remained in College Park, Georgia and was founded “not for pecuniary gain to stockholders, but for the purpose of conducting a charitable and educational institution.” Other founders included William Roe Brewster, who was to replace Col. Woodward in the 1930s, Robert W. Woodruff, R.S. Rosser, D.C. Woodward, George W. West, C.D. Woodward, Glenville Giddings, Mrs. Mildred C. Woodward, Mrs. Ruth Gladys McQuarrie, Mrs. Elsie Gore Woodward, Grace Charles Woodward, Majorie Lucille Woodward and others.

William R. Brewster becomes President of GMA

In 1939, Col. Woodward died and Col. William R. Brewster Sr., son-in-law of Col. Woodward, was elected by the Board of Directors to become the second president of GMA. Col. Brewster, a 1920 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, had been a professor of mathematics and commandant of GMA. He guided GMA’s growth from 400 cadets to 1,000. He founded a Junior School (primary school grades) that grew from 50 cadets to 300. He founded the GMA Junior College in 1940 and initiated its termination in 1953 when draft deferment was ended for junior college students. He planned for and supervised the construction of the Junior School building, the Administration Building (West Hall), the Rugby Hall Annex and the Gymnasium.

William R. Brewster Jr. becomes President of GMA

In 1960, Commander William R. Brewster Jr., U.S.N.R, became the third president of GMA from 1959 to 1979. “Commander Brewster,” as he was known by cadets, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the class of 1942 days after

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Reci ...

on December 19, 1941. In

Operation Torch Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa whil ...

in North Africa his ship, the BERNADOU, was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation and Brewster as its

Gunnery Officer The gunnery officer of a warship was the officer responsible for operation and maintenance of the ship's guns and for safe storage of the ship's ammunition inventory. Background The gunnery officer was usually the line officer next in rank to the ...

the

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...

Medal. In October 1944 off Okinawa, his ship

USS Prichett USS ''Prichett'' (DD-561), was a of the United States Navy. Namesake James M. Prichett was born in Centerville, Indiana in 1836. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1857. Prior to the Civil War he served aboard the on the ...

(DD 561) was attacked and he was awarded the

Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

Medal with a Combat “V.” He was a Naval Aviator, remaining in the Naval Air Reserve. Commander Brewster taught mathematics and science and served as commandant at GMA. During the next thirty-three years he worked up the administrative ladder. His wife of 57 years, Kathryn (“Kitty”) Cummings Brewster, was a beloved figure to GMA Cadets for her warmth and charm. She was active in the school’s administration, including interior design for new buildings, approval of weekly menus, landscape design and supervision, purchasing and distributing textbooks and supervision of school opening and social functions. During his tenure as President, he initiated the school’s first fundraising effort in its 65-year history which raised enough capital to renovate many old facilities and build necessary new ones. Between 1965 and 1966, he carried out the transition of GMA from a military academy to a non-military college preparatory school, Woodward Academy, and brought many other changes including phasing out the Army ROTC program.

War service of GMA alumni

During the Second World War and the Korean War, GMA offered continuous school which allowed graduation in two and one-half years. An estimated 1,500 alumni served in the armed forces during those wars with over fifty percent serving as commissioned officers. About 600 GMA alumni served in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and many GMA alumni also served in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

. The entry to the Woodward Academy campus along East Rugby Street is lined with memorials to GMA alumni who died in each war of the 20th and 21st Centuries.

Traditions of GMA

The military traditions of GMA in some cases mirrored those of the

U.S. Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as commissioned officers in the United States Army. The academy was founded ...

. Some of those traditions are summarized here: * Bull Ring - Cadet infractions could bring on an “award” of demerits by military members of the faculty for violation of Cadet Regulations, failure to properly maintain uniforms, rooms or equipment and for other infractions too numerous to repeat here. A cadet who received ten or more demerits in one week would be required to “walk off” those demerits on Saturday or after church on Sunday by marching around the East Rugby Avenue oval which circled the War Memorials (the “Memorial Oval”) for one hour to remove each demerit. This was known as “walking off demerits” or “walking bull-ring” and was supervised by the Commandant’s office. There was no appeal from the Commandant’s determination that an infraction had occurred. * Morning Formation - The entire Cadet Corps of the Senior School (Grades 9-12) would assemble each morning at 07:30 hours on the south side of the Memorial Oval for inspection and announcements. The Corps assembled in platoons three ranks deep and each platoon leader inspected for shave, haircut, shoeshine, tie, collar spiffy in place, clean starched shirt and trousers, shirt seam aligned with trouser flap (i.e., “gig line” correct). The Commandant would then make announcements over the public address speaker system. Any cadets whose names had been called would assemble at the required locations (the “South Sally Port” was a favorite assembly point) for any required administrative purpose. The formation would then be dismissed so cadets could attend class. * Bugle Calls - The lives of cadets were regulated each day by standard U.S. Army bugle calls which came from the Commandant’s Office in Rugby Hall. A scratchy record announced, in turn, First Call, Reveille, Attention, Mess Call, Assembly, School Call, Recall, Retreat, Taps. * Springtime Sunday parades - GMA held full Cadet Corps parades each Sunday in the Spring to which the public was invited. The Robert W. Woodruff Cadet Band led the Cadet Corps onto the field with

John Phillip Souza John Philip Sousa ( , ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to dis ...

marches including High School Cadets, King Cotton, The Thunderer, The Washington Post and El Capitan. After Adjutant’s Call, the whole Corps passed in review. * Presidential Inaugural Parades - The GMA Cadet Corp participated in Presidential Inaugural parades including those for Theodore Roosevelt, Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson * Springtime Sunday Parades - Young cadets in uniform had the admiration of the local girls and earned the animosity of the local boys. Being an all-male institution, cadets dated girls from the local community who were invited to the school’s military balls and were asked to be sponsors of cadet officers at the graduation parade.

Notable Georgia Military Academy alumni

Erskine Mayer Jacob Erskine Mayer (born James Erskine Mayer, January 16, 1889 – March 10, 1957) was an American baseball player who played for three different Major League Baseball teams during the 1910s. In his eight-year career, Mayer played for the Phil ...

(1907) – former

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player, 1912–1919 *

Robert W. Woodruff Robert Winship Woodruff (December 6, 1889 – March 7, 1985) was an American businessman who served as the president of The Coca-Cola Company from 1923 until 1955. With a large net worth, he was also a major philanthropist, and many educational ...

(1908) – former President of The Coca–Cola Company, 1923–1955; philanthropist * William Tate – former Dean of Men at

University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...

, 1946–1971 *

Edwin W. Pauley Edwin Wendell Pauley Sr. (January 7, 1903 – July 28, 1981) was an American businessman and political leader. Early life Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Elbert L. Pauley and the former Ellen Van Petten, he attended Occidental College, in nor ...

(1919) – oil company executive; philanthropist *

Sterling Holloway Sterling Price Holloway Jr. (January 14, 1905 – November 22, 1992) was an American actor who appeared in over 100 films and 40 television shows. He did voice acting for The Walt Disney Company, playing Mr. Stork in ''Dumbo'', Adult Flower in ...

(1920) – film and voice actor * Thomas J. Pearsall (1923) – former

Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives The speaker of the North Carolina North Carolina House of Representatives, House of Representatives is the presiding officer of one of the houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The speaker is elected by the members of the house when the ...

, 1947–1949; author of the

Pearsall Plan The Pearsall Plan to Save Our Schools, known colloquially as the Pearsall Plan, was North Carolina's 1956 attempt at a delayed approach to integrate their public schools after racial segregation of schools was ruled unconstitutional by the Unit ...

, a school integration initiative * John W. Bowen (1928), U.S. Army lieutenant general * Randolph W. Thrower (1930) – former U.S.

Commissioner of Internal Revenue The Commissioner of Internal Revenue is the head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), an agency within the United States Department of the Treasury. The office of Commissioner was created by United States Congress, Congress as part of the Reven ...

, 1969–1971 * Michael C. Carlos (1944) – former chairman and CEO of the National Distributing Company; philanthropist * J. Leonard Rawls, Jr. (1949) - Co-founder of Hardee's Food Systems, Inc., honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 1971, for outstanding foresight and achievement in the field of business and accounting. As co-founder of the nationwide Hardee's Food Systems, Inc., his application of business principles has placed him in the forefront of his profession. He has held many positions of leadership and responsibility in community affairs. As a member of the Board of Directors of Rocky Mount North Carolina Chamber of Commerce and United Community Services, and Secretary to the North Carolina Medical Foundation Co-Founders Club, he is mindful of individual, community and national betterment. He has made a meaningful contribution to education by serving as a member of the Woodward Academy Governing Board and Board of Trustees of Rocky Mount Academy and North Carolina Wesleyan College. * Williamson S. Stuckey, Jr. (1952) – former

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

Georgia's 8th Congressional District Georgia's 8th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The district is currently represented by Republican Party (United States), Republican Austin Scott (politician), Austin Scott. T ...

, 1967–1977; Chairman of Stuckey’s Corporation, 1985–2019 *

Walter E. Johnston, III Walter Eugene Johnston III (March 3, 1936 – March 28, 2018), usually known as Gene Johnston, was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina between 1981 and 1983. Biography Jo ...

(1953) – former U.S. Representative,

North Carolina's 6th Congressional District North Carolina's 6th congressional district is a congressional district located in the north central portion of the U.S. state, U.S state of North Carolina. All of Davidson County, North Carolina, Davidson, Davie County, North Carolina, Davie, ...

, 1981–1983 * John James Flynt, Jr. – former

Georgia's 4th Congressional District Georgia's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia. The district is currently represented by Democrat Hank Johnson, though the district's boundaries have been redrawn following the 2010 census, whi ...

, 1954–1979 * Stephen W. Pless (1957) – former

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

; awarded Congressional

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

1969. *

Phil Gramm William Philip Gramm (born July 8, 1942) is an American economist and politician who represented Texas in both chambers of United States Congress, Congress. Though he began his political career as a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat, Gr ...

(1961) – former

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, 1985–2002;

Texas's 6th Congressional District Texas's 6th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives is in an area that includes Hill County, Texas, Hill, Ellis County, Texas, Ellis, Navarro County, Texas, Navarro, Anderson County, Texas, Anderson, and Cherokee Co ...

, 1979–1985

Additional reference information

Excerpts from “The Woodward Story, A History of Georgia Military/Woodward Academy 1900-1990", by Robert Ballentine, published 1990 by Jostens Printing and Publishing; content used with permission of the copyright holder, Woodward Academy Inc., College Park, Georgia, USA.
Cadet Regulations of Georgia Military Academy, College Park, Ga. August 1961

Catalog, Georgia Military Academy, 1956

Woodward Academy History

Notable alumni

See Woodward Academy Alumni Awards

Government

* Irlo "Bud" Bronson, Jr. – former

Florida State Representative The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted in ...

, 1983–1993 *

Amy Carter Amy Lynn Carter (born October 19, 1967) is the only daughter and fourth child of the 39th U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter. Carter first entered the public spotlight as a child when she lived in the White House during h ...

(1985) – daughter of former

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

* John James Flynt, Jr. – former

, 1954–1979 *

Spencer Frye Spencer Robert Frye (born December 14, 1967) serves in the Georgia General Assembly as the state representative for Georgia House District 122. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Personal life Frye was born December 14, 1967, in Starkville, ...

(1986) –

Georgia State Representative The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republicans have had a majority in the chamber since 2005. T ...

, 2013–present *

(1961) – former

, 1985–2002;

, 1979–1985 * Marty Harbin –

Georgia State Senator The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly, in the U.S. state of Georgia. The Georgia State Senate and the lower house of the General Assembly, the Georgia House of Representatives, comprise the bicameral legis ...

, 2015–present *

Brian Jack Brian Timothy Jack (born February 17, 1988) is an American political advisor and politician who has served as the U.S. representative from Georgia’s 3rd congressional district since 2025. Previously, he served as White House Political Director ...

(2006) –

White House Political Director The White House Political Director, formally the Director of the Office of Political Affairs (OPA) or Director of the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach (OPSO), is a Political appointments in the United States, political appointee of the P ...

, 2018–2021 *

(1953) – former U.S. Representative,

, 1981–1983 * Burt Jones (1998) –

, 2013–present *

David Knight David or Dave Knight may refer to: * David Knight (American football) (born 1951), former American football player * David Knight (CND), chair for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament 1996–2001 * David Knight (cricketer) (born 1956), Australian c ...

–

, 2005–present * Thomas J. Pearsall (1923) – former

, 1947–1949; author of the

, a school integration initiative * Williamson S. Stuckey, Jr. (1952) – former

, 1967–1977; Chairman of Stuckey’s Corporation, 1985–2019 * Randolph W. Thrower (1930) – former U.S.

, 1969–1971 * Andy Welch (1990) –

, 2011–present * Damian Williams (1998)-

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York The United States attorney for the Southern District of New York is the United States Attorney, chief federal law enforcement officer in eight contiguous New York counties: the counties (coextensive boroughs of New York City) of New York County, ...

* Bruce Williamson (1972) –

, 2011–present * Fred Wood – Idaho State Representative, 2006–present

Athletics

* Andrew Adams (2011) –

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

player, 2016–present * Henry Anderson (2010) –

player, 2015–present; 93rd pick of the

2015 NFL draft The 2015 NFL draft was the 80th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football, football players. It took place in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre and in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park ...

* Kiesha Brown (1996) – former WNBA player, 2002–2010 *

A. J. Cole III Alfred James Cole III (born November 27, 1995) is an American professional American football, football Punter (gridiron football), punter for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the NC St ...

(2014) –

player, 2019–present * Delino DeShields, Jr. (2010) –

player, 2015–present; 8th overall pick of the

2010 MLB Draft The 2010 Major League Baseball draft was held on June 7–9, 2010 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. First-round selections The draft order was determined based on the 2009 MLB standings, with the worst team picking first. ;Key ...

Elijah Holyfield Elijah Esaias Holyfield (born November 30, 1997) is an American professional wrestler and former professional football running back. He is signed to WWE. Holyfield played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and spent four seasons in the ...

(2016) –

player, 2019–present; son of

Evander Holyfield Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the undisputed championship (boxing), undisputed champion in the cruiserweight (boxing), cruiserweight division ...

* Julian Jenkins (2002) – former

player, 2006; 156th pick of the

2006 NFL draft The 2006 NFL draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City, New York, at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offe ...

* Dan Lyle (1988) -

United States national rugby union team The United States men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in men's international rugby union competitions. USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States, a ...

player, 1994–2003 *

Tommy Lyons Tommy Lyons is an Irish former Gaelic football manager and player from County Mayo who managed two inter-county teams. He was also a regular panellist/analyst on RTÉ's ''The Sunday Game''. Although born in County Mayo, Lyons considers himself ...

(1966) – former

player, 1971–1976; 350th pick of the

1971 NFL draft The 1971 NFL draft was held January 28–29, 1971, at the Belmont Plaza Hotel in New York City, New York. The Boston Patriots, who did not officially change their name to New England Patriots until after the draft, used the first overall pick ...

* Spider Maxwell (1983), former collegiate gymnast; 1987

Nissen Award The Nissen-Emery Award is presented to the most outstanding senior male collegiate gymnast in the United States. The award reflects admirable scholarship, moral characteristics, and sporting success. List of winners Total wins by school See a ...

Winner *

(1907) – former

player, 1912–1919 *

Will Richard William Richard (born December 24, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Belmont Bruins and the Florida Gators. He was d ...

(2021) - basketball player *

Tim Simpson } Timothy Jay Simpson (born May 6, 1956) is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour, and currently plays on the Champions Tour. Early life and amateur career Simpson was born and raised in Atlanta, ...

(1974) – former

PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champion ...

golfer, 1977–1998; former

PGA Tour Champions PGA Tour Champions (formerly the Senior PGA Tour and the Champions Tour) is a men's professional senior golf tour, open to golfers age 50 and over, administered as a branch of the PGA Tour. History and format The Senior PGA Championship, f ...

golfer, 2006–2011 *

Reed Sorenson Bradley Reed Sorenson (born February 5, 1986) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and Spotter (auto racing), spotter. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 27 Chevrolet Camaro (sixth generation ...

(2004) –

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States. The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, ...

driver, 2005–present *

Juwan Thompson Juwan Thompson (born May 13, 1992) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons, all of which were with the Denver Broncos. He played college football for the Duke Bl ...

(2010) – former

player, 2014–2016 *

Walker Kessler Walker Ross Kessler (born July 26, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels and Auburn Tigers. Early life Ke ...

(2020) –

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

player, 2022–present

Military

* John W. Bowen (1928), U.S. Army lieutenant general * Julien J. LeBourgeois – former

Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

; President of the

U.S. Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associ ...

, 1974–1977 * Stephen W. Pless (1957) – former

;

recipient

Business

* Michael C. Carlos (1944) – former chairman and CEO of the National Distributing Company; philanthropist *

(1919) – oil company executive; philanthropist *

(1908) – former President of The Coca–Cola Company, 1923–1955; philanthropist

Academia

* James D. Bales- bible professor at

Harding University Harding University is a Private university, private Christian university with its main campus in Searcy, Arkansas, United States. Established in 1924, the institution offers Undergraduate education, undergraduate, Postgraduate education, gradu ...

Phillip Griffiths Phillip Augustus Griffiths IV (born October 18, 1938) is an American mathematician, known for his work in the field of geometry, and in particular for the complex manifold approach to algebraic geometry. He is a major developer in particular ...

– mathematician * James F. Jones, Jr. (1965) – President of the

Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College is a Private college, private Women's colleges in the United States, women's liberal arts college in Sweet Briar, Amherst County, Virginia, Amherst County, Virginia. It was established in 1901 by Indiana Fletcher Williams in ...

, 2014–present; former President of

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

, 2004–2014; former President of

Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo College is a private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Founded in 1833 by American Baptist Churches USA, Baptist ministers as the Michigan and Huron Institute, K ...

, 1996–2004 * Sheryl McCollum – professor, crime analyst, non–profit founder/director * Bennett E. McCumber (1999)-Assistant Commissioner,

Technical College System of Georgia The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), formerly known as the Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE), is the State of Georgia Government Agency which supervises the U.S. state of Georgia's 22 technical colleges, while also su ...

, 2025-present * William Tate – former Dean of Men at

, 1946–1971

Entertainment

* Scott Budnick (1995) – film producer, most notably of ''

The Hangover ''The Hangover'' is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips, and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It is the first installment in ''The Hangover'' trilogy. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, H ...

'' *

Roshani Chokshi Roshani Chokshi (born February 14, 1991) is an American children's book author and a New York Times bestselling author. Personal life Chokshi's mother is Filipino and her father is Gujarati, from India, both immigrants to the United States ...

(2009) – author *

(1920) – film and voice actor *

Jeffrey Stepakoff Jeffrey Stepakoff is an American television writer, producer, and author. Education After graduating from Woodward Academy in College Park, Georgia in 1981, Stepakoff earned a degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hi ...

(1981) – film and TV writer, most notably of ''

Dawson's Creek ''Dawson's Creek'' is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college. It aired from January 20, 19 ...

''; author *

Kris Kross Kris Kross were an American hip hop duo, composed of rappers Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith, formed by record producer Jermaine Dupri. They were the youngest hip-hop group to gain commercial success, charting releases by t ...

- 90's rap duo *

Alonso Duralde Alonso Duralde (born May 18, 1967) is an American film critic, author, and podcaster. He has been a writer and editor for ''The Film Verdict'', ''The Wrap'', ''The Advocate (LGBT magazine), The Advocate'' and MSNBC.com. Personal life Duralde ...

(1984) - film critic (

TheWrap ''TheWrap'' is an American online news organization that covers the business of entertainment and media. It was founded by journalist Sharon Waxman in 2009 and is based in Los Angeles. The site features original reporting, analysis, and editor ...

) and author *

Hunter Bell Hunter Houston Bell is an American writer and theatre actor. Early life and education Bell was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and was raised in Wilson, North Carolina until the seventh grade, when he moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Hunter earned a B. ...

(1989) - Broadway actor/writer, Tony nominee *

Kenan Thompson Kenan Thompson (; born May 10, 1978) is an American actor and comedian. He has been a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' since Saturday Night Live season 29, 2003, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the ...

- actor

References

External links

Woodward Academy

Unofficial GMA Alumni Website

GMA Alumni Facebook Group
{{authority control Private K-12 schools in Fulton County, Georgia Educational institutions established in 1900 Preparatory schools in Georgia (U.S. state) College Park, Georgia 1900 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)