ROANOKE, Va. – The class of 2031 loves The Academy.
“I like school because we get to go on field trips,” said Nicole Fields, a kindergarten student at The Academy.
The new school, located on Belle Avenue in Northeast Roanoke, is giving at-risk families hope.
The private school, which opened in August, offers full scholarships for students from families with a history of poverty.
Trustee John McLeod, of the McLeod Family Foundation, which operates the new school, hopes The Academy can help get families out of poverty by giving them life skills, in addition to a traditional education.
“We're going to give the kids a great education and help them learning about other alternatives for their future,” McLeod said.
This is the first kindergarten class to enter The Academy.