Military schools teach students the values essential to them becoming solid, responsible citizens. They are taught to be accountable and independent while retaining a spirit of community and solidarity among each other. While learning the leadership skills they can later use in life as corporate or community leaders, they are also provided with a first class education. There are many benefits to sending a child to one of the nations military schools.
What Military Schools Have to Offer
Military academies offer students much more than just an academic education. While the mind is nurtured, the body is developed through a physical fitness program that also instils discipline. Students are encouraged to excel in whatever activity they are involved in, whether in the classroom or on the playing field. The camaraderie developed while encouraging each other to carry out their responsibilities leads to them becoming both loyal followers and reliable leaders. While being encouraged to perform individually, they are also expected to help each other become the “best that they can be.” The end result is a well-balanced individual with a sense of pride, confidence, and compassion.
Though many students attending military schools have their sites set on a career in the armed forces, not all do, and neither is it a requirement. The academic standard of military academies has risen steadily over the course of history, and they are now considered to be among the best educational establishments in the country. For those that do plane to enter the military, the training received at a military educational facility fully prepares them for the routines and requirements that will inevitably be required of them.
Types of Military Schools to Consider
Students can begin a military-type education from as early as 6 or 7 years of age. Elementary military schools generally accept students between the ages of six and twelve. This allows enrolees to develop discipline and leadership skills at an early age, and propels them towards realizing their full potential.
Military prep schools are available for those of high school age. They prepare the student for a higher academic educational program, as well as for a military career. Many students who attend this level of military academy go on to be officers in the armed forces. They are offered a program of personal development that includes both academic and extra-curricular activities.
Students may often board at a military school, which prepares them for a life of independence. The highly structured environments help them to develop good personal habits while encouraging them to be social. Military summer schools are an excellent option for those who want to “test the waters” before fully committing to a military education. Students can spend five or six weeks experiencing the program and lifestyle, at the end of which they’ll have a better idea if it is for them or not.
A common misconception is that military schools are for boys only. While that may be the case with some institutions, there are many co-ed academies and girl-only institutions as well. And although military schools were once considered a place to send unruly or troubled youths, that is simply not the case anymore. Today’s military academies are often geared towards the privileged. They look for students of a high academic calibre, and as such, many military schools are mot even equipped to deal with those having behavioural problems.