Research shows that when children are physically healthy, they perform better in school. Through extracurricular activities that utilize Eagle Academy’s unique resources - including a full size gymnasium, a 40-by-80-foot pool, and two playgrounds, we help our students adopt healthy lifestyles.

Swimming Pool

According to USA Swimming, only 30 percent of African American children know how to swim. Knowing our student body is 98 percent African American, we installed a 40-by-80-foot learning pool. Strategically constructed in order to truly serve all ages, our pool allows students to challenge the status quo by learning how to swim. At Eagle Academy, swimming lessons are not only provided, but they are compulsory to graduation.

Health Suite

For students to learn, they must have their basic health needs met. Eagle Academy employs three full-time nurses and has partnerships with various health organizations including Howard University Hospital and Children’s Health Project of D.C. In addition, Eagle Academy partners with the D.C. Department of Health’s Oral Health Program to provide free dental screenings, cleanings, fluoride, and sealant treatments to all of our students.

Therapeutic Vision Program

Eagle Academy has become one of the first schools to implement an onsite Therapeutic Vision Program, in which students receive Developmental Optometry Evaluations and Vision Therapy by a certified Developmental Optometrist.

According to the American Optometric Association, 20% of school-aged children are seeing their work as blurry, “jumping” on the page, or seeing double. Many children are misdiagnosed with attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, and learning disabilities, when it is often their vision that is the problem. At Eagle Academy, approximately 16% of the school’s 920 students are in special education programs, and of those students, many have demonstrated significant oculomotor and visual perception problems.

Through the program, Eagle Academy provides 10 developmental optometry evaluations per year onsite. Each comprehensive evaluation includes a 2-hour evaluation, a written report, and a face-to-face parent consultation. Eagle Academy also provides 20 sessions of Vision Therapy per student, on site (if prescribed from evaluation results). All necessary evaluation and therapy equipment to visiting Developmental Optometrists and Vision Therapists is provided by the school.

This program is just the latest initiative by the school to ensure every child – regardless of their economic background – has the opportunity to soar.

Kitchen

At Eagle Academy, we understand that a child cannot learn on an empty stomach. Through our participation in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program, we prepare free hot meals for our children each school day in our on-campus kitchen. We have also recently started providing free dinners to our students as well. Additionally, Eagle participates in the Healthy Schools Act, which gives every child a healthy snack during the school day.