Oxbridge Academy Of The Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, Fla.
By Amanda Wilson, Oxbridge Academy Of The Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, Fla.
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The academy used nearby land to construct its athletic facilities for its 26 sports teams.
he success of Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches inaugural year was extraordinary. What was once an abandoned community center was trans- formed into a top-tier, co-ed college preparatory school that surpassed the highest expectations for enrollment, academ- ic achievement and quality of student experience. The school opened in September 2011, and was founded by William “Bill” Koch who saw the need for a local institution to offer a world-class education experi- ence through a project-based curriculum that is life-de- fi ning and prepares students for success in the 21st century. Oxbridge has 26 athletic teams and clubs ranging from basketball to fencing and sailing. Approxi- mately 85 percent of students participate in athletics, making sports a central ele- ment in student life. All of the upgrades are driven by students’ desires to expand the athletic offerings and
the administration’s commitment to providing a safe, state- of-the-art educational experience that challenges students to improve both on the athletic fi elds and in the classrooms. The school underwent an extreme makeover, and the multi-million dollar upgrades to the athletic facilities in- cluded the following:
Fall 2011
• Purchased state-of-the-art weight room equipment. • Created athletic trainers’ room equal to those found on college campuses.
• Re-clayed and re-seeded existing softball fi eld. • Resurfaced six lighted tennis courts. • Installed secure pool fencing and new starting blocks, and improved lane buoys.
• Upgraded lighting and audio system in gymnasium.
Winter 2012 • Acquired 14 acres north of campus to develop ath- letic complex and remove infrastructure of the exist-
38 May/June 2013
Workers had to reconstruct the lake to create a regulation varsity fi eld for the soccer and lacrosse teams.
coachad.com ing planned housing community.
• $500,000 lake reconstruction to expand practice fi eld, creating a varsity regulation competition fi eld for soccer and lacrosse.
• Installed competition lighting on new fi eld. • Installed retractable bleachers in the gymnasium to increase seating.
• Installed retractable baskets at cross courts for more effi cient use of gymnasium space.
• Expansion of athletic trainers’ room and creation of suite for coaches.
• Resurfaced and connected track surrounding lake.
Fall 2013 • Practice fi eld featuring Bermuda grass and competi- tion lights.
• Development of athletic complex to include a 1,500- person stadium, concessions and dedicated parking.
• Stadium will feature a synthetic turf competition fi eld for football, girls fl ag football, boys and girls lacrosse, and boys and girls soccer.
• Lighted walkway from main campus to athletic complex. • Nine-cup putting green.
Fall 2014
• Completion of baseball fi eld in athletic complex. • Addition of four lighted tennis courts. • Construction of auxiliary gymnasium.
By renovating an existing community center, Koch was able to open the school quickly and save money. This allowed him to invest resources in state-of-the-art educational technology, athletic equipment and facili- ties, and the recruitment of inspirational teachers.
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