Oakwood Adventist Academy, also referred to as Oakwood Academy or OAA, is
a Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) co-educational K-12 school located on the
beautiful campus of Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama. Founded in 1896
as Oakwood Industrial School, Oakwood was charged with the task of training
young people of African American descent. OAA is the oldest and largest Black
SDA school, and one of the longest continuously operating Black private schools
in the United States. OAA’s holistic educational program is built to execute the
mission of the school: to Develop, Nurture, and Affirm (DNA) students mentally,
physically, and spiritually for a lifetime of service to God and man. In order to
achieve this lofty goal, OAA employs certified teachers who implement widely
researched instructional practices and classroom management strategies to
deliver standards-based, data-driven instruction. The school also maintains small,
intimate classroom sizes throughout the K-12 program that allow for
individualized, differentiated instruction.

OAA History & Curriculum

OAA has a rich history of tailoring its programming to meet the needs of the
community it serves. The high school served as a boarding school and
preparatory school, operated by Oakwood University, for the majority of its
existence. In 1974, the Academy became a day school operated by a local
constituency of SDA churches called the Huntsville Area Seventh-day Adventist
(HASDA) Churches. Today, the school is governed by the HASDA School Board
and the South Central Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. OAA’s
programming provides several opportunities for students seeking to begin their
education in college, and for students looking to gain certifications to enter the
workforce. Advanced 11th and 12th graders may participate in dual enrollment
between Oakwood University and OAA at no additional cost to the academy
student. Through this program, students are able to earn up to 18 college credits
for free and 12 additional college credits at a minimal cost. OAA also offers
special vocational programs that lead to certifications: Certified Nursing
Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Coding, Culinary Arts, and certifications in the
Microsoft Office Suite.

OAA Buildings

The elementary school, encompassing grades K-6, is housed in the Eric C. Ward
Building, which was constructed in 1993 and completely renovated in the Spring
of 2013. This renovation was Phase 1 of a 3-phase building project for the school.
In December of 2012, OAA began Phase 2 by breaking ground on a new 28,000-
square-foot multi-educational facility that was completed by December of the
following year. The Multi-Educational Complex, or MEC, houses a state-of-the-art
kitchen and cafeteria, a gymnasium complete with locker rooms and showers,
and a wing with four large classrooms that house grades 7 and 8. On March 30,
2018, OAA broke ground on Phase 3, which is a new high school building. The
building’s Grand Opening was on August 10, 2020.

Our Philosophy Statement

True education is centered around God. The teacher is the facilitator of learning. The teacher’s role is to foster a classroom learning environment that is student-centered where students are active participants in their learning. The ultimate purpose of S.D.A. Christian Education is to guide students to a true knowledge of God in all courses of study.

Timeline of Our History

• [1896]:When We were Founded
• [1974]:OAA officaly became a day school
• [2012]:OAA Broke ground for a 28,000 square foot facility that currently holds our Middle School
• [2018]:OAA Broke ground for our newest facility known as the High School
• Click here to read more detail on our history

Our Mission Statement

Oakwood Adventist Academy exists to provide a spiritual, academic, social and service-oriented environment to Develop, Nurture and Affirm (DNA) students for a lifetime of service to God and humanity.