Our History

History of the Georgia Academy

The Georgia Academy of Mathematics, Engineering and Science (formerly known as GAMES) was established in the fall of 1997 and enrolled 28 students.

The establishment of GAMES stemmed from both national and state concerns about anticipated shortages of students sufficiently prepared in areas of mathematics and science. This national concern caused several states to create high school-based programs that would attract students to the fields of mathematics and science. As part of the Quality Basic Education Act of 1986, Governor Joe Frank Harris called for high school programs geared toward mathematics and natural sciences in the State of Georgia.

Dr. Joe Ben Welch, Middle Georgia College President from 1989 to 1998, and administrators had a broader vision to establish an academy that offered students the advantage of receiving both an associate degree and a high school diploma simultaneously. As a result, a proposal to create a program at Middle Georgia State University for students gifted in areas of mathematics and science was drafted and presented to the Board of Regents, and approval for the program was granted in 1996.

The Georgia Academy resided on the campus of Middle Georgia State University in Cochran, Georgia. Middle George State University is a member of the University System of Georgia and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The purpose of the Academy was to provide an academically enriched residential environment for top-performing high school juniors and seniors seeking to enhance and accelerate their education by simultaneously earning their high school diploma and associate degree.

Proper academic advising ensured that students took the appropriate classes needed to satisfy both state and local requirements for high school graduation.

Academy students had their own Academic Advisor who provided academic enrichment and counseling and worked with students to find the appropriate assistance needed. Additionally, the Academy Academic Advisor served as the faculty advisor for student registration each term and as the liaison between MGA and other institutions if a student chose to participate in an undergraduate research program elsewhere.

The Academy students had access to Welch Hall, the academic and social hub of the Academy and participated in many collegiate clubs or organizations.

Most Academy students remained in-state to attend the fine institutions in Georgia and some students chose to transfer to prestigious institutions around the United States. The top two transfer institutions were the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and the University of Georgia (UGA).

The Georgia Academy Today

The Georgia Academy will provide academic enrichment opportunities for high-achieving dual enrolled students.