What an incredible 38 years it has been! As we celebrate the history of Ben Franklin Academy, we would like to thank everyone for their contributions to our success. We are immensely proud of our faculty, staff, students, and the supportive community we have built at BFA.

In honor of Ben Franklin Academy's birthday, we invite you to give to our Annual Fund. Please click HERE to give to Ben Franklin Academy today. Help us achieve our common goals, honor the past, and celebrate the future!

BFA will host Open Houses on Wednesday, November 12, and Thursday, December 5. We welcome prospective families looking for this school year or next school year to come by and tour our campus anytime between 5-6:30 PM. RSVP here if you are interested!

You are invited to the BFA Fall Play!

The Franklin Players Present a Workshop Performance of a New Play:

"Driving in Circles"

by Laura King

Tuesday, November 4th at 7:00 PM

Wednesday, November 5th at 7:00 PM

Thursday, November 6th at 4:30 PM

Tickets are free, but reservations are REQUIRED

Please contact the BFA Front Office to reserve your seats.

(404) 633-7404, bfa@benfranklinacademy.org

The Wood Smethurst Student of the Month for September, 2025, is Junior, Colin Pan. Colin joined BFA in the 2022-2023 school year as an eighth grader and has been working hard to excel in every subject ever since! Along with his excellent academic work, Colin is always friendly and polite to his peers. Colin is also a “cat whisperer” who is always patient with the two BFA cats even when they sit on his materials during class. Congratulations, Colin!

Join your fellow BFA community members on October 25, 2025 for Emory University's Homecoming 5K ! All BFA students, family members, and teachers are invited to participate in this fun community event.  We will have T-shirts for BFA participants that register before October 8. Click here to learn how to register.

Where: Emory University, 1946 Starvine Way, Decatur, GA 30033

When: October 25, 2025. The race starts at 8:30 AM. BFA's tent will be set up by 7:45 AM if you would like to stop by before the race.

BFA Registration Deadline (if you want a T-shirt): October 8, 2025

BFA will have a tent set up with snacks and drinks before and after the race. 

The walk/run will begin outside the Student Activity & Academic Center and will run through Lullwater Park. 

• $10 Early registration ends on September 30th
• $15 Late registration is from October 1st through Race Day. BFA Participants can use code EmoryRecWell2025 to avoid the late registration cost

We hope to see you there!

Every other Friday, when there isn’t a faculty meeting or special event, Club Advisor, Ryan Cottrill, spends his lunch time playing a variety of games with students in Game Club. A favorite BFA club, Game Club is a place for students to learn new games and skills, play old favorites, and spend time with their peers. Many BFA students are avid Chess lovers and can be found competing at Game Club, along with students learning brand new board games or playing longer campaign games like “Dungeons and Dragons.” While spending time learning how to play games, BFA students also spend this time learning and practicing many important life skills like patience and sportsmanship.

On August 21st and 27th, we welcomed parents and grandparents of BFA students on campus to meet faculty and staff for our Parent/Grandparent Nights. Thank you to everyone who attended!

The 2025-2026 school year is officially in session! The first day of classes took place on Tuesday, August 5. We were happy to welcome new and returning students to our campus.

Happy birthday 33rd, BFA! On November 11, we celebrate our commitment to supporting Atlanta teens find their love of learning and a caring community. We are immensely proud of all that our students and faculty have achieved this year, and we look forward to many more years of memories.

Despite the pandemic, the Ben Franklin Academy Cross-Country team is off to a strong start this fall. To reduce the threat posed by Covid-19, the team is meeting virtually and keeping track of their training on social media platforms such as Strava. Led by Hilary Druckman and Edward Ellis, the team will take part in a number of virtual races throughout the year. The longest race will be the 2021 Trans-America Footrace from San Diego, California, to Tybee Island, Georgia, 2424 miles. To complete the whole adventure by May, the boys' and girls' teams will have to run over 300 miles each month. We’ll keep everyone posted on our progress throughout the year!

Timothy Etson recently completed his Eagle Scout project and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. For his project, he and some helpers built two safety barriers at an animal shelter. The barriers will allow dogs to move safely in and out of their cages at the shelter. Congratulations on your achievement, Timothy!

As the year concluded in remote learning, BFA students continued to excel with their academics. The College Board has recognized the following BFA students as AP Scholars in recognition of their achievements taking AP Exams this past spring.

AP Scholar - granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams

- Augie

- Maxwell

- Annie

- Erika

AP Scholar with Honor - granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, AND scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams

- Sophia 

AP Scholar with Distinction - granted to students who receive an average scores of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, AND scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams

- Isabelle

- Ellie

- Preston

On August 1, 2020, BFA hosted our first-ever drive-thru commencement ceremony for our Class of 2020. Students and their families came to campus one at a time for the graduates to receive their diplomas and take a commemorative picture outside the Junior House. The BFA courtyard was full of decorations and BFA faculty as teachers cheered for each graduate and their families. We are so grateful to celebrate this momentous occasion as a community, and we can’t wait to see what our BFA graduates will do next as they continue on their own unique journey to success!

The school is busy making final preparations to open and welcome back students, faculty and staff the first week in August. Faculty and staff will start the new school year on Monday, August 3, with three days of pre-panning, and students will return on Thursday, August 6. Teachers are already hard at work with their training on the Blackbaud Learning Management Program, which should simplify communication among students, faculty, and parents. The LMS should make it easier to toggle back and forth between in-person and remote learning, if necessary. We must all be prepared for ongoing disruption in schools during this time of uncertainty. Please review Ben Franklin Academy's re-opening plans on our website here.

Earlier this month, BFA senior, Maxwell, was awarded a gold medal in fencing at the 2020 Junior Olympic Championships in Columbus, Ohio! Congratulations, Maxwell! We are so proud of your dedication and hard work both in and out of the classroom!

Dear Ben Franklin Academy Community:

We have reviewed the most recent recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to the increase in the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19).  While all the members of our community are following the directions for proper hygiene and are trying to practice social distancing, as possible within a small school, we realize that many are still anxious about being in classes with other students, albeit in small classes.  In response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the Atlanta area and in response to the spike in student anxiety about being in group settings, we will move to remote learning to help protect the health of the school community.  Our teachers are prepared, as I described in my last letter, to communicate with each of their students daily by email, moving them through their individualized weekly, monthly, and semester plans. We are cancelling all sports, clubs, field trips, and activities, to include Drama, during this time.

Effective Monday, March 16, Ben Franklin Academy will move to remote learning for all of its students until after the April Break.  We will assess whether we should reopen the school for classes on April 13.  

The decision to transition to remote learning, cancel events, and offer telecommuting options is consistent with CDC guidelines to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and is consistent with closures that have already taken place by many of our peer schools. This seems to be the best decision to ensure that our entire community can feel safe in these uncertain times. We appreciate your commitment to Ben Franklin Academy as we move to remote learning to keep our students and faculty safe.

Sincerely,

Martha

Martha Burdette, Ph.D.

Head of School

Jonas, BFA senior, and Edward Ellis, an English and Philosophy teacher at BFA, attended the STAR Student and Teacher Luncheon this past Friday. We selected Jonas as our STAR Student of the Year based on his GPA, the rigor of his curriculum, and his SAT score. Jonas also takes courses in mathematics and physics at Emory and Georgia Tech. Jonas selected Edward as his STAR Teacher. We are proud to have Jonas represent our school in the community and look forward to seeing what his future will hold!

 

 

BFA students Harper (12th) and Sarah (11th) recently launched a new school newspaper, "The Spectacle"! They have been planning this project over the past year and were so excited to share the first issue with students and faculty last month. Harper and Sarah said that they wanted to create an outlet to showcase the writing and artistic talents of our students. "The Spectacle" includes teacher spotlights, a politics section, student highlights, updates on school happenings, a student and teacher birthday calendar, and, of course, Ben and Franklin! They also hope to include an alumni section in future issues. Students and teachers alike loved the inaugural September issue and are looking forward to seeing the next issue soon! We are so proud of Harper and Sarah's creativity and commitment to cultivating the BFA community. 

 

We have loved hearing all about our students' summer adventures over the past week and a half! Between Teacher Work Days and Wonderful Wednesdays, our faculty and staff also made the most of their summer break by traveling around the world, exploring Atlanta, and spending time with family and friends. Check out some of their adventures below!

Alex: To me, visiting my home country (Colombia) has a profound meaning. It's an experience full of memories, joy, and a time to reconnect with family and friends. It's about eating the food I love, visiting places, relaxing, celebrating life and health, and giving 100% of myself to my loved ones, because "you never know if they'll be there next time you visit."

 

 

 

Angela: My son, Brendan C. '12, and his wife, Sara, celebrated their wedding in their favorite summer place on Penobscot Bay in Maine. They had friends over for a barbecue and party following a little ceremony. My husband Mike and I enjoyed sailing on Penobscot Bay in Maine this summer. 

 

 

Asefeh: I visited Iran for the summer. My husband and I travelled through Iran for 3-4 weeks. During our road trip we visited many historical places and along the road we fed stray dogs wherever we saw them. I ended up rescuing a baby monkey while I was there. His name is Soroush (meaning a messenger). He is about 8 months old now and is currently living at a wildlife sanctuary located outside of Tehran, the capital city of Iran. I had an amazing time visiting family and friends. I brought back 2 rescue dogs with me to find them a forever home in the US.

 

 

Corey: I went to Hong Kong to visit my family. My niece is now 7, and my nephew is 6. I also did a lot of hiking at the Butterfly Mountains.

 

 

Hanna: My family and I spent a week exploring Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Jackson Hole! We celebrated by dad's 60th birthday and the Fourth of July in some of the most beautiful places we've ever visited. Prior to this trip, the farthest west I'd ever been was Tuscaloosa, Alabama!

 

 

Hilary: I got to see Hamilton on Broadway which was so astounding. I did a lot of painting for fun this summer because I had the time to truly relax. This is one of my paintings with the quote "If you can see your path laid out in front of you, step by step, you know it's not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That's why it's your path." - Joseph Campbell

 

 

Jack: Our summer was a rich experience of nature and culture. We enjoyed three weeks on three islands of Hawaii. In addition to visiting two National Parks and several state parks, we hiked in rain and cloud forests, explored the dramatic beauty of 10,000 foot Haleakala on Maui, and saw the 'Grand Canyon of the Pacific" on the island of Kauai. Hawaii celebrates diversity and offers an experience of the native Hawaiian culture's harmony with nature, music, dancing, food and art.

 

 

Kiana: I visited Las Vegas for a few days with my family! It was well over 100° F each day. This is a picture of me with Liberace and Michael Jackson!

 

 

Olga: This summer I spent 5 weeks visiting my family in Russia and then explored Ireland and Scotland with a group of friends for 10 days!

 

 

Renee: I walked over 130 miles on the Beltline this summer! My extended family and I attended an Atlanta United match, and I made a quick trip to Boston to visit family!

 

 

Tianna & Ms. Ernestine: Pictured in front of the Cathedral Church of Saint John. This was Cameron and Charlie's first visit to New York City. We visited with family in New York City, toured the Statue of Liberty, and visited friends at the Jersey Shore.

 

On May 20, we celebrated our students’ achievements at our Underclass Awards Ceremony. Harper was awarded the Dr. C. Michael York Service Award for her service to Ben Franklin Academy. Matthew won the Alec Lansing Technology Award for his outstanding work in computer science. Teachers presented numerous other academic and Work-Study awards as well. Congratulations to all of our students for their accomplishments this year!