It takes more than a village to guide and shape the minds of young boys. It takes an incredible staff and faculty, according to Chattanooga Preparatory School CEO Troy Kemp.
Kemp said the staff at Chattanooga Preparatory School is committed to educating and empowering the young boys who graduate the school as young men ready to take on the future. The all-boys tuition free charter school from grades 6-12th is part of the Hamilton County School System.
After a rough academic year fraught with challenges, the school achieved a major milestone. "The Class of 2025 was the first group of graduating seniors—an achievement that school administrators had worked hard to make a reality. These students kept the course,” Kemp said about each one rising above controversies caused by adults. “They did what they had to do. They adjusted. They were resilient. It was raining on them, and they kept walking through the rain.”
Kemp said all the graduates received college scholarships.
“Almost $3 million worth of scholarship money, for students who, when you listened to their testimony, many of them started school having no thought of going to college,” Kemp said. “This school literally transformed the way they thought.”
The outspoken CEO said he was proud to watch those young men walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. He said the entire community came out to show their support.
Rejuvenated and ready to move forward Kemp said his faculty and staff are using this renewed energy and enthusiasm to create an environment these young men can thrive in.
This school is unlike others in the school system.
Chattanooga Prep School educators communicate and engage their students in a way that fosters ideas, invites open dialogue, and creates an environment of inclusivity.
“We know that boys would prefer to be participants, not spectators,” Kemp said. “There are three things you want to use when teaching them. You want to use novelty, you want to use relevance, and you use competition whenever you can.”
He said faculty uses a method of teaching he calls TBWA (teaching by walking around). “A teacher sitting at their desk is the enemy of engagement,” he said. “Be in front of the desk, walk around the room next to your students so that they even hear your voice changing in tone. If they must track you, then they're more likely to pay attention. Part of that active engagement is to have them do more than just listen. That's critical.”
Kemp said most people don’t realize the school is tuition free. He said when people hear the word preparatory, they think it’s a private school or a school for troubled boys.
“Prep means we’re preparing you for college and preparing you for life,” Kemp said. “There's a percentage of families that will say their current school is not serving their child very well. It doesn't mean that they're struggling. It doesn't mean they're dysfunctional. It means they're not being challenged the right way. It means that they're not connected in their school. Prep means we're going to partner with you for excellence and that’s what parents want for their kids.”
Class sizes are small, and the curriculum is rooted in fundamental academics.
“I think when it comes to the academic environment, one thing that we've learned is when boys have fewer distractions, they are more likely to raise their hand,” Kemp said. “Research shows that kids must have a safe place to fail, which means a safe place to take a risk. Because you fail forward, that's how you learn. So, in terms of the academics, the fundamental subjects, English, history, mathematics, science, those are all the same. And they're taught to the state standards and to exceed the standards, it's about the environment.”
The school focuses on creating conversations and exploring different points of view by asking open-ended questions requiring more than a yes or no answer.
“That's the key to all of this,” he said.
The campus has about 500 students and a top-notch athletic program. The Sentinels basketball team won back-to-back class 1-A state titles. They have a football team, soccer team, track and field team and cross-country team. The school moved up from class 1-A to class 3-A quickly, due to an increase in their enrollment numbers.
“Sports creates school spirit,” Kemp said. “It gives them some positive events to be a part of. It builds community.”
The staff at Chattanooga Prep School are in tune with the needs of today’s generation. The school has various books in every classroom, not a set library. Kemp said students use modern technology like Chrome Books and tablets to access their reading materials. The school has a digital media center where students create their own podcasts, animations, and story-telling methods.
“People think of the storytellers as someone writing a regular prose,” he said. “But when you look at framing up everything from a podcast to other various presentations, you must think about context. You have to think about your choice of words. You must think about the scene, the mood. So, it's a cross between the art and the science of writing and communicating. And for young men, it gives them another platform of communication.”
Students in need of educational aid have constant access to mentors and tutors.
“We have to make sure we challenge the students at the top level of their grade, but make sure we reinforce the things that the person who is behind or below that same grade level as well,” Kemp said. “Being able to tutor after school, even sometimes on Saturdays, that's our focal point. Making sure that the growth occurs where it needs to happen.”
Kemp said they’re extending open enrollment for the current school year until mid-November. While certain grade levels are at capacity, Kemp said there are openings for grades six through ninth.
“What we're trying to do, is to unlock the genius in whatever way we can,” Kemp said.
The mission of Chattanooga Preparatory School is to engage young men in a rigorous, yet supportive, learning environment that nurtures resilience, promotes academic excellence, inspires leadership, and prepares critical thinkers.
Learn more by visiting their website at www.chattanoogaprep.com/