Southern Preparatory Academy

The fees for the entire year are $24,645. This covers room, board, tuition, lab fees, haircuts, laundry, dry cleaning, and library fees. It does not cover the cost of uniforms or personal spending money. The uniforms cost for first-year cadets is $2,500, including sales tax. For returning students who have their uniforms, the uniform charge is $500. The $250 application fee is used for registration administration and is non-refundable. Early enrollment and returning student discounts are deductible from the room, board, and tuition fees. Students from Alabama are also eligible for a discount. The Academy accepts students on a year-round basis; however, a major enrollment period occurs in January. The fees for late-enrolling students are prorated based on the date of enrollment.

Many items are not covered by tuition, such as the Flight Program, the Scuba Program, Drone Program, Wielding Program, Beta Club field trips, and Canteen.

The Southern Prep Band program allowed students to take band classes designed to improve their individual and ensemble performing skills. As of 2021, the Band program has been shut down. Past performances by the Lyman Ward Band include participation in the Talladega 500(1980–1990), Mardi Gras(1980–1986), the National Veterans Day Parade in Birmingham, Alabama(1980–2012), the Peanut Festival in Dothan, Alabama(1980–1990), as well as several command performances for the Governor of Alabama including the 2006 Inaugural Parade.

The Southern Prep Drum Corps consists of 3-10 cadets led by the Drum Major. The three types of drums the Drum Corps plays include snare, bass drum, and quads. The Drum Corps perform with the Color Guard, the Drill Team, and sometimes the Drum Corps performs with the Sword Drill team.

Each year, Homecoming activities are held throughout the designated weekend. Special activities include a Homecoming Court with the crowning of the Homecoming Queen at the Friday Night Football game.

The Drill Team is open to all cadets in 9-12th grade and competes in several state and national competitions throughout the school year. Drill Team consists of 16 cadets and is led by two cadets, assigned as Drill Team Commander, and Deputy Drill Commander. The Drill Team is taught and supervised by the Commandant. Members of the Drill Team are Awarded the Drill Team cord, ribbon, and, arc after their first performance.

The Rifle Team is open to all cadets 9-12th grade who have a desire to compete on a high school level with air rifles. Currently, the Rifle Team shoots in the sporter division and competes with Daisy 853 air rifles. The rifle team competes in the Alabama Northeast Area JROTC Rifle League.[1] The teams compete in a 3-position league which consists of the prone, kneeling, and standing positions from 33 feet (10 m). The team competes every year in the Auburn University War Eagle Invitational where schools from Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida compete for two days in the air rifle competitions. In 2006, the team came in 3rd at the War Eagle Invitational. The Rifle Team members are awarded the Rifle Team cord, ribbon, and, arc after their first competition. They can also be awarded marksman, sharpshooter, and expert badges.

Currently, one rifle team, Team A, consists of five shooters. The team practice after school Monday, Tuesday, and, Thursday.

The Color Guard is open to all cadets from 9th to 12th grade who are in the appropriate height range. The Color Guard competes in the Armed Color Guard Category and competes each year in different JROTC competitions around the state. The Color Guard performs a variety of activities on campus including Posting the Colors at all home sporting events, all promotion ceremonies, and scrub graduations. The Color Guard also carries the colors at all on and off-campus parades.

The Sword Drill Team contains 16 cadets, as well as a deputy commander and a commander. Sword Drill is open to all cadets in 9th-11th grade. Sword Drill members sacrifice their nightly free time for several months to learn the Sword Drill Performance, which is passed down by the cadets from year to year, with no staff or faculty involvement. The Sword Drill Team typically performs only once, at the end of the year on Military Day.

Football has long been considered the favorite sport at Southern Prep. The Rangers compete as an independent team playing both 8-man and 11-man football against both public and private teams mostly from Alabama and Georgia. Southern Prep currently has both a Varsity and Junior Varsity team. At home games, a cannon is fired for each touchdown scored by the Rangers, as well as the opening kick-off.

Southern Prep Academy had its best season in 1966 under Coach J.D. Gooden going 8-1. However, in 2019, Coach Roland Bell led the Rangers to an 8-4 record which included winning the NHSA 8-Man Division II National Championship.

Presently, the Academy fields two teams - at the varsity (Senior School) level and one at the Junior Varsity (Junior School) level. The varsity teams are composed of student-athletes in grades 9-12; the Junior Varsity program is designed for student-athletes in grades 6–8. All teams play a full interscholastic schedule.

The varsity teams play a competitive 8–12 game schedule, with games beginning in mid-August and ending in mid-November.[9] The Junior Varsity team plays a 10–12 game schedule.

Basketball practice begins in mid-to-late October and is open to all interested students. Typically, 40 young men participate in one of the Academy's two teams as players, managers, and scorekeepers.

Southern Prep was one of the first two high schools in the State of Alabama to field an interscholastic soccer team. Southern Prep was crowned as state champions in 2010 (AISA) with a 12-1-0 record and Area Champs in 2009.

Baseball has been a Varsity sport at the Academy since the Spring of 2010. A new on-campus baseball field was scheduled to be completed in time for the start of the 2014 baseball season. Southern Prep competes as a Class AAA member of the Alabama Independent School Association.

Southern Prep has a Varsity and Junior Varsity cross country team. Southern Prep participates in the AISA league. Members practice on 1 mile, 3k, and 5k trails on campus.

The Cadet Battalion is organized by rank and position. Leading the formation is the Battalion Commander. Behind the Battalion Commander is the Battalion Executive officer, then the Command Sergeant Major. There are three companies in the battalion, Bravo, Charlie and, Echo. The 3 companies are based on age, Bravo Company is made up of 11th grade and 12th grade. While Charlie Company is made up of 10th grade and 9th grade. Echo Company is made up of 6th-grade 7th grade and 8th grade. The three companies compete for the Best Drilled Company award every time a parade takes place.