Mission and Values | About Us | Worcester Academy

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Since 1834 Worcester Academy has been creating life-changing experiences for students, families, and the community.

Kevin Breen
HEAD OF SCHOOL

Mission and Values

Igniting Passion, Embracing Integrity

Mission

Worcester Academy’s mission is to instill in its students the desire to learn throughout life, to engage passionately with the world around them, and to be honorable persons of strong and resourceful character.

Core Values

We are a community—curious, thoughtful, generous, and thriving in our diversity. We embrace each of our core values—HONOR, RESPECT, COMMUNITY, PERSONAL GROWTH, CHALLENGE—as essential to the mission of Worcester Academy, and as testimony of our beliefs and commitments.

Worcester Academy Students at graduation

Worcester Academy Students planting vegetables as part of a community project

Worcester Academy Students playing woodwind instruments in an ensemble

Honor

Integrity, honesty, respect, fairness, and responsibility inform our actions and beliefs. These attributes are the foundations for "Achieving the Honorable" in both our public and private lives.

Respect

We believe in the inherent worth of every person, celebrating differences in a community rich with diverse gifts and talents. We seek commonality in our relationships regardless of title, background, or individual abilities and challenges. We also accept responsibility for sustaining the world around us, from the campus to the global environment.

Community

The act of learning brings all members of this community together. We share a belief in the importance of serving others through both leadership and generosity. A respectful and compassionate approach to citizenship guides our actions on this campus and in the wider world.

Personal Growth

Personal growth may be measured in many ways; the most authentic, however, is when we are true to ourselves. We seek to fulfill our potential by building habits of mind and body that promote growth in knowledge and understanding, ability and confidence, poise and leadership. By doing so, we nurture a desire for life-long learning and a commitment to excellence in all phases of life.

Challenge

Attaining excellence in a changing global environment requires adaptability, creativity, and intellectual courage. We seek relevance in our work, and provide a rigorous yet nurturing environment in which we all may thrive. We value hard work and the disciplined application of knowledge and skills in our learning and institutional practices.

Achieve The Honorable

Achieve the Honorable, our school motto and the most recognizable phrase in our school lexicon, sits as the foundation of our core values. To Achieve the Honorable is to lead with integrity, uplift others, and embrace growth while striving for excellence and taking responsibility for one’s actions. It’s more than a motto—it’s a way of life that shapes our students into compassionate leaders and global citizens.

ACHIEVE THE HONORABLE

Achieve the Honorable is not an empty phrase. They are three words that we’ve all tried to live by, an expressed belief for all that Worcester Academy stands for. Achieve the Honorable is the common thread that runs among all WA alumni.

Peter Williams
CLASS OF 1952

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At Worcester Academy

For over 190 years, Worcester Academy has provided a nurturing environment where students build lasting connections, uncover their passions, cultivate honorable character, and develop a lifelong love of learning.

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