US Private Science Gifted School 'Fulton Science Academy' Opens in Jeju After 26 Years

Clear Differentiation from Existing International Schools... Expected Competition Among Aspirants for Admission to Prestigious U.S. Universities

[Fulton Science Academy Private School, Georgia, US]

Fulton Science Academy (FSA), a private gifted school located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, is scheduled to open in Jeju in 2026 under the name Fulton Science Academy Atherton (FSAA). FSAA is expected to open a new dimension of science and technology education opportunities in Korea by applying the strategic goals and detailed activities of the American main campus curriculum as is.

FSA's proud STEAM education concept was proposed in 2006 by G. Yakman, an education scholar at Virginia Tech, and refers to integrated education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. It adds artistic sensitivity and creativity to science and technology-centered education.

Through a series of processes where students explore, design, and experiment on their own, they are enabled to solve real-life related problems. Korea also introduced STEAM education in 2011, and the Ministry of Education has been promoting it as a major policy; however, due to the special nature of requiring fusion and linkage among each subject, exemplary cases are still lacking. On the other hand, FSA possesses an excellent curriculum ranked in the top 0.4% among American high schools in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, and based on this, it plans to introduce full-fledged STEAM education in Jeju.

In 2021, FSA was selected as a Blue Ribbon School, further solidifying its prestige as a prestigious school. The Blue Ribbon, awarded only to the best schools by the U.S. Department of Education, is an honorable emblem given only to schools where the overall student academic achievement is excellent or where the achievement gap between student groups has been narrowed. Schools awarded the ribbon for narrowing group gaps are also selected from among schools that have achieved high academic performance, so Blue Ribbon Schools are recognized as exemplary cases of education and learning in the United States. Recently, on the school evaluation site niche, FSA ranked first among private schools in Georgia and within the top 1% of 3,142 private schools nationwide (as of October 2023, source: niche). Niche rankings are based on user data and survey results, generating standardized scores and assigning weights to factors, ensuring objectivity.

The distinctiveness and strengths of FSAA lie in its specialized curriculum focused on science, technology, and practical education, as well as providing active networking opportunities with the American main campus.

First, it offers differentiated classes at the college major level. Domestic students can also participate in various activities conducted at the American main campus, such as science Olympiads, future city competitions, and academic report book publications.

Additionally, it provides programs that foster students' creativity and autonomy at applicable levels by linking with world-renowned science and technology companies such as Google and NASA. Along with this, programs will be conducted by forming groups of parents from each specialized field to provide real-world experience.

Furthermore, to provide leadership programs that cultivate problem-solving skills, teamwork, and active thinking rather than simple knowledge-centered education, continuous exchanges with students from the American main campus will be supported. Not only students but also faculty and staff will hold regular leadership meetings with the main campus.

FSAA, boasting a curriculum focused on the fusion of science and arts and an overwhelming admission rate to prestigious universities, recently received official establishment approval from the International School Establishment and Operation Deliberation Committee. The target opening date is September 2026. Details regarding enrollment or other school-related information can be found later on the website.

Meanwhile, Deokbu Academy, the school corporation participating in the establishment of FSAA, acquired and operates Geoje University and Atherton International Foreign School in 2022. Goldwater Korea is known as the developer of the high-end residential brand 'Atherton Upper House Haeundae' and contributes to enhancing the value of the domestic art industry by collaborating with world-renowned artists such as Krista Kim.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.