Ernie Davis Academy, formerly Elmira Free Academy, is the junior high school in

Elmira, New York Elmira () is a city and the county seat of Chemung County, New York, United States. It is the principal city of the Elmira, New York, metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses Chemung County. The population was 26,523 at the 2020 cens ...

, United States. In September 2014 it merged with Southside High School (now Elmira High School). It has 855 students in grades 7–8 with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. According to state test scores, 18 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 22 percent in reading. The metro-area surrounding Ernie Davis Academy is both economically and racially diverse, traits reflected in the student body. 77 percent of the student body is White, 20 percent is Black, 2 percent Hispanic, less than 1 percent Asian or Pacific Islander, and less than 1 percent Native American. 38 percent of the student body qualified for free or reduced lunches, a percentage significantly higher than the state average of 17 percent.

History

Started in 1859 under the Jurisdiction of a Board of Education, EFA had many locations and upgrades as the City grew. Elmira Free Academy moved to Hoffman St in 1969. The school also boasted many honors courses, taught to the standards of both AP and ACE (a program that offers direct college credits at many schools). Elmira Free Academy was also a strong statewide contender in many sports, despite a smaller student enrollment and budget than many competing schools. The school was classified as class A in Section IV of the NYSPHSAA. Every fall, Southside High School and EFA competed in football for the Erie Bell. In 2011, however, the Elmira City School District announced that due to severe budget problems, the 64-year-old rivalry between Southside and EFA would have to come to an end. The two high schools combined their sports teams by the 2011–12 school year. A community vote was taken to determine what new mascot and colors people were interested in. On May 25, 2011, the district officially announced that the new team would be called the Elmira Express, a common nickname for Elmiran legend

Ernie Davis Ernest Davis (December 14, 1939 – May 18, 1963) was an American football player who won the Heisman Trophy in 1961 and was its first African-American recipient. Davis played college football for Syracuse University and was the first pick in the ...

, the first African-American to ever win

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...

. The colors will be red, black, and white.http://www.wetmtv.com/sports/story/Southside-and-EFA-Will-Merge-Sports-Teams/4lATspoCWEefnQNzB1ZRIA.cspx The Elmira City School District decided to make EFA the middle school and Southside the high school during the 2013–14 school year which began to operate officially by September 2014. Elmira Free Academy was renamed Ernie Davis Academy due to the closure of Ernie Davis Middle School. The new Ernie Davis Academy was an eighth and ninth grade school. The campus was changed to seventh and eighth grades beginning the fall of 2020, but remained as eighth and ninth grade in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This allowed for social distancing at Elmira High School which housed grades ten through twelve.

Notable alumni

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, a ...

(1908) – Film and TV producer with a career spanning much of the 20th century. In 1984, he won the honorary

Academy Honorary Award The Academy Honorary Award – instituted in 1950 for the 23rd Academy Awards (previously called the Special Award, which was first presented at the 1st Academy Awards in 1929) – is given annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Moti ...

for Lifetime Achievement. *

(1958) – First African American to win the

, and two time All-American. Drafted by

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

and traded to

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...

before he died from

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...

in 1963. * Bob DeLaney (1942) – Sports announcer *

Tommy Hilfiger Thomas Jacob Hilfiger ( /hɪlˈfɪgər/; born March 24, 1951) is an American fashion designer and the founder of Tommy Hilfiger Corporation. After starting his career by co-founding a chain of jeans/fashion stores called People's Place in upst ...

(1969) – Fashion designer and creator of the eponymous "Tommy Hilfiger" and "Tommy" brands. *

Eileen Collins Eileen Marie Collins (born 19 November 1956) is a retired NASA astronaut and United States Air Force (USAF) colonel. A former flight instructor and test pilot, Collins was the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle and the first to command a ...

(1974) – Retired Astronaut, first female pilot, commander of the Space Shuttle

Principals

*Colin Werfelman: 2022–Present *Carrie Rollins: 2014–2021 *John Wood: 2013–2014 (beginning of Ernie Davis Academy) *Chris Krantz: 2012–2013 (end of Elmira Free Academy) *John Wood: 2008–2012 *Scott Williams: 2006–2008 *Robert Bailey III: 2000–2006 *John Walker: 1996–2000 *Theodore V. Faber: 1995–1996 *Cynthia H. Haigh: 1994–1995 *Joseph H. Nikiel: 1988–1994 *Daile Rose: 1984–1988 *Dr.William J Doran: 1981–1984 *Martin Harrigan: 1973–1980 *G. Ellsworth Bradley: 1969–1973 *Kenneth S. Weaver: 1954–1969 *Albert Helmkamp: 1936–1954 *Francis Parker: 1906–1936 *Howard Conant: 1900–1906 *Charles Evans: 1895–1900 *Herbert Lovell: 1887–1895 *James Monks: 1872–1887 *Joel Dorman Steele: 1866–1872 *G.W. Timlow: 1865–1866 *Isaac Mortimer Wellington: 1860–1865 *Moses Summer Converse: 1859–1860

References

External links

Elmira Free Academy
{{authority control Public high schools in New York (state) Buildings and structures in Elmira, New York Schools in Chemung County, New York 1859 establishments in New York (state)