Academy Students and Families


Welcome Academy Students and Families

At Interlochen Arts Academy, young artists find the high school they may only have imagined possible. Here, you’ll find information to help you prepare for the Academy, understand the wide array of campus resources available to support students, and find ways to stay engaged as a family. If you need assistance, please call the Student Affairs Office at 231.276.7378 or email academy@interlochen.org.

Preparing for Academy

What to pack, how to prepare, and what to expect

Academy Student Support

Resources for current Academy students

Academy Family Resources

Resources for families to keep in touch

Education Community Login

Access forms, documents, class schedules

A student's perspective

Learn how four-year Interlochen Arts Academy dancer Austin Dabney made the leap from Interlochen to the Boston Ballet.

Find Support

Interested in speaking with someone directly about Interlochen Arts Academy? Contact a member of our staff below.

Ken LaBate

Ken LaBate

Executive Dean of Admission

231.276.7372 231.276.7372 Send Email
Andrea Kennard

Andrea Kennard

Assistant Director of Admission

231.276.7419 231.276.7419 Send Email
Alicia Jablonski

Alicia Jablonski

Assistant Director of Admission

231.276.7467 231.276.7467 Send Email

A parent's perspective

Arts Academy parents discuss how Interlochen has shaped their children's lives and helped them thrive artistically, academically, and socially.

Arts Academy News & Features

a man standing
The unlikely wordsmith: Academy guest author Jacques J. Rancourt turns his experience of dyslexia into literary gold

Rancourt, who will work with creative writing students in mid-January, shares how a strict Catholic upbringing and a learning disability set him up for success as a poet.

Bradom Zhang paints outside of Kresge Auditorium during the annual Run for the Arts 5K in May 2024.
Courage, connection, and confidence: International student Bradom Zhang tells his Interlochen story

The third-year visual arts major from China shares why he and his family chose Interlochen, how he has worked to overcome language and cultural differences, and how he’s supporting other international students.

A popular music student plays drums.
A drummer’s life: Fourth-year senior Reese Poole gives an insider’s look into life at Interlochen Arts Academy, from meeting amazing guest artists to collaborating with students from other majors

Hearing hit songs on movie soundtracks inspired Poole to study at Interlochen and become a dynamic and versatile drummer. He reflects on his adventures at Arts Academy and his hopes for a future in the music industry.

A film student talks with a farmer in a hoop house.
A time of harvest: Greenacres documentary project begins post-production as 2024 agricultural cycle concludes

Instructor of Film & New Media Nathan Buck shares highlights of the summer and fall—from filming in three states to welcoming a new team member.

A student poses with a double bass.
From Shanghai to Interlochen: Sophomore Joseph Zhang shares his Arts Academy journey

Zhang reflects on his favorite classes, the support he’s received from International Student Services, and the friends he’s made—even across language barriers.

A man dressed in orange and black poses with his arms flung up behind him.
Strength and sensitivity: Craig Hall of the New York City Ballet teaches Arts Academy dancers to embrace their contradictions

In ballet, power meets grace—and few understand this duality better than Craig Hall. Known for his masterful partnering of the world's top ballerinas, Hall showed Interlochen Arts Academy dancers how to harness both strength and sensitivity in their craft.