All boys. All boarding. Grades 9-12.
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Woodberry Weekend Fun
At Woodberry Forest, student life extends well beyond the classroom. Whether competing in a friendly ping-pong tournament, heading off-campus for an excursion, or attending a formal dance, students find no shortage of activities to engage in. These experiences reflect the school’s broader goals of fostering camaraderie and student engagement.
Off-campus trips are a staple of the Woodberry experience. Faculty chaperones accompany students on outings to destinations like Kings Dominion amusement park or Tysons shopping center, ensuring a balance of freedom and oversight.
“Every time I attend Kings Dominion, there is never a dull moment,” said Albert Monk ’26, who regularly takes advantage of the school’s weekend activities.
Many of these events are made possible through a boarding school social activities board, a collaboration between Woodberry and neighboring schools such as Chatham Hall and Foxcroft. By coordinating calendars, the schools aim to prevent scheduling conflicts and maximize attendance, allowing students to build friendships across campuses.
“It gives students opportunities to meet new people, build friendships, and maintain them,” said Ansley Higginbotham, Woodberry’s director of internal operations.
Woodberry is also committed to ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent any student from participating. Most school-sponsored activities are free, and for events that require additional expenses—such as renting a tuxedo for a formal dance—the school offers financial assistance through initiatives like the Mother’s Fund. From casual outings to local restaurants in Culpeper to educational trips to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., Woodberry strives to make every opportunity accessible.
“The school is committed to ensuring that no boy feels isolated or left out of an activity,” Higginbotham said.
Beyond faculty-led initiatives, students themselves play an active role in shaping campus life. A leadership team of students brainstorms new event ideas, ensuring that activities reflect their interests. Whether it’s a faculty-facilitated trivia night in the Fir Tree or a student-organized basketball tournament, the goal remains the same: providing engaging, dynamic experiences.
Dominick Wijaya Munoz ’26, one of the basketball tournament organizers, believes these initiatives encourage students to step outside their routines. “Organizing tournaments like this helps us get out of our rooms and try something new,” he said.
Spontaneity also finds its place in Woodberry’s culture. Some of the most beloved traditions—such as the annual Nerf battle between Griffin and Dowd House dorms—emerge organically from student enthusiasm. The administration, for its part, remains supportive, rarely turning down student-driven proposals.
>> Reporting by Marc Greenberg ’26
Woodberry Forest School is an exceptional private school community for high school boys in grades nine through twelve. It is one of the top boarding schools in the United States and one of the only all-boys, all-boarding schools in the country.
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Woodberry Forest admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, and national or ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs. The school is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students.