The Benjamin School in Florida has some of the most famous students in the state.
Kai Trump, Charlie Woods and his sister Sam Alexis Woods all attend the private academy’s high school campus in Palm Beach Gardens, a city known for its private golf courses such as PGA National and that sits in the shade of Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter.
Its lower-school campus 4 miles east in North Palm Beach serves kids in pre-K through eighth grades. Its graduates have gone on to attend Ivy League universities and play major college sports, and its athletic teams regularly make headlines.
Here’s what to know about the private preparatory school.
Who are famous alumni of The Benjamin School?
U.S. President Donald Trump’s granddaughter Kai Madison Trump speaks to the media on board Air Force One on the way to West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 13, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
The Woods and Trump kids are not the only celebrities known to attend the school. Other famous golfers have sent their children to The Benjamin School, including Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman.
Nicklaus sent his daughter Nancy O’Leary and his sons Gary and Mike to Benjamin. His grandsons Will, Stevie and Nick O’Leary also attended. O’Leary later played football at Florida State University and then in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ryan Berube, WNBA player Erlana Larkins and NFL player Brennan Curtin all attended the school. Tom Rooney, a former U.S. Representative for Florida’s 17th congressional district which covers Sarasota and Charlotte Counties and parts of Lee County, also went there.
The Benjamin School’s athletic programs attract national attention
Student athletes at The Benjamin School, whose mascot is a buccaneer, often get recruited for top college teams.
Mike Norvell, Florida State University’s head football coach, arrived at the school via a helicopter landing in the middle of the Buccaneers’ baseball field in February 2024.
“It’s just incredible,” said Ryan Smith, The Benjamin School’s athletic director, at the time. “These guys have thousands of kids they have to visit, and to be one of the few schools that Coach Norvell decides to come spend time and come via helicopter when his time is so constrained really means a lot to us as a school and the student-athletes.”
How many students attend The Benjamin School?
More than 1,100 students attend The Benjamin School between its two campuses.
Its mission is “to provide a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment,” according to its website.
How much does it cost to attend The Benjamin School?
Annual tuition costs $22,257 for pre-K, $26,740 for kindergarten through fifth grades, $32,474 for sixth through eighth grades and $38,595 for ninth through 12th grades.
The Benjamin School offers need-based financial aid and participates in Florida scholarship programs.
When was The Benjamin School founded?
The Benjamin School’s small administrative office building called “Building 18” along McLaren Road on the interior of the campus in North Palm Beach, Fla., will soon be torn down and replaced with a new building more than twice the original building’s size.
The Benjamin School was founded in 1960 by Nancy and Marshall Benjamin, from whom it takes its name, according to the school’s website.
The two teachers from Royal Oak, Michigan, bought a parcel of land 65 years ago with two old houses on it that became North Palm Beach Private School for pre-K students to sixth grade.
That operation eventually became The Benjamin School.
Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tiger Woods’ kids and Kai Trump attend The Benjamin School in Florida
