[3] The school originated from a summer program established by Cushing Academy,[4] starting in 1988,[5] being held in multiple locations.
[6] In 1994 the owner of the land which housed NAPS, Larry Wilson, sold it to the entity that would establish the school.
[7] Richard P. Ettinger Jr., son of the founder of Prentice Hall, established the school in 1995 with the goal of increasing the number of Native American students attending Ivy League colleges.
Students caused a disturbance shortly after the beginning of instruction in 1995, which headmaster Norman E. Carey stated was due to being unaccustomed to significant homework.
By November 1995, there were 40 students enrolled, and James Brooke of The New York Times stated that "many [...] expressed enthusiasm in interviews.
[9] The school had study abroad and travel opportunities to get native American students familiar with non-Native cultures prior to them entering university.
Headmaster Sven Husaby described the community as "almost like a Native American United Nations", referring to the various ethnic backgrounds.