Foundation Academy celebrates expansion

Foundation Academy hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new educational building Thursday, Feb. 24, at the Tilden Campus.

The new building, Educational Building One, will host many academic classes including art, band and science. 

The building has been in the planning stages for several years, although official work started nine months ago.

“Foundation Academy is thankful to its board, generous donors, steadfast families, but mostly to God for providing for this beautiful new building to open,” Christina Haak, development specialist at the Tilden campus, said. 

Keynote speakers included President Dave Buckles; Pastor Tim Grosshans, of First Baptist Church of Winter Garden; science teacher and department head James Campbell; and student and SGA President Mackenzie Daniel.

Although the school has recently added on a multitude of science classes, including AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Physics and AP Environmental Science, Campbell said the school is hoping to add an introduction to engineering program next fall. 

“We’ve been looking forward to this for a while,” Campbell said. “Our Lord God has provided this. … What we need to do is let Him work through His Holy Spirit, through us, to allow us to take advantage of what we’ve got.”

Daniel said she has been attending the school for five years. During that time, she has seen it go through expansions and changes — while also going through her own changes and growth as a Christian. 

“At Foundation Academy, I was introduced to Bible classes in the chapel, and I had never been to something like that before,” Daniel said. “Foundation Academy really is unique. All the teachers, like Mr. Campbell for sure, pour into you so much, and they really do love us as students.”

The Foundation Academy Praise Band and Choir engaged guests in a special performance of “Everything to Me” as part of the ceremony’s conclusion. 

Buckles invited board members and administration to come forward for the ribbon cutting. After the blue ribbon was cut, guests were invited to tour the building and observe a student showcase in the building.  

Students engaged in science classrooms, band students performed under direction, and students’ artwork was on display. 

The day was a two-part special, as families and students also headed to the Leiferman Gymnasium for the Foundation Academy Science Fair. 

EXPANSION: SET APART

The recent expansion is part of the school’s capital campaign project, Expansion: Set Apart.

The project will allow for more students to attend the school and provide students with the most current, and state-of-the-art, facilities and equipment.  

The next part of the project is a cafeteria, which is scheduled to break ground this fall. It will serve lunch to the students each day, be used as a worship center for the church on the weekends and serve as a space for the school’s theatrical productions.