BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE-COLUMBIA ACADEMY

It’s an exciting time to be a Bulldog! Columbia Academy is bursting at the seams, and many are seeing the value in a Christian education. God has blessed them, and they continually seek to glorify Him with their mission to prepare students for their future, while encouraging them to become Christlike in attitude and behavior. After multiple years of record enrollment, CA has outgrown the capacity in some of the buildings, and improvements are needed to bring facilities up to date.

In 2022, CA launched a campaign to help build for the future. The Building in Faith Campaign touches many areas of the Columbia and Spring Hill campuses to improve spaces for all ages. CA is especially appreciative of the many generous donors who have contributed to help them provide the best environment for more children to learn and grow.

Columbia Academy began the building improvements with two much-needed expansions in the elementary facilities Vest Hall in Columbia and the Spring Hill campus. As part of the Spring Hill expansion, four additional classrooms were created adding 6th grade to the campus, and moving the library, art, computer, and music out of portable classrooms.  In all, the new addition in Spring Hill added 3,000 square feet with an additional 1,200 square feet being renovated. In Vest Hall, they expanded five current classrooms, while also adding four new classrooms and a new music room. The new classroom space in Columbia totaled 5,000 square feet with 2,500 square feet being renovated and CA is thrilled both these expansions allow them to open the doors to more students.

Next up, CA turned its attention to its preschoolers in Columbia. The preschoolers were divided between two buildings, the Grimes Building and Mrs. Cathy’s House. Four additional classrooms are being added to the Grimes Building to house all classrooms in one building. They then hope to turn Mrs. Cathy’s House into a multipurpose room that can be used as a much-needed indoor play area.

The CA Columbia campus is also looking to give its tennis courts a complete overhaul. The facilities are over 20 years old and need new concrete on the courts, ADA-compliant paths, new court lighting, and a player’s plaza.  Once completed, the hope is this becomes a facility both students and the community can enjoy for years to come.

Another upgrade to the Columbia campus comes in the form of a new track surrounding the football field.  With a couple of regulation-size lanes, the track will be an asset to the track and cross-country teams, as well as students and the community as they look for places to exercise.  Safety and security are always at the forefront, with projects in the works to keep everyone on campus safe.  Exciting enhancements include access control, traffic control, medical considerations, and expanding coverage hours.

Columbia Academy was originally constructed in the 1890s as the Columbia Arsenal. In 1905, it became Columbia Military Academy, a prestigious school that attracted students from across the country and around the world. Since its inception in 1979, Columbia Academy has worked to preserve the campus’s history and maintain as many historic buildings as possible.  CA is proud of the campus’s rich history and strives to continue its legacy by honoring and maintaining it.

Two of the more well-known historical buildings on the Columbia campus are Academy Hall and the Business Office. Their porches serve as backdrops for capturing numerous special events and achievements, preserving memories for generations. Academy Hall, with its two upper floors, requires restoration to establish a unified administrative office space. This renovation will enable CA to repurpose the current Business Office building into a resource center catering to service, ministry, and academic requirements creating more space and expanding its high school's capacity.

As they build for the future, CA hopes to continue to be a place that not only offers high-quality Christian education but also influences and serves the community through youth sports, tournaments, summer camps, and hosting special events like the Special Olympics. They hope their campus continues to be a busy place that is well-equipped, safe, attractive, and effective in serving others for years to come. 

For more information on Columbia Academy and its Building in Faith Campaign, please visit cabulldogs.org or reach out to Courtney Hulsey, Director of Development, at (931) 398-5357 or courtney.hulsey@cabulldogs.org.

Follow the Bulldogs on social media at @cabulldogs and @caatspringhill.