GENEROSITY IN ACTION
I
ACADEMICS TO EXCEL. FAITH TO INSPIRE.
t is with great joy and gratitude that I take this opportunity to share with you the remarkable accomplishments and blessings we have experienced at The First Academy.
For over 35 years, we have kept our focus on the vision and mission of our school. Along the way, Gospel Patrons have linked arms with us to create the campus that today’s students enjoy. We have been blessed with remarkable growth, expanding our footprint in Kingdom education while keeping our eyes on Him.
Over the past few years, The First Academy has been richly blessed to be able to complete renovations to the Natalie Thomas Student Center (The Gather Space, The Royal Eatery, and The Whitaker Auditorium) through the Royal Nation Fund. These spaces were made possible by the generous support of our Gospel Patrons, those TFA families and friends who gave sacrificially and invested in the lives of our students. Our future Christian leaders are growing spiritually and academically because our generous donors made it a priority to invest in something that means so much more than just the school’s brick-and-mortar.
While tuition covers our daily operations at TFA, The Royal Nation Fund allows us to go the extra mile in areas such as faculty professional development, technology, campus improvements, safety and security, fine arts, spiritual formation, and other needs as outlined in the Strategic Plan.
The Leadership Team and School Board have identified several opportunities for the TFA community to support the Royal Nation Fund and our future Christian leaders this year. In the following pages, you will learn more about the needs and ways that you can make a difference.
I pray that you join us in Growing the Next Generation of Christian Leaders.
Many Blessings, Brian
Rose
Assistant Head of School for Development
Asurvey conducted by the Barna Group found that less than 1 percent of the young adult population in the United States has a Biblical Worldview. Even more startling, the data shows that less than one-half of one percent of Christians between the ages of 18 and 23 have a Biblical Worldview.
At The First Academy, a commitment to biblical truths and a passion for demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ permeate everything we do in and around the classroom. This approach enables us to educate the whole child — body, mind, and spirit — as we develop their academic foundation for a lifetime of learning. Our students are able to develop a strong foundation and identity in Christ that they will use as they walk through the halls of The First Academy and beyond.
Biblical Worldview
• From Apologetics to Biology, Biblical Worldview is woven into every area of our curriculum.
• Our students are equipped to face the challenges they encounter because they know that He has a plan for their lives, and they learn how to articulate those beliefs among their peers.
Community
• From the moment you step on our campus, you are part of the TFA family.
• We offer several student-led clubs, Bible Studies, and service opportunities to build community and inclusion among all students.
The Living Curriculum & Parent Partnership
• Our teachers are referred to as “The Living Curriculum.” Faculty and staff serve as positive role models for our students.
• Our teachers form strong bonds with students, letting them know that they are cared for and loved as Jesus loves them.
• We cultivate a thriving parent community fostered by helping in the classrooms and participating in our Parent Association. We also offer educational Parent University sessions focusing on topics such as social media survival, preparing for college, and more. There are several social events, opportunities, and Bible Study sessions led by our parents.
Excellence in Academics & Student Leadership Programs
• Preparing students to lead others and defend their faith is no small task in today’s culture. Beginning in the Lower School, our students are given the tools to communicate comfortably and effectively, allowing them to be thought-leaders for the next generation.
• In addition to student-led clubs and leadership programs, we offer 22 AP classes and 11 Concurrent Enrollment classes in our Upper School. 100% of our seniors are accepted to college.
OUR MISSION AT THE FIRST ACADEMY is to prepare children for life as Christian leaders who choose character before career, wisdom beyond scholarship, service before self, and participation as a way of life.
1986
The First Academy was founded based on the vision of Brother Jim Henry (First Orlando Senior Pastor from 1977 to 2006) and a generous donation given by Tom Gurney, an attorney and influential civic leader in Orlando.
1992
Construction begins on the Natalie Thomas Gymnasium
1994
TFA Graduates its first senior class of 22 students
2000
The Payne Stewart Athletic Complex opens
2004
First Annual TFA Day of Prayer
2006
Groundbreaking for the New Lower School
2007
Groundbreaking for the Upper School; students moved in from the facilities at First Baptist Church of Orlando in 2009
2009
TFA library is renovated, modernized, and renamed the Boyd-Moline Library
2012
The Senior Thesis Project was introduced and instituted for all seniors
2014
The Middle School Building is completed, and students moved in from the facilities at First Baptist Church of Orlando
2017
The Cramer Family Field House opens and hosts the inaugural varsity basketball game in the facility
2020
The Gather space is completed
2021
The Royal Kitchen & Eatery is completed and visited by students on the first day of the 2021-2022 school year
2023
The Grand Reopening Ceremony of the Payne Stewart Athletic Complex was hosted following the completion of state-of-the-art renovations
2024
The fully renovated Natalie Thomas Student Center and Whitaker Auditorium opened for weekly chapels, fine arts performances, special events, and more
“Building successful Christian leaders and sowing the seeds of becoming committed servant leaders starts early at The First Academy. I learned as a student that
leadership doesn’t always mean being the captain or president, but it goes beyond that to how you will lead in all areas of your life.”
Seth de Armas, Class of 2005
Lower School Renovation & Playground Overhaul
The Lower School building, constructed in 1986, is approaching its 40th year and has been a cornerstone of our school community. While it has served us well, it is now due for significant renovations. The larger playground, which has brought joy to our students for nearly 20 years, is also showing signs of wear and will be replaced.
The planned renovations will encompass all 31 classrooms in both wings of the Lower School. Updates will include new classroom furniture, modern technology, upgraded flooring, fresh paint, electrical improvements, new window treatments, and air conditioning. In addition, bulletin boards, main hallways, and restrooms will be refreshed. A brand-new, covered playground for grades K-5 will also be installed, ensuring a safe and enjoyable play space for our students.
Safety & SecurityAn Enclosed Campus
The safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff remain one of our top priorities. To further enhance campus security, we plan to complete the perimeter fencing by installing fences and gates along
SCHOOL HOURS ACCESS GATE
the south and east sides of the campus. This addition will allow us to control access to the campus during school hours. From 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the only entry point will be through the Lower School gate near Marie Williams Chapel, which will serve all divisions throughout the school day.
NEW FENCE AND GATES
Tuition Assistance
The many blessings we enjoy today are a direct result of the generosity of others. From the Founding Gift by Thomas Gurney, Sr., TFA students have continually benefited from the vision and sacrifices of those who have made their Christ-centered, college preparatory education a reality.
At The First Academy, we remain dedicated to providing this transformative education to as many students as possible. This is why we seek support for our tuition assistance fund, which helps meet the financial needs of families who otherwise could not attend. This need-based fund is thoughtfully distributed based on the recommendations of our tuition assistance committee, ensuring that more students can experience the opportunities TFA offers.
Professional DevelopmentRetaining Top Tier Faculty & Staff
Our goal is to provide your children with the best possible educational experience, and that starts with an exceptional faculty. Maintaining a high-caliber faculty requires offering top-tier professional development opportunities each year. These opportunities allow our teachers to refine their existing skills and acquire new ones, ensuring they can better serve our students. High-quality professional development also plays a key role in attracting and retaining talented educators. Additionally, we support our faculty in pursuing advanced degrees in their areas of expertise, further enhancing the quality of instruction they provide, ensuring that more students can experience the opportunities TFA offers.
Spiritual Formation & The Fine Arts
Our top priority for students is fostering their relationship with Christ. Each week, divisional chapels offer a meaningful time where students lead worship and participate as a class, often creating highlights in their week. This year, we plan to introduce Missions Week, featuring a guest missionary who will share with Middle and Upper School students. Additionally, we aim to enhance the chapel experience by providing extra resources for the worship teams, including an additional keyboard.
The Fine Arts Department has several needs that, when met, will significantly advance our visual and performing arts programs. The visual arts program requires several 3D printers to expand creative possibilities. The theater department needs audio upgrades in the auditorium to accommodate more students with microphones during performances for all divisions. Furthermore, the Media Production class, one of the most popular in Upper School, is in need of additional audio and visual equipment to support its growing demand.
How You Can Give:
Your gift is appreciated and will make an impact on students today and for generations to come.
• Give securely online at https://thefirstacademy.org/giving/
• Checks made payable to The First Academy can be mailed to the school, to the attention of our Development Office.
The First Academy
Attn: Development Office
2667 Bruton Boulevard Orlando, FL 32805
• Make a pledge for this project, with the intent of fulfilling the pledge prior to the close of the 2024-2025 school year. Contact Brian Rose, Assistant Head of School for Development, for information regarding making a pledge to the Royal Nation Fund.
407-206-8657
brianrose@thefirstacademy.org
Other Types of Gifts
give now
• Appreciated Assets
• Stock Gifts
• Real Estate
• Matching gifts: Don’t forget to reach out to your employer to see if they will match your charitable gift!
Leave a Lasting Legacy
• IRA Charitable Contribution -
Those who have reached 70.5 years of age are permitted to make tax-free ‘qualified charitable distributions’ up to $100,000 from an IRA to The First Academy. The First Academy is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization, which makes your gift tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Please consult your tax advisor to see how your gift to TFA can benefit you.
FUNDRAISING PHILOSOPHY: FROM CANDY SALES TO COMMITTED DONORS
Without our founding Gospel Patron, Tom Gurney, who made a $1 million lead gift ($3.275 million in today’s market according to CPI), TFA may not exist today.
With bold faith, he approached Pastor Jim Henry. He said he wanted to give a lead gift to establish a PK-12 private school in Orlando that was definitively Christ-centered and decidedly college preparatory. As the school grew throughout the 1990s, it became clear that enrollment demand was outpacing available facilities.
As a result, the campus master plan that Gurney and Henry envisioned was shelved, and the school used church facilities to accommodate enrollment growth. In 2003 the founding vision was revisited when TFA hired a new Head of School, Dr. Steve Whitaker. Shortly after his arrival, he assembled a group of parents,
grandparents, and friends to pursue the founding vision and build the beautiful campus we enjoy today. This core group of stakeholders prayed fervently, dreamed confidently, and gave generously.
Across the next 20 years, more than $50 million was donated to advance a bold agenda. A significant number of lead gifts above $1 million inspired others to make generous gifts of $250,000 and above to cover most of the projected cost in each capital campaign. Additional donations from the remaining families provided the balance in each campaign.
Because of God’s blessing and the generosity of our Gospel Patrons, TFA’s fundraising success has far outpaced other private schools in Central Florida. We have been able to do this with less overhead cost and a smaller fundraising staff than any of our
competitors. The secret is found in our Gospel Patrons. They have allowed us to do what very few schools have been able to do - transition from “Candy Sales to Committed Donors!”
These generous givers embraced the teachings of Matthew 6:19-21, which says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and dust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.”
So, where do we go from here? Believing there is much left to be accomplished and understanding that we are humbly dependent on God raising up a new generation of Gospel Patrons, we are fully convinced that God has great plans for our future. By His grace, we will continue to pray that current families with significant capacity will be inspired to lead the way with generous gifts so that we can provide an even greater experience for our own children and the children to follow.
The Head of School and Leadership Team set the fundraising strategy for TFA. The philosophy that led us from “Candy Sales to Committed Donors” will remain the guiding force. With the expertise of the Head of School, the hard work of the School Board, and a strong advancement staff, we will continue to focus on committed donors. We do not plan to return to the days of magazine sales, book fairs, fundraising galas, or other event-based fundraising, where typically 50 percent of the revenue is consumed by the vendors/operating costs. The vision that inspired Gospel Patrons of the past and present will be followed in the future as we trust God to do only what He can do.
The
First
Academy Leadership Team
Dr. Steve Whitaker
Head of School
Brian Rose
Assistant Head of School for Development
Will Cohen
Assistant Head of School for Campus Operations
Matt McGee
Assistant Head of School for Extended Education Programs & Spiritual Formation
Jennifer Jackson
Interim Assistant Head of School for PK-12 Programs & Parent Relations, Lower School Principal
Leighann Harris
Senior Director of Finance & Business Development
Gissel Valois
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Dr. Natalie Holter
Middle School Principal
Joyce Kwak
Upper School Principal
The First Academy School Board
Clark Keator, Chairman/Treasurer
Will Grindle
Nikki Kearn
Laura Eitel
Archbishop Allen Wiggins
Bishop Derrick McRae
Brian Blair
