North Raleigh Christian Academy

North Raleigh Christian Academy (NRCA) is a private, Christian, coeducational, primary and secondary day school located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Also referred to as simply North Raleigh or North Raleigh Christian, the school was founded in 1996.

North Raleigh Christian Academy

History

North Raleigh Christian Academy was founded in May 1996 by Mr. Sonny L. Sherrill along with a group of former teachers and students from Friendship Christian School in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The original site of the school was Mt. Vernon Baptist Church located in Raleigh, NC, which is now the current site of Neuse Christian Academy. In its first year, NRCA had 400 students in K–12th grade at its "Falls campus" at Mt. Vernon. In 1998, the school began a second campus with K-6th grade at Open Door Baptist Church where over 140 students arrived its first year. Open Door Baptist supported the "Durant campus" as it grew to over 250 students in three years. Total enrollment at both campuses reached 868 by 2001.

With the purchase of 30 acres (120,000 m²) on Perry Creek Road in 1999, the school's Board of Governors began plans for the "Perry Creek campus." Ground was broken in the fall of 2000 for the new campus. On August 17, 2002, the K–12th grade "Perry Creek campus" was dedicated. Two days later on August 19, 2002, over 1,100 students entered the doors of the academy. Today, the school continues to grow with over 1,450 students, and is now the largest private K–12 school in North Carolina.^[1]

In order to facilitate increased demand and future growth, the school purchased adjacent land and has recently added two additional wings to the school, which have provided additional classrooms, music and dance space, and a third gymnasium. Increased parking space and a soccer complex were also added. The project was completed by the start of the 2010–11 school year and has increased enrollment capacity to 1,800 students.^[2]

Academics and Curriculum

North Raleigh Christian Academy is an accredited, state-approved, college-preparatory school. The school’s accreditations include: SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools), ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International), and CITA (Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation). The school’s elementary students average 2–4 years above the national average on the Stanford 10, and middle school students score 3 to 4 years above the national average on the SAT 10. Senior classes have consistently averaged above 1150 on the SAT, and have been accepted to some of the top universities in the country. NRCA is also a member of the National Honor Society and the National Junior Honor Society.

The elementary grades use the A Beka curriculum, Shurley Grammar, A Reason for Science, ACSI Bible, ACSI Spelling, and additional supplements. Electives offered on the elementary level include: computers, Spanish, art, physical education, choral, band, and library. A system of academic field trips for elementary through 12th grade accents the classroom experience.

The middle and high school use a combination of A Beka, Bob Jones University Press, Prentice-Hall, Scott Foresman, and other texts. Middle and high school Bible curriculum is an assortment of Bob Jones University Press, A Beka, Summit Ministries, ACSI, and current authors such as James Dobson and Henry Blackaby. All 7th and 8th grade students are required to take Latin I and II. In addition to the three track adacemic system of general, college-preparatory, and honors tracks for high school students, advanced placement classes for college credit are also offered. Current advanced placement classes include: biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, calculus, European history, American history, psychology, music theory, and English. Honors classes are available in college math, Spanish III, advanced math, economics, choir, band, dance, and English. Computer and science labs also help prepare students academically.^[3]

Fine arts

NRCA students may participate in 54 concerts and recitals each year. Students may participate in the nation’s largest ACSI fine arts festival hosted by NRCA. Over 1500 students from a three state area representing close to 30 schools compete in a one-day event where the groups showcase their talents in music, art, and piano competitions.

Middle and high school students are offered participation in drama, dance, set design, art, photo journalism, speech, video broadcasting, and yearbook.

NRCA also participates in the ACSI math league, math olympics, spelling bee, speech competition, and science fair.

Music

K-4 general music, 5th grade choir, and 5th grade band are offered on the elementary level. All elementary grades are involved in Christmas and/or Spring concerts and musicals. Middle and high school students are offered participation in several choral and instrumental groups (including auditioned ensembles and jazz and marching bands). Choral students participate in NCMEA events including elementary, middle, and high school honors chorus and all-state chorus. With sight singing being an important part of the choral program, both middle and high school students have consistently scored superior ratings on both music and sight singing at NCMEA events. In 2004, and 2007, the NRCA Honors Vocal Ensemble was selected to participate in the National Youth Choir performing in New York City at Carnegie Hall. This honor will also be a part of the 2009-10 school year.

NRCA also offers piano and strings lessons during the school day. These lessons are offered by professional instructors at a per lesson fee.

Drama

Students are led through many aspects of drama including acting, improvisation, theater history, technical theater and more. Two major theater productions and several chapel performances take place each year.

Drama classes are open to students in grades 6-12, including an Honors Theater class for high school students having successfully completed Drama I.

Every year the theater department produces two large-scale, Broadway-style shows. Past productions have included Sound of Music, At the Table, OKLAHOMA, A Night to Remember, The Wiz, Journey of a Dreamer, West Side Story, ONE, Singin’ in the Rain, Little Women, Thoroughly Modern Mille, Pride and Prejudice, Beauty and the Beast, It's a Wonderful Life, The Music Man, The Robe, and Hello, Dolly! In 2008, the drama department won outstanding musical, as well as many other awards, in North Carolina Theatre's Capital Awards for Beauty and the Beast.^[4]

In the fall of 2010, the theatre department put on You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown; and, in the spring of 2010, was among the nation's first high schools to produce Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera.

Dance

Dance classes at NRCA include barre training and conditioning as well as choreography in various styles of liturgical, ballet, and contemporary dance. Students perform in chapels, theater productions, and in an annual dance recital in the spring.

Visual arts

NRCA claims their goal in the Visual Arts program is to provide each student with:

• An awareness of their God-given gifts and abilities;
• A sensitivity to God's creation and a means to respond to what they see;
• The opportunity to express ideas visually, by developing skills in drawing, painting, sculpting, designing, and crafting.
• A fundamental knowledge of artistic heritage and how art history relates to the present.
• The opportunity to make qualitative visual judgments as they learn to appreciate diverse expressions of creativity.

Publications

A yearbook is published annually, a school newspaper is published quarterly, and the students of the Broadcast Production class produce a weekly, eight to twelve-minute broadcast entitled The Knightly News, which is a summary of recent events during the school's last week.

Athletics

North Raleigh Christian Academy offers competitive sports for males and females beginning in the 6th grade. The school states its athletic program's primary mission is to "assist students in improving and developing physically, personally, and spiritually so that they can apply these skills in all areas of life." Boys' sports include: basketball, baseball, cross country, lacrosse, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track. Girls' sports include: basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming, track, tennis, volleyball, and cheerleading.

NRCA is a member of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA). Since joining the NCISAA in 1997, NRCA teams have won two state championships and have been the state runner up five times. Varsity teams compete at the 3A level in the NCISAA and are members of the Triangle Independent Schools Athletic Conference (TISAC). Middle school teams are members of the Triangle Middle School Conference (TMSC).^[5]

Student life

In addition to opportunities in athletics and fine arts, students at NRCA participate in a number of other extracurricular activities. Some of these include:

• student-led prayer groups where students meet together for prayer prior to the opening of each school day.
• student council where elected class representatives from each class in grades 6-12.
• community service projects where students of all ages take part in service projects for several organizations including Samaritan's Purse, House of Hope, and the Raleigh Rescue Mission.
• junior/senior banquet where the junior class hosts a formal banquet for the senior class
• senior trip where each year the senior class travels to Europe for 10 days
• winter ski getaway where each winter students travel for a spiritual renewal time accompanied by skiing and fellowship and
• ACSI middle and high school leadership conference. Students chosen from grades 6-12 attend this trip for the encouraging and training student leaders.^[6]

Reception

North Raleigh Christian Academy currently holds a 4 star rating (out of 5) on greatschools.org.

Notable Alumni

• Chesson Hadley, professional golfer on the PGA Tour^[7]

References

External links

• School website
• A Scene from the 2010 Production of 'Hello, Dolly!'