Savannah Reams
editor@greenepublishing.com
Established in 1970 by parents and community stakeholders who sought to provide their children with a solid education built on biblical principles, Aucilla Christian Academy (ACA) has educated North Florida's youth for fifty years and counting.
In order to bring life to their vision, parents knew they would need to invest. Families purchased bonds and soon the institution became a reality. Known at the time as Aucilla Christian School, it was operated by North Florida Christian, of Tallahassee. However, entrusting the school's function to an outside franchise proved unwise. Several years later, families were informed the school would have to close due to a loss of financial stability. So, once again, parents banded together, pooled their resources and formed their very own private institution. The school would be operated independently from that point forward, receiving the name Aucilla Christian Academy (ACA).
"Mama turned in her bond like the rest did to keep [the school] going," said Stephen Reams, Class of 1976. "The school turned a profit the very first year [after separating from North Florida Christian]." Reams began his seventh grade year with Aucilla Christian School in 1970.
Today, students at ACA receive a high-quality, college preparatory education, with over 90 percent of graduates transitioning to higher education. The hopes and dreams of a handful of parents grew into a fundamental North Florida educational institution that has produced successful nurses, doctors, lawyers, journalists, entrepreneurs, first responders, pharmacists, educators and more.
Young and old, countless men and women have walked the halls of ACA—a historic building that has stood the test of time. Take a walk with us as we journey within the walls of that well-known brick edifice. Perhaps, you'll see familiar faces—some framed with the teased tresses of the eighties or the feathered bangs of the seventies. Let's stroll among the nineties grunge, take in the individuality of the 2000's, become reacquainted with faculty who have come and gone, and discover what was on the minds of graduating seniors during the finest times of their lives.