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Wake Christian Academy

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Coordinates: 35°42′17″N 78°40′8″W / 35.70472°N 78.66889°W / 35.70472; -78.66889
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Wake Christian Academy
Address
Map
5500 Wake Academy Drive

Raleigh
,
North Carolina
27603

United States
Coordinates35°42′17″N 78°40′8″W / 35.70472°N 78.66889°W / 35.70472; -78.66889
Information
Other nameWCA
TypePrivate school
MottoThat Christ might be first
Religious affiliation(s)Christian
Established1966 (1966)
NCES School ID01012616[1]
Head of schoolMike Woods[2]
Teaching staff62.4 (on an FTE basis)[1]
GradesK–12
GenderCo-educational
Enrollment896 (2017–2018)[1]
Student to teacher ratio14.4[1]
Color(s)Navy & White
NicknameBulldogs
Websitewww.wakechristianacademy.com

Wake Christian Academy (WCA) is a private, Christian, co-educational school in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. It was established in 1966 as a segregation academy in response to the racial integration of public schools.[3] The academy enrolls students from Kindergarten through 12th grade and is divided into three divisions.

History

Wake Christian Academy was established in 1966 as Wake Academy by a group of segregationists that included L. C. Purdy, a former president of White Citizens' Councils.[4] Purdy, along with the White Citizens' Council, tried to raise funds in time to open a school building in the fall of 1966, but fell short and had to lease a residence in which to operate the school.[5][3] School board president H.W. Carey, referencing the founding of the school, told the News & Observer that he "hope[ed] the school would be known for its quality education, but it would be false if I said integration didn't enter into it".[4]

In 1969, Purdy told a reporter that "all you get in public schools is integration, not education. The children are pawns in sociological experiments".[6] Principal Mrs. Franklin Pierce said that although the school was formed to maintain segregation, she was seeking to change the school's image.[6]

In 1970, North Carolina Supreme Court justice I. Beverly Lake Jr. gave a speech to students and parents at the school in which he denounced school desegregation. Lake noted "the products of jungles" were enrolling in public education and opined that all white private schools like Wake Christian Academy "offer to our state her best hope for safe passage through perilous times."[7][8] In May 1970, school founder L. C. Purdy was also a leader of the local chapter of the White Citizens Council and campaigned against a public school bond issue on the grounds the funds would "be used more [for] integration than for education."[9]

In June 1971, following an IRS directive for the pre-schools to advertise a racially nondiscriminatory admissions policy, board member L. C. Purdy initially told a reporter that he was not aware of any such notice being received by the school. He later added, “we are not going [to] let the federal government dictate our admissions policies, even if it means losing our tax-exempt status.”[10] The following month, Purdy told a reporter that no Black students had applied to the school, adding, “All students have to have fine educational qualifications or we won’t talk to them.”[11]

In 1973, a News and Observer article reported that two Wake County private schools had previously lost their federal tax-exempt status due to findings of racial discrimination.[12]

In 1980, Midway Christian Schools merged into Wake Christian.[13]

Academics and accreditation

Wake Christian Academy enrolls over 900 students from central North Carolina, including Wake, Johnston, and Harnett counties.[3] It holds accreditations from the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and Cognia.[14] The school provides a traditional college-preparatory curriculum for grades 1 through 12, including instruction in Spanish, science, and Bible studies, with options for honors, Advanced Placement, and dual enrollment courses.[15][16]

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

On September 16, 2015, the school officially opened a new field house known as the Fidelity Bank Field House, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the school. It would support its football, baseball, softball, and soccer programs, and includes an on-site gym for athletic training and conditioning.[17][18] The athletic department of the school offers 13 sports for both boys and girls and fields 43 teams. The school is a member of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) and competes in the 3A division,[19] as well as the Capital City Conference.[20] The institution promotes philanthropy through athletic competition.[21]

Fine Arts

Wake Christian Academy provides a fine arts program which includes art, band, drama, and chorus.[22][23]

Tuition and admissions

The academy admits students from kindergarten to grade 12 and the process includes campus tours, applications, assessments, and interviews.[24] Tuition varies by grade level, and financial aid is available through state scholarships and internal programs.[25]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for WAKE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  2. ^ "Staff". Wake Christian Academy. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Adam, Jerry; Covington, Sam R (September 7, 1969). "Private schools include buildings old and new". Charlotte Observer. p. 12.
  4. ^ a b Brown, Kate (January 7, 1967). "School is product of dissatisfaction". Raleigh News and Observer. p. 20.
  5. ^ Robon, Roy (August 24, 1966). "Private school falls short of goal". Raleigh News and Observer.
  6. ^ a b Bolch, Judy (March 31, 1969). "Wake Academy finds support for disciplined education". Raleigh News and Observer. p. 1.
  7. ^ Drescher, John (2000). Triumph of Good Will: How Terry Sanford Beat a Champion of Segregation and Reshaped the South. Univ. Press of Mississippi. pp. 256–257. ISBN 9781578063109. - Profile at Google Books
  8. ^ Bolch, Judy (June 5, 1970). "Justice Lake Overspeaks His Bias". Asheville Citizen-Times. p. 4. Retrieved October 30, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Citizen's council opposed to bonds". Raleigh News and Observer. May 26, 1970. p. 20.
  10. ^ "IRS tells pre-school to run ad". Raleigh News and Observer. July 4, 1971. p. 29.
  11. ^ Sample, Joseph T (July 6, 1971). "Private schools all but filled". Raleigh News and Observer. p. 32.
  12. ^ Davis, Angela (July 31, 1973). "Federal court decision affects 18 NC schools". Raleigh News and Observer. p. 3.
  13. ^ "Christian schools planning merger". The News and Observer. February 7, 1980. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  14. ^ "Accreditations - Wake Christian Academy". January 23, 2025. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025.
  15. ^ Stuart, Brad (December 24, 1973). "Two Wake Private Schools Try Different Methods". The News and Observer. p. 26. Retrieved June 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Private Christian K-12 Education". Wake Christian Academy. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  17. ^ Best, D. Clay (September 21, 2015). "Wake Christian opens new field house". Garner-Cleveland Record. Raleigh News and Observer. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  18. ^ Jeffries, Anthony (July 6, 1994). "Getting new planks from Pirates". The News and Observer. p. 34. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  19. ^ "Three Additional Players Join Bruins Soccer for 2018 Season". Bob Jones University Athletics. August 6, 2018.
  20. ^ Potter, Mike (May 30, 2012). "Dogs leave on top of pack". The News and Observer. pp. B1. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  21. ^ "North Carolina Directory of Non-public Schools". doa.nc.gov.
  22. ^ "Private School Arts Raleigh". Wake Christian Academy. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  23. ^ Ellen Cockrell, Joy (May 27, 1982). "Falls Road". Rocky Mount Telegram. p. 12. Retrieved June 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Admissions at Wake Christian Academy in Raleigh, NC". Wake Christian Academy. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  25. ^ "Tuition Assistance". Wake Christian Academy. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
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