STUDENT LIFE
Life Beyond the Classroom
Participating, Leading, and Shining
At Heritage Christian Academy, education extends far beyond textbooks and tests.
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Student life at HCA is where lifelong friendships are formed, talents are discovered, character is developed, and faith becomes personal.
For over 40 years, we've created a vibrant community where students don't just attend school—they belong to a family. Our small school atmosphere means every student has opportunities to participate, lead, and shine, while our Christ-centered foundation ensures all activities build character and glorify God.
Beyond the Classroom
Athletics
Eagle Pride on Display
Heritage Christian Academy Eagles compete with heart, integrity, and excellence. Our athletic programs develop not just skilled athletes, but young people of character who understand that how you play the game matters as much as the final score.
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Athletic Director: Zandy Wilbanks
Our Athletics Philosophy
Character Over Championships
While we strive for excellence and love to win, our priority is developing athletes who demonstrate sportsmanship, teamwork, and Christian character on and off the field.
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Balanced Approach
Athletics complement, never replace, academic achievement. To participate, student-athletes must maintain good grades and demonstrate responsible behavior. Our athletic teams participate in the Georgia Association of Private & Parochial Schools (GAPPS) league.
Athletic Programs
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Girls' Upper School Basketball
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Girls' Upper School Track
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Girls’ Upper School Volleyball
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Boys’ Upper School Basketball
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Boys’ Upper School Track
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Girls’ Varsity Basketball
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Girls’ Varsity Track
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Boys’ Varsity Basketball
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Boys’ Varsity Track
Athletic Achievements
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Sportsmanship Awards
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2024 & 2025 GAPPS Varsity Volleyball State Tournament
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2025 GAPPS Boys’ & Girls’ Varsity Basketball State Tournament
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2017 GAPPS Varsity Girls State Basketball Champions
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2017 GAPPS Varsity Boys’ State Final Four
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2016 GAPPS Varsity Volleyball State Final Four
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2015 GAPPS Varsity Volleyball State Runner-Up
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College Scholarship Recipients
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Truth Lewis – Lacrosse
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Truett McConnell, Rachel Morris – Volleyball
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Toccoa Falls, Lexi Edwards – Volleyball
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Fine Arts & Drama
Creativity Meets Faith
Heritage Christian Academy's fine arts allow students to explore their creative gifts while developing discipline, teamwork, and an appreciation for beauty.
Visual Arts
Heritage Christian Academy's visual arts program nurtures creativity and technical skill while helping students discover and develop the artistic gifts God has given them. From the earliest grades through Upper School, students explore a wide range of art mediums and techniques in a supportive environment that celebrates individual expression.
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Instructor: Johnna Douglas
Art Curriculum by Grade Level and Competitions
K4-1st Grade: Art as Play
Young artists focus on art as joyful exploration, becoming familiar with various art mediums while learning foundational concepts, including primary colors, shapes, and lines. Classes also integrate fine motor skill development—learning to hold a pencil or crayon properly, cutting with scissors, using a dropper, and other essential skills that support both artistic and academic growth.
2nd-3rd Grade: Building Foundations
Students use a variety of art mediums to explore foundational art elements, including the color wheel and color mixing, color value, line, shape, form, and texture. This systematic approach builds technical knowledge while encouraging creative experimentation.
4th-5th Grade: Expanding Horizons
Lower School students continue exploring art elements and techniques while also studying the work of famous artists. This exposure to diverse artistic styles and historical contexts helps students understand art as both personal expression and cultural contribution.
Upper School: Advanced Technique
Upper School students explore the elements of art and principles of design while emphasizing technique in various categories: drawing, color pencil drawing, charcoal drawing, painting, relief/sculpture, and collage. Upper School art students also collaborate with the drama class to design and build props for school plays and shows throughout the year, learning how visual arts support and enhance other creative disciplines.
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Competition & Recognition
These competitions provide students with opportunities to showcase their work and receive recognition for their artistic achievements. All art classes participate in at least two competitions annually:
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Coastfest through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources
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GAPPS Annual Visual Arts Competition
Drama
Heritage Christian Academy's drama program provides students with opportunities to develop confidence, creativity, and communication skills while experiencing the joy of theatrical performance. Our Upper School Drama Team performs for school audiences and competes successfully at regional and state levels.
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Director: Diana Gordon and Kimmy Bronte
Annual Productions and Competitions
The HCA Drama Team presents 2-3 school performances each year, giving students multiple opportunities to take the stage:
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One-Act Play: Our competitive one-act production serves as both a school performance and our entry into regional competition, where students showcase their theatrical skills in a condensed, powerful format.
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Christmas Show: A beloved annual tradition featuring a Christmas-themed play that celebrates the season and brings our school community together for a festive performance.
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Spring Show: Our spring production varies from year to year—sometimes a full play, sometimes a variety show—allowing directors to tailor the performance to showcase the unique talents of each year's drama team.
Competitive Success
HCA's drama program competes in 2-4 competitions annually, consistently earning recognition at both regional and state levels:
One Act Competition
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Regional Competition: Our team placed 2nd in 2024
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State Competition: Teams advancing from regional competition represent HCA at the state level
Literary Competition
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Regional Competition: Our team placed 1st in 2024, with several individual students earning recognition in their respective categories
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State Competition: Students who place at regional competition advance to compete at the state level, where HCA students have continued to earn honors
These competitive achievements reflect not only our students' talent but also their dedication, teamwork, and commitment to excellence in the performing arts.
Opportunities for All
True to HCA's commitment that every student matters, every student who auditions for a drama production receives a part. Whether large roles or supporting parts, each position is important to the success of the production, and students learn that being part of an ensemble means every contribution has value.
Through drama at HCA, students discover courage they didn't know they had, develop skills in public speaking and performance, and learn what it means to work together toward a common goal—all while using their God-given talents
Clubs & Activities
Academic Competitions
Heritage Christian Academy students regularly compete in academic competitions through the Georgia Association of Private & Parochial Schools (GAPPS), demonstrating excellence across multiple disciplines and grade levels.
GAPPS Competitions
HCA participates in a full range of GAPPS competitive events:
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Lower School Academic Day - Showcasing the knowledge and skills of our youngest scholars
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Upper School (6th - 8th Grade) Academic Day - Challenging students across core subjects
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Upper School Academic Day (9th - 12th Grade) - Testing students' mastery of advanced academic content
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Literary Competition - Individual and team competitions in writing, speaking, and interpretation
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Visual Arts Competition - Recognizing artistic excellence and creativity
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One-Act Play - Theatrical performance at regional and state levels
Recent Achievements
HCA students have earned impressive recognition in GAPPS competitions:
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GAPPS Region Literary Champions - 2025
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Literary State Champions
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One Act Play State Champions
These achievements reflect not only our students' talent and dedication but also the quality of instruction they receive from HCA's committed faculty. Academic competition provides students with opportunities to challenge themselves, represent their school with pride, and discover capabilities they might not have known they possessed.
Ready to be part of HCA's tradition of excellence?
Chapel & Spiritual Life
Spiritual development is at the heart of everything we do at Heritage Christian Academy.
Chaplain: Pastor Chris Moncus
Chapel Services
Spiritual development is at the heart of everything we do at Heritage Christian Academy. Through weekly chapel services, daily prayer, and biblical instruction, students grow in their understanding of God's love and learn to live out their faith in practical ways.
Every Monday, the entire HCA community gathers for chapel services in a staggered schedule that allows age-appropriate messages and worship:
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9:20 AM - Lower School Chapel (K4-5th Grade)
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8:20 AM - Upper School Chapel (6th-12th Grade)
These weekly gatherings provide students with biblical teaching, worship, and community that help them grow spiritually and connect with their classmates in meaningful ways. Chapel messages are tailored to each age group, addressing topics relevant to students' lives and helping them understand how their faith applies to everyday situations.
Daily Spiritual Practices
Spiritual formation at HCA extends beyond Monday chapel into the rhythm of each school day:
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Morning Prayer: The school day begins with morning announcements that include prayer over the entire student body, setting a tone of faith and community for the day ahead.
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Classroom Prayer: Prayer is an important part of the start to each class throughout the day. Students learn that bringing God into every aspect of life—including academics—is natural and important.
Bible Instruction
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Lower School (K-5th Grade): Our Lower School teachers lead daily Bible lessons that include worship songs, scripture memorization, engaging Bible stories, and hands-on activities to reinforce each lesson. Our goal is to help every child grow in faith, knowledge, and a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ.
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Upper School (6th-12th Grade): Bible class meets first period Tuesday through Friday. It provides systematic biblical instruction that helps students develop a mature, personal faith and understand how to apply scriptural principles to their lives.