Jackson Christian Launches $3.3 Million Capital Campaign
Jackson, Tenn. (PRWEB) October 23, 2014 -- At a press conference on the school lawn Thursday, Oct. 23, Jackson Christian announced the launch of a three-year $3.3 million capital campaign. It includes $2.3 million for a middle and high school expansion, $900,000 for athletics and $100,000 for the fine arts. At the time of the launch, the school had gifts and three-year pledges totaling $1.96 million or 60 percent of the needed funds.
“The Lead Campaign’s three-year initiative has clear goals: providing dedicated fine arts space, expanding our middle/high school and upgrading our athletic facilities for soccer, tennis and football,” Dr. Mark Benton, Jackson Christian president, said. “The Lead Campaign will give our students even greater opportunities to become leaders on the field, in the classroom and, eventually, in the world.”
Almost 1,000 square feet of space will provide a gateway to learning in the middle/high school addition. It will improve school safety by providing one central location for entering and exiting the building. The space will be used to honor those who have contributed to the success of Jackson Christian in the past and those who are giving for its future. “We are grateful for the sacrificial support given Jackson Christian since its beginning in 1976. This gateway to learning will honor those whose vision and commitment have brought the school to this point, as well as our current efforts,” Director of Advancement Chris Ramey said.
The school’s original Tyler Building will be expanded by 12,000 square feet of space. The addition includes the gateway to the building and canopied walkways to connect the entire north side of the school. Also included are dedicated space for the choral program, a classroom for the theatre program and four new learning centers. In addition, the administrative and business offices will be consolidated in this area. Renovated space in the current middle school will create a new science laboratory. Construction is set to begin on the middle/high school expansion in the spring of 2015.
The Lead Campaign also directs funds to the creation of a soccer complex currently under construction on campus with a targeted completion date of August 2015. Tennis courts, to be completed in the spring of 2016, will be constructed on campus, allowing these teams to practice and compete at home. The existing football field will be upgraded with improved drainage and strengthened turf.
Chairman of the Board Jason Rudd said, “As Jackson Christian prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary next fall, we are prayerful and purposeful in planning the next 40 years of the school and how we can best serve students who seek a Christ-centered education.”
Before the campaign was announced publicly, 100 percent of the board already had made financial commitments totaling $325,000 and 73 percent of the faculty had pledged $163,000 to the effort.
Clark Converse, Brownsville, Tenn., who, along with his wife Mamie, chairs the parent portion of the campaign, explained their involvement in the effort by saying, “We are trying to make something that is already great even better…to give these students who currently have phenomenal experiences through Christian education even more opportunities.”
“I look at the work we do on this campus as an eternal ministry,” Benton said. He encouraged others to invest in families and students “who will carry the message of Jesus Christ long after they are gone.”
Jackson Christian is a private, college preparatory school located in Jackson, Tenn. With an enrollment of more than 835 students, Jackson Christian offers TSSAA Division I athletics, fine arts and a 21st Century Digital Learning Initiative, bringing iPad technology to all grade levels. Jackson Christian is fully accredited by AdvancED through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the National Christian School Association. More information about the school is available at http://www.jcseagles.org or on Facebook.
Additional information on the Lead campaign, including the campaign video, may be found at jcseagles.org/giving.
Dawn Bramblett, Bramblett Group, http://bramblettgrp.com, +1 731-608-7650, [email protected]
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