Georgia-Cumberland Academy reflects on history of school, begins expansion project
Nestled among the scenic Chattahoochee National Forest is the sprawling 500- acre campus of Georgia-Cumberland Academy, one of Gordon County’s most immersive, versatile and historically significant learning environments.
Owned and operated by the Seventhday Adventist Church, Georgia- Cumberland Academy’s curriculum and student life represent a fusion of Christian faith and quality education. The academy’s educators strive to provide an academically challenging, yet nurturing, atmosphere that reinforces the beliefs of the Seventh- day Adventist denomination.
“Our mission is to communicate a Christian lifestyle and to teach things from a Christian perspective,” Nancy Gerard, GCA director of alumni and development, said. “We are immersed in that and it permeates our whole curriculum and program. That influences who we are and what we teach.”
After construction on the facilities began in 1961, Georgia- Cumberland Academy officially opened its doors in August of 1965.
However, the property’s use as an educational institution can be traced all the way back to 1914, when the land was purchased by California ranchers Emeline Hurlbutt and her husband. They created a place referred to as the Hurlbutt Farm, to prepare people for careers such as teaching, farming and missionary nursing. The farm was also used to care for the orphaned and sick in the area.
According to the school’s website, the institution was passed on to the Layman’s Foundation before Hurbutt passed away in 1932. In 1944, the area was renamed Scott Sanitarium and Scott Schools for benefactor Lida Scott, and was known as a charitable and healthy ministry. Unfortunately, that version of the property ceased to exist after it suffered a fire during a tragic accident in 1959.
This prompted the Georgia- Cumberland Conference of Seventh- day Adventists to step in and purchase the property with the intent of constructing a school. Through extensive planning and notable fundraising efforts, including a potent “Penny Campaign” that raised 3.4 million pennies, ground on the construction site was officially broken in 1961.
The inaugural class of Georgia-Cumberland Academy was comprised of 166 students. The current total of students sits at around 250. It is a student body that might seem modest compared to other schools in the area, but the small number creates an average teacher- to- student ratio of 17: 1, creating a more intimate, focused classroom setting.
One of the most unique aspects of GeorgiaCumberland Academy is that around 71 percent of those 250 students live in on- campus dormitories full- time.
As interest has grown in the school in recent years, there has been an increasing number of students in the local area that attend GeorgiaCumberland Academy to just take classes during the day. However, the school was founded as a boarding school, and that still makes up the vast majority of students today.
Living in on- site dorms provides students the opportunity to learn how to live and thrive independently, based on their personal choices. Whether it’s time management responsibilities, decisions on what food to eat in the cafeteria, how to stay in shape or how to spend free time; students at Georgia-Cumberland Academy will gain valuable real- life experience that can be applied long after they depart.
“We just try and promote good choices,” Gerard said. “Living in a boarding environment has its benefits. It all points to students leaving ready to serve, and also ready to further their education in college.”
The school’s living arrangement also provides a sense of community that is perhaps best manifested in the school’s own campus ministries.
Through the campus ministries, which employees one chaplain and another part- time assistant chaplain, the students deepen their personal beliefs and knowledge of Christianity, learn how to apply their beliefs through service including missionary trips and community service projects and enjoy invigorating student- led worship services.
According to the website, the ultimate goal of the campus ministries is to “love students into a deeper friendship with Jesus.”
Academically, GeorgiaCumberland Academy’s collegeprep curriculum features many of the same standard courses that can be found at any typical high school.
To graduate, students have to complete designated amounts of units in various English, mathematics, social studies and sciences courses, as well as additional hours in subjects such as foreign language, music and physical education.
Lining up with the school’s foundational Seventh- day Adventist beliefs, students must also complete four units of religion classes before graduation that further educate students on aspects of the Bible, Christian history and the application of philosophy.
For students who are aiming for higher levels of education, GeorgiaCumberland Academy offers AP courses in Calculus, English and U. S. History. To finish with a College Prep Diploma, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.6.
“On paper our courses don’t look that different from other schools, but the expectations are high,” Gerard said. “Around 96 percent of our students go on to college. That is our culture and what is expected from our students.”
Receiving an education from Georgia-Cumberland Academy also features the opportunity to audition for one of their extensive fine arts programs. The school holds tryouts for concert band, sinfonietta ( string assemble), testify drama ( drama troupe), camerata ( touring choir) and graphic design.
By far the most popular of these types of programs is the Praise Band. Due to its Seventh- day Adventist roots, around 50 of the school’s 250 students that pass through auditions get the opportunity to hone skills in performing worship music, planning and leading worship and harnessing the technical aspects of putting on a worship service.
“For a school our size, I think we do very well musically and with the dramatic arts,” Gerard said. “We are actively training future worship leaders.”
To keep students physically fit, Georgia- Cumberland Academy offers a variety of varsity- level sports including boy’s and girl’s soccer, boy’s and girl’s basketball and girl’s volleyball. There is also a co- ed gymnastics team known appropriately as the Acroflyers.
While there is always a lot of enthusiasm about what is currently going on at the campus of GeorgiaCumberland Academy, much of the recent buzz has to do with the additions to the campus in the near future.
According to Gerard, GeorgiaCumberland Academy is right in the midst of a large scale building project. The new additions, which cost an estimated $ 12 million, include adding a brand new gymnasium, cafeteria, student center and administrative wing.
Currently, the gymnasium and cafeteria are being constructed, with construction on the student center and administrative wing slated to begin during the spring or summer.
In the classroom, the administration is also planning to add future program enhancements tailored to preparing the upperlevel advanced students for higher learning. The improvements could potentially include tacking on more AP courses and improved college advising.
“We are just over 50 years old,” Gerard said. “Our goal now is to provide an infrastructure that will be around for the next 50 years.”