Community leaders, parents and Heritage Academy staff gathered for a ribbon-cutting for the Heritage Early Learning Academy on Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021.
Heritage Academy is a non-profit Christian school for elementary- and middle school-aged children. Heritage Early Learning Academy, or HELA, as it is referred to by some staff members, is a new addition right across the street.
MORE: Heritage Academy Spends More Than $2 Million on Early Learning Center
HELA will care for and educate children between the ages of six weeks and 4 years.
Phin Hitchcock, the founder of Heritage Academy, led the crowd in a prayer after speaking about humble beginnings.
“By faith, we started with five little ones, and now we’re here,” Hitchcock said. “These little children are like oaks of righteousness. God is able to raise up his children, and now we are starting those children at six weeks only in a building that is paid for. This is the first day of the rest of it. What is God gonna do?”
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The property was acquired in 2019, and a capital campaign for $5 million was kicked off in February 2020.
“One month later, it was the start of the pandemic. The school shut down, as did all schools in the nation,” said Linda Tucciarone, executive director of Heritage Academy. “There was uncertainty. Our board chair said, ‘Should we continue this capital campaign? Is this insensitive?’ And I said, ‘God could have answered our prayers any time in the last few years, but the time is now.’ Everything has been coming together right now.
“By the end of March, we had our first anonymous half million dollar gift. By the end of April 2020, the campaign was complete. A $4.5 million donation, from the estate of Roger Giles, and steered toward us by Clay Boardman, helped complete our campaign.
Sue Parr, president of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, congratulated the staff in a brief address.
“There’s only one thing better than a ground-breaking, and that’s a ribbon-cutting,” Parr said. “We have watched you grow over the years, and we’re so pleased to be here today to thank you for this wonderful addition to the Harrisburg area and to our academic opportunities for our area students.”
MORE: Heritage Early Learning Academy On Target for Next School Year
The ground-breaking for HELA took place in September 2020 but the construction didn’t begin until November 2020.
“That is quite an accomplishment based on the regulations involved with building an early childhood facility,” Tucciarone said. “We are so glad for everyone to be here and share in our joy today.”
HELA’s first ever opening day of classes begin next week.
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com.
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