Our Academy Is Going Places!

Story by April Lutz, Vice Principal

If you were to ask Highland View Academy (HVA) students what some of their least favorite memories of HVA are, many would likely say their long trips in a hot (and sometimes smelly) bus because the A/C had gone out again. Or maybe they would describe crawling over the van seats because the door, which had just been “fixed,” was jammed again. At the same time, they may say that one of their favorite memories is when the opposing team had to pick them up and shuttle them to a game after the bus broke down along the way. Transportation at HVA, as is true at many of Seventh-day Adventist academies, often elicits hilarious anecdotes of minor mishaps or groans at the consideration of long trips in vehicles without A/C or heat. But all of that is about to change.

Last spring, Principal Rob Gettys decided that HVA could not deliver on its full potential without safe and reliable transportation. HVA’s beautiful campus is in a diverse region with many opportunities for students to experience academic, social and spiritual enrichment, but has no consistent and reliable way to get them there.

As a result, Gettys began the process of brainstorming a Transportation Fundraising Campaign, along with the Fundraising Committee of HVA’s Board. The goal was to raise $300,000 to launch the campaign in the summer of 2024. But God waits for no human plans and quickly showed how generous He can be when you throw all your faith and hope in Him.

It all began with a large, unexpected donation from a generous donor who then promised to match any additional funds raised for transportation two dollars to one. Suddenly, local businesses, current parents, alumni, board members and staff responded to the invitation to join the campaign, now knowing that their donation would be tripled. Many saw the success, dedication and prayerfulness behind this endeavor and wanted to be a part of something truly meaningful and needed. In fact, just before the campaign was officially launched, HVA had not only reached its transportation goal but surpassed it!

Perhaps even better than the simple joy of achieving this difficult goal was the fact that this would be the last time HVA would have to host a massive campaign to replace its transportation fleet. All the usage fees of the new fleet will go into a depreciation fund that will provide the means for replacing the vehicle when it has served its time. This is why so many were interested in contributing to this goal—they knew they were supporting a legacy of safe and reliable transportation for class after class of HVA students who will now have the opportunity and privilege of experiencing the richness of the area in which God has placed them. Gettys and the whole HVA community cannot wait to see how God will provide for them next, and until then, they are going places!