French Camp Academy
Encyclopedia
French Camp Academy is an interdenominational Christian boarding home and school in French Camp Academy
, Mississippi
.
FCA's mission is to serve young people and their families for the glory of God. Students come from a variety of backgrounds: single parent homes, being raised by another relative, parent incarcerated, vulnerable to drugs, alcohol, and gangs, need for more structure. --French Camp (talk) 15:48, 30 November 2011 (UTC)
Students live in safe, comfortable homes with a trustworthy family that supervises, mentors, loves, and holds them accountable. Student life centers around attending classes, a work program designed to develop marketable skills, sports and other activities, meals, devotions, study hall, and supervised free time.
The school operates several businesses in French Camp, including a bed and breakfast
, a gift shop, world-class observatory, and a restaurant.
and 90 miles (144.8 km) north of Jackson
. The school has a total of 900 acres (364.2 ha) of land.
The school hosts the Rainwater Observatory and Planetarium
, the largest planetary observatory in Mississippi. The observatory, with 16 telescopes, has a clear view of outer space since it is far from major cities, which are sources of light pollution. The observatory is open by appointment to members of the public.
located across the street from French Camp Academy. Students in grades 7 through 8 can also take classes at the Weir Attendance Center, a Choctaw County School District school in Weir
, and become involved in its technology preparatory program. 7th grade students may take career discovery courses, and 8th grade students may take computer discovery courses.
High school students attend French Camp Academy's in-house high school accredited by the MS Dept. of Education and member of ACSI. Students attending the French Camp high school are required to wear school uniform
s. High school students may attend a vocational technology program in the Choctaw Vocational Center in Ackerman
.
. The Log Cabin Gift Shop offers many items crafted by local artisans and FCA students. The Children of God Pottery Studio opened in late 2011.
at Mile Marker 181. H. Richard Cannon, president of the school, conceived of the idea of the radio station while on the mission field in New Guinea
.
Pioneer Day is held annually every second Saturday of May featuring crafts, working artisans, concessions and music.
French Camp, Mississippi
French Camp is a town in Choctaw County, Mississippi, United States, located eighty miles southwest of Tupelo. The population was 393 at the 2000 census.-Geography:French Camp is located at ....
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
FCA's mission is to serve young people and their families for the glory of God. Students come from a variety of backgrounds: single parent homes, being raised by another relative, parent incarcerated, vulnerable to drugs, alcohol, and gangs, need for more structure. --French Camp (talk) 15:48, 30 November 2011 (UTC)
Students live in safe, comfortable homes with a trustworthy family that supervises, mentors, loves, and holds them accountable. Student life centers around attending classes, a work program designed to develop marketable skills, sports and other activities, meals, devotions, study hall, and supervised free time.
The school operates several businesses in French Camp, including a bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
, a gift shop, world-class observatory, and a restaurant.
History
A group of Scotch-Irish Christians, under the area Presbyterian Church, established the The Central Mississippi Institute for Girls in 1885. The French Camp Academy for Boys opened later in 1885. The school was intended for children of Native Americans and White settlers who lived in the French Camp area. In 1915 a fire destroyed the girls' school; both the schools for boys and girls combined as the French Camp Academy. In 1950 the school was reorganized under a board of trustees, which represented various Christian denominations.Location and composition
French Camp Academy is in French Camp, 80 miles (128.7 km) south of TupeloTupelo, Mississippi
Tupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
and 90 miles (144.8 km) north of Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
. The school has a total of 900 acres (364.2 ha) of land.
The school hosts the Rainwater Observatory and Planetarium
Rainwater Observatory and Planetarium
Rainwater Observatory and Planetarium is an educational astronomical observatory and Planetarium run as an educational ministry of French Camp Academy. It is located near French Camp, Mississippi, United States...
, the largest planetary observatory in Mississippi. The observatory, with 16 telescopes, has a clear view of outer space since it is far from major cities, which are sources of light pollution. The observatory is open by appointment to members of the public.
Education
, a school of the Choctaw County School DistrictChoctaw County School District
The Choctaw County School District is a public school district based in Ackerman, Mississippi . The district's boundaries parallel that of Choctaw County.-Schools:*Ackerman High School...
located across the street from French Camp Academy. Students in grades 7 through 8 can also take classes at the Weir Attendance Center, a Choctaw County School District school in Weir
Weir, Mississippi
Weir is a town in Choctaw County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 553 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Weir is located at , along the Yockanookany River....
, and become involved in its technology preparatory program. 7th grade students may take career discovery courses, and 8th grade students may take computer discovery courses.
High school students attend French Camp Academy's in-house high school accredited by the MS Dept. of Education and member of ACSI. Students attending the French Camp high school are required to wear school uniform
School uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
s. High school students may attend a vocational technology program in the Choctaw Vocational Center in Ackerman
Ackerman, Mississippi
Ackerman is a town in Choctaw County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,696 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Choctaw County.It is named for an early landowner.-Geography:Ackerman is located at ....
.
Businesses
French Camp operates the Council House Cafe in the Natchez Trace Historic District. The Council House serves Mississippi mud pieMississippi mud pie
Mississippi mud pie is a chocolate-based dessert pie that is likely to have originated in the US state of Mississippi. The treat contains a gooey chocolate filling on top of a crumbly chocolate crust. The pie is usually served with ice cream...
. The Log Cabin Gift Shop offers many items crafted by local artisans and FCA students. The Children of God Pottery Studio opened in late 2011.
WCFA
French Camp Academy hosts the WFCA radio station, a non-profit radio station with its studios located along the Natchez Trace ParkwayNatchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a National Park Service unit in the southeastern United States that commemorates the historic Old Natchez Trace and preserves sections of the original trail....
at Mile Marker 181. H. Richard Cannon, president of the school, conceived of the idea of the radio station while on the mission field in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
.
Festivals
The French Camp Harvest Festival, held annually every second Saturday of October, has its proceeds benefiting the school and area churches.Pioneer Day is held annually every second Saturday of May featuring crafts, working artisans, concessions and music.
See also
- Rainwater Observatory and PlanetariumRainwater Observatory and PlanetariumRainwater Observatory and Planetarium is an educational astronomical observatory and Planetarium run as an educational ministry of French Camp Academy. It is located near French Camp, Mississippi, United States...