Our Campus

In 1969, a group of interested citizens organized Rose Hill Christian School, Inc. The school opened on September 5, 1969, in a rented plant located in the town of Teachey, North Carolina, with an enrollment of 98 students in grades 1-8. In 1970, Harrells Christian Academy was established at its present location in Harrells, North Carolina.

The school plant in Harrells was purchased and renovated during the 1969-1970 school year by the Foundation for School Development, Inc. The Foundation consisted of a group of local businessmen with the primary purpose of securing a permanent home for the Rose Hill Christian School, Inc.

The plant purchased, known as Franklin School, was built by the Sampson County Board of Education in the late 1940s. It was used as a public school until consolidation caused the plant to be closed and sold in the early 1960s.

Harrells Christian Academy opened in August, 1970 with an enrollment of 305 students in grades 1-12. The first senior class, six students graduated in May, 1971.

Joseph W. Newkirk was one of the founders of HCA and served as the academy’s first headmaster until his untimely death in 1978. The auditorium has since been named in his honor.

Since January, 2001, Harrells Christian Academy has raised close to three million dollars through a capital campaign aimed at renovating the academy’s existing facilities as well as adding new construction.

With a growing student body and expanded needs for technological advances and instruction, new construction began in 1997 with the addition of a new upper school facility. The upper school building was named for William C. Maus, a beloved math teacher and headmaster. William C. Maus Hall was completed and used for the first time in 1998, and houses science laboratories, classrooms, and a computer lab for students in the upper school grades. The addition of more classrooms was made to Maus Hall during the summer of 2002.

Also during the summer of 2002, renovations were made to the existing Puglia Cafeteria, which was originally built in 1985, to accommodate the growing student body.

During the summer of 2003, a new administration building, Founders’ Hall, was added to the front of the existing school. This new building is dedicated to members of the Founders Club, key contributors to the Academy’s Capital Campaign. This facility holds several offices and a conference room. The area connecting these offices is named in honor of Samuel A. Marshburn.

Upstairs, above Founders' Hall, is the Lynne Wells Williams Media Center. The Media Center contains the Academy’s library and computers for use by lower and middle school students.

With all the renovations and new construction, the campus now holds over 30 classrooms, two computer labs, two science labs, an auditorium, chapel, music room, and an art studio.

The need for a larger lobby in the Mary Susan Cowan Johnson Gymnasium was met in 2002. A larger concession stand was built and the lobby now contains all athletic trophies and awards that have been achieved throughout the tradition of HCA. The Mary Susan Cowan Johnson Gymnasium was originally constructed in 1976.

In 1986, Murphy-Johnson Field, a lighted football field, was built behind the Mary Susan Cowan Johnson Gymnasium. A new baseball diamond was constructed beyond Murphy-Johnson Field in 2001. Adjacent to the main campus are new tennis courts, which were added in the fall of 2003.