BLACK OUT Pep Rally this Friday

This coming Friday, January 14th, the GCA Cheerleaders will be hosting a BLACK OUT pep rally for the basketball teams. The cheerleaders will be selling glow stick necklaces and bracelets for the kids to wear during the pep rally. The cost of each will only be .50 cents so please remember to send your child with a few extra quarters on Friday so they can particpate in all the fun!

$355 Raised for the Samaritan's Purse Christmas Project

This Christmas, GCA Middle and High School students responded with enthusiasm to the request to help those who are unable to help themselves by collecting money for Samaritan's Purse. Students donated $355.00 and purchased items such as baby chicks, bibles, mosquito nets, milk, and hot meals for those in need around the world! Many thanks to Julie Harris for making this opportunity available to our students!
If you would still like to help with this worthwhile project, please contact:
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Giving/gift_catalog

Lady Cougars Playing Well

Coach Mike Harrell's Grace Christian Academy Lady Cougars basketball team boasted a strong 11-3 record as they began the post holiday portion of their schedule Tuesday against the Open Bible Christian School Lady Warriors in Valdosta.
After playing the Byne Christian School Saints Thursday in Albany and the Tallavana Christian School Lady Lions Friday in Havana, FL, they will begin their post holiday home schedule with a Tuesday, Jan. 11, game against Gateway Lighthouse Christian Academy.
Harrell expressed great pleasure with his teams play in the early part of the season. "We finished the first half of our season with a triple overtime win over Byne Christian Academy, the same team we beat in the Inland Classic Tournament a couple of weeks ago," he said.
"Brock Bailey, our only senior, continues to lead the team well," Harrell said. "She is averaging over 16 points a game along with four rebounds, two steals and four assists a game. Also playing extremely well is Rachel Harrell, who is averaging 14 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists a game, the coach said. Jocelyn Jacobs and Christy Colvin had career-high 17 rebound games against Byne.
** This article was written by Joe Crine and ran in the Post Searchlight on Sat., Jan. 7th

Designing Custom Air Guns

Mr. Stickland's 12th grade physics class enjoyed "showing-off" their recent projects while learning about air resistance, gravity, velocity, angle, and projectile weight. The goal of this experiment was to familiarize the students with how projectiles fly through the air and what effect the elements listed above have on projectiles. The students were divided into 3 groups and asked to design an air cannon/air gun using vector mathematics, hydrodynamics, and pneumatics that would launch a 6 pound projectile to a pre-determined distance. All 3 cannons were different and each one functioned flawlessly. The overall maximum range achieved, firing the cannons at a 45 degree angel and using 50psi of air pressure, was 175 yards. What a great example of "hand-on" learning...fun was had by all!

MS Students enjoy Pebble Hill & Museum

The 7th & 8th grades students enjoyed a wonderful adventure to Thomasville learning about South GA history and Plantation life in the late 1800's and early 1900's. They visited the Thomas County Museum of History where they learned about the early years of Thomas, Grady and Decatur Counties and then had the wonderful opportunity to visit one of South GA's most famous plantations - Pebble Hill Plantation. Here the students got a first hand look at the how the wealthy lived and why so many northerners migrated to the south for their winter homes and recreational hunting.

January Basketball Schedule

2010 WF Nets over $40,000

Many thanks to our awesome 2010 Winter Festival committee for making this year's Winter Festival one of the best ever. All the new kids activites and games, the excellent student art show, the wonderful (huge) silent auction, the live auction, the expanded general store, the creative t-shirt, and the great food all came together to raise over $40,000 for GCA.

This of course would not have been possible without all our sponors and the support of many of our local businesses as well as all the dedicated volunteers including classroom moms, supportive teachers, creative and helpful students and of course you - the parents and students that came out and shared your time, resources and money! WOW....What an exciting time!

Congratulations & thank you to the following students that sold the most raffle tickets:
Breanna Pritchett - K3 - 5th Grade
Brent Warr - 6th - 8th Grade
Tad Young - 9th - 12th Grade

Congratulations to the 2010 Raffle Winners:
Benelli Shotgun - Greg Whittaker

$1500 Cash - Griffin Reynolds

iPad - Roger Edmunds

Thank you to the following Sponsors:
Bishop's Jewelers
Compressed Air Technologies
Dairy Queen

DaniMer Scientific
Decatur Auto Parts

Elberta Crate

Family Bank

First Port City Bank

Godwin Jewelers
Inland Fuels

Live 101.9
Park Avenue Bank

Premier Sales
Southern Triad Construction
Southwest Georgia Farm Credit

The Wear House Etc.

Field By Night - Dec. 10th @ 7

WF Raffle Tickets - 1st Turn-In Tuesday, Nov. 23rd

The first turn-in date for the 2010 Winter Festival Raffle will be

Tuesday, November 23rd, before Thanksgiving break.

The second turn-in date is Monday, November 29th

and ALL tickets will need to be turned in by that Monday afternoon!!

If you need any more tickets, Mrs. Carol has them in the office.

WF Pre-Sale Tickets Available Nov. 29 &30

Exciting Activities are planned for this year's Winter Festival. Make sure you get your pre-sale tickets on Monday, November 29th and Tuesday, November 30th. They will be for sale in the GCA Office.

2010 WF Auction Items

The 2010 Winter Festival Silent and Live Auction will be held Tuesday evening November 30th. Flyers like this one will be going home with all GCA students on Monday, Nov. 22nd so family and friends can see all the exciting items up for bid this year.

Many thanks all the generous businesses and individuals that have donated this year. We are excited to announce our (9) live auction items along with over 130 items for the silent auction.

A fun-filled evening is planned for our GCA family and friends!!

Inland Classic Basketball Tourn. - Nov. 19th & 20h

The Inland Classic Basketball Tournament will be this weekend, Nov. 19th & 20th at GCA in the Perry Gymnasium. Volunteers are needed to help with gate admission and in the concession stand from taking orders to grilling burgers and making funnel cakes. All proceeds will benefit the athletic department. If you are interested in helping and want to be a part of this fun weekend, please give Coach Murr a call at 243-8851. Note - this is a great opportunity to fill some service hours!

Schedule of Friday Games:
1st Game: 3:00 - Byne Christian Ladies vs Highland Christian Ladies
2nd Game: 4:45 - Byne Christian Men vs Highland Christian Men
3rd Game: 6:30 - Enterprise Prep. Ladies vs Grace Christian Ladies
4th Game: 8:15 - Enterprise Prep. Men vs. Grace Christian Men

Schedule of Saturday Games:
5th Game: 9:00 - Ladies consolation game
6th Game: 10:45 - Men's consolation game
7th Game: 12:30 - Ladies' championship game
Presentation of Ladies' trophies and all-tournament selections
8th Game: 2:15 - Men's championship game
Presentation of Men's trophies and all-tournament selections

Grace Receives Handbooks

Karen Cooper of Woodmen of the World Lodge 28 in Bainbridge recently presented "The American Patriots Handbook" to Mrs. Sheffield's fourth-grade class. "The American Patriots Handbook" contains information on the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and history of the American flag, as well as a biography of each U.S. president.

Book Fair Earns $2,835.05

Many, Many thanks to everyone that helped make our 2010 Book Fair a success!! Our total earnings for this year totaled $2,835.05 which was an improvement from last year.

Accreditation Note: We are required to spend $6 per student for books. Based on 275 students, we will need to purchase $1,650 in books. The exciting news is we will be able to meet this requirement without touching the school budget! Plus, we will be able to purchase additional books with our remaining credit! YEA!!!!

Support 2nd Annual Coat/Blanket Drive

As we celebrate the Thanksgiving Season, we are reminded of God's many blessings. In our thankfulness GCA will be partnering with Southwest Georgia Farm Credit in their Second Annual Community Coat and Blanket Drive. The drive will begin Monday, November 8th and will end on Tuesday, November 30th. Five Points Dry Cleaners is donating the cleaning service and the Decatur County Family Connection will coordinate distribution of the cleaned items.

New or gently worn coats, jackets, or blankets would be greatly appreciated (mittens/gloves or hats should be new.)