It was a letter from her child's Honors math teacher that really drove an important point home for local pediatric dentist Kathy Mulcahey. "We received a wonderful, heartfelt letter from our son's high-school Honors Algebra 2/Trig teacher that really touched my husband and me," says the Legacy Christian Academy alumni mom. "In it, his teacher highlighted our son's hard work, kindness and 'great mathematical thought' that he shares with his peers. As parents, of course we invest a great deal of time, resources and love into our children, but when we get feedback like this - and it's not that uncommon - we are always deeply aware of how much Legacy played a vital role in the academic and character development of our kids."
That's a common refrain from Legacy alumni parents who consistently return to the Valencia campus with stories about scholarships, high-profile university admission letters, just-won awards, elevated AP placement, soaring SATs and other markings of high-school success.

"We enjoy seeing our former parents and alums, not only because we love celebrating their 'wins' with them, but because we are able to reflect on the fine men and women they've become," says Legacy Head of School Matt Millett. "As fortified as their minds are, their hearts are equally strong. These are young people who walk in faith, who are doing amazing things for their communities and who build others up with the help of character traits they developed at Legacy."

"Thanks to our academically-accelerated, differentiated curriculum, a large proportion of our upper-grade students are thriving in high-school level math, science, language arts and Spanish," says Stacie Zorichak, associate head of school. "They're entering local high schools one or two years ahead of their peers, taking Honors and AP courses as freshmen - and doing wonderfully!"

That's in great part to the warm, supportive environment cultivated by Legacy's teachers, like Ryan Anthony, the Academy's second through sixth-grade science instructor. The former AP Physics teacher is known for his near-constant smile - and hands-on educational philosophy that gets kids actively engaged in the critical thinking processes necessary to succeed in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM). "Exposing students to real scientific inquiry at a comparatively young age is so exciting as a teacher. I love watching their eyes light up as they make connections! The fact that we have such well-appointed, high-tech space in the new Discovery Hall and Science Lab to dive deep into our studies is incredibly unique at any learning institution - but it's standard when you consider the level of academic excellence at Legacy," says Anthony.

Because Legacy is rooted in the tenets of the Christian faith, learners are able to hone their academic skills in an environment that promotes Christ-like character. "At Legacy, our highest priority is to honor God," says Garrick Moss, associate head of school. "Our students learn how to share Christ-like love with not only their fellow students, but their families and our local and global communities. These are very others-oriented kids, always thinking about how to serve others and improve the lives of those who are struggling. From assembling care packages for women in need, to making blankets for critically-ill children and fundraising for hurricane victims, there's always something positive going on at Legacy. We never miss a chance to create opportunities for our students to become leaders and doers."
Legacy Christian Academy provides customized campus tours year-round. Call to schedule yours today. 257-7377

Extra Credit
Legacy's Enrichment & Elective Opportunities will Wow You
Competitive sports training and league play; expanded arts and music education; access to technology like 3D printers; classes like Dave Ramsey's Introduction to Personal Finance and Strategies for Life; electives like video production, calligraphy, digital photography, fashion design, architecture, culinary arts and so much more... when it comes to enrichment, Legacy earns an A+. "We're very proud of our constantly-evolving elective and enrichment opportunities for all our learners, and especially our upper-grade students," shares Millett. "For example, our junior-high robotics team competes - and regularly beats! - local and regional high-school teams in our league! What makes our Academy so notable isn't just that we have an impressive array of options, but that each is so well thought out, resourced and led by instructors and coaches who are experts in their field. It creates remarkable enthusiasm for learning and a confidence for trying new things and thinking outside the box for our students."