Mount Pleasant Magazine July/August 2021

63 www.MountPl easantPodcas t . com | www. ReadMPM. com | www. I LoveMountPl easant . com Living Life to the Fullest Palmetto Christian Academy’s NewStudent Life Center E xperiencing the fullness of life, fulfilling God’s purpose and achieving excellence in education will be the cornerstones of daily life inside the new Student Life Center at Palmetto Christian Academy. More than six years in the making, this much- needed building will open its doors officially to high school students at PCA this fall. And according to PCA’s Headmaster JD Zubia, the grand opening couldn’t come at a better time. “We have experienced a 39% enrollment increase over the past four years in grades K through 12, and we are seeing more growth now,” he explained. “The Student Life Center will better equip our school to have an even greater impact on local students, both academically and spiritually.” PCA is a private Christian school located in Mount Pleasant. The Christ-centered education offered at PCA begins at pre-K and continues through 12th grade. The Student Life Center was built to enhance the academic and athletic experience for each student, as well as to provide greater opportunities for spiritual development and mentorship. The 44,000-square-foot facility will house two fully- equipped science labs with permanent lab stations; a technology center, which will include 3D printers, MacBook Pro computers, and the latest technology for STEM learning; a gymnasium, weight room and locker rooms for home and visiting teams. Zubia explained, “As much as our students and teachers love our church, this will be the first building on campus that is built as a school building versus a church building. This means that the design is very much like a typical high school campus, and we believe students will display a new level of school pride.” Obtaining the funds for this huge campus expansion did not come without its challenges, but Zubia said that the power of prayer helped them reach their goals. “This has been a dream for not only current parents and students, but also for many of our alumni and their parents for about six years. Watching this building go up over the last 18 months has been a much needed boost to our morale during the pandemic,” he mused. The fundraising effort the school took on paid off, quite BY THERESA STRATFORD Photos prov i ded by Pa lme t to Chr i s t i an Academy. education