THE CENTER FOR STUDENT SUCCESS OPENS AT HIGHLAND ACADEMY

Highland Academy has been blessed to receive a $296,000 grant that will fund the creation of a counseling center on our campus. This counseling center is being led by a licensed, Christian school psychologist. The center will offer both counseling and testing services to students at the high school as well as the elementary.

Plans for this project began last January after school administration noticed that there was an increase in the number of students seeking local or remote counseling services. “We've been seeing, just like everyone else through the pandemic, that the mental health of our students has taken a toll,” Watkins said. “We’re talking about kids who are dealing with depression, broken homes, or struggling with relationships. We wanted to provide some sort of professional help here on campus so that all students, despite finances, can have access to quality mental health services.”

With full support from the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference, Highland Academy secured the grant to launch this program. The funding has covered the renovations to Ponce Hall as well as assisted with the cost of operation for the Center. Steve Haley, Kentucky-Tennessee Conference President, states, “I am thrilled that Highland Academy has chosen to invest in their students and has made good mental health a top priority.”

The counseling center will offer a variety of services such as one-on-one counseling, group counseling, addiction therapy, peer tutoring, and ADHD testing. As an Adventist school, Highland Academy wants to be proactive in meeting their students’ mental health needs.

“At Highland, we do a great job with the academic, social, and spiritual aspect of our school,” Principal Watkins said. “The counseling center is a continuation of our desire to really reach the whole person, which includes mental health. We are just grateful that God has blessed us with this opportunity to make an impact for our students and provide a service to them that can address overall mental health wellness.”

The grand opening for the center was held on November 2. Conference President Steve Haley and Education Superintendent Pegi Flynt were present for the ribbon cutting. The center has a room for telehealth where students can connect with a counselor remotely. It also has a relaxation room complete with a massage chair to take out the stress of those rigorous academic classes that Highland Academy offers.

Highland Academy is deeply grateful for the grant that provided the funding for this new center on campus and looks forward to seeing how this new addition will help students in their journey to know Jesus Christ as their best friend.