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About Us

Village Creek Baptist Church located at 13224 Sardis Rd, Mabelvale, AR 72103

About Us

Village Creek Baptist Church located at 13224 Sardis Rd, Mabelvale, AR 72103

Our Mission

The mission of Legacy Christian Academy is to honor God by supporting families through educating, preparing, and training students for their futures.

What does this mission look like in action?

Students will be challenged to achieve academic excellence and to use their gifts and abilities to fulfill their God-given purpose.

Who We Are

  • LCA is grounded in the principles of The Bible.
  • We are committed to providing quality academics tailored to meet each student's individual needs.
  • Our classrooms are trauma-sensitive, providing a safe and supportive learning environment.
  • We maintain small class sizes for personalized instruction and effective behavior management.
  • LCA features a sensory space, offering a peaceful retreat for students who need it.
  • Bible studies form an integral part of our daily curriculum, nurturing spiritual growth alongside academic progress.
martha looking at students in a private christian school

Our Core Values

Everything we do is rooted in faith, integrity, and a deep love for every student who walks through our doors.
legacy Christian academy

Academic Excellence

We focus on reading, writing, and math skills that are critical to each student's education.

Brotherly Love

We emphasize empathy, kindness, and understanding.

Personal Integrity

We teach students the values of honesty, reliability, and fairness.

Godly Character

We promote the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the Fruit of the Spirit.

Christian Unity

We foster relationships with believers from all denominations.

Learn About Our Team

  • jawanza at a private christian school

    Mr. Jawanza Whitfield

    Founder, Head of School, Teacher
    Mr. Jawanza Whitfield has been in education for over 27 years as a teacher and school counselor. He holds a Bachelor's degree in History and Religion and a Master's degree in School Counseling. Mr. Whitfield served as the Pastor at the state's largest juvenile correctional facility for five years. He is a father of five and a Pops to five. He has been active in his church as a Sunday School teacher and in the community as a foster parent and state-certified foster parent trainer.
  • Dr. Martha Wall-Whitfield

    Founder, Principal, Teacher
    Dr. Martha Wall-Whitfield is an educator in Little Rock, where she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre, a Master's degree in Education Administration and Supervision, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership. Dr. Whitfield is a state-certified school administrator, English teacher, and theatre teacher, and holds a temporary certification in Special Education. She has been a teacher for 12 years, a school leader for 10 years, and a college professor (both full-time and adjunct) for over 10 years. She is also a certified gang specialist and has worked with schools across the country to address gang-related issues. Dr. Whitfield is a mother of five and a Mimi to five. She has been active in her church as a Sunday School teacher and in the community as a foster parent and state-certified foster parent trainer.
  • Ms. Merissa Whitfield

    Facilities Coordinator and Teacher Assistant
    Ms. Merissa Whitfield is a certified phlebotomist with five years of experience working with children and youth. She also comes to Legacy Christian with two years of experience working as a housekeeper for Arkansas Christian Academy and in her community. Ms. Whitfield is a mother of three.
  • Mr. Stan Evans

    Veterinary Assistant Program Instructor
    Mr. Evans has worked in the public and private sector, as well as, serving in the military. He worked at the Arkansas Department of Health in environmental science and environmental epidemiology for over 19 years. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel serving in both the U.S. Army and Air Force. Lt. Col. Evans served in both the combat arms and medical services corp. He retired from the Air Force after serving for 31 years. After retiring he worked as the Director of Quality Control for the Mountain Valley Spring Water company. He currently is a private consultant concerning environmental health and science. Mr. Evans earned a B.S. degree in zoology from Arkansas State University and a B S.E. from UALR with an emphasis in biology. His graduate work was done at Indiana University of Pennsylvania focusing on the science of disaster response and management.
  • katie crosby LCA counselor

    Mrs. Katie Crosby

    Licensed Professional Counselor
    Katie Crosby is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in childhood trauma, developmental trauma, and the treatment of youth impacted by human trafficking. Formerly the Program Director of a long-term residential facility, she developed Arkansas’s first neuroscience-based treatment program for survivors of domestic minor sex trafficking.
    Katie later founded Surviving Trauma Specialty Care Clinic (STS Care Clinic) to offer trauma-informed counseling, assessments, education, and consultation for children, families, and organizations. Her work is grounded in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, using the brain’s natural capacity to heal.
    Through speaking engagements, workshops, and consulting, Katie shares practical, evidence-based tools to help caregivers, educators, and professionals better support children’s mental health and recovery from trauma.
  • katie crosby LCA counselor

    Ms. Dorothy Rice

    Arts & Craft Teacher/Sub/Helping Hand
    When Ms. Rice chose her undergraduate degree in Biology, she had vague ambitions of doing remote research in a jungle somewhere. She stumbled into education when she took a job as an outdoor educator who led school groups on hikes while deciding on graduate school programs. Long story short, she has a MAT in Teaching.
    Highlights of her nearly 25-year career in education include 10 years teaching middle school science in St. Louis Public Schools and nearly 2 years teaching GED with Rite of Passage. She has extensive experience with neurodiverse students and other learning differences. She also spent 8 years as a trained volunteer counselor for both groups and individuals. She believes all kids deserve good teachers, and she tries to be that kind of teacher. She does this by helping individuals grow at their own pace and avoiding deficit-based language.
    When not helping out at Legacy, she is writing lessons as part of her role as Chief Content Officer at Cage Free Voices Online Learning. She also hikes, reads, tries new recipes, and gets lost down the various rabbit holes of things that catch her interest. As a long-time crafter and maker, she’s excited to be the new Arts & Crafts at Legacy!
  • katie crosby LCA counselor

    Mrs. Karen Garner

    Teacher
    Karen Garner is a dedicated educator with a passion for nurturing young learners both academically and spiritually. She holds a Master’s degree from University of Arkansas at Little Rock and brings over eight years of teaching experience in Christian school settings. Throughout her career, Karen has taught students ranging from Pre-K through 6th grade, giving her a well-rounded understanding of child development and the unique needs of learners at each stage. She is committed to creating a structured, engaging, and supportive classroom environment where students feel valued and encouraged to grow. Karen integrates her faith into her teaching, striving to incorporate biblical principles into daily lessons and interactions. She views education as an opportunity not only to build strong academic foundations but also to help shape character, instill values, and encourage a lifelong relationship with Christ. With a heart for students and a love for teaching, Karen considers it a privilege to partner with families in guiding children
Who Are We?
Legacy Christian Academy is a faith-based educational institution committed to providing quality academics, tailored to meet the unique needs of every student. Our focus is on creating trauma-sensitive classrooms and instruction that cater to individual learning styles. With small class sizes, specialized instruction, behavior management systems, and sensory spaces, we offer a peaceful and conducive learning environment. We incorporate Bible studies into our daily curriculum and conduct chapel services weekly to foster spiritual growth among our students.
Who Are Our Students?
Our student body consists of 6th to 12th graders who might find it challenging to be successful in traditional public schools. We welcome students who may not be eligible for other private school admissions and those with high Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scores. At LCA, we provide the necessary support and guidance that our students need for their educational journey.
What Is Our Mission?
The mission of Legacy Christian Academy is to serve students and families by providing a Biblically based, academically rigorous, and individualized education program.
What Is Our Statement of Faith?

We believe the Bible to be the inerrant and only Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is our only authoritative rule for faith and practice. It is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creed, and opinion shall be tried and is the standard of and for all truth.

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is omnipotent, that is, He is all-powerful. He is omnipresent, that is, He is present throughout Creation but not limited by it. He is omniscient, that is, nothing is hidden from His sight. In all things, He is limited by nothing other than His own nature and character. We believe the God we serve is holy, righteous, good, severe, loving, and full of mercy. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Governor of everything that has, is, or will be made.

We believe in the true deity and full humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

We believe in the full deity of the Holy Spirit, acknowledging Him together with the Father and the Son as Creator and Redeemer.

We believe that man was made in the image of God. And because of Adam’s sin, all mankind is in rebellion against God. For the salvation of such lost and sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary.

We believe that salvation is by grace through faith alone, and that faith without works is dead.

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and lost, those who are saved to the resurrection of life, and those who are lost to the resurrection of damnation.

We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

God, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. [The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646).