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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 serve students and families by providing a Biblically based, academically rigorous, and individualized education program.

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.
Learn More
martha looking at students in a private christian school

Core Values

At Legacy Christian Academy, we abide by five core values that guide our approach to education and community. These values are deeply embedded in our teachings and interactions.

Academic Excellence

We strive for excellence in all academic pursuits, challenging students to maximize their potential. As experienced educators, we understand that the foundational skills of reading, writing, and math are critical to every students' educational plan.

Personal Integrity

Honesty, reliability, and fairness are virtues we uphold and instill in our students, encouraging them to make the right choices even when no one is watching.

Christian Unity

Our community, founded on Christian principles, promotes unity and respect among students, teachers, and parents, transcending differences and fostering a shared sense of purpose. We foster relationships with believers from all denominations.

Brotherly Love

We emphasize empathy, understanding, and kindness in our interactions, fostering an environment where students feel safe and loved.

Godly Character

Our goal is to nurture students and help them live daily through the fruit of the spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We also promote the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes.

Learn About Our Team

  • jawanza at a private christian school

    Mr. Jawanza Whitfield

    Founder and 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 and Principal
    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.
    Read Her CV

  • 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.

Learn About Our Board

  • Kimberly D. Key-Bell at a private christian school

    Kimberly D. Key-Bell, MSW, LCSW

    Board Chairman
    Kim, a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, holds both Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Social Work and has been a Licensed Certified Clinical Social Worker since 2006. With extensive experience in mental health, substance abuse, and community advocacy, she has actively worked with vulnerable groups including the mentally ill, elderly, children, adolescents, and recovering veterans. Her roles have included Clinical Director at the Arkansas Juvenile Assessment and Treatment Center, Assistant Director for the Arkansas Division of Youth Services, and Director of Clinical Operations for NOW Behavioral Healthcare. She also manages a private practice, Haven Counseling and Consulting. Recognized for her contributions, Kim has received numerous awards, such as the 2015 "Woman of the Year" from Women’s Own Worth, and is a respected speaker on mental health issues nationwide.
  • Mike Brattin at a private christian school

    Mike Brattain

    Board Member
    At 63, Mr. Mike Brattain, a semi-retired devotee with 56 years of Christian faith, is married to Cara, a NICU RN with a 35-year tenure at Baptist Health. They share their lives with two daughters: Delaci, a 20-year-old university student, and Allie, a 34-year-old ER RN, who, along with her husband Jose, has a son named Palmer. Their family, including pets Rosie and "Girl," resides in Alexander, AR, actively engaging in Family Church Bryant's help ministries since 2015. Mike's diverse career encompasses 19 years in the Jefferson County Ky Firefighters Association, customer service, and administration in the Paint & Coatings Industry, alongside 17 years in executive management, culminating as President and CEO in warehousing and materials management until 2022. This journey reflects a commitment to both his professional and spiritual life.
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 4th to 10th 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).