New Life Academy Celebrates Building Expansion with Grand Opening Celebration

WOODBURY, Minn.—Feb, 12 2014—New Life Academy celebrated the Grand Opening of the new building addition to the school on Tuesday, Feb. 4 with a dessert reception and program with more than 200 guests in attendance. The event was hosted by Head of School, Cade Lambert, and featured a variety of cakes and coffee and a performance by Morningstar, the schools premier choir made up of students in grades 10 - 12.

      “My favorite part of the evening was being able to just say thank you to everyone who has supported us through this project,” said Head of School, Cade Lambert. “It was great to get all of these people together and spend an evening fellowshipping with one another.”

      “It was wonderful to get the community together and celebrate God’s blessings and the new expansion,” said Advancement Director Craig Schmalz.

      The school began its building expansion project about a year and a half ago. The expansion includes 28,000 square feet at a cost of $5.3 million, and includes five additional classrooms, an enlarged cafeteria, a coffee café, a common gathering area, spaces for youth ministry, and a game room.

      “Our challenge was to create enough space to properly accommodate all of our students,” said Schmalz. “With the newly remolded classrooms, commons area, cafeteria, and entrance, we are giving our students a better and more flexible learning environment in which they can continue to grow and learn.”

      New Life Academy is a ministry of New Life Church, and the two have been working together on the building addition. “The church has been very supportive and gracious with us during our remodeling project,” said Lambert.

       Of the 5.3 million dollar building campaign, only $1,025,017 remains to be raised.   There is still one last part of the expansion that Schmalz and Lambert are hoping to accomplish as a part of this campaign.

      “We’re not done yet,” said Schmalz. “Our last part of the campaign is to remodel Eagle Court and our Jr. High and visitor locker rooms. It is used 7 days a week, and we want to give our athletics teams and anyone who uses the gym a great environment to practice and compete.”

      The school is hoping to raise the remaining funds needed to complete the gym by May. If they are able to do so, the remodeling on Eagle Court will take place over the summer of 2014.