09/04/2026
Get to know our co-founder Virginia Wells🌟
Virginia’s inspiration for OLA is deeply personal. Her oldest son, Mason, was born at 27 weeks and later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Despite his intelligence and remarkable attention to detail, traditional schools could not meet his learning and even physical needs. Years later, her youngest son, Walker, was diagnosed with autism. Through these experiences, Virginia felt called to transform her challenges into purpose, creating a school not only for her own children, but for others in the special needs community. From that calling, Opa’s Learning Academy was born.
A few fun facts about Virginia:
* Her father, George Hendry, owned a chicken wing restaurant and so she was perfectly suited to marry a man who “could happily survive on a steady diet of chicken wings”
* Virginia’s house is almost always spotlessly clean. This is an especially incredible feat given the fact that she has three boys all under the age of 14 (and Scott should really count as a fourth), five dogs and three cats
* Virginia has a keen eye for design and it’s nothing to walk into their home and find that she has re-arranged and/or re-designed in a short amount of time. She’s handy with a hammer and drill and isn’t afraid of a little sawdust
* Virginia is a terrific cook, especially when it comes to side dishes. If you are lucky enough to be at a potluck with her, ask about her baked beans or creamed corn
While Virginia is the fearless leader of OLA, she is most comfortable in the background, making sure that everything gets done. Because for Virginia, this is about the most special children of our community.
We are all so grateful of Virginia’s can-do attitude, her fierce loyalty, and her drive to solve problems💛
(A special thank you to Anna Spratlin for volunteering to make this post)💙
