Tree of Life Christian Academy

🏡✨ Something New is Coming to TOLCA! ✨🏡

You don't have to choose between the flexibility of homeschooling and the benefits of learning alongside others.

Tree of Life Christian Academy is excited to introduce our new Hybrid Homeschool Program for students in Grades 3–12!

Imagine giving your child:

📚 Time to learn at home
🤝 Opportunities to build friendships
🌱 Leadership development
💼 Entrepreneurial and business skills
🎯 Hands-on learning experiences
❤️ A Christ-centered environment

This program was designed for families who love homeschooling but also want their children to experience mentorship, collaboration, leadership training, and unique learning opportunities that prepare them for the future.

We truly believe this offers the best of both worlds—the freedom and flexibility of homeschooling combined with the encouragement and opportunities that come from being part of a thriving learning community.

The future belongs to young people who can lead, communicate, solve problems, and think entrepreneurially. We're excited to help students develop those skills while keeping Christ at the center of it all.

First day in Washington DC we stopped in Charlottesville, VA at Monticello—the home of 3rd President Thomas Jefferson! This was one of the students' favorite stops. Our tour guides were amazing, and we enjoyed learning some unique things about him.

Did you know…
• Jefferson designed his own alcove bed, tucked into the wall between his bedroom and study so he could step right into work each morning.
• He owned a personal library of about 6,000 books—one of the largest in early America—which later helped rebuild the Library of Congress after it was burned.
• His famous Great Clock in the entry hall was powered by weights that dropped down through the floor, even showing the days of the week.
• His original riding boots are still on display in his bedroom at Monticello.
• He was an inventor at heart and created a copying machine to duplicate his letters before sending them.
• Monticello itself was constantly being redesigned by Jefferson himself- he spent 40 years getting it just right!
• He was also a foodie who helped introduce things like macaroni and cheese and ice cream to American culture after his time in Europe.

Such a memorable and inspiring stop!

We ended the day with fun fellowship at the hotel. Many students enjoyed the pool, some game time, and just time building some great relationships!

I am so very thankful to FG. He never ceases to be faithful. This week marks another answered desire for me. We are actually on our way back from taking some of our students on a trip to Washington, DC. We had a wonderful time, the kids bonded even more, and we saw a lot of very interesting things and learned a lot. We will definitely be doing more of this! I want to say a huge “Thank You” to our amazing chaperones. We couldn’t have done this without you. I am sure pictures will be forth coming as chaperones, staff and students begin posting.
I also want to give a shout out to our tour director and driver, Cierra and Kevin, from Christian Tours. They were great!!! Amy Eades at Christian Tours did a great job planning our trip.

My heart overflows with gratitude this afternoon. ❤️❤️❤️

The Second Annual GROW 2026 Next-Gen Leadership Conference, hosted by Tree of Life Christian Academy (TOLCA), was held today in Hickory, NC—and it was an incredible experience!

Several of our students qualified to attend and had a fantastic time learning from dynamic speakers who are leaders in the business community. Our keynote speaker, Nick Dyson, a Maxwell Certified Trainer, delivered powerful insights on leadership and personal growth.

Students also participated in speed mentoring sessions, where they had the unique opportunity to ask seasoned professionals questions about life, business, faith, and success.

A huge thank you to Pat Appleson of Pat Appleson Studios, who not only shared valuable wisdom as a speaker but also captured the special moments from the day.

To see highlights from the event, visit:

Photog 2026 The Latest Stuff Please Note: By scrolling down, you view the past year in Reverse order. Under Each Photo is a HOTLINK that takes you to the respective Event in the Photo. Enjoy!

TOLCA is excited to host GROW 2026—a leadership and entrepreneurship conference created for high school students and young entrepreneurs who are ready to grow in purpose, confidence, and real-world skills.

This is more than a conference. It’s a day designed to equip students with tools they can actually use—plus opportunities to connect with mentors and leaders who want to pour into the next generation.

✨ Conference Highlights:
✅ Leadership + character development
✅ Entrepreneurship and business-minded training
✅ Engaging sessions and practical takeaways
✅ Mentorship opportunities with leaders and professionals

Fun detail: the official GROW 2026 flyer was created by one of our very own TOLCA students—because we believe students should not only attend leadership events… they should help lead them. 🙌

Congratulations again to our winners! A huge thank you to all of those who were purchase tickets and supported our students in the school.

 Again, we want to give heartfelt thanks to all of those who contributed to the contents of the baskets. We pray Ephesians 6:8 over your businesses: “ whatever good thing you might happen for others, God will make happen for you.”

UPDATE: Due to the crazy weather of the last few days the drawing will hopefully be tomorrow. We will let you know as soon as we’re able to do that. It’ll be live on Facebook.

Great News!
We are extending the raffle ticket drawing until Monday, December 8th! 🎉

Our students have been working hard to raise funds for their Washington, D.C. trip this spring, and we want to give them every opportunity to maximize their sales. Extending the drawing through the weekend will help them do just that!

Prizes continue to roll in, and the raffle baskets are getting fuller and more exciting by the day! 🎁✨

If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, find a student!
If you’d like to donate a prize, give me a call and I’ll gladly pick it up! 📞🧺

Thank you for supporting our students and their upcoming educational adventure! 🇺🇸✨

TOMORROW is our first Culver’s Family Night—and we’d love to see you there!
Over the next 10 days, we have four TOLCA Family Nights planned. Please share this post, bring your friends and family, and come enjoy a great meal while supporting TOLCA.

We’ll also have raffle tickets available for purchase. You’ll have the chance to win not just one, but TWO incredible holiday baskets—each packed with amazing items and valued at over $1,000. Perfect for finishing your holiday shopping!

Thank you for supporting TOLCA—we can’t wait to see you!

Hello, Everyone!

In this season of giving, we have a wonderful opportunity to bless a local family here in WNC through our newest TOLCA outreach project: Merry Christmas, Swannanoa!

If you would like to contribute, please send or bring your cash donation to the school. You may also give via Mrs. Babbie’s Venmo account:

Barbara Smith
https://venmo.com/u/BabbieSmith

Our staff will take care of all the shopping to ensure this family—who has seven children—receives thoughtful, high-quality gifts with no duplicates. We are excited to do this part for you!

Important Dates:

November 26 – Last day to bring cash donations before the Thanksgiving holiday.

December 10 – Final day to give.

Weekend of December 13 – We will personally deliver Merry Christmas, Swannanoa! to the family.

Thank you in advance for your generosity and participation! 🎁