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On Aug. 25, Thomas Academy Charter School hosted a ribbon cutting for its library renovation using funds from the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. Left to right – Dr. Cathy Gantz, Courtney Swoboda, Haleigh Woodworth, Lorelei Hopkins, Johnny Parker-Crisco and Melissa Hopkins help with the ribbon cutting. Photo by Sean Swoboda.

Thomas Academy received a $26,000 Champions Grant to support updating the reading resources in the school’s library.
Thomas Academy was one of two charter schools supported through the Champions Grant Program, a first for the organization.
In 2022, the Jimmie Johnson Foundation gave more than $468,000 to fund school projects throughout North Carolina.

LAKE WACCAMAW, NC (September 8, 2023) – Thomas Academy Charter School received a $26,000 grant from the Jimmie Johnson Foundation to provide updated reading resources to the school in rural Columbus County. Thomas Academy, a public charter school located on the campus of Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina, was one of 18 schools in North Carolina that received Champions Grants from the foundation.

At the recent ribbon cutting for the library, Thomas Academy Principal Cathy Gantz thanked the Jimmie Johnson Foundation for supporting the students of Thomas Academy on their learning journey. Dr. Gantz said that this comprehensive set of reading resources will help Thomas Academy students get ahead in their reading skills. Thomas Academy grants support specialist Melissa Hopkins said the books would help students with their accelerated reading programs and has increased the diversity of culturally appropriate books for Thomas Academy students.

Boys and Girls Homes is grateful for the generous support from the Jimmie Johnson Foundation for Thomas Academy Charter School’s students. Since 2009, the Foundation has awarded more than $6.8 million in support of 167 projects in North Carolina, Oklahoma and California.

Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina

Headquartered in Lake Waccamaw, NC since 1954, Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina has served more than 7,500 children as a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 agency. Its mission is to provide a comprehensive array of services for children and youth who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or other family dysfunction. BGHNC offers adoption, family and therapeutic foster care, Success Coach services to prevent children from coming into foster care, and free children’s therapy, as well as residential care on the campus at Lake Waccamaw. The campus features a SACS-accredited school with a middle and high school curriculum, vocational education, recreation facilities, farm, equine therapy and a chapel. More than 320 children are cared for through the residential, community-based services, and school program provided by BGHNC at any given time. BGHNC operates its program, services and activities in compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws. BGHNC is nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation. To learn more, please visit https://boysandgirlshomes.org/

Thomas Academy

Founded as the Flemington Academy in 2013, Thomas Academy Charter School, located in rural Columbus County, serves 70 to 100 students in grades 6 through 12 with academic, social, emotional and trauma care. Residents of Boys and Girls Homes attend school at Thomas Academy as do students from the wider Columbus County area. The school’s motto is “Helping students find Connection, Compassion, and Character.” To learn more, please visit https://www.thomasacademync.org/

Jimmie Johnson Foundation

Chandra and Jimmie Johnson launched the Jimmie Johnson Foundation in 2006 with a mission to assist children, families, and communities in need throughout the United States. Since it was founded, the JJF has committed more than $13 million to various public schools and charities across the country. More information about the Foundation can be found at https://jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org/