by DAVID HAMILTON

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Natchez Children’s Services and New Hope the Vision Center are teaming up to organize a new private school, which will utilize space in the Natchez Children’s Services building, located at 806 N. Union St.

New Hope Bishop the Rev. Dr. Stanley B. Searcy said the school would implement a state-accredited program while accommodating between 50-75 children ranging from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

The school will add to a bevy of services already housed within the Children’s Services building, including the Children’s Advocacy Center, which cares for children ages 3 to 18 who have been victims of physical, emotional or sexual abuse or neglect.

Searcy said he believes the academy — along with the rest of the children’s services — can be a “beacon” for the city.

“I think this is a bright light,” Searcy said.

“I think it’s time for a church to get involved, to do more than preach behind the pulpit, to really get involved,” Searcy said. “The churches worship, but the service is really in the community.

For Searcy, every objective and ambition of the academy — and all of New Hope’s ministries — revolves around the community.  Searcy said he believes this approach is what will lead to progress within the city.

“It’s something that’s actually working, cross-pollinating in the community,” Searcy said. “There’s no fighting and bickering.”

Emphasizing the community element of the program, Searcy noted that the school fittingly received a helping hand from an established Natchez school.

“Trinity (Episcopal Day School) called us and said ‘we’ll give you some furnishings if you need it,’ and we got some books,” Searcy said.

Much of the building is currently being prepared to host the academy. Aiming to have everything set up by Aug. 8, Searcy said next week would be filled with laborious days of moving equipment, desks and other furniture to get all the classrooms arranged.

For that project, organizers yet again received an assist from the community. Searcy said he had enlisted the help of some Mississippi State University students for next week.

“Probably by this time next week … everything is going to be put in its place,” Searcy said.

Searcy said the academy is operating under the purview of the Vision Center — which is renting space in the Children’s Services building — for the time being, though the program will eventually be completely run by a separate entity.

“We created a separate board that’s made up of the community — it’s called Natchez Caring Hands Children’s Services,” Searcy said.

That entity, Searcy said, has applied for federal 501(c)(3) status, though that approval is currently pending. Searcy said the board of the new entity would eventually assume oversight of the academy sometime after the entity officially attains its official nonprofit status.

Natchez Children’s Services celebrated its 200th year of existence last year.

Though the organization has undergone numerous name changes, its inception dates back to 1816 when a group of eight Christian women formed the Female Charitable Society. Two centuries later, Natchez Children’s Services and New Hope are looking to continue serving the community.

“We’re not changing anything here at the Children’s (Services office) … The only difference is that we have a nonprofit that’s community based, and the board members will be made up from our community,” Searcy said.“They will represent what we want to see done for the next 200 years with this (place).”

The academy has a registration fee of $150 and a $350 monthly tuition.

To register a child at New Hope Vision Academy or for more information on the school, visit nhvisioncenter.org.