Bear Creek Academy

BCA Conservation Corps

The Bear Creek Academy Conservation Corps (BCACC) is a school organization dedicated to getting our students involved in the conservation of our local parks and natural resources. Through BCACC, students actively engage in learning how to take care of the natural environment and gain the powerful experience of doing service for the community. We are proud of our mutually beneficial partnership with area parks, and we believe that the BCACC provides an enriching and educational service to our students unlike any they might experience at other day schools.

In just 6 months we have already volunteered over 380 hours working at Bear Creek Lake State Park. We have assembled a split rail fence, cleaned debris from the park, helped build new trails, cleaned campgrounds, and helped haul wood. We have also adopted the Cumberland County section of the High Bridge Trail, a multi-purpose trail offering an enriching and educational experience for fitness buffs, outdoor enthusiasts, and those interested in civil war history. In Buckingham County we have offered our support to the Ellis Acres Memorial Park, the site of the first African American school in the county. One day it will provide a museum, skate park, and beautiful park for the community.

Community Enrichment & Service Learning

Education does not only include the student and the teacher but each member of the school, family, and members of the community. Bear Creek Academy actively collaborates with community organizations to educate and equip our students with practical means to improve their lives. We also believe that accountability, responsibility, sharing, and mutual respect are essential components of our relationships with our staff and community, and that our students can be inspired to follow their own dreams to do service in the global community.

In addition to the Conservation Corps, Bear Creek Academy takes an active role in a variety of short and long-term community development projects. From helping the Cumberland Clothes Closet move to its new location to assisting with the landscaping of Southside Community College's Middle College building, the students of Bear Creek Academy learn the value of volunteering their time and talents to better their neighborhoods while simultaneously building self-esteem and presenting themselves as positive members of the community.

BCA Celebrates Opening of High Bridge Trail State Park

Bear Creek Academy helps maintain the Cumberland section of the High Bridge Trail as part of its Conservation Corps. Students from the school regularly walk the trail to pick up trash and large debris, learning about the importance of environmental stewardship while also insuring that the trail remains a beautiful and enjoyable destination for the local and regional community.

High Bridge Trail State Park celebrated the opening of 12 additional miles of trail and National Trails Day with a morning-long festival on June 6, 2009 at Riverfront Park on Main Street in Farmville. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine was the featured speaker for the event. Before the official celebration began, he took a moment to meet with some students and staff from Bear Creek Academy.