Carolina Community Academy marks 3 years of collaboration

On Saturday mornings, kindergartner Bentley Trujillo tells his mom, “I’ve got to go to school today,” even though he doesn’t. That’s because he enjoys the Carolina Community Academy so much.

“He comes home every day talking about all the teachers and his conversations with the lunch ladies,” said Selena Trujillo. “I love how passionate and intentional they are. If they see a child needs something or is struggling, they’ll take the time to make sure that kid is still where they need to be.”

The innovative K-2 lab school in Roxboro, North Carolina, has had this effect on students since it opened in August 2023. A partnership between UNC-Chapel Hill and Person County Schools, the academy is part of a UNC System initiative to strengthen university partnerships with public schools, improve student outcomes and provide high-quality teacher training. The academy focuses on serving the whole child, working directly with students and families to achieve well-being beyond the classroom.

Selena Trujillo saw her son’s speech improve in just a few months. “The teachers have really worked with him,” she said. “When he comes home now, he is reading books to his little sister every night, and he’ll sound out each word when he is reading.”

‘Putting down roots in Person County’

The academy started with only 28 kindergarten students, adding first grade a year later. This year, CCA had its first second grade class, bringing the total number of students to 103. In June, those first students from 2023 will move on to third grade at North End Elementary School.

Before leaving the academy, these second graders worked on a capstone art project with the UNC School of Information and Library Science and the Ackland Art Museum. The SILS and Ackland teams used 16 lessons covering physical education, music, art and library science to help the second graders create an art installation of a tree, with individual leaves crafted by each student.

The tree mural is now on display at the Carolina Community Academy. (Submitted/Amy Richardson)

The art project is just one example of collaboration within this campus-wide coalition of schools and units — led by the UNC School of Education — that’s bringing the best of what Carolina has to offer to Roxboro. In addition to SILS and the Ackland, collaborators include the schools of medicine, public health and dentistry; Carolina Athletics; Morehead Planetarium and Science Center; and the North Carolina Botanical Garden.

Amy Richardson, director of Carolina Community Academy and PK-12 partnerships at the School of Education, says the installation’s leaves represent each student’s individuality, while the tree shows that they are part of something bigger than themselves. The school hopes to continue this tradition yearly.

“This group of students has been with us for three years, so there are elements of growth,” Richardson said. “This commitment to putting down roots in a community is very symbolic. These are the students and families who said ‘yes’ to us and have helped us grow and shape who we are as a school. We have worked incredibly hard to set them up for future success.”

The academy is also focusing on its next steps. The staff want to provide a space for Tar Heels and Person County residents to volunteer and for the academy to give back to the community with a food pantry and donations of diapers and clothing.

“We are a partnership with the community,” Richardson said. “I really appreciate the UNC School of Education and Person County Schools leadership for thinking about this not only from a standpoint of setting out to create and establish a new school, but for being intentional about how they work with the community to help strengthen Roxboro and Person County.”