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BEVERLY, Ky. (AP) — A Christian school in Appalachia that was on the brink of extinction a few years ago has made a comeback and is starting to thrive.
The Lexington Herald-Leader (http://bit.ly/15NYSH0) reports Red Bird Christian School reopened its high school boarding program this fall for the first time since 2010.
The school, which is run by the Red Bird Mission, was forced to close that spring due to a lack of funds. But board members decided to open it again after contacting O. Taylor Collins, who graduated from the school, and asking him to try to turn things around.
Collins took the challenge. He rebuilt fundraising, made cuts to staff and programs and reopened the school in the fall without boarding students.
Since then, student enrollment has increased to nearly 200.
The mission is run by the United Methodist Church. It includes a medical clinic and an Appalachian crafts marketing program.
The high school program had more than 20 students for the fall semester and more are expected in the spring. In addition, there are plans for an expansion of the boys' dorm and an effort to build a large endowment.
"We are just so proud to have been able to save the school," said Collins, 67. "We've been very blessed."
Red Bird is one of multiple mission schools, settlement schools and academies started in Appalachia in the late 1800s and early 1900s in an effort to improve education and living conditions. Red Bird is located in an isolated spot among steep hills where Clay, Leslie and Bell counties meet.
As public education and roads became more accessible, the need for such schools waned and many closed, though others found ways to adapt and survive.
Some have focused on offering particular programs. The Pine Mountain Settlement School in Harlan County developed an environmental education program while the Hindman Settlement School in Knott County became known for its arts program.
Others, including Oneida Baptist Institute in Clay County, began accepting international students.
President Larry A. Gritton Jr. says the school would not have survived by serving just local students. It currently has 315 students, which is 50 more than a year ago.
"We're more relevant now than we've ever been," he said.
Collins said Red Bird's mission is to provide high-quality education with Christian values. The school has daily devotions and requires two years of Bible study.
"The spiritual is equal with the academic here," Collins said. "We want to focus on developing ethical and moral leaders."
Although the school charges tuition, it is based on family income and many students don't pay. The school's main source of funding is donations.
After the changes Collins made, the school has operated in the black for the past three years.
Collins says he has more goals to reach though, including increasing the number of boarders and building an endowment of $20 million by 2021, which is the school's 100th anniversary.
"I have faith that we can do things that will ensure that Red Bird will last another hundred years," Collins said.
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Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com
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