PILLOW ACADEMY STUDENT LIFE 2024-2025
PILLOW ACADEMY Student life
The student life program is responsible for creating and supporting a high-quality student life experience for all students at Pillow Academy. Character development and spiritual growth support the mission of Pillow Academy to educate the whole child in an environment of academic excellence and Christian values. We strive to create opportunities for all students to develop a well-rounded way of life through their experience as a student at Pillow Academy.
WHAT WE DO IN STUDENT LIFE....
If you have any questions about Student Life, please contact Wes Prather, Dean of Student Life.
FCA
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Eagle Rock Leadership Retreat Annual leadership retreat for our senior class held each July
Community Service Students learn to serve our local and statewide community Student Life Events Fun events designed to build relationshiips between students and staff
Student Life ClassTrips Overnight class trips for grades 7th-12th allow students to experience new places while incorporating education, missions and realtionship building Chapel Students K4 through 12th grade attend bi- weekly chapels throughout the school year
Missions
Our students will be given the opportunity to participate in local missions and overnight mission trips
wprather@pak12.com
PILLOW ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES IS AN ENTIRELY STUDENT-LED ORGANIZATION. THE FCA LEADERSHIP TEAM IS MADE UP OF UPPERCLASSMEN WHO ACCEPT THE CALL TO STEP UP AS CHRISTIAN LEADERS. FCA LEADERS LEAD BY TAKING TURNS SHARING DEVOTIONALS AND PERSONAL TESTIMONIES ON FRIDAY MORNINGS. FCA LEADERS ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN SERVICE PROJECTS AND OTHER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. FCA MEETS ON FRIDAY MORNINGS AT 7:00 AM IN THE CRAIG, FOLLOWED BY BREAKFAST IN THE STUDENT ACTIVITY BUILDING. Fellowship of Christian Athletes
COMMUNITY SERVICE Pillow Academy Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community by filling the needs of local and statewide missions and organizations. Community service enables students to acquire life skills and opens their eyes to the needs of those around them. 24-25 Service Projects
Greenwood Community Kitchen Community Food Pantry You Matter Ministries Mississippi Food Network
Beacon Harbor Mission Socks
Greenwood Community Kitchen
Each day the Greenwood Community Kitchen serves around 200 meals to local residents. Twice a month, 8-10 students will help prepare plates and serve meals to those in need. Students depart from school around 10:45 am and return around 1:00 pm.
Community Food Pantry
Our local Community Food Pantry has been supplying food boxes to those in need for decades. As needed, 4-6 students will help pack boxes of groceries to distribute to those in need. Tuesdays or Wednesdays are designated days to pack and distribute these boxes. Students depart from campus around 12:30pm and return at 2:00pm.
You Matter Ministries
You Matter Ministries goes into our local community each week to serve meals and help provide other physical needs to Greenwood residents. Students will help You Matter Ministries by packing toiletries and homeless kits that will be distributed throughout the streets of Greenwood and to the other organizations that You Matter Ministries serves. We will work with You Matter Ministries on a coat drive to distribute coats, hats, gloves, etc. at the Greenwood Community Kitchen.
Mississippi Food Network
High school students will be working with Mississippi Food Network Distribution Center. Mississippi Food Network invites us in to pack food boxes to be distributed to food banks statewide. Tenth through twelfth grades will make day trips to Jackson to serve at the distribution center. Last year, Pillow Academy students packed 41,000 pounds of food and 34,208 meal kits to be distributed across the state.
Beacon Harbor
Beacon Harbor is a group home for residents with special needs. The ninth grade class hosts a lunch in the Scott Multipurpose building complete with BINGO and prizes. This community service event is a school favorite and we love spending time with our friends from Beacon Harbor!
Mission Socks
We will be collecting socks for Mission Socks' September Sock Drive. Drop boxes will be located at the entry of each building where students can drop off donations.
Mission Trip Opportunities
WHY INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS?
INTERNATIONAL Guatemala Mission Trip January 20, 2025 - January 24, 2025 Students have the
PIllow Academy believes that encouraging international missions opportunities helps to expand our students’ worlds by exposing them to the needs of others around the globe. Pillow will partner with local churches and organizations that participate in international missions to provide opportunities for our students to fulfill the Great Commission to go and tell others about Jesus!
opportunity to go alongside St. John’s United Methodist Church to experience mission opportunities in Guatemala. Kenya Mission Trip January 19, 2025 - January 25, 2025 First Baptist Church invites students to travel to Kitale, Kenya, to work with Zoe Ministries to serve widows and orphans in Africa.
NEW ORLEANS MISSION TRIP
OCTOBER 11-13TH
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Depart from Pillow Academy Arrive at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for lodging Dorms at NOBTS are located at: 3939 Gentilly Blvd New Orleans, LA 70126 Dinner and games at Dave and Buster’s
Breakfast at NOBTS Missions
Breakfast at NOBTS Audubon Zoo
We will be serving the homeless people throughout the city, working with New Orleans Missions
We will have lunch at the zoo We will leave to come back to Pillow Academy
Depart from Pillow Academy at 2pm Eat dinner at Middendorfs Slidell, LA Arrive at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for lodging at 9pm Dorms at NOBTS are located at: 3939 Gentilly Blvd New Orleans, LA 70126 Return to NOBTS Afternoon break before dinner Dinner at Riverboat Cruise
New Orleans Mission
For any questions Contact Coach Prather
https://neworleansmission.org/
Eagle Rock retreat is an annual spiritual leadership retreat for our senior class. Located in the heart of the Smokey Mountains, Eagle Rock allows upcoming seniors and several staff members the opportunity to escape to a beautiful location where we focus on relationships and Biblical leadership.
EAGLE ROCK
This retreat is comprised of sessions and a devotional book designed and written for each retreat. Sessions and devotions are carefully designed and written to encourage leadership and spiritual growth specific to the needs and personalities of each class. Each class has its own theme, scripture focus, questions, and guide for reflection and prayer. Pillow Academy staff members volunteer as leaders for this retreat. These adult leaders share their testimonies, have personal quiet times alone with Jesus, and spend quality time hanging out with the senior class. In addition to the spiritual side of the retreat, members of our staff dive into leadership sessions and discuss different ways these seniors can be leaders in our school in the upcoming year. Tubing, rock climbing, ropes course, paintball, and many other fun activities are offered by the Eagle Rock Retreat Center located in the beautiful Smoky Mountains. This retreat has become a beloved tradition at Pillow Academy.
Elementary EDUCATIONAL TRIPS Students thrive when given the opportunity to experience new places and see new things. Educational trips are a valuable learning tool. We are excited to offer a wide variety of learning experiences to our students. We offer many different types of trips at Pillow Academy: day trips, overnight trips, and educational trips. We strive to give each grade a variety of trips throughout the school year.
Museum of Natural History Jackson, MS
Children's Museum
Memphis Zoo
Bull Bottom Farms
Victory Ranch Vicksburg History Tour
We will plan to take more trips throughout the year. The dates and locations will be determined later in the year.
MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL TRIPS
Students thrive when given the opportunity to experience new places and see new things. Educational trips are a valuable learning tool. We are excited to offer a wide variety of learning experiences for our middle school students. Eighth grade students will go on the annual 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C. to visit our nation’s capital and experience American history come to life! This trip is a Pillow Academy tradition that students look forward to.
We will continue to add educational day trips for our middle school students to enhance the subject matter they are studying throughout the year and allow them to experience hands-on learning outside of the classroom. Student life aims to work with teachers to help plan additional trips as requested throughout the school year.
Ark Encounter DISCOVER THE ARK 9TH GRADE
APRIL 3RD - 5TH
SATURDAY
THURSDAY FRIDAY
Breakfast included at the hotel Visit the Planetarium show at the Creation Museum Creation Museum Cincinnati Reds baseball game vs. NY Mets
Breakfast included at the hotel Visit the Ark Encounter Enjoy lunch at the Ark Encounter Complex Arrive at Pillow Academy at 11pm
6:30 am Depart from Pillow Academy 5:30pm Arrive in Florence, KY, area and check into hotel Dave and Buster’s for dinner and games
For Questions Contact
Coach Wes Prather
Friday: 7am Depart Pillow Academy 2:30pm arrive in Atlanta and transfer to World of Coca-Cola 5pm Hard Rock Cafe for dinner The Escape Game Atlanta NOVEMBER 8-10, 2025
Saturday:
Breakfast included at hotel Georgia Aquarium lunch at the famous Varsity Restaurant in downtown Atlanta Guided behind-the-scenes tour of Truist Park-home of the Atlanta Braves Dinner at Battery Park Reserved seating at the Alliance Theatre for performance of “A Christmas Carol”
Sunday:
Breakfast at the hotel Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame Depart Atlanta at 12pm Arrive at Pillow Academy at 5:30pm
Contact: Wes Prather
to n, T grad
FEB 27 - MARCH 2
THURSDAY 7am Depart Pillow Academy 4pm Arrive in Arlington area to check in hotel Medevil Times Castle for dinner and entertainment
FRIDAY
SATURDAY Breakfast at hotel Six Flags over Texas A day filled with fun enjoying all the rides, shows, and attractions at Six Flags
SUNDAY Breakfast at hotel Depart hotel at 8am 5pm arrive at Pillow Academy
Breakfast at hotel Mission Arlington Service Project
Dave and Buster’s for dinner and
entertainment Tour of Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium
Questions? Contact Coach Wes Prather
12th grade
April 10-13, 2025
Travel Day / Midtown / Times Square
DAY 1
10 Apr
Bryant Park
Grand Central Station Rockefeller Center
Chrysler Building
DAY 2
Ellis Island / Statue of Liberty / Lower Manhattan
11 Apr
Statue of Liberty
9/11 Memorial
Little Italy/Chinatown/Soho/ Greenwich Village
Wall Street and NY Stock Exchange
Ministry Day / Museum of Natural History 5th Ave / Empire State Building
DAY 3
12 Apr
Ministry Day
Central Park
Museum of Natural History
Empire State Building
Travel Day
13 Apr DAY 4
Souvenir Shopping Flight home
Contact: Wes Prather
Chapel KINDERGARTEN & ELEMENTARY
Chapel is a great opportunity for our students and staff to come together collectively to study God's word. Our school-wide K-12 chapel program is complete and cohesive, covering various scriptures and topics relative to our student population. We have three different age- appropriate chapel programs. Kindergarten and Elementary Chapel is divided into two sections, K4-2nd grade and 3rd-5th grade. Our elementary chapel is one of the most fulfilling and exciting times on our campus each month! Each of the elementary chapel sessions begins with singing and worship, then moves into the Biblical topic for the month. Each month we have a topic focus and a memory verse. We learn and recite the memory verses together. During our elementary chapel services, we recognize each child that has a birthday that month. We also recognize Mustangs of the Month for each class. The Mustang of the Month celebrates students who put effort into living out topics and verses learned in chapel sessions. Teachers select students by observing how they interact with others through their daily activities. Dates for elementary chapel times vary from month to month.
MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL Grades 6-12 meet twice a month for chapel services. These chapels focus on Biblical truths delivered by different speakers. Chapel themes are cohesive throughout the year, which allows the speakers to add a different perspective on the topic based on their own life experiences and personal study of the Bible. Students are encouraged to live out their faith in their daily lives and are challenged to grow in knowledge, wisdom, and service.
Student Life Events Our students live busy lives. We see the importance of taking breaks from the routines and pressures they often feel. We have set aside time for them to just enjoy each other and have some fun! Student Life Events are great opportunities for staff and students to build relationships outside the classroom. These events include a pickleball tournament, inflatable kickball, and other fun events!
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