Thrive Academy: A Place Where Hope and Learning Come Alive

As Marilyn Hicks, Arete's Vice President of Operations, and Shelley Knudsen, Community Engagement Director for Georgia, walked through the doors of Thrive Academy last week, the sense of transformation was unmistakable. Energy filled the air as they toured the nearly completed new facility, an environment intentionally designed to nurture learning, healing, and growth for students who deserve every opportunity to flourish.

Thrive Academy isn't just a school. It's a refuge, a family, and a launching pad for young lives. Founded in 2019 out of a deep desire to see genuine life change in the inner city, Thrive uses education as a platform to reach, disciple, and empower students facing systemic injustice, childhood trauma, and poverty.

At Thrive Academy, children are not defined by their circumstances; they are seen, known, and encouraged to dream boldly. Under the passionate leadership of Hammond McEver and his dedicated team of teachers and staff, students now learn in bright, inspiring classrooms where literacy is unlocked through the Orton-Gillingham teaching method and learning is both joyful and transformative.

Outside, laughter echoes across the new sports court as students run, play, and simply get to be kids, secure, supported, and surrounded by love.

What sets Thrive Academy apart is its holistic approach to breaking generational cycles. Student housing and intentional mentoring provide stability and consistency-something many of these young leaders have never before experienced. Each day, spiritual formation is woven naturally into school life, helping students encounter the heart of God through authentic relationships and a community that truly champions them.

Every student who walks into Thrive Academy receives more than an education-they receive hope and a future. They begin to discover who they were created to be. They start to believe that they can lead, influence, and thrive.

Arete Scholars is proud to walk alongside Thrive Academy as they continue to build, expand, and impact lives. It's a privilege to witness a school so deeply committed not only to academic success, but also to spiritual and emotional restoration.

The story of Thrive Academy is still being written, and it is powerful. Because when one child thrives, an entire community begins to change.