The 2009-2010 academic year presents a lot of firsts for Evangel Classical Christian School.

The Class of 2010 will be the school’s first graduating class. The upcoming year also marks ECCS’ 10th anniversary. Since its inception in 2000, the school has grown from 53 students in kindergarten through fifth grade to 280 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, said Mark Gainey, ECCS development coordinator.

“Even in this economy, with a school that charges tuition, we have increased student enrollment every year,” Gainey said.

To celebrate both milestones, the school will kick off its first capital campaign with a banquet in October. The campaign, titled “Grounded in Grace, Growing through Faith,” will focus on fund-raising for the school’s recent building construction and future developments, Gainey said. Construction was completed on the school’s newest building last October.

The campaign hopes to raise $500,000 by 2012, said Gainey, adding the effort aims to continue the school’s emphasis on classical and Christian education.

Gainey said ECCS supports a Trivium-based education, a traditional model of learning and teaching built on grammar, logic and rhetoric. Gainey believes the school’s approach to education warrants its above average SAT scores in grades kindergarten through ninth.

Elementary students are taught basic learning skills and the fact base, middle school students study logic and argumentation and apply their knowledge to subjects, and high school students formulate expression with style and clarity.

“Rhetoric school is the finishing touch,” Gainey said. “The students learn how to articulate and how to communicate what they learn.”

“What we really want to do is develop leaders who are not only involved in culture, but transform the culture.”

Gainey said ECCS plans to host events throughout the year to celebrate the school’s 10th anniversary. The first day of classes is Aug. 19.

For more information, call 216-0149 or visit the Web site EvangelClassical.org.