Photos courtesy of Cornerstone Christian Academy

Cornerstone Chapel, a Calvary Chapel fellowship in Leesburg, VA, opened its doors in January of 1991 at a Loudoun County middle school campus. In 2016, when the church moved into its current facility on 32 acres, the churchgoers were amazed when a large rainbow appeared in the sky over their newly built facility. They knew it was a reminder from the Lord that He was with them.

When its new school, Cornerstone Christian Academy (CCA), opened its doors to students on a fall day in 2023, a double rainbow appeared over the school building. During chapel that day, everyone in the school worshiped the Lord with hands raised in praise and thanksgiving. He had provided a place for these children to be raised in the fear and admonition of the Lord without worrying about persecution or hostility.

Freedoms Attacked

Cornerstone Chapel, pastored by Gary Hamrick, sits in a county which just two years ago was thrust into the national spotlight. Several Loudoun County Public School Board meetings made news headlines as parents, as well as public school teachers, voiced their sharp disagreements with school board policies.

These stories served as indicators to the whole country that public schools were making extremely progressive moves to limit the freedoms of citizens, especially as Christians. Loudoun County became the example of how far public education is willing to go to limit individual freedoms and silence religious liberty. It was this very climate, however, that the Lord used to establish CCA, which, according to the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is the largest Christian school start-up in its history.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me [Jesus] before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:18-19

From “Nicety” to Necessity

“The idea of a Christian school went from a nicety to a necessity,” commented Dr. Sam Botta, headmaster of CCA. He went on to explain, “Pastor Gary had mentioned it would be a good idea to start a school, and in 2022 it was clear that it had become necessary and would be a rescue mission for parents in the public school system.”

Sam described the impact this announcement made in the community. After the announcement was made in February of 2022, a survey of interest went out to the church. The collected data indicated that the total number of potential students interested in enrolling in the school was over 2,500. Parents knew this was the blessing they were waiting for as family after family was experiencing some form of persecution or hostility from the public school system in Loudoun County. Students were coming home in tears, explaining to parents how they were humiliated and mistreated, not by other students, but by teachers and educators.

One of these students was 13-year-old Santiago “Santi” Espinoza.

Santiago’s Testimony

“We knew Santi was a very special boy,” Angie Espinoza warmly commented as she shared how he was born approximately three months’ prematurely, not breathing—and yet survived. “This miracle baby has always been passionate about the Lord and wakes up every morning at 5 a.m. to read his Bible,” she went on. Santi was only a first grader at a Loudoun County elementary school when he encountered his first run-in with an educator who punished him for exercising his faith.

“Santi had just finished praying for his lunch, as he always did,” Angie recalled, “and when he was finished, another student asked him what he was doing.” When Santi began explaining to the other student that he believed in Jesus and was praying for his food, a teacher happened to walk by and overheard the conversation. Santi was rebuked for having an evangelical conversation and was told he was going to be in trouble. Angie received a call from the school later that evening and the “problem” was discussed with the teacher.

“They said he was going to be suspended if he did this again,” she stated. “When Santi heard me telling the school that he would be more careful next time and not do it again, it was Santi who told me to not say that.” Santi told his mom that he was OK with getting suspended for praying over his lunch. His faith truly impacted his mother, and the next day both of her children were unenrolled from that school.

“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I [Jesus] have overcome the world.” John 16:33b

Santi faced his greatest test while attending another Loudoun County school, a middle school, in 2022. His art teacher had given the class an assignment to design a small badge. On this badge, the students were to write the names of five people, places, or things that had most influenced them, and then circle the one they liked the most. Santi circled Jesus as his Number One influence.

When the teacher examined Santi’s work, she asked him to change it to a word like kind. Santi, who is typically more reserved in class, gently pushed back and said he couldn’t do that and asked his teacher why he couldn’t use it. His teacher said that she didn’t want this to be a “religious thing.” But when Santi looked around the room, he noticed that the teacher was OK with another student putting a rainbow with the word pride on her badge. To this, his teacher said he could leave the name there but implied there would be consequences.

Santi was given an “F” for the assignment and an “F” for his overall grade. He was an honor student, and this grade forced him off the honor roll for the school; he had to miss an awards ceremony. This was a hard blow for Santi, who acknowledged, “I knew it wasn’t fair and that it probably wasn’t legal, even though other kids got to share their beliefs.”

The Espinoza family met with the school administration, who eventually changed the grade, admitting that there must have been some mistake—but they never addressed the incident. They refused to share any more details, leaving the family worried about what they were to do next.

Moving to CCA

This family was just one example of the hundreds of homes impacted by what was happening in the school system—and exactly why Cornerstone Chapel knew something would need to be done. A member of the Espinoza family had encouraged them to apply for Cornerstone Academy. “We really wanted to,” Angie admitted, “but we had medical bills from a history of cancer in the family and paying tuition was simply not possible.”

During a meeting with Dr. Botta and other administrators from CCA, Angie, Santi, and his younger sister Nately (age 12), were given the opportunity to share their experience with the school leadership. Dr. Botta was so touched that he guaranteed them a place in the school, even if he had to pay their tuition himself.

Santi and Nately both are thriving in the school, along with the other 541 students enrolled. Angie now works at the school as a full-time substitute teacher and is also working towards her degree so she can eventually work as a full-time teacher.

But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children. Psalm 103:17

“F” Is for “Faithful”

After Gary Hamrick asked Santiago to share his testimony with the church, the pastor shared this encouragement for Santi and the congregation: “OK, new change of mind. The “F” [grade] can be hard, but “F” stands for faithful because [Santi] was faithful to the Lord.”

Currently, 543 students are enrolled in grades K-8; in the fall of 2024, they will start 9th-grade classes. Pastor Gary joyfully concluded, “I couldn’t be more pleased with our first year at CCA so far. The Lord has been faithful, and we already need more room.”

Learn more about Cornerstone Christian Academy at ccaguardians.net