Desoto County Academy

Desoto Christian Academy is a private school in Olive Branch, Mississippi.

Desoto Christian Academy
Location
100 Academy Drive, Olive Branch, MS 38654 [1] United States
Information
Type	Private
Motto	"Learners Today. Leaders Tomorrow."[2]
Established	1970
Principal	Andy Price [3]
Grades	PK-12 [4]
Color(s)	Navy Blue & Powder Blue
Team name	Ambassadors
Website	www.desotochristian.com

The school was founded in 1970 as Ark Academy, a segregation academy for caucasian students exclusively, one of dozens opened across Mississippi at that time in the wake of Supreme Court rulings on school integration. Since being renamed Desoto County Academy in 1974, and later renamed Desoto Christian Academy. The school provides education for pre-kindergarten through the twelfth grade

History

Betty Furniss founded Ark Academy in 1970.^[5] Veronica Elizabeth “Betty” Trainer Furniss was a member of the Citizens' Councils of America.^[6] The name Ark Academy was chosen, because, just as Noah is said to have saved humanity from a great flood, Furniss believed she was saving humanity from school integration.^[7]

The school was renamed Desoto County Academy in 1974. The mascot has been changed from Angels to Ambassadors.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. https://www.desotochristian.com/contact/location.cfm
2. https://www.desotochristian.com/
3. https://www.desotochristian.com/about-dca/headmaster.cfm
4. https://www.desotochristian.com/about-dca/
5. Dianis, Judith Brown (April 28, 2015). "Title VI Complaint" (PDF). p. 2. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
6. "CofCC charter member Betty Furniss passed away". Memphis Commercial Appeal. June 20, 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
7. "Title VI Complaint Filed Against DeSoto County School District and DeSoto County Board of Education for Discrimination of Black Students" (PDF). Retrieved 18 July 2020.