Grace In The News



Our Academy has been so graciously featured on local news, talk shows and print media. Please see the previews below and click on the links to watch and/or read more in depth.


Gracyn Gordon, Local 3 News Interviews Matt Pollock About CONTINUED Waiting Period For The Construction Project

Thank you to Gracyn Gordon with Local 3 News for taking time to interview our Head of School on Wednesday, December 6th. Mr. Pollock spoke about how our Academy is still in the waiting process for the rebuilding of our campus! Click here to read the full story.


Private school vouchers have arrived in Hamilton County

Shannon Coan with the Times Free Press interviewed our Head of School, Matt Pollock about the new ESA program that our school now qualifies for. Click here to read the entire article.


Grace Baptist Still Rebuilding after Easter Tornado

Thank you to Nick Hill with WDEF News Channel 12 for interviewing our Head of School, Matt Pollock about the 2020 Easter Tornado that completely destroyed Grace Academy. Click here to watch the full video.


3 years after 2020 Easter tornadoes, Grace Baptist Academy facing roadblock during rebuild

We are very grateful to News Channel 9 for interviewing with our Head of School, Matt Pollock regarding our 3 year anniversary of the 2020 Easter Tornado. Please click here to watch the full story.


Channel 3 Interviews Head of School, Matt Pollock About Recovery Story

Thank you to Mary Francis Hoots with WRCB-TV 3 for interviewing our Head of School, Matt Pollock about our story of recovery and rebuilding our campus! Click here to watch the full interview.


Grace Baptist Academy Thriving Despite Tornado Disaster, Slow Rebuild

We are grateful to the Chattanoogan for this incredibly timely article. Head of School, Matt Pollock said after having the campus slammed by a Category 3 tornado and then having a delayed rebuilding process, "Many people may be thinking Poor Grace." He said that could not be further from the truth with some recent good news items coming Grace's way. Click here to read the full story. 


We look back at the Easter Tornadoes that hit two years ago

Thank you to Rebekah Birdsall with News Channel 12, WDEF for interviewing our Head of School, Matt Pollock on the two year anniversary of the Easter Tornado in 2020. Matt Pollock gave insight on our construction progress and the future of Grace Academy. Click here to watch the full story.


Grace Academy suspends construction due to delayed funding from FEMA

We are very thankful for Mary Francis Hoots with News Channel 3 for coming out and interviewing our Head of School, Matt Pollock. This was a great story and they captured our situation perfectly! Click here to watch the full story. 


Delayed federal funding holds up construction of new Grace Baptist Academy

Thank you to Eric Price with News Channel 9 for interviewing our Head of School, Matt Pollock on the Temporary Construction suspension due to delay of funds from FEMA. Eric Price and his team visited our temporary home at Morris Hill Baptist Church for the interview on December 13th, 2021. Please click  here to watch the full story. 


Rebuilding Work Suspended at Chattanooga's Tornado-damaged Grace Baptist

Very grateful for the article written by the Chattanooga Times Free Press on December 12th, 2021. regarding our temporary Construction Suspension. Please follow this link to read the full article. 


Grace Baptist Academy Rebuilding Update & Interview With Greg Funderburg

Thankful for Greg Funderburg and Fox TV-Chatt for interviewing our Head of School, Matt Pollock on the progress of the Academy! Grace is transforming and we are grateful to watch every piece come together! Please click here to watch the full interview. #GraceTransforms 


Grace Baptist Academy deadly tornado, one year later

Thank you to Meredith Aldis and News Channel 3 for this piece on our One year Anniversary reflection. Meredith interviewed our Head of School, Matt Pollock and Project Manager, Stan Haber and was able to gain some positive insight from them on future plans. Click here to watch the full story.


Grace Baptist Academy reflects on deadly tornado, one year later

We hosted a prayer walk all day on Monday April 12th, 2021 for everyone to join us in looking back and "Praying it Forward".  Keenan Scott with News Channel 12 joined us and did a piece on our one year anniversary from the 2020 Easter Tornado. Click here to watch the full story. 


Julie Edwards, with 3 Plus Your Community Interviews Director of Advancement, Les Compton About Rebuilding Plans One Year After Tornado

Check out this interview with Julie Edwards from 3 Plus Your Community and Our Director of Advancement, Les Compton. Les was able to speak about the new plans for our school after the F3 tornado that hit a year ago! Click the link to watch.


Greg Funderburg, with News Channel 9 Talks With Headmaster, Matt Pollock About The Rebuilding Process of Grace Academy

Grateful to Greg Funderburg on Good Morning Chattanooga for talking with our Head of School, Matt Pollock in his sixth grade Bible class on Wednesday, March 31st! We continue to thank God for His provision and His protection, always looking for His purpose in our ministry! Our God continues to transform Grace! Click here for the full interview. 


James Howard from "This N That" Interviews Headmaster, Matt Pollock

We want to thank James Howard & News Channel 9’s Show “This N That” for having our Head of School, Matt Pollock featured for an interview to speak on all of the amazing things the Lord is doing at Grace Academy!! This was a very special interview, being that James actually attended Grace Academy some years back and he was the first person to suggest that we needed a flag pole! 
Check out the 
link to this interview! 


"Grace Baptist Academy Ready To Rebuild After Easter Tornados", by Joelie Poole With Wdef

We would like to thank Joelie Poole and News Channel 12 for doing this story on our rebuilding process, as well as interviewing our Headmaster, Matt Pollock on February 12th, 2021. This gave us an opportunity to speak about how we have gone through a storm, physically speaking, but are looking to bounce back stronger than ever in the near future. To read the article and watch the video, click here. 


Greg Funderburg With News Channel 9 Interviews Headmaster, Matt Pollock

Please check out this link to Headmaster, Matt Pollock’s interview with Greg Funderburg on News Channel 9 on February 11th, 2021. This was another great opportunity for us to speak on all of the positives that the Lord is doing for our school! Thank you, Greg Funderburg and News Channel 9 for taking the time to do this interview! 



Cindy's CHOICE Donates $2,000 to Grace Academy

We would like to thank Cindy Deering and Councilman Darrin Ledford for joining us on campus on February 10th, 2021 on behalf of Cindy’s CHOICE and presenting us a very generous donation to us! We are so grateful to you! To watch a video of Cindy's words of encouragement click here


State Of Grace 2021

We continue to celebrate God's transformative work at GBA through our partnership with you! We enjoyed sharing about all that God has been doing and anticipate in our future at our annual State of Grace event on February 8th, 2021. It was especially fun to do a virtual walk-through of our new campus! If you missed this event, you can access a recording of the program by going to this link.


Julie Edwards With "3 Plus You" Interviews Headmaster, Matt Pollock

Please check out this interview featuring our Headmaster, Matt Pollock. He was featured on WRCB-TV’s show “3 Plus You” on February 5th, 2021. We would like to extend a big thank you to Julie Edwards for taking the time to interview Mr. Pollock and giving us a chance to speak about the amazing transformation that the Lord has done and is continuing to do within our Academy! 


Grace Children's Center in East Brainerd reopens after Easter Sunday tornadoes

On Wednesday, December 2nd 2020 Channel 3, WRCBtv wrote a story about the reopening of our Children's Center. Meredith Aldis graciously interviewed one of our parents, Sarah Rhoady and the Children's Center Director, Sheri Hicks and asked them to share their personal thoughts and feelings on the reopening event. This was an amazing opportunity for us to speak about the wonderful things the Lord allowed to happen, even after the storm. Click here to read more. 


Click here to read the article that the Chattanoogan released on November 20, 2020 related to the reopening of the Children's Center. 


Mark Wiedmer: We could all learn about positivity from Grace Academy's Ateca

If you haven’t had the chance to read this article, please take a few minutes and receive some encouragement from our Athletic Director, Bob Ateca. Mark Wiedmer with the Chattanoogan wrote an article on November 1st, 2020  about Coach Ateca and the destruction of his home. Bob spoke highly of our athletic program and h ow to stay encouraged through the rough times and transitions of the pandemic and the tornado disaster. What an honor and privilege it is to have him in our Family. Click here to read more. 


THE ROAD AHEAD: 6 months after devastating tornado, Grace Academy beginning to rebuild

On October 16, 2020 Grace McKenna, with News Channel 3 wrote a story on Grace Academy 6 months after the tornado. Check out this  link for a more in depth story and insight from our Headmaster, Matt Pollock. This article includes a video news broadcast with Alison Pryor just a couple weeks after the tornado.  


BEYOND THE GRIDIRON: Grace Baptist and Donelson face off, connected by more than football

On September 25, 2020 Grace McKenna with News Channel 3 did a story on 3 of our seniors in the class of 2021. As well as connecting their story with the football game that took place later on that evening. Grace McKenna perfectly pieced together the interviews from our senior ladies and the connection that our school has with Donelson Christian out of Nashville to make an excellent read. Click here to view this story. 


Chattanooga school destroyed by tornado relocating students to nearby church for fall

On Friday, June 5 2020 John Madewell with news Channel 9 did a story on our school's relocation process for the Fall of 2020. John interviewed our Headmaster, Matt Pollock and Co-Pastor of Morris Hill Baptist Church, James Click. Click here to watch the video. 


The Weather Channel posts a LIVE interview with Class of 2020 president, Alli Sigler

Class of 2020 President, Alli Sigler did a great job representing the entire class and Grace Academy as a whole during her live interview with the Weather Channel on May 19, 2020. Click here to watch the interview.


Chattanooga girl raises $5,000 for tornado victims with virtual lemonade stand

On May 15, 2020 Carolina Corrigan and News Channel 3 did a story on one of our 5th graders, Caroline Knecht. Caroline raised $5,000 by having a lemonade stand at her house and donated all of the proceeds to victims of the tornado. We are so very proud of Caroline and the heart she has for our school. Click here to read more and watch the video.


Good Morning America: High school seniors pose by their school that was destroyed by a tornado

On May 14, 2020 Haley Yamada, with Good Morning America did a story on the class of 2020 seniors posing in front of what was left of our Academy. Click here to read the full story and watch the video. 


Les Compton, Grace Baptist's Director of Advancement, recalls signing his contract back in 1986 in the building that was demolished by Sunday's EF-3 tornado.

On April 15, 2020, Eryn Cooper with News Channel 9 did a piece on Saving Grace: Faculty of Grace Baptist Academy return to clean up what's left of school. Click here to read the full article and watch the interview. 


Grace Transforms: After Grace Baptist Academy was destroyed by tornado, school officials vow to rebuild

On April 14, 2020, The Chattanoogan wrote one of the very first stories on our Academy right after the catastrophic tornado destroyed our school. Click  here to read the full article. 

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