Spreading the Word

Bentonville Christian Academy will host its first fundraiser April 25 at the Lodge at Bentonville Church of Christ.

The event, which is called A New Season, will raise funds for the school, with the majority going toward a kindergarten program that will launch in the fall, said Dallas Henderson, director of the school. Missy Robertson, a cast member on A&E's "Duck Dynasty," will be the keynote speaker. Henderson said Robertson will speak about Christian education and what it has meant to her family and children. Henderson added the Robertson family helped start a Christian school in West Monroe, La., which Robertson's children attend.

The evening will also feature a food competition between chefs from Tavola Trattoria, the River Grille, Yeyo's Food Truck, Harps Food Stores and Simply Divine Catering, Henderson said. Event guests will be the judges and choose a winner of the competition. Live and silent auctions are planned, and the attire is business casual.

Henderson said they have a goal to raise $100,000 at the event.

Bentonville Christian Academy started in 2010 with only 11 students, and this year, there are 65 students in the preschool, Henderson said. The school currently serves ages 3-5, and there are four preschool classes.

"Now we're starting to see a lot of interest in having a Christian kindergarten," Henderson said.

Thirty students will head to kindergarten next year, Henderson said.

"Of those 30, we have about 10 within our school that are interested in being a part of this kindergarten," she said. "We really just want to amp the interest to the rest of the community and let them know that we're here."

The maximum enrollment for the kindergarten will be 15 students, and enrollment is open, she said.

"The mission of the academy is just to bring Christian education to Northwest Arkansas. We desire that every child that wants to can have the Bible incorporated into every single piece of their learning throughout the day, and we want to spread the word of Christ to the community," she said.