October 8, 2024
Mount Dora Christian Academy & Children’s Home To Welcome Dr. Sam Smith As 8th President
By Kyle Coppola
Mount Dora Christian Academy & Children’s Home To Welcome Dr. Sam Smith As 8th President
Mount Dora, Fla. — Mount Dora Christian Academy & Children’s Home (MDCA&CH) will formally inaugurate Dr. Sam Smith as its eighth president on Friday, October 18, 2024. The ceremony, set for 10 a.m. in the MDCA gymnasium, marks both Dr. Smith’s introduction to the community and the kickoff of the Academy’s 80th anniversary celebration. The event will feature messages of support from representatives of the Academy, the Children’s Home, and the student body. Local dignitaries, including Mount Dora Mayor Chrissy Stile and former MDCA&CH president Dr. James Moore, are expected to attend.
Dr. Smith, who took office on July 1, 2024, after a nine-month national search, brings a wealth of experience in Christian education. Previously, he served as president of York University in Nebraska, where he oversaw record student enrollment and the university’s most successful fundraising campaign to date.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Smith as our next president,” said John Starling, Chair of the MDCA&CH Board of Trustees. “His passion for Christian education and commitment to academic excellence make him the perfect leader to guide us into this exciting new era.”
Following the inauguration, MDCA will launch a special service project to honor the school’s 80th anniversary. As part of a year-long initiative, students and staff will plant 80 trees on campus and in the surrounding community in partnership with the City of Mount Dora. Each grade will plant a tree on inauguration day, symbolizing their involvement in the project, which aims to replace trees lost in recent years and beautify both the school and local areas.
Dr. Smith has quickly embraced MDCA’s mission of fostering academic and spiritual growth, earning praise for his leadership within the community. His vision aligns with the Academy’s focus on preparing faith-driven, compassionate individuals.
“I am deeply honored to step into this role at such a pivotal time in the history of Mount Dora Christian Academy & Children’s Home,” said Dr. Smith. “I am excited to work with our incredible faculty, staff, students, and supporters to continue advancing the mission of providing a Christ-centered education. Together, we will strive to live out our faith in all aspects of life and give back to our community in meaningful ways.”
The community is invited to attend the inauguration ceremony and participate in the day’s events.
About Mount Dora Christian Academy & Children’s Home:
Founded in 1945, MDCA serves more than 870 students from preschool through grade 12, and the Children’s Home supports nearly 40 children and single parents. With a commitment to a Christ-centered community, MDCA prepares students to become faith-driven world changers. The school’s mission is reflected in its 2024 graduates, who earned $5.4 million in scholarships and logged over 10,500 hours of community service.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
