Faculty & Staff

Jeri Pledger is so excited to be a part of the HCA family. Jeri has a heart for children and is excited to help mold them into who God has created them to be. Jeri and her husband Josh are members of Lighthouse Church. Jeri has faithfully served in this ministry for the past three years. She is currently enrolled in Andersonville Theological Seminary pursuing her degree. She is so thankful that at HCA she will be able to incorporate biblical teaching to these young and precious minds. Outside of her teaching duties, Jeri enjoys several outdoors activities, gardening, serving in church and spending time with her family. She finds joy in spreading the love of Jesus in all areas of her life. With her unwavering faith and dedication she is extremely grateful for the opportunity that God has placed before her and looks forward to leaving a Godly impression on the lives of these children.

Mrs. Kennedy Stone is a dedicated and inspiring educator with a passion for fostering creativity and curiosity in her students. As the K4 teacher at Hope Christian Academy, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a vibrant energy to her classroom. Her innovative teaching methods and commitment to student success have made her a beloved figure within the HCA Community and beyond. Outside the classroom, Mrs. Stone enjoys painting, traveling, sporting events, and spending time with her family. She is married to Mr. Chris Stone, and lives in Anniston with their two dogs Luna and Bruno. She believes in the power of education to transform lives and is devoted to helping each student reach their full potential spiritually, educationally, and physically. Mrs. Stone will be the Head Coach for Cheer at Hope Christian Academy, where she will combine her passion for cheerleading with a dedication to mentorship and excellence.

Mrs. Julie Johnson is serving as the Kindergarten Teacher at Hope Christian Academy. She has served in a variety of educational settings including public, private, and the homeschool community over the past twenty years. Mrs. Johnson has a servant’s heart and such a sweet personality that is welcoming and brings a smile to those in her presence. She has a God given talent and passion for working with the young children, and her approach and personality are both calming and enthusiastic!

Her experience, while mostly in preschool through third grade, has also included elementary through adult education. Having operated a professional tutoring ministry has afforded Mrs. Johnson with many unique opportunities and experiences. These include combination classes, foster parenting, mentoring younger teachers and women, leading women's Bible studies, running an online used curriculum store, and various other experiences. She has a strong working knowledge of the Abeka curriculum, and she brings additional and interactive lessons for her students. 

Mrs. Johnson graduated from Jacksonville State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. She holds certificates in both Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She has completed Master’s courses with the University of Phoenix in Diagnostics. Along with these accomplishments, Mrs. Johnson has the equivalent of an Associates in Business degree from Gadsden State Community College. 

Mrs. Johnson is the wife of Reverend Steve Johnson, who has served as the pastor of Cheaha Baptist church for the past seventeen years. Therefore, she has taken on and volunteered in various roles within her church over these years, which include her serving as a Sunday School teacher, a Children's Church teacher, working as the Vacation Bible School Directory, and serving alongside her husband with a passion and dedication to God and His kingdom. This has also afforded her the opportunity to serve on and work with multiple committees, such as the financial, publicity, and planning committees.
Mrs. Johnson and Reverend Johnson have been married for thirty-seven years, and they are blessed with two wonderful grown and married children and three biological grandchildren. Through the ministry and with God’s blessings, Mrs. Johnson says that she has many spiritual children and grandchildren.

Mrs. Johnson believes her experiences have been varied and unique due to her desire to serve wherever the Lord leads. She believes in growing where God plants her, and she is excited and blessed by her position at HCA.

My name is Mikayla Elston and I am 23 years old from Weaver, AL. I am the oldest of three children. I have a younger brother named Jadon and a younger sister named Alison. I graduated from the University of West Alabama with a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. I began my career in education in 2020 when I accepted a position at Pleasant Valley Elementary School as a paraprofessional, where I worked with special needs students in grades K-3. I was a parapro there for 2 years until I accepted a long term sub position in a second grade classroom at the same school. After completing that sub position and graduating, I accepted a position as a fourth grade math teacher at Stemley Road Elementary School. I completed this past school year there. I am so excited to begin this journey at HCA! Over the past few years, God has taught me many lessons about patience and staying faithful to Him through tough times. I cannot wait to see what this school year holds and how the Lord works in the lives of each student that comes through those doors! 

Bio Coming Soon!

Mrs. Brianna Turley is from Ohatchee, AL, where she attended Ohatchee High School. After graduation, Mrs. Turley continued her education at Gadsden State Community College, obtaining a degree in Early Childhood Development. During that time, Mrs. Turley also completed the required coursework to become a Registered Behavior Therapist. Currently, Mrs. Turley is also pursuing a degree in Counseling, as well as Biblical Studies through Faulkner University. Mrs. Turley lives at home with her husband Caleb, as well as their fur babies. She is excited to be a part of the HCA Family and looks forward to growing and impacting her student’s lives daily! We are very excited to see how God uses Mrs. Brianna Turley at Hope Christian Academy!

My name is TJ Thompson and I will be teaching 5th and 6th grade at Hope Christian Academy. I am currently attending Jacksonville State University. Where I am obtaining a degree in Integrated Studies. I will graduate from Jacksonville State this summer on August 4th. Upon graduation I will go back and work on receiving my Master’s in Education. I’ve had an amazing support system through this, from my mother who is a teacher at Donoho, my two sisters, one who just graduated from the University of Alabama, and most importantly from my soon to be 2-year-old daughter Kiri James. I am also the boys’ basketball coach and will be coaching that when the season comes around. I have plenty of experience in both areas, from student teaching and internship courses through Jacksonville State in addition to years of being an assistant coach and head coach of various sports.

Teaching children no matter the age has always been my ministry. There is no greater feeling than to be able to see a child reach his or her full potential. Whether that be in the classroom or on the playing field. My goal at Hope Christian is to not only inspire children to be their best but, to be their best in everything they while knowing and understanding the love of Jesus Christ has for them. 

Bio coming soon!

Eric Hawkins is a native of Oxford, Alabama, and an Oxford High School graduate. He is currently serving as our Secondary History and Social Sciences Teacher. Eric joined the United States Army as a Military Police Soldier in 1997 and attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at the US Army Military Police School at Fort McClellan, AL. While serving in the Army, he attained the rank of Sergeant, attended numerous developmental schools, completed three overseas tours of duty, and traveled around the world many times. Eric is a veteran of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. His travels provided many personal experiences unique to only him. 

     Eric received an honorable discharge from the US Army and returned home to Alabama. In December 2003, he began his career as a police officer for the City of Talladega, where he served as a Patrol Officer, SWAT Officer, Field Training Officer, and Field Training Officer Instructor. In 2008, Eric was recognized by Alabama Representative Steve Hurst for his professionalism and expertise in his field. Subsequently, he was nominated for Talladega Police Officer of the Year for 2008. He also served the citizens of Talladega County as the Talladega Police liaison to the Talladega County EMA.

     After spending almost thirteen years in law enforcement, he felt called to education. In 2009, Eric enrolled at Central Alabama Community College, where he was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2010. Upon graduation, he transferred to Jacksonville State University, where he studied Secondary Education and Biology. Balancing life delayed the completion of his education until he returned to JSU in 2023. In December of that same year, he graduated from Jacksonville State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Studies with Honors in Major. Eric continues to pursue his education at JSU, pursuing a Master of Arts in Integrated Studies (History and Political Science).

     Eric is married to Wendy Hawkins, our Secondary English Teacher. They have a daughter, Kadence, who is currently majoring in Forensic Investigations at Jacksonville State University.

    Eric brings a range of unique qualifications from skills acquired throughout his thirteen-year military and police career, formal education, altruistic involvement, and participation in living history events, making him ideal for walking our students through the histories of this world. Paramount to all of this, Eric loves Jesus Christ. He loves teaching his students the complexities of history as God’s Providence over mankind. and believes that the goodness of God lies in everyone. His teaching philosophy involves teaching history as a story with chapters, characters, and mystery. Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” He believes that through discovery of God’s honest history of man, our current generation may know from whence they came, make sense of the present, and have an accurate compass towards the future.

Mrs. Wendy Hawkins is originally from Talladega and a graduate of Talladega High School. She lives in Oxford and is married to Eric Hawkins, who is our Secondary History Teacher and a Senior at Jacksonville State University. They are the proud parents of a daughter, Kadi, who is a student, also at JSU, double majoring in Forensic Investigations and Cellular and Molecular Biology. 

Mrs. Hawkins is passionate about teaching and learning. She has an enthusiastic personality and truly loves working with and helping others. Her goal in the classroom is to provide a positive learning environment and assist students in discovering their unique writing style while learning how to properly use the mechanics of grammar and rhetoric. Her goal for all students is effective communication when speaking and writing. Aside from writing, she has a love for Literature, and this is where her appreciation for History plays a major role in her lessons. With looking at the historical value of a work, her students can analyze the author, his or her intentions within the piece of writing, and the plot more in depth. 

Mrs. Hawkins attended Jacksonville State University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. While working on her Master of Arts in English, she worked with the Learning Skills Department at JSU and began adjunct teaching for Central Alabama Community College. She has taught English, Literature, and Orientation courses for CACC since 2007, and she remains as one of their adjunct instructors. Mrs. Hawkins has also worked for Gadsden State Community College, and she taught English, Business and Technical Writing, and History courses, served as an English teacher with the GSCC Upward Bound Program, and served as an Academic and Transfer Advisor with GSCC Student Support Services where she offered seminars and presentations on life skills, including Finance and Etiquette. While teaching, she returned to Jacksonville State University and earned her Graduate Studies Certification in History, where she concentrated in African American and Southern History.

During her years of teaching and working on furthering her education and experience, she has also taught for and assisted in Grant writing for the Talladega College Upward Bound Program and taught Spanish for Victory Christian School.  While teaching, Mrs. Hawkins wanted to learn more and explore another passion, and that is her love for God and ministry. She participated in several semesters of courses and completed a Biblical Studies Certification through Samford University’s Ministry Training Institute. 

In addition to her education and experience in the classroom and with students, she and her husband and daughter have participated in living history events across the state. Mrs. Hawkins has a few publications which contribute to her resume, and she is currently working on a Christian Historical Non-Fiction book about a World War II Prisoner of War and Veteran and serving as an Editor for a Christian Children’s book. 

Mrs. Hawkins loves to share the Word, and she refers to many Scriptures in her daily walk, which is Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, and I will help you. I will uphold you with my Righteous right hand.” This reminder is displayed in her home where she, her family, and all who visit can see it. 

Bio coming soon!

Bio Coming Soon!

Bio Coming Soon!