The Jim & Julie Tidwell Commons has undergone an exciting transformation, emerging as a vibrant hub of innovation, community, and creativity. This renovation is not just about new facilities; it’s a vision come to life, designed to inspire students to grow academically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Students, faculty, and staff are bursting with excitement about the new space, which now features the Spartan Café, a dedicated Christian Life area, and state-of-the-art film and podcast studios. These studios will serve as media centers for student projects, creative expression, and storytelling. The Commons also includes a modern Business Innovation Center and flexible, collaborative meeting spaces that foster teamwork, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial thinking—all vital skills for future leaders.

This revitalized Commons, made possible by Jim and Julie Tidwell’s generous gift as part of the Light the Way Campaign, is more than a modern space—it's a place to build kingdom-minded thinking, community, and purpose through the new hub for Christian Life inside Tidwell Commons. "Our prayer is that our students would come to know the Lord more fully in these spaces,” shared Dr. Harsh. Their unwavering support reflects their deep faith and commitment to shaping future generations. 

Bill Long reflected on the impact of Jim and Julie Tidwell on GAC by connecting the physical space to the ultimate, Christ-centered purpose: “There have been over 5,000 students come through GAC. That’s over 5,000 spokesman for the Lord throughout the world. Now just think about how many are going to come through Tidwell Commons in the years to come. Your legacy is going to be these students and the lives that they lead, their children and their children and their children. Your legacy is more than the Tidwell Commons. Your legacy is going to be what God does through the lives that go through here.” Bill Long added, “Your influence, Jim and Julie, will be felt for generations. The building may eventually fall, but what happens in it—the lives changed—will endure.”

As students gather here to study, collaborate, and create, they are preparing to lead with purpose and faith, making Tidwell Commons a cornerstone of the school’s vision for shaping future leaders to make an impact on the kingdom.

See photos of the newly renovated Tidwell Commons:

Fifty-two years. That’s how long Greater Atlanta Christian has been transforming children into young men and women of leadership and character. While there have been many friends and families from the beginning as well as recent years who’ve blessed the school, few have been more vested throughout the five-plus decades than the Bill Long family—for four generations including children, grandchildren...and great-grandchildren.

Bill was the younger brother of first President Jesse Long. From the birth of GAC and still today, Bill and his gracious wife Betty support GAC, with vision, heart, gifts, and encouragement. Recently, in honor of the legacy of both Bill and Betty, their family honored them with the establishment of the Bill and Betty Long Scholarship Fund, providing financial aid for GAC Alumni who wish for their own children to attend Greater Atlanta Christian School. Family members offered two main reasons for setting up the scholarship fund. “First of all, we want to honor GAC. The education and experiences from our time at GAC have been lifechanging for all generations of the Bill Long Family, and continue to influence all of us, even today. Another reason is to honor our dad and Betty for the loving examples they are to us and for the many contributions our dad has made over five decades to this school. Dad and Betty are deserving of honor and we feel grateful to show appreciation to them in this small way.”

Bill’s connection to GAC precedes even the school’s opening. He participated in the planning that birthed what would be far more than “just another Christian school”. In the early 60s, Bill was an Atlanta minister. Then he left Atlanta for a few years, both to minister and serve as president of another Christian school that had been in existence since the early 1900s. That time of firsthand leadership elsewhere expanded Bill’s outlook on how GAC could thrive for the future. Returning in 1971 to minister in what is today North Atlanta Church of Christ, he preached and ministered until he retired. Yet Bill says — what really drew him back to Atlanta was GAC.

Bill’s family always stayed involved. He gave the first baccalaureate speech for a GAC graduating class. Bill served as Campaign volunteer and chairman on multiple fundraising campaigns. He made scores of speeches and personal appeals for support to help GAC reach its best. Bill volunteered as dad throughout his two boys’ school years. In 1977, he was named to the GACS Board of Trustees, and still serves today, often offering just the right faith-filled clarity that the Board and President need. In later years, he advised GAC’s second president, Dr. David Fincher, who welcomed Bill’s wisdom and clear vision in shaping the school’s future. David commented that Betty has been such a supporter and encouragement to him in every way he could imagine. Bill and Betty have had four grandchildren graduate from GAC, and last year a great-grandchild became a student in GAC's Young Learners.

Thanks to the Bill and Betty Long Scholarship Fund, the family’s care and influence will be felt for decades to come. The new fund will provide a scholarship every year in perpetuity to a deserving student who could not otherwise be at GAC.

The idea for Southern Commercial Roof Tech came to GAC alumni Thomas Vorpahl and Brandon Barron during a family vacation. Friends since the 6th grade, they put their plan into action in 2014, opening the doors to their roofing company in a low-rent warehouse with an unyielding commitment to success but zero employees. Since then, their company has been extremely blessed, and Vorpahl and Barron want to return the blessing. They recently gifted GAC with in-kind roofing services.

Owner Thomas Vorpahl said, “Giving back to GAC is a way for me to show my thanks for the positive influence that GAC has had in my life. From helping to build strong foundations in faith to fostering lifetime friendships, the environment that GAC provided for me had a profound and lasting effect on my future. I am excited that my skills are now able to contribute to continuing this opportunity for others, which now includes my children.”

Vorpahl believes that one of the main ways GAC influenced his life was developing his faith at an early age. He said, “The guidance of my teachers and the biblical learning provided in our daily Bible classes and chapel services created an early foundation of faith that was much more impactful than I realized at the time. It reinforced a moral standard that helped steer my compass when confronted with many challenging ethical dilemmas and life decisions. Without the influences of those teachers, classes, and classmates, I’m certain that I’d not be on the same path that I am today. Now as a parent, I’m excited to provide a similar environment to my children. I know that the teachers have and will continue to pour their love into our children to watch them flourish and achieve even greater things.” Vorpahl has three children attending GAC.

Steve and Kris Kester have a special heart and love for GAC secondary mathematics and the good work of our math faculty. They are a long-time GAC family with three children who have attended GAC: Lauren, Brett, and Sarah. Steve and Kris have been active volunteers in the swim, track, and cross country communities here on campus.

The Kesters' aspiration is to strengthen and sustain GAC mathematics for the future with a sizable endowed gift. The returns on this investment will support GAC mathematics year after year. Because of their support, the school has renamed Spartan Hall as Kester Hall. In addition to providing the tools and resources for top-notch mathematics instruction, we made physical improvements to Kester Hall this past summer.

Steve said of his gift, "We are delighted to support quality, Christ-centered education, and we encourage others to endow their passions. My personal love for math came from a high school teacher, so I know the impact a teacher can have on a student."