When Heritage Christian Academy first began, it operated out of church buildings with a small staff and a growing vision for Christian education. Penny Gilkey was there from the beginning.
Thirty-two years later, she is retiring as preschool director, closing a career that has spanned the entire growth of the school — from its early days in borrowed space to a full Pre-K through 12th grade campus.
Gilkey was honored Thursday during a retirement celebration surrounded by family, coworkers and former students. For those who know her best, the moment marked more than the end of a career. It marked the end of a presence that has been woven into the foundation of the school itself.
Gilkey said leaving Heritage is emotional because it has been so central to her life and identity.
“This is home to me and so it’s going to be a big change for me,” she said. “I’ve been working hard in this school for that many years because it’s a special place and it’s where God has wanted me to be, but God has shown me that it is time now for me to start a new chapter in my life and it’s exciting in one way and another way it’s kind of sad because like I said it’s like home.”
Heritage Christian Academy began in modest circumstances, operating out of Hillcrest Baptist Church and Second Baptist Church before eventually moving into its own campus. Gilkey joined during those early years, starting as a kindergarten aide while also teaching music and art.
“When I started at Heritage, we were in two churches,” she said. “We were at Hillcrest Baptist Church and Second Baptist Church. I was at Hillcrest with the younger grades and I started out as a kindergarten aide and I did music and art with kindergarten through the second grade.”
She said those early years were defined less by resources and more by relationships and shared purpose.
“It was a good time. Precious years,” Gilkey said. “We didn’t have a lot of material things, but we had everything that we needed.”
As the school expanded, so did its preschool program. What began as early childhood instruction in limited space eventually grew into multiple preschool classrooms serving three- and four-year-old students. Gilkey remained at the center of that growth, helping guide both curriculum and classroom development over the decades.
Her son, Brent Gilkey, said her impact cannot be measured in years alone.
“So proud of her for this accomplishment,” he said. “She’s really committed to making a difference in a lot of lives. I guess if I could sum it up, success is measured in the amount of lives that you touch in a lifetime. She’s very successful.”
Tammy Hayes, elementary principal and curriculum coordinator at Heritage Christian Academy, said Gilkey’s influence has been a constant through the school’s evolution.
“Miss Penny is phenomenal,” Hayes said. “She is just excellent at what she does. She knows all the ins and outs. She has the kindest heart and her biggest love is Jesus.”
For Gilkey, the growth of the school has mirrored her own journey.
“It’s been a journey and the school has changed over the years,” she said. “We have a lot more things and a lot more to offer and I’ve seen all that change from the beginning. There’s something special about the beginning, but there’s something special too about what we have to offer here now with our sports and so many things.”
Still, she said what has mattered most has never changed.
“I gave everything I had here because it was for God and for the children and my friends that I have here,” she said. “The next part of my life will also be for God wherever he leads me.”
After 32 years, Gilkey leaves behind more than a role at Heritage Christian Academy. She leaves behind a preschool program she helped build from its earliest days — and a legacy tied closely to the school’s own history of growth and faith.
