Foundation Academy has broken ground on a plethora of construction projects and upgrades to its Tilden campus’ athletics facilities.

“We are currently building a track facility with the specifications needed to host any FHSAA meet,” said Robert East, Foundation’s athletics director and director of operations. “We are also adding expanded seating to (Lions) Field in order to service (track-and-field), football, soccer and lacrosse. We will also have a brand new press box with a film deck on top to service these sports. Finally, we are adding a concession stand and restroom building to the west side of campus to serve baseball, beach volleyball and the other field space on that side of campus.”

First established in 1958, as part of Winter Garden’s First Baptist Church, Foundation Academy has seen significant growth in recent years, both in its facilities and in its student population. In September, the school opened a state-of-the-art classroom facility for its high school students, which included a conference room, computer lab — decked out with new iMac computers — a coding-specific classroom and a broadcast studio. The new building made room for an additional 325 students.

“I have been privileged to be at Foundation Academy for 10 years and I have seen the fruits of our efforts,” East said. “We have seen the addition of an expanded weight room, infrastructure such as roads, lighting and parking, the construction of a cafeteria and a new classroom building, and now the beginning of our athletic complex enhancements. All of this serves only the purpose of partnering with families to provide a Christ-centered education. We are able to reach more families with expanded facilities and the quality of the experience is only growing.”

This latest facility upgrade, this time focused on athletics, is another sign that the private Christian school is dedicated to meeting the growing demands of its students and providing a top-notch and well-rounded academic and athletic experience.

“This investment is vital to the continued development of the student athlete experience at Foundation Academy,” East said. “Last year, we hosted a cross country meet at home for the first time in six years and this gave our team and their families the chance to compete without travel. We will be expanding our cross country opportunities on our campus next year and adding (track-and-field) to this. Track is a sport that allows for individual athletic growth, which supports all other sports. And the expanded seating and concessions creates opportunities for revenue to support the overall program.”

The addition of a new eight-lane running track, the 1,000-seat expansion at Lions Field and new facilities on the campus’ west side are just a few examples of the recent athletics-specific additions to the school. East, who’s worked at Foundation for a decade, knows the impact these new athletic and general facility projects have on the school’s overall mission of providing the highest quality of education in a Christ-centered environment.

“Foundation Academy offers families the opportunity to have a partner in the development of students spiritually, physically, mentally and socially,” East said. “The campus enhancements we are constructing will obviously support the physical growth of student athletes. It is our desire that these facilities be used in a manner that also supports the spiritual, social and mental development of student athletes!”

Construction on the various new athletics facility projects are slated to be completed by the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, this August. 

A transgender athlete won first place in the girls’ high and triple jump events at a California high school track-and-field championship late Saturday and shared the podium with two biological females due to a newly passed California policy.

AB Hernandez, a transgender high school student athlete, placed first in the girls’ high jump, finishing the event with no failed attempts and setting the high mark of 5 feet, 7 inches.

Two biological females, Jillene Wetteland and Lelanie Laruelle, also cleared that high jump mark and shared the first-place podium with Hernandez despite each having a failed attempt thanks to a policy established earlier this week.

Hernandez took home gold for the triple jump, finishing with a final jump of 42 feet and 2 inches.

Kira Grant Hatcher shared the podium with Hernandez after jumping 40 feet 5 inches.

Hernandez also placed second in the long jump.

The California Interscholastic Federation changed its rules on Tuesday to mandate that any biological females who lost to a trans-athlete would not lose their place — meaning no female winners would be displaced by Hernandez’ performance.

The new rule also allowed an extra biological female student-athlete to compete in each category in which Hernandez was set to perform.

The change came in the wake of criticism over the federation’s handling of Hernandez’ success, including from President Donald Trump who threatened to withhold funding from the Golden State.

“California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum, continues to ILLEGALLY allow ‘MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social, Tuesday.

“THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS. Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not totally adhered to,” the president concluded.

That executive order threatened to strip federal funding from states that don’t bar transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.

During the competition, a plane circled over the stadium for an hour, pulling behind it a banner that read “No Boys in Girls’ Sports!,” which was sponsored by activist groups the Independent Council on Women’s Sports and Women Are Real.

Some folks in the crowd of the competition wore pink bracelets that read “Save Girls’ Sports” in protest of Hernandez.

Outside the event, a person was arrested during a confrontation with another protester, according to reports.

A wave of devastation and anger has swept through Milford, Massachusetts, after an 18-year-old high school junior, identified by family as Marcelo, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Saturday.

What should have been a weekend of celebrating graduation transformed into an impassioned fight for liberation, culminating in a mile-long march from Milford High School to Town Hall on Sunday. The community’s anguish was palpable as students and staff, still reeling from the ceremony, united in protest.

“He has two younger siblings and they’re kind of questioning whether they’re ever going to see their brother again,” Marcelo’s cousin, Ana Julia Araujo, said. “He’s not a criminal and they’re treating him like one.”

Marcelo was on his way to volleyball practice Saturday morning when “four cars like jumped in front of him and then detained him,” according to his girlfriend, Julianys Rentas Figueroa.

Later that day, Rentas Figueroa spoke with Marcelo and his parents on a three-way call, during which Marcelo described being “put chains around his ankles and on his wrists” and being transferred from Burlington to Plymouth.

A Massachusetts high school student was detained by ICE officials on Saturday morning, his coach confirmed.

The arrest has drawn criticism from local law enforcement, as well as Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey.

Milford Police Chief Robert Tusino confirmed that federal agents never notified the local police department of the operation. Tusino also emphasized that Marcelo’s arrest has no bearing on public safety within the town.

“Marcelo was somebody we don’t know, so what does that tell you? If I don’t know you, my officers don’t know you, there’s a reason we don’t know you,” Tusino said. “It’s because you’re probably not a troublemaker.”

Marcelo was scheduled to play the drums at his girlfriend and friends’ graduation ceremony on Sunday. Instead, he remains in a cell.

“I don’t understand why they targeted Marcelo. He’s been in Milford all his life,” Rentas Figueroa said.

Following the graduation ceremony, the overwhelming emotions translated into action. Students and staff marched from the high school to the Town Hall, chanting for Marcelo’s freedom. State Senator Rebecca Rausch joined the chorus of voices, shouting that “Putting high school students in shackles does not make anyone safer.”

Classmates of Marcelo shared their heartbreak and frustration.

“I am just disgusted that I have to deal with this on graduation and see one of my greatest friends be taken away for no reason,” a classmate who asked to remain anonymous said. “I just pray that we can make a difference because this is so depressing.”

According to a press release from the Massachusetts Teachers Association, more than 200 Milford educators joined nearly 1,100 community members at the rally, condemning ICE’s actions and calling for Marcelo’s immediate release after he was ripped from his community “in an act of cruelty.”

“Milford educators believe every student – regardless of race, background, or ZIP code – deserves the right to succeed in their academics and extracurriculars and be safe,” the release read. “Our students are more than just an immigration status. They are teammates heading to practice, musicians and artists creating beauty, scholars striving for excellence, engineers on the robotics team building the future, and student government leaders shaping their schools and community.”

“The Milford student detained yesterday should have been on the court with his team, not in the custody of federal agents,” the release continued. “When even one of our students is targeted, the entire Milford community feels it.”

Nick Molinari, president of the Milford Teachers Association, said the student, who should have been at a volleyball practice with his teammates, was targeted by ICE agents in “a deliberate act of cruelty, traumatizing his family, friends, and peers.”

“This is immoral, unnecessary and should be universally condemned. We will not stand by while the rights and humanity of our students are violated,” Molinari said in a statement. “The Milford Teachers Association proudly stands with its students and the residents of Milford in opposing this dangerous shift in operations. We are committed to defending every student’s right to learn, grow, and be treated with dignity – no matter where they come from.”

The message from the Milford community is clear: they want Marcelo free. NBC10 reached out to ICE agents for comment but has not yet received a response.