The first academy established by the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was Lake Winyah Academy[5] in 1918 [6] in Orlando, Florida. In March, 1918, the Florida Conference Committee and the Sanitarium Board met. William H. Branson, L. H. Wood, J. A. Tucker, and W. E. Abernathy were present. They planned for the opening of the school. This included the construction of two buildings: a main building and a dormitory. Both these buildings were to be built as economically as possible; later on more permanent structures could be built. The conference and sanitarium leadership served on the board of the school. They planned to open in fall 1918. This first school was to be located between Winyah and Estelle Lakes.[7] Adventist University of Health Sciences (formerly Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences) is located there now.[8]
Forest Lake Academy
The growing school moved outside the city to its current location in 1926 and was renamed Forest Lake Academy.
The first classes were held in the farm house of the newly acquired 160-acre (0.65 km2) site.[9]