Edward Bennett shares a Grandfather’s perspective in our latest Faith Christian School Family Experiences.
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.
—Proverbs 22:6
This verse from the Holy Bible provides most succinctly my view when I think about Faith Christian School.
The decade of the 1990s proved to be a watershed time for our family as we determined early on that traditional education in the public schools was not what my wife and I remembered, nor even close to what we expected our daughter to experience during her elementary education. We vacillated as to the best alternative available to us, and finally chose a school that was an improvement, but still not exactly what we were looking for.
Then one morning, our Sunday School teacher, Missy Reed, shared with us that she had accepted a position as a teacher at a new faith-based school, using the facilities of Virginia Heights Baptist Church. We learned that Faith Christian School had been organized by a group of parents who shared our vision for a classical Christian education. Our daughter JoAnn transferred into Faith Christian School as a tenth grader and graduated three years later. She was one of six girls and one boy in the Class of 2001. JoAnn went on to graduate from Roanoke College where she met her future husband, Tim Kowtko. She is now on staff at FCS where she is the College Counseling and Thesis Advisor, along with Yearbook Advisor and Alumni Coordinator. They have two children, both of whom are enrolled at Faith Christian. What a blessing!
Over the last 25 years, we have celebrated the success of Faith Christian School as well as the success and achievements of the students.
As a parent and grandparent of former and current FCS students, it is gratifying to see faculty and staff committed to our Lord and to know our traditional Christian values are being instilled in our children.
FCS graduates have an enviable acceptance rate into major colleges and universities, proving their academic credentials have earned them a position among the best of qualified applicants. Not only do Faith Christian graduates compete well academically, but they are well prepared to compete in a campus culture that may be hostile to their Christian faith. There are times in college classrooms where social norms are attacked and our Christian worldview is impugned. Such situations offer up the best endorsement for a Faith Christian School education because our graduates have been taught how to defend their faith and stand up for their values. Again, what a blessing!
In closing, let me take you back once more to the early years of Faith Christian School. Everyone involved with FCS, from faculty and staff, students, parents, and grandparents, all wanted to see the school grow and succeed. Everyone pitched in and did all they could to ensure that success. I remember many Saturdays when family members would gather at Virginia Heights Baptist Church to clean the facilities used by students during the previous week. Others made a financial contribution over and above the tuition, but it is important to stress that everyone contributed because they were passionate about the mission of Faith Christian School.
If you are a parent, grandparent, or just a friend of the school, please consider committing your time and resources to the ongoing success of Faith Christian School. Opportunities abound for you to help, whether serving in the cafeteria or perhaps assisting in coaching the athletic teams. My final encouragement to each of you is to give financially, even after your student has graduated. After all, given the culture of an ever-changing world, it is gratifying to know our children are prepared to meet the challenges and stand tall for Christ.
And that is truly a blessing!