Crusader Connection 2011

May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God...

Psalm 20:5 NLT

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OSWALD CHAMBERS’ DEVOTIONAL BOOK, My Utmost For His Highest, states, “God is looking for childlike people who are foolish enough to believe God’s word and obey it.” That is the essence of those who are privileged to walk the halls of Westminster Christian Academy on a daily basis.

Walking in Wonder

Merida Brooks, Superintendent

Westminster Christian Academy is filled with people with childlike faith ~ people who have a deep commitment to obedience to God’s Word and who walk in wonder marveling at the hand of God working in and through their lives. These are “living stones”, the memorials, to what Father God has done in this place over the past thirty-four years.

The Biblically integrated, rigorous, academic program becomes the vehicle by which the entire Westminster Family is able to relate to one another, to “iron sharpen” and invest in one another in order to be all that God has called each of us to be in Christ Jesus. Out of this spins our athletic and co-curricular programs that provide additional opportunity to sow seeds of truth and character into the lives of the young people God brings to us yearly.

Twenty-four years ago, as is true of so many Westminster families, the Sam and Merida Brooks’ family, comprised of our five school age children ranging from first to seventh grades, came searching for a school where Jesus Christ was truly exalted as the “God of all knowledge”; where the academic program’s reputation and success was excellent and packed with the richness of Biblical truth; and where joy was present, a critical measurement of our family’s belief that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is joy!

We found a school that was truly aligned with the Biblical principles and priorities upon which our home was built.

This small school still in it’s infancy shared the same Biblical worldview. WCA was a match and we stayed!

It has been twelve years since our last child’s Westminster graduation. As adult children, it is evident that depth of

the foundation of our children’s faith came from our home and church, but much of the breadth came from the lives of so many warriors who taught, coached and loved them at WCA. Still today, I witness this happening in the lives of our students and families. With three grandchildren now enrolled, we rejoice to know that the priorities, which were so important to us as young parents, remain firmly woven into the fabric of Westminster Christian Academy and that our grandsons’ lives are also being shaped and enriched by the men and women, the current warriors, called to serve their Savior at WCA. Driving onto the campus daily as Superintendent, I acknowledge God’s Headship and invite His presence into every aspect of our school on all three WCA campuses. With childlike wonder I marvel, along with others, at the privilege that is still mine to walk through these doors to witness every single day the hand of God at work. I look back in awe of God’s manifest presence and incredible faithfulness to this non-denominational, evangelical Christian school that serves over 1,040 students representing over 150 local churches in five parishes. The mission remains the same today as it was in the beginning, “to lift little faces to behold God.” I look forward with a spirit of expectancy to all that He will continue to do as the honored and welcomed Head of Westminster Christian Academy. Truly, He is the only explanation for all that has been and will continue to be accomplished in the lives of those He has entrusted to our care.

“Some boast in chariots, some in horses; but we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.” Psalm 20:7

Baseball Field House Opened This Year

Raising a Victory Banner in Athletics Tommy Badon, Athletic Director

Athletics at Wesminster Christian Academy not only helps our students train and practice to win games, but to train and practice to ensure victories in life. Any victories we have had this year are all to glorify the name of our Father in Heaven, for every victory is His! The Athletic Department here at WCA has come such a long way in my eight-plus years, that it takes a minute of reflection to realize the great work God is doing with our young people. This is more than a job for those of us who work in the trenches, and it is great to see the many victories on and off the field that God allows us to enjoy.

He has a mighty plan for all of our lives, and those of us who have been called here to do His work need to

remember He is the source of our strength.

It is a wonderful thing to see young, immature junior high boys and girls mature into responsible, goal-driven, Christian young men and women. Our goal is always to help them have a positive high school experience, one that they can remember fondly, telling stories of relationships built, games won, difficult defeats, accolades earned, and goals reached.

The 2010-2011 senior class has much of which to be proud.

While they do

Athletic Field House Opening This Fall

not yet fully realize it, they epitomize the principles taught at WCA. This senior class worked for four years, played hard, stayed together, and earned a great deal of respect from those inside and outside the Westminster community.

District championships, All-State awards, All-Star Games, Playoff appearances, an undefeated season, and so many other great things happened this year that we need to turn our eyes heavenward and thank God for giving us the determination and perseverance to endure. We set our sights on the prize, and ran the

race to win. As an athlete, it is easy to say, “I want to be the best”. It is something else to be acknowledged as the best.

athletics. Though we do at times fall short, making the effort at excellence is the real issue.

These young people did a great deal off the field as well. They visited sick children in hospitals, sang at nursing homes, sent boxes to troops overseas, and served as leaders in their church youth groups and summer camps.

It is an honor to coach at a school that makes every effort to live by the standard “do all unto the Lord.” If we really mean that, then we must try to excel in life as well as in

Dreams do come true. They are God-ordained. In the Book of Proverbs, He says, “A people without vision will perish.” The athletes this year, from the senior class down to the freshmen, took this to heart and did what it took to make the memories of the 2010-2011 school year count. And for that, we thank the Lord.

Establishing Strong Foundations Pat Carlson, Opelousas Preschool Director Barbara Accardo, Calvary Preschool Director Vanessa Fortner Bell, Lafayette Preschool Director

WCA Preschools are a haven of love and trust with a staff dedicated to establishing strong foundations of excellence in our students.

Westminster’s three preschool campuses- Lafayette, Calvary, and Opelousas- embrace the idea that “the heart of education is educating the heart.”

This serves as a springboard for our students’ introduction to God’s world.

That introduction centers on learning both inside and outside the classroom. Inside the classroom, students experience a Biblicallybased curriculum. Reading, writing, and arithmetic equip the students with the cognitive skills necessary for academic and character development. Sounds and letters become words and sentences as students learn to read.

Outdoor excursions allow students to apply science, math, and social studies concepts, while classroom instruction and practice helps little hands to fine tune motor skills. All of these lessons create a fun-filled, loving environment centered on God’s wisdom.

This year, numerous activities enriched the preschoolers’ education and strengthened the relationship between the three WCA campuses and students’ families. Events such as National Day of Prayer, Kite Day, and a tricycle parade to celebrate Westminster’s Homecoming allowed preschoolers and their families to have fun together on our campuses. Preschoolers remember the excitement of Pioneer Day, Hibernation Day, and celebrating

“Under the Big Top.” Our students shared their talents and joy with family and friends through programs for Easter, Christmas, spring, and Grandparents’ Day. All of these events allowed Westminster to further its mission of assisting parents in raising a generation committed to Christ.

As rewarding as the educational and extracurricular experiences have been, the highlight of the year was watching students grow in relationships with their Father in heaven.

They also learned to model Christ’s example of kindness and forgiveness toward one another. Students saw God’s care for creation while patiently watching squirrels gather acorns to prepare for winter. Students participated in God’s mandate to serve others by collecting gifts for disaster victims in Alabama. We are grateful to our students’ families as we walk together to raise up a generation grounded in the eternal trust we have in the Divine Creator.

Looking back on the school year, we thank God for the privilege and responsibility of sowing the seeds of His truth in these precious children!

Triumphs in our Elementary

Becky Boudreaux, Lafayette Elementary Principal — Bill Thompson, Opelousas Elementary Principal Our Elementary Classes are a place of vigorous learning, growth and love. Join us in offering a sacrifice of praise to our God for the work He is doing on our Elementary Campuses! We are blessed to have the opportunity to join with our families and with our God in what He is accomplishing through these precious young people.

We look back upon the 20102011 school term with glasses of reflection, looking for ways to affirm that “for Him and through Him, and to Him are all things.... to Him be the glory,” (Romans 11:36) lifting up banners in the name of the Lord! In our reflection we see glory to Jesus Christ in the form of victorious flags to be lifted high! Victory after victory jumps off the calendar: triumphs having to do with academics, spirituality, service, and programs.

As to academics, Stanford Achievement Test scores provided banner affirmation for a year of learning: solid overall scores in the seventieth and eightieth percentiles for each

grade.

Furthermore, after three years in ACSI’s Purposeful Design Science, God gets the glory for making our students young scientists who can think scientifically and solve handson problems with the scientific method! Then, too, the depth of our reading program has been strengthened by a third year of required reading of an SRC book each quarter. In fact, the average elementary student read some ten to fifteen books during the school year, beyond what the class did as a whole!

Spiritually, the victories could be counted by the number of elementary students who

made commitments to the Lord. While we do not do such recording, 2010-2011 was a banner year for students to pray to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Some commitments came after regular chapels that featured such topics as: • The Ten Commandments • The Lord’s Prayer • God’s Umbrella of Protection • Being His Servants Through Missions • Building Right Relationships What we learned in chapels, we applied in the classroom and in life. Ultimate victories in

lives given over to full commitment to Jesus will be realized only in Heaven! Talk of Banners of Victory!

Banners were also raised by serving others! In Opelousas, “Work-a-thon,” found students visiting and ministering in nursing homes, packing up needs for a missionary in Libya, touring the city of Opelousas with baskets of appreciation for public servants, and assisting the work of Hope House in ministering to indigent students of the city. WCA’s yearly commitment to the “Jesus Cares” project provided blessings to needy families at Christmas, while the Opelousas Penny Harvest raised enough pennies for one person’s costs for WCA’s Mission Team to go to Costa Rica.

In Lafayette, our sixth grade students enjoy an ongoing relationship with several area nursing care facilities.

First grade students have joined them, beginning a new tradition, in bringing their Christmas Program to these facilities to cheer residents. Our local service project, “Jesus Cares,” helped Faith House, Bridge Ministry and adopted individual families in need. Globally, we expanded our mission vision to include a Haitian Orphanage, a Dominican Republic Orphanage, Gospel of Asia, Samaritan’s Purse and a Burundi project that teaches helpless women to sew and make a living for their families.

Last, but in no way the least, our students have committed to pray for our troops, making cards of encouragement for them and sending special

snacks and other items.

This flag of triumph for opportunities to facilitate lifelong selfless service in student lives is a cause for celebration.

Finally, in reflection, both campuses saw in the programs offered to our families and community – that banners scripted with the name of Christ were raised high throughout the school year in these programs: • Veterans’ Day programs honoring local veterans.

• Christmas programs presenting the simple story of Jesus’ birth.

• Patriotic program presentations spreading the name and dominion of Christ across the land.

• Easter Walk – telling the last weeks of Jesus’ life to small groups of younger students.

The ultimate culmination of a banner year of programs was the school-wide yearly tradition of National Day of Prayer programs and picnics for families.

The highlight of this event was to hear the prayers of students, grades one through six, praying for our city, state, and national leaders.

“Therefore, I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.” Romans 15:17

Every Child is God’s Child

Myra Baker, Upper School Principal — Lisa Rivers, Middle School Assistant Principal What an enormous responsiblity that we take very seriously to impart God’s truth to our students. When our students graduate from Westminster Christian Academy, they are equipped with the tools they need to succeed in college and in life. Our prayer is that they open the toolbox and transform their world, thus fulfilling our mission as a school.

This year our Upper School focused on “Every Child Is God’s Child.” We tried to help every child succeed as we partnered with parents.

We especially focused on helping our middle school students as they transitioned into 7th grade and as they prepared to walk across the bridge of success from 8th grade to high school.

The staff of the WCA Upper School are blessed because we have the opportunity each and every day to influence the lives of the future.

We try to approach every day of our lives with dedication, as though we are ambassadors of a better life — because we are! As we partner with parents, we want to continue to put our trust in God and step forward with the assurance that God is with us.

God continually allows us to experience His hand of blessing as we watch our students succeed. We pray that as they experience academic and athletic success, they will always remember that the real success comes with being certain that Jesus is in their hearts.

If they leave WCA with only a diploma, our mission has not been completed. Our mission is to provide a Christian perspective to a secular culture. We are not necessarily the ones who harvest, but we trust that God will water the seeds that have been planted here.

Paul said in I Corinthians 3:10, “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.”

Pray for us that we can be “wise masterbuilders.”

Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Pasadena, CA Permit No. 27 186 Westminster Drive Opelousas, LA 70570

www.wcala.org Opelousas Campus 186 Westminster Drive Opelousas, LA 70570 Phone: 337-948-8607 Fax: 337-948-8983

Lafayette Campus 111 Goshen Lane Lafayette, LA 70508 Phone: 337-988-6489 Fax: 337-988-6340

Opelousas Preschool 163 Westminster Drive Opelousas, LA 70570 Phone: 337-942-3288

Calvary Campus 4015 Moss Street Lafayette, LA 70507 Phone: 337-945-8235

Westminster Christian Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of the organization. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and other organization-administered programs.