Takoma Academy’s desire to have a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program that rivals those of the top tier schools in the nation took a huge leap forward with its recent acquisition of a 3-D printer.

Shaun Robinson, science teacher and robotics club advisor, says, “3-D printing is one of the areas that we are focusing on for the 2015-16 school year. It is a rapidly advancing technology that crosses many disciplines. Students in the best institutions are increasing their design and engineering skills with curriculum built around 3-D printing.”

Allegheny West Conference and the Glenville church in Cleveland recently made history when leaders installed the first female pastor, Regina Johnson. Johnson is serving as Glenville's administrative pastor.

Story by Allegheny West Conference staff

Johnson graduated from Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md., in May 2012, then joined the WAU Office of Ministry team as chaplain of ministry. While serving at WAU, she led the development of Crossroads, a student-led church service, started several new ministries and helped prepare 85 students for baptism.

In 1952 a real estate agent was tasked with finding the right property for the future Blue Mountain Academy (BMA). When he found it, he immediately called the president of what was then the East Pennsylvania Conference to share the news; however, he left out one vital piece of information: the land wasn’t for sale. Two conference employees toured the 683-acre grounds in Hamburg, Pa., that held six farms, a dairy, 169 head of cattle, nine buildings, seven barns and machinery to operate the entire plant. It also included a summer camp with five buildings, a swimming pool and summer vacation cottage.

Story by Caron Oswald

After a lengthy search for a new assistant treasurer, the Ohio Conference hired Roy Simpson. Simpson, son of a pastor, lived in five different countries while growing up in Central America.

Story by Heidi Shoemaker

He opted to study accounting because he “wanted to work for the church, and numbers have always been my strongest area in school," he shares. Simpson has a bachelor’s in business administration, and expects to complete an MBA in finance in about a year.

Although Seventh-day Adventists were unable to worship openly in Cuba until recently, members from Potomac Conference’s Seabrook church in Lanham, Md., have ministered there for more than three years. And this summer, Seabrook church members Gavin Simpson, Noah Simpson and Audrey Clarke traveled with Margaret Cancelliere, a member from Pennsylvania Conference’s Pottstown church, and Kenton Rawlins, a member from Connecticut, for a third mission trip to Gibara, a small seaside town where they have worked for the past two years.

Story by Dawna-gene Milton and V. Michelle Bernard