Story by Sam Joseph, LEGO Robotics Coach
Spring Valley Academy’s (SVA) LEGO® Robotics instructors have launched a new and exciting year filled with discovery, innovation and fun. The robotics team is comprised of fifth- and sixth-grade students who strive for innovative and unique robotic design elements, in addition to precise mathematical equations that they are trying to utilize.
Story by Kevin Krueger, general manager of WGTS
There are days when the only words of prayer that fit are, “God, you are good.”
Recently our board chair Pastor Charles Tapp spoke and Hope Darst led worship for our annual Night of Hope evangelistic event. It was a God-moment I’ll not forget in Washington, D.C. It was evident that an evening like this was sorely needed after almost two years of tragedy and struggle. Pastor Tapp’s words and challenge were well received and provided courage to continue for all in attendance. And when at least 20 people came forward to give their heart to the Lord, well, the only words that fit were, “God, you are good.”
Story by Andrew S. Lay
Elijah Ramjattan, new campus chaplain and recruiter, recently joined the faculty at Highland View Academy (HVA). He and his wife, Jo-Anna, a registered nurse, both received degrees from Weimar University (Calif.) and look forward to changing lives in youth ministry at the academy.
Story by Frank Perez
The board of the Good Neighbor House (GNH) in Dayton, Ohio, recently announced the appointment of Michelle Collier as executive director.
Collier has been with the agency for the past five years. She was hired as the chief operating officer, but added more responsibilities as the 28-year old operation acquired more programs to help serve the Miami Valley and beyond.
Good Neighbor House serves all areas of their community through their pantry services, dental clinic, multi-programed medical clinic which includes medical care, counseling services and a dispensary. Three times, in the history of this faith-based organization, there has been a push to add more room to help answer the need of our community members. Twice, this was done by relocating.
Story by Tiffany Doss
In an effort to go “beyond the walls”—the conference’s new initiative—administrators recently met with Staunton, Va., city officials. “[Our] office has been in the community over the past 50 years, but many people don’t know who we are or what we do,” explains Charles A. Tapp, president. “We wanted to meet with city officials to ... let them know we are here to build relationships, help our neighbors and reach out to those in need.”
Story by Adventist HealthCare Staff
In 2021, Adventist HealthCare’s The Lourie Center for Children’s Social & Emotional Health was awarded a five-year, $2 million dollar grant to implement Family Attachment-focused Services, Treatment, & Training (FASTT) in Montgomery and Prince George’s County.
The grant was awarded from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the University of Maryland School of Social Work will serve as a third-party evaluation and assessment partner.
Interview by Michelle Greene
Randy Fishell, the former and interim editor of Guide magazine, illustrated and wrote Tucker Digs In. In the fictional story, middle-schooler Tucker Barnes can’t wait to use his metal detector and find buried treasure. Tucker and his friends try to avoid bullies and learn how to treasure hunt while digging into the importance of prayer.
In our interview with Fishell, he shared where he found his inspiration for the book.
Story by Natalie Lilly, Communication Intern
God is on the move in Pennsylvania. When COVID-19 impacted the “120 in 2020” plan to hold 120 evangelistic meetings during 2020, the evangelism team simply moved those scheduled meetings to 2021. Those events grew from 120 to more than 135 prophecy series by the end of the year—the highest number of evangelistic seminars in a single year in the conference.
Editorial by Jerry Lutz
You’ve heard it said, “Old habits die hard.” It’s a phrase that is sometimes used to convey how difficult
it can be to stop doing things one has been doing for a long time. If you have ever tried breaking a well- established habit, you know how challenging and frustrating it can be. Neuroscientists graphically describe habits as pathways in the brain that are made by connections between neurons (nerve cells). These neural pathways, they say, are like grooves in the road maps of our brain. So, the more frequently the pathway is traveled, the stronger and more “second nature” the behavior.
Story by North American Division Communication Staff