Story by Zaida Galva (’24)
I can definitely say coming to Shenandoah Valley Academy (SVA) was a God-worked plan. My name is Zaida Galva, and I am a senior from New York City, a place where you are confronted with lots of challenges on a daily basis. City life is extremely fast-paced, and you never really have a chance to establish deep relationships with those around you. That all changed when I arrived at SVA.
Editorial by Sherilyn O'Ffill, Associate Youth Director, Potomac Conference
At the age of 16, I became a staff member at Georgia Cumberland Conference’s Cohutta Springs Camp, and later at Northern California Conference’s Leoni Meadows Camp. Because of the positive influence summer camp had on me as a child, I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others too. While enjoying my staff roles, which included a kitchen worker, a counselor, the girls’ director and the assistant director, what inspired me the most was being mentored by other staff members. In turn, I learned how to mentor my campers—especially Mary.
Story by Samuel Girven ('25)
A growing crowd milled around me, exchanging greetings and hugs—signs of friend groups reuniting. I sat alone in the lobby of Twomley Hall at Shenandoah Valley Academy (SVA). It was handshake day, and I was a new student.
Several days earlier, I moved from my native Michigan, met by the heat and humidity of Virginia, to attend SVA. It was an abrupt change from how I had envisioned my last two years of high school.
Editorial by Charles A. Tapp
When someone reaches the age of 100, we refer to them as a centenarian, and we celebrate this tremendous milestone with much fanfare. This year, the Potomac Conference will turn 100. And as a conference, we, too, will take the opportunity to celebrate. But our celebration will take on a little different tone than merely observing that we reached this important landmark in our journey as a conference.
Story by Debra Anderson
In a rapidly evolving digital world, organizations—including faith-based ones like the Potomac Conference—are embracing technology to further their mission and efficiency. One significant step in this direction is transitioning from paper documents to digital records.
Potomac has embarked on a remarkable journey by digitizing more than a million pages from its Human Resources Department, a monumental feat that has streamlined access to critical information. With the simple touch of a button, a robust digital platform called Laserfiche, has enabled staff to retrieve information quickly.