March 14, 2023
Today we are bringing you stories from Monterey Bay Academy (MBA) and Mother Lode Adventist Junior Academy in California. The MBA community embraces Ukrainian refugees, and MBA students have the opportunity to serve on a mission trip to Puerto Rico. At Mother Lode, students are learning how to ski and building model rockets!
Monterey Bay Academy
Ukraine . . . The Pouring Out of Many Hearts
There are moments in history that are as pivotal as they are terrifying: the 2005 London bombing, 9/11, Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Boston Marathon bombing, and, most recently, Russia declaring war on Ukraine. They are pivotal because they reshape towns and cities, the nation and world. They are terrifying because they directly impact lives—most importantly, families. Following the invasion of Ukraine, Pastor Violeta "Violet" Bilan, associate pastor of the Living Word church in Oregon City, Oregon, started receiving requests from Ukrainians—desperate parents were reaching out to get their children to America for safety and an education. Ukrainian herself, Pastor Violet contacted MBA, hoping for possibilities.
Everything these families owned was confiscated, leaving them with no money. Regardless, MBA said yes to four students. What follows is their stories.
Mission Trip to Puerto Rico
During their winter break, 21 MBA students, joined by students from Escondido Adventist Academy and Redlands Academy, traveled to Puerto Rico on a mission trip. While in Puerto Rico, they were housed and fed at the Adventist camp, Campamento Yuquibo. Each day they would travel into the town of Luquillo, where their mission service included washing windows, cleaning a cafeteria, power washing sidewalks and streets, and cleaning multiple beaches of organic materials.
Sandy, a senior, said, “It was so great to be able to go and help out the community. It was amazing to be able to actually see the difference we made as we cleaned the beach of trash, making it a better place for the locals and visitors to enjoy.”
During their down time, the students were able to sightsee and enjoy some of the beautiful surroundings of the island. The trip concluded on Sabbath with the students from all three schools participating in the Sabbath services at a local Adventist church in Luquillo. They provided the song service, Bible readings, and personal testimonies.
Liz Worth, Spanish teacher at MBA, said that many locals shared their profound gratitude and appreciation for all the hard work pf the students. All the students really saw the blessings of giving back to the community and came back changed from the experience.
Mother Lode Adventist Junior Academy
Ski Program at Mother Lode
Each winter, the PE class at Mother Lode focuses on skiing. The nearby ski resort, Dodge Ridge, makes for a great learning platform. This year, students were able to make the trip five times. All the students made great progress! As with any PE or sporting class, this opportunity teaches kids so much more than mere skiing skills. The students learn independence, responsibility, and to stick with something even when it is hard.
Model Rockets
Building model rockets is a great way to learn astronomy and space flight mechanics. Likewise, you must think like an engineer and use math to measure and assemble your rocket. Building a rocket also helps you harness your reading and retention skills, since following the instructions is vital to creating a model rocket.
Every other year in Julie Kramer’s third- and fourth-grade classroom, alongside learning their multiplication tables, students build model rockets. How does it work? Well, each multiplication table a student completes unlocks a corresponding part on the model rocket. What’s more, students who are also in Pathfinders earn their model rocketry honor as well.
The rockets are launched in the spring, which builds such a sense of excitement and accomplishment for multiplication and building rockets!
