My husband, Adam, and I both had the privilege of attending The First Academy, I for 11 years and Adam for 13. We both graduated in 2008, and although we were good friends during our time at TFA, it was not until our time at the University of Florida that we dated and were married in July of 2012. I graduated from UF with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Adam graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. We now call Lufkin, Texas home. Adam works for Lockheed Martin as a Quality Engineer. I had the incredible opportunity to be part of the team that opened the first Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in our area. I continue to work as a part-time NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care) nurse, but I have recently added a new job to my resume: full-time Mama to our sweet baby girl, Emma Joy.

We are so grateful for so many things about our time at TFA. Adam and I were very involved during our many years at TFA, participating in sports, fine arts, student government, and various other clubs. Some of the highlights include slogging through the Everglades, constructing the pyramids out of marshmallows and mustard, and a Sadie Hawkins lunch where I asked Adam to be my date! Through all this, we developed lasting relationships with friends and faculty that have endured over the years. I am of course grateful for the education we received that prepared us for college and the workplace, but I am most grateful for the Christian foundation that TFA helped us to develop.

The worldview and apologetics teaching we received from Dr. Toenges and Mr. Kavanaugh is invaluable, and we continue to look back and reference the lessons we learned in their classes. In fact, we still have a binder of class notes on our bookshelf. We have also been able to pass along some of this knowledge as we have served in Student Ministry and Life Groups at Harmony Hill Baptist Church here in Lufkin. We are so thankful for the Lord’s faithfulness and the ways that He has used this school in our lives!