Winter Bible Retreat 2025 in Review

The Academy for GOD recently hosted our annual Winter Bible Retreat for junior high and high school students at Horton Haven Camp. Themed “Here to Serve,” the retreat centered around Mark 10:45, where Jesus declares, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Mr. Garner led the teaching sessions, diving deep into Jesus’ disruptive commandment on greatness and authority. He challenged students to reconsider their views of success and leadership, emphasizing that true greatness in God's Kingdom is marked by service and sacrifice. "Jesus Himself came here to serve," Mr. Garner explained, urging students to recognize that God is preparing them for significant roles—but not in the way the world defines greatness. Instead, their “power” equates to obligation: a calling to obedience, selflessness, and service to the poor and marginalized.

Throughout the weekend, students engaged in worship, Bible study, shared meals, and plenty of fun activities. These experiences not only deepened their faith but also strengthened their bonds with each other. The retreat created a safe space for students to reflect, grow, and encounter God in personal and new ways.

We believe that the impact of this retreat extends far beyond the weekend itself. The lessons learned, relationships built, and spiritual growth experienced will continue to influence these young hearts and minds for months and years to come. We are incredibly grateful to the teachers and parent chaperones who dedicated their time and energy to invest in the lives of our students.

Student Testimonies:

“I can get so nervous in letting God take control, but I have new faith and new confidence now and I plan to take it into the semester.” - 10th Grade Student

“I struggled last year with having faith in God. But on this trip, I felt seen and really heard on this Bible Retreat. God really moved during this time because a senior prayed for me, and I am so thankful for this time.” - 8th Grade Student

“Over the last couple of years, I have had a lot of insecurities and fears. It has been tearing me down lately. As I went to last night’s worship, those insecurities and fears just went away and I felt a sense of peace come over me. God really healed me from my fears and insecurities.” - 7th Grade Student

“A lot has happened over this retreat. Last night’s worship was AMAZING as I got prayed for and I was feeling it! I was so shocked how that was exactly what I needed to hear.” - 12th Grader

“I just want to testify because being a senior we get more time to reflect. And in reflection, I am so thankful for what we have been given and the growth that has happened in our class specifically.” - 12th Grader

“I wanted to do something great, but I didn’t know how to take the steps to get there. In going to the Bible Retreat I expected God to give me more direction, and I confidently say that was given to me during the Bible Retreat. I know where I am going now and the next step I am going to take. I can walk by faith now and take that next step to become more like Christ.” - 10th Grader

We encourage parents to continue debriefing with their children about the retreat. These conversations can help solidify the lessons learned and provide ongoing support as students apply what they experienced in their daily lives. Here are some reflection questions you might ask your child:

• What did you feel like the Lord spoke to you this past weekend through the worship and the Word?

• What was an impactful moment for you from the retreat?

• If God is going to cultivate your greatness through service, how do you plan to become “great” in His Kingdom this year?

• Who do you hope to serve in response to the teachings at the Bible Retreat?

Thank you for trusting us with your children and for supporting their spiritual growth. With over 87 participants this year, it’s clear that God is moving in powerful ways within our community. We look forward to seeing how He continues to work in the lives of these young leaders!

Academic Achievements for Semester 1, 2023

It's time to celebrate the incredible academic achievements of our Junior High and High School students at the Academy for GOD for the first semester of the 2023-2024 school year! These students have demonstrated hard work and dedication in pursuit of academic excellence.

In Junior High, the following students achieved Academic Honors, which is awarded to students who earned all As and Bs during the Fall 2023 semester.

7th Grade

• Yonah Arroyo

• Olivia Brooks

• Brenton Buck

• Abram Davis

• Solomon Horst

• Charlee Kagay

• Jude Montgomery

• Phillip Motorny

• Landon Perryman

• Eve Willis

8th Grade

• Caden Aaseby

• Daniel Cameron

• Ruby Edmondson

• Eliana Galford

• Noah Galford

• Eden Loeffler

• Ajay Maute

• Nanozi Nyago

• Hudsyn Roberts

Also, in Junior High, the following students achieved Academic High Honors, which is awarded to Jr. High students who earned all As during the Fall 2023 semester.

7th Grade

• Judah Aaseby

• Isaac Muñoz

• Caleb Muñoz

• Abela Roufs

8th Grade

• Tobin Nadeau

• Stephen Ownby

In high school, the Principal’s Award was given to the following students students who achieved a Fall 2023 High School GPA of 3.5-3.86.

9th Grade

• Zuri Aaseby

• Caleb Lasater

• Joshua Lasater   

10th Grade 

• Malachi Aaseby

11th Grade

• Ethan Benoit

• Blessing Davis

• Tyler Worlow

12th Grade

• Tasha Andrews

• Kiah Roufs

Furthermore, the Headmaster’s Award is given to the following high school students who achieved a Fall 2023 High School GPA of 3.87-4.0.

9th Grade

• Evie Arroyo

• Adia Bargatze

• Esperanza Davis

• Owen Kagay

• Amani Kurtz

• Ethan Olson

• Shae Ownby

• Sailor Reichert

• Sarieli Reyes Sauls

• Jaelyn Roufs

• Jonah Willis

10th Grade

• Camden Cole

• Sophia Galford

• Luke Loeffler

• Joselyn Muñoz

11th Grade

• Ezrah Aaseby

• Esther Bargatze

• Mckenzie Castlen

• Eved Roufs

12th Grade

• Sawyer Cole

• Jackson Kurtz

• Luci Muñoz

• Zeke Nadeau

• Moriah Olson

Congratulations to all the students at the Academy for GOD for their outstanding accomplishments during the first semester of the 2023-2024 school year. Your hard work and dedication inspire us all!

Applying Theology to Graphic Design

This semester, 8th-grade students have had the opportunity to take “Intro to Graphic Design” with Mrs. Milliron, a local graphic designer with Genovations Media, who has taught with the Academy on a number of occasions. She brings her expertise to the classroom and encourages students to make conscious decisions about their visual efforts because design must be intentional. At the start of this course, Mrs. Milliron taught the students to consider their position as creative beings, created in the image of God. She exhorted them from the Word, helping them to understand why labeling and design matters. The following verses have been the foundation of all the work that students have put in this semester:

1. It allows us to properly label and bring order (and life) to our environment (Genesis 1).

2. It is a part of how we represent ourselves, and reputation is important (1 Peter 2:12).

3. It’s a way we can show hospitality to others, by helping them be represented well, too (Galatians 6:9-10).

Students have been challenged to work with multiple design programs requiring their own drawing skills while also learning tools to enhance their work as well. They have learned about the elements of design, principles of graphic design, color theory, color psychology, typography, layout, and composition. 

With all of these foundational skills in order, students were able to move forward by engaging in logo design for “Flamingo Airlines”, a fictional company, where they had to take the results of a creative brief and work through the steps of brand creation, including, research, brainstorm, conceptualization, refine, and finalize. When this process was finished after several weeks, the students had the opportunity to vote for their favorite final Flamingo Airlines logo among their peers. The winners were Caleb Lasater (3rd), Jonah Willis (2nd), and Sarieli Reyes (1st). See the pictures below for their logo mock-ups on airplanes! 

After the Flamingo Airlines project, students then moved into the final project of the semester, creating their own businesses! Students have worked diligently over the past few weeks to design a logo in multiple forms, create business cards, flyers, and various collateral. They have also done the hard work of giving each other constructive feedback. They will end the semester with a networking event where they will showcase their businesses to other classes and teachers throughout the school. 

The students have done an excellent job making consideration for the Word of God and those they intend to serve with their businesses. Some students have thought very practically about things they can do now, like babysitting, home organization, and guitar lessons. In contrast, others have thought about their future selves and the type of work they would like to get involved in like healthcare, counseling, sports companies for youth, healthy snacks for athletes, and many more. It's been a blessing to witness their future dreams through this project!

Thank you, Mrs. Milliron, for this wonderful introduction to graphic design for our students!

2023 Bible Retreat: In Review

Academy Headmaster, Gregg Garner, and Jr High and High Vice Principal, Ms. Mathews propose a question for students to answer in light of the weekend’s bible study: what is it about Jesus that you want the world to know through you?

This spring, Jr. High and High School students packed up and headed to Deer Run Retreat center, for two days of Bible study, worship and fellowship. 

This is the second year the Academy has held a Bible retreat. These times serve as an opportunity for students to step back from their daily lives and responsibilities. They take focused time in God’s Word, developing the spiritual and social aspects of their holistic education. 

This year’s theme was ‘World Renown’, taken from John 13:34-35. “A new command I give you: love one another just as I have loved you. This is how you are to love one another. By doing this, the world will know you learn from me but only if you have love for one another.” In considering the question of how to love one another well, students were pointed to the whole of Jesus’ life and teachings. If you are going to love as Jesus did, you will need to study and understand his life. Such a weekend retreat is not an ‘end’ but just the beginning of a deeper dive into lifelong biblical education. 

Headmaster Gregg Garner was the main speaker, joined by a power team of other faculty and administrators who spoke on panels, led worship and facilitated small group discussions! Saturday night was an especially powerful time of worship. Many students and faculty testified to the presence of God moving so strongly that night. 

“I have always had this sort of wall inside of me. It specifically has put a cap on my worship and relationship with God,” says 10th grader Ethan Benoit. 

“During the worship time on Saturday night, I was trying my hardest to get past this gate, but I couldn’t. There was a limit to my worship. I prayed and I cried out but I could get no further. Then I saw Leif on the ground praying with his family and a few others. I felt compelled to go pray for him, so I did. I went to him and knelt beside him, and as soon as I touched him to pray over him, that wall, that very thing that had been blocking an emotional side of me that I have never seen, disappeared. 

I had never felt anything like it. It was this new sense of freedom and love that washed over me. The moment my hand touched Leif’s shoulder I broke into tears of joy.”

Vice Principal Meg Mathews, who organized the retreat, also testified to the willingness and initiative of the students to engage the Lord in times of worship and Bible study: 

A retreat is never absent of good times of fellowship with one another promoting unity, teamwork, and lasting friendships.

“Our Jr. High and High students do not wait to be entertained or facilitated; they are proactive in their faith and take the opportunity to engage God’s Word. I am so proud of our students as they have persevered so much through adversity and trials and yet they are still standing firm in their decision to follow Jesus and emulate him to the world.”

Students were also blessed to have parent chaperones join them in ensuring a smooth time. Academy parents had been helpful in volunteering for the two Parents Night Out events which gave students the chance to fundraise for retreat costs. Thank you, parents!

In between worship and times in scripture, the students played soccer, enjoyed the wildly popular zip line and navigated a climbing wall and high ropes course! 

Senior Leif Nadeau shared after the retreat,

“Before I went on this Bible retreat, I had a conversation with my mentor, Mr. Aaseby, who challenged me to approach this weekend with an open mind and fully participate in all the activities. Let me tell you, everything I did during this retreat was way out of my comfort zone. From sitting at a table that was already crowded, to talking with people I don't usually interact with, riding on a zipline, playing by the real rules in sports, raising my hands in worship, and giving a testimony — it was all new territory for me.

What I discovered by pushing myself out of my comfort zone was truly eye-opening. Through this openness, I was able to fully embrace the spirit of God during worship in a way I had never experienced before.”

Times of worship and bible study characterized the weekend as students were challenged to consider what it meant to make Jesus known in the world.

The weekend was a power-packed, rich time of encountering the Lord, growing in relationships with one-another, and having a ton of fun! Vice Principal Mathews reflects with conviction,

“I have no doubt these students will be World Renown through the ways in which they care and love one another and those in need one day as they continue to become these young men and women of God.”

Can Enough Sleep Really Improve Grades?

To wake up or sleep in? That is the question. Of course, if your teenage student has class, they better not be sleeping in too late. However, you should be making sure they are getting enough sleep, as research shows it can make a big difference in classroom performance. Lack of sleep contributes to poor concentration, which is an essential component if one expects to excel academically.   

While we may sometimes complain about teenagers being lazy and sleeping too much, studies reveal how important sleep actually is for optimal brain function. After all, the brain of a teenager is still developing. In fact, it typically doesn’t even reach full maturity until the mid-twenties. Thus, sleep for teenagers is not just for their growing bodies, but also for their developing brain. Sleep deprivation is a hindrance to healthy brain development and could potentially be a contributing factor if you notice a decline in your teen’s academic performance. 

In 2023, the Sleep Foundation found that later school start times support the biological needs of adolescents; they increase the amount of sleep adolescents get. Other benefits of later start times include: improved attendance at school, decreased tardiness, fewer occurrences of falling asleep in class, reduced irritability and depressive symptoms and fewer disciplinary issues.

Studies have shown the sleep patterns of teenagers differ from children and adults, and in most cases, they need more than those who are in other stages of life. Also, when it comes to sleep, teenagers experience phase delays which cause them to more easily stay up later than younger kids or adults. The levels of the sleep hormone melatonin usually don’t decline until later in the morning as well, which goes to explain why they may sleep later. 

It can be difficult to make sure a teenager gets enough sleep, but with too little sleep, it could negatively impact a student’s grades. Whether it’s implementing bedtimes or curfews, making sure gadgets are turned off a while before going to bed, or developing a “pre-sleep” routine to help your body prepare for resting, there are rules we can try to teach our teenagers to implement to ensure they are sleeping enough. Cognitive function, attentiveness, and memory are improved by getting enough rest, and it has the possibility to significantly help their classroom performance. For more information on this topic, check out some of the sources below:

Sources: 

“The Teen Brain: 7 Things to Know.” National Institute of Mental Health.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know#:~:text=Though%20the%20brain%20may%20be,the%20mid%2D%20to%20late%2020s. 

Sifferlin, Alexandra. “Why Teenage Brains Are So Hard to Understand.” Time. 8 September 2017 (visited 15 September 2022).  

https://time.com/4929170/inside-teen-teenage-brain/ 

“Poor sleep can negatively affect a student’s grades, increase the odds of emotional and behavioral disturbance.” American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Updated 7 Nov. 2017 (visited: 5 Sept. 2022) 

https://aasm.org/poor-sleep-can-negatively-affect-a-students-grades-increase-the-odds-of-emotional-and-behavioral-disturbance/ 

“Sleep and Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Reviewed 29 May 2019 (visited 5 Sept. 2022)

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/sleep.htm#:~:text=Adequate%20sleep%20contributes%20to%20a,concentration%2C%20and%20improve%20academic%20performance. 

Walton, Alice G. “7 Ways Sleep Affects The Brain (And What Happens If It Doesn't Get Enough). Forbes. Visited: 16 September 2022.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2016/12/09/7-ways-sleep-affects-the-brain-and-what-happens-if-it-doesnt-get-enough/?sh=5f98c3fe753c 

Okano, K., Kaczmarzyk, J.R., Dave, N. et al. Sleep quality, duration, and consistency are associated with better academic performance in college students. npj Sci. Learn. 4, 16 (2019). Published 1 October 2019 (visited 5 September 2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-019-0055-z 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41539-019-0055-z 

Merriman, Kate.  “School performance can be improved with a good night’s sleep.” WMBF News. 19 Feb. 2021 (visited: 5 September 2022)

https://www.wmbfnews.com/2021/02/19/school-performance-can-be-improved-with-good-nights-sleep/ 

Suni, Eric. “How Lack of Sleep Impacts Cognitive Performance and Focus.” Sleep Foundation. Updated 29 April 2022 (visited 5 September 2022)

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/lack-of-sleep-and-cognitive-impairment 

Locker, Melissa. “Let Your Kids Sleep More For Better Grades.” Time. 13 January 2015 (visited 5 September 2022).

https://time.com/3663796/for-better-grades-let-your-kids-sleep-more/