Our academies in MAUC have had a great start to the new school year with only a few challenges (always to be expected). As Christians, we truly want a quality education for our students. That desire is what has led the Adventist Church to use its means and resources for educating future generations. Our schools let students learn, grow, and explore their world encircled by the safe boundaries of caring teachers, curated curriculum, and relevant activities for each developmental stage.
Adventist education is a mission. This mission of learning is not just academics, it is a mission of learning more about their Savior Jesus.
I had the privilege of attending Seventh-day Adventist schools. Because of the teachers in those schools, I became an Adventist.The love and acceptance shown to me by my teachers gave me a life changing experience that changed me forever. Our teachers know that they are changing lives for eternity. “It is the harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers. It prepares the student for the joy of service in this world and for the higher joy of wider service in the world to come” (Ellen G. White, Education, 13).
Our society’s worldly lifestyle exerts a powerful influence on young people. Media, television, music, fashion, video games, Internet, alcohol, drugs and entertainment seems to work to separate them from God. Christian parents need our schools to be a city of refuge, with a healthy environment that is as safe as possible for their children. Our schools are not perfect, but they can offer an Adventist education, which is ideal because God inspires it. Adventist teachers who are dedicated to the ministry of education, and who enjoy sharing their faith with their students, work to bring their students closer to that ideal.
Developing leadership skills and friendships
Mid-America Union Conference and Union College work together to continue our educational partnership with our academies, giving students opportunities to meet students from other academies by planning activities that will challenge them spiritually, physically and allow for social interactions. I would like to share with you some of the programs we offer.
September brought our student leaders to Lincoln, Nebraska, for the annual Academy Leadership Conference, hosted this year by Union College. Students underwent testing to discover their leadership strengths, then school teams put their newfound leadership style awareness to good use in working through a town disaster scenario. Teams worked together to come up with the best ways to handle different situations as effectively as they could. This leadership experience was designed to help students explore how they may develop better use of their talents in their own leadership roles when they return to their schools. After the exercise concluded, students toured the State Capitol building.
Other great activities for our academy students that MAUC and Union College plan and sponsor together are soccer, volleyball and basketball tournaments, a music clinic, and Acrofest (gymnastics). These activities provide our Mid-America students opportunities to come together in friendship games and learning encounters, allowing them to connect with others and build lifelong friendships.
Alongside the music clinic, the MAUC Office of Education and Union College provide a forum for academy teachers in their core subject area, giving them opportunity to come together and collaborate with others teaching in the same area. The correlating Union College department facilitates the forum. Opportunities are also available for teachers to work on improving their own teaching strategies, observe classes and talk individually with professors and their colleagues about learning expectations.
It is our desire to better prepare our students to be successful when they graduate and go out into the world to be productive in their lives and their communities, as well as to pursue higher education degrees if they so choose. All our educators in Mid-America strive to give the best education possible and most importantly to help our students develop their walk with Jesus.
Gerard Ban is associate director of education for the Mid-America Union Conference.
For more information on MAUC academies, visit their webpages listed here:
Dakota Conference – Dakota Adventist Academy
7200 N. Washington St. https://mydaa.org/
Bismarck, ND 58503
Phone: 701-751-6177
Iowa/Missouri Conference – Sunnydale Adventist Academy
1005 Grand Ave. https://sunnydale.org/
West Des Moines, IA 50265
Phone: 515-223-1197
Kansas/Nebraska Conference – College View Academy
3440 SW Urish Rd. https://www.cvak12.org/
Topeka, KS 66614 Midland Adventist Academy
Phone: 785-478-4726 https://www.midlandacademy.org/
Minnesota Conference – Maplewood Academy
8232 Highway 65 NE https://www.maplewoodacademy.org/
Spring Lake Park, MN 55432
Phone: 763-424-8923
Rocky Mountain Conference – Campion Academy
2520 S Downing St. https://www.campion.net/
Denver, CO 80210 Mile High Adventist Academy
Phone: 303-733-3771 https://www.milehighacademy.org/
Mid-America Union Conference schools are part of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventist school system. You can learn more about Adventist education at:
- https://adventisteducation.org.
- https://v1.adventisteducation.org/mau-statistics.html
- https://find.adventisteducation.org/#/union
Gerard Ban is associate director of education for the Mid-America Union Conference.
