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Palmetto Christian Academy
THE EAGLE EDITION
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It's Spiritual Emphasis Week!
Transforming The Heart For Christ-like Living
PCA's Upper School Spiritual Emphasis Week will provide an exceptional opportunity for our students to put their faith into action. Through a variety of service possibilities, students can be the salt and the light in our community and grow in their love for God's children. Today our senior class spent several hours volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House and the VA Hospital where they visited with patients and their families. Across town, a team of 9th grade boys were busy helping out at the Lowcountry Food Bank.
Upper School Principal Greg Moser believes that the addition of community service this year is important in discipling the heart of each student for Christ-like living.
"After last year's Spiritual Emphasis week, Tara Rhodes came to me with an idea to make this week less about us and more about HIM by adding a service component. When our original plans fell through in February, it became apparent that God wanted us to do something different, so we decided to postpone the week until the end of March so we had time to plan all the details. Sean Keiper and Tara Rhodes have been amazing leaders as they put all the pieces together. They have taken the initiative to think outside the box in order to give our students and our school an opportunity to show God's love. Our prayer is that lives would be changed as we emphasize the spiritual more than ever."
The theme of this year's Spiritual Emphasis Week is "A Life Transformed".
Each afternoon from 2 to 3 pm, students will gather together to worship God and receive powerful, relevant, and meaningful teachings from guest speakers who are trustworthy messengers of the Gospel.
Spiritual Emphasis Week is a Christ-centered, intentional opportunity for students' minds to be enriched by God's Word and for their hearts to grow in love for Jesus.
Please join us in praying for our students this week and for those in the community whom we serve.
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| PCA Seniors at the VA Hospital |
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| 9th Grade Boys at Lowcountry Food Bank |
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Faith In Action: Raising Awareness Of The Global Water Crisis
Written by PCA Mom Meredith Hulen
PCA staff and families were among the record-breaking 5,000 people who gathered downtown Charleston to participate in the 2017 Walk for Water. The event was held on Saturday, March 25th and is a fundraiser for Water Mission, which is based right here in North Charleston. Water Mission is a non-profit organization that designs, builds, and implements safe water solutions for people in developing countries and disaster areas.
The race began at 9 am and was led by volunteers carrying flags from countries affected by the water crisis. The 3-mile walk, which circled through the campus of the Citadel and Hampton Park, began at the RiverDogs Stadium. Each participant carried an empty 2-gallon bucket for the first 1.5 miles. At the halfway mark, everyone filled their buckets with dirty water. Participants carried the water-filled buckets for the remaining 1.5 miles. The walk is symbolic of the walk that women and children make every day to collect unsafe water.
Participants were given a
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passport
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at the beginning of the walk. The passport gave you
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access
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to the countries you would be passing through during your walk. These countries
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Honduras, Haiti, Uganda, Kenya, Mexico, and others
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were represented along the route. Volunteers held up signs with information about the work that was being done by Water Mission in that particular country.
We are so blessed to live in a country where clean water is literally
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at our fingertips
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. The event is family-friendly, allowing strollers and even dogs! It is a wonderful way to share with our children the reality of those affected by the water crisis.
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Senior Spotlight: Our Class of 2017
These students have lived, learned and grown with us here at PCA. We are so proud of our senior class and its accomplishments. As we near the end of the school year, we want to highlight each member of our Class of 2017 over the next several weeks in a feature called "Senior Spotlight". Let's celebrate together what God has in store for their future.
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Maggie Hogan: Senior Spotlight
At what grade level did you start at Palmetto Christian Academy?
5th grade
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? If so, what are they and have you received awards in these activities?
Varsity Track (won State 8th and 9th grade) and Varsity Soccer 11th and 12th grade
What are your plans after graduation?
Attending Winthrop University in the Fall as a Music Vocal Performance Major.
If your college or university has released scholarship recipients, have you received scholarship money?
I received the SC Life Scholarship and an academic scholarship from Winthrop University.
How has PCA made a difference in, or impacted your life? Do you feel that Palmetto Christian Academy has prepared
you for life after graduation?
To me, PCA is like a family. I left PCA for a short time but I came back because I missed
the small family environment that I thought I hated, and I knew it would help me establish a strong foundation of faith
before I went to college. I think PCA prepared us as well as they could for the challenges of college, life, and faith.
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Chase Garber: Senior Spotlight
At what grade level did you start at Palmetto Christian Academy? I started PCA in 11th grade.
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? If so, what are they and have you received awards in these activities? I have played soccer since the 9th grade. I have lettered and received pins at PCA and my old school Grace Academy. I have also played basketball in 9th through 11th grade. I ran cross country in my junior year at PCA. In addition, I played futsol my freshman through senior years.
What are your plans after graduation? I plan to attend College of Charleston to major in marine science with a minor in underwater photography or psychology.
If your college or university has released scholarship recipients, have you received scholarship money? I have not received any notifications yet.
How has PCA made a difference in, or impacted your life? Do you feel that Palmetto Christian Academy has prepared you for life after graduation? PCA has given me the means to achieve a higher goal in my upcoming college career. It has prepared me for success by providing me with a great education and has taught me perseverance and the importance of displaying strong character in all that I do. I have also continued to grow in my faith through the chapel services and the many God fearing teachers at PCA.
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Ashley Grace Putnam: Senior Spotlight
At what grade level did you start at Palmetto Christian Academy? I began PCA at the age of 2 in PCA's Preschool Program.
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? If so, what are they and have you received awards in these activities?
I currently serve as co-president of PCA's Spanish Club and I am an active member of NHS. The summer after my sophomore year, I interned at Charleston Bilingual Academy where I taught Spanish. I have participated in multiple mission trips to Camp Brittney, have been a PCA cheerleader, and have been a member of the volleyball team during my middle school years.
What are your plans after graduation? I will attend Liberty University with the goal of entering their Nursing Program. I hope to one day work as a pediatric nurse.
If your college or university has released scholarship recipients, have you received scholarship money? I have received both academic and non-academic scholarship monies from Liberty University.
How has PCA made a difference in, or impacted your life? Do you feel that Palmetto Christian Academy has prepared
you for life after graduation? PCA and its faculty have impacted my life in a positive way and have equipped me for life after graduation and beyond by teaching me to think critically and by helping me to develop a biblical worldview.
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Ethan Willis: Senior Spotlight
At what grade level did you start at Palmetto Christian Academy? 8
th grade
Are you involved in extracurricular activities? If so, what are they and have you received awards in these activities? Junior year Vice President of Student Government, Golf team co-captain in junior year, Golf team captain in senior year.
Awards include: All SCISA region and all SCISA state team 2015 and 2016, Top 5 Jimmy Self 2014 and 2015, Winner of all city tournament 2013, 2014, 2015,
HJGT winner Bluffton 2015 and 2016, Azalea invitational 2015, Rice planters 2015 and 2016, and Club Champion 2016.
What are your plans after graduation? I plan to attend High Point University.
If your college or university has released scholarship recipients, have you received scholarship money?
Yes.
How has PCA made a difference in, or impacted your life? Do you feel that Palmetto Christian Academy has prepared
you for life after graduation? I have made amazing friends, deepened my faith walk, and hopefully prepared me for life- I guess we will find out soon enough!
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The Legacy of PCA: Sharing Our Alumni Stories
Throughout the school year, we are celebrating 25 years of Palmetto Christian Academy fulfilling its mission to provide a Christ-centered education. From Clemson University.. Abbey Fesler, PCA Class of 2013,
reflects on the value of the PCA experience.
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Upper School Chapel Q & A: Questions We Have All Asked
Written by Selina Zubia
Friday's secondary chapel format was a little bit different this week. Instead of having a traditional speaker, Sean Keiper selected a few questions collected from the students and presented them to a panel of ECBC pastors to answer. Leland Brown, Middle School Pastor; Van Barnhill, High School Pastor; and Matt Reagan, Campus Outreach Director, gathered on the stage to tackle some challenging subject matter.
The first question presented was, of course, the most weighty...
Which team did you choose to win the NCAA tournament?
MR: Duke (Oops!)
VB: North Carolina Tar Heels
LB: Gonzaga
Now, on to the real meat of the matter!
Why did God allow sin and bad things to come into the world if He hates sin?
MR: This is called the Problem of Evil which is pondered by "smart" atheists. Ephesians
1 tells us that God does all for the praise and glory of His grace. The world would
not know His grace without sin. His grace can be fully seen in His son, Jesus
Christ.
LB: Ephesians is a good book to read as it explains God's intended purpose which is to s
how His people His full grace.
Why did God create us?
VB: It's amazing because He didn't have to create us. He wants us to experience Him
on a daily basis; to be in a relationship with him and enjoy Him.
LB: God made us to display His nature and character to the world. Our life is a billboard
for who He is.
MR: The Trinity is full of joyous energy and God wants to share that with us. Think of
this example: Imagine a set of parents traveling to the Grand Canyon. When they
are overcome with awe over the wonder of it, they deeply desire to share that
experience with their children. It's similar to that.
The Bible teaches that works don't get us to heaven, but in the parable of the sheep and goats, they will be judged by what they do.
LB: Faith in Jesus Christ saves you and that faith creates in you a heart that does good
works.
VB: Ephesians 2:8 tell us that salvation has nothing to do with us. It is a gift of God.
MR: Hold on to the word "evidence." Our works are "evidence" of God's mercy. When
we do things for others, that is evidence that God is in our hearts.
How do I know if I actually know God and am saved?
VB: Galatians 5:22 begins the verses about the fruit of the Spirit. Displaying that fruit
shows knowledge of God.
MR: If you hate the fruit of the Spirit, then you don't show any of the fruit. But if you find
yourself hating that fruit, do you go to God for help? That desperation is a good
start to knowing God.
LB: Everyone wrestles with the question of salvation at one time or another. Think
about these three things. Right now do I: 1) trust that what Jesus did is enough to
save me?, 2) hate the sins in my life?, 3) have some kind of desire to know the
Lord? Do I long for God? - If you're not asking yourself these questions at this time,
then ask God for faith.
As the discussion drew to a close, Mr. Keiper addressed one practical question to each of the panel members.
How can one keep one's mind on God?
VB: Keep yourself from doing things that rob your affection for God. For example,
staying up too late and being unrested or watching too much TV. Instead, do things t
hat build affection for the Lord such as rising a little earlier to read scripture or
listen to worship music. Find things that build your affection for the Lord.
Should we use social media to spread the Gospel?
MR: Sure. We should use all that is available. However, social media should not be the
primary source for spreading the Gospel. It's important to get face-to-face with
someone in order to overcome your fear of sharing who Jesus Christ is.
What are practical ways to live as Christ when, as teens, everything out there seems sinful?
LB: Die to what others think of us. Decide not to live for the approval of peers. For
example, if you go to the movies with your friends and then realize it's the wrong
type of movie, be radical and walk out! Be disciplined in ways that your peers are
not: have quiet time or take something off your plate and replace it with something
for the Lord.
Our students are so blessed to be surrounded by Godly people who can speak truth into their lives. Whenever you pass a PCA or ECBC staff member in the hallway or see them out of school, take time to thank them for loving on our students and being available to them. Thank them for the sacrifice of working in ministry. May the Lord bless them abundantly.
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5th Graders Explore Aerodynamics With Their Own Rocket Launches!
Yes, it IS rocket science actually! 5th Grade Math and Science Teacher Kim Moser
took last Friday's lesson outside to give her students a better understanding of
aerodynamics. Each student built his or her own rocket from just construction paper and tape, then tested it's stability in a rocket launch as fellow classmates gave a countdown.
As part of the assignment, the 5th graders had to c
ompare and contrast friction and drag.
In this trial run launch, the students get to see how their rockets worked,
can learn from their mistakes, make modifications to their rockets, and improve their launch rate success for their next adventure!
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| 5th Graders Discover Aerodynamics |
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Bus Transportation Service Parent Meeting This Thursday
We are delighted to announce that PCA has decided to move forward in offering bus transportation services to our families through Coastal Bus Line. Our initial offering will serve PCA students in North Mt. Pleasant and Daniel Island beginning Monday, April 17th.
If you are interested in participating, or would simply like more information, please join us for a
Parent Meeting on Thursday, March 30th to hear from Coastal Bus Line representatives. You have two times to choose from.. join us on the 30th at either 2 pm or 6 pm.. whichever is most convenient for you. The meetings will take place in Room B219. This will be a great opportunity to ask questions, as well as discover details about the buses, pricing, and how to register. Registration for the bus transportation service will open on
April 1st.
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Four PCA Athletes Selected To High School Sports Report All-State Team
Congratulations to Lauren Pernell, Maliek Brown, Lindsay Ellington and Cole Silvester for being
selected to the High School Sports Report All-State team in Basketball! Maliek and Lauren were also chosen as Honorable Mention All-Lowcountry in the Moultrie News. So proud of you all!
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Varsity Boys Soccer Team Looking For A Rematch
The Eagles dropped a region game to defending state champions, Beaufort Academy, 1-0 on Friday night. But PCA gets another chance on Tuesday as the Eagles travel for the rematch in Beaufort. Coach Chris Shimakonis says, "to be the best, you have to beat the best. We had some lapses in fundamentals during the game, and paid the price. But we will be ready for Tuesday night's rematch."
The Varsity Boys' soccer game is set to begin at 5 pm.
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Varsity Girls Soccer Team Nets A Loss
Our Lady Eagles lost 7-1 to Hilton Head Prep on Friday night. Senior Mackenzie Patrick scored the lone goal for PCA.
The Varsity Girls' team will play its next match tonight, Monday, March 27th at Charleston Math and Science starting at 5:30 pm.
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Varsity Boys Golf Team Keeps Winning
It was another first place victory for the Varsity Boys Golf Team last Tuesday as the team improved its record to 16-0 in Region play and 19-0 overall.
Here are the results:
1) PCA 164
2) Carolina Academy 176
3) Calhoun Academy 182
4) Thomas Sumter 182
5) Williamsburg Academy 194
The Eagles' next match is Tuesday, March 28th at Daniel Island Country Club against Porter Gaud starting at
3 pm. Good luck Eagles!
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Varsity Baseball Team Gets A Win And A Loss For The Week
The Varsity Baseball Team enjoyed a convincing win over the Lowcountry Wildcats last Tuesday night with a final score of 17-6.
On Friday, the team traveled to Bishopville to face Robert E. Lee Academy. The Eagles lost 17-2 in that match-up.
Tonight's home game against Ridge Christian has been cancelled by the visiting team. PCA's next game is a double header at Calhoun on Friday, March 31st starting at 4 pm.
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Varsity Boys Tennis Team Tops Pinewood
A big win for our Varsity Boys Tennis team last Wednesday as the Eagles beat Pinewood Prep 5-4. In singles play,
Carter Tappan,
Henry Hyden, and
Michael Pernell each won their matches for the Eagles.
In doubles match-ups.. the duo of Carter Tappan and Henry Hyden proved victorious as did the pairing of Michael Pernell and Seth McAlhaney. Congratulations team!
PCA's record is now 2-2.
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Important Dates To Remember
- March 27-31 - Spiritual Emphasis Week (Grades 6-12)
- April 6 - FCA Breakfast
- April 10-14 - Easter Break
- April 19 - Booster Club Meeting
- April 20 - FCA Breakfast
- April 21 - Spring Prom
- April 23-29 - 8th Grade Washington D.C. Trip
- April 28 - Grandparents Day
- April 28 - 4th Quarter Progress Report
- April 28 - Student Shadow Day (Admissions)
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