April 6, 2024, was a high day for the El Cajon SDA Christian School (ECSDA) as they celebrated 100 years as a school with a special program during the church service.
With very humble beginnings, the El Cajon church was established in 1912, and a sanctuary was built. The members decided to open a one-room school on the same property as the church. The school has grown over the years, and a new building was erected with more classrooms and a gymnasium.
For the special anniversary program, El Cajon was privileged to have Patty Marruffo, executive secretary of Southeastern California Conference (SECC), as the guest speaker. Other notable participants in the program included Datha Tickner, SECC superintendent of schools; Rachel Romero, SECC coordinator of small school support and former teaching principal of ECSDA; and David Roysdon, teacher at San Diego Academy.
The students sang and provided the children’s story. Many alumni attended. One alumna, Lisa Fultz Bradley, came all the way from Roseburg, Oregon, and shared her memories of El Cajon. “I am still close with dear friends from even the earliest years there,” said Fultz Bradley. “In first grade, we had a very special teacher who had a special story time each day. She taught us how to play the ukelele, and we performed at various churches in the area. Many of us still have our ukes and have taught or are currently teaching others how to play because we still enjoy it so much and such a fondness is associated with it."
“The El Cajon SDA Christian School is a hidden jewel in our area,” shared Diana Harper, a teacher at ECSDA. “I was the teaching principal (1994-1999) and felt the entire time I served there that it was indeed a wonderful blessing in my life. God was present each and every day and worked in the lives of the students, parents, and staff.”
Currently, the school has two dedicated teachers and many volunteers. ECSDA is a multicultural school and is proud of its young people. The school’s goal is to prepare their young people for heaven, where they will have the most wonderful reunion that will never end.
In March, Matthew Perez, grades 3-4 teacher at Oceanside Adventist Elementary (OAE), was selected as one of 12 out of 24,000 teachers in San Diego County to receive recognition for his work in the classroom through Tribute to Teachers, an annual program presented by local radio station KYXY 96.5 and American Assets Trusts.
“I was completely shocked,” Perez admitted. Representatives presented Perez with a plaque and gift card, noting his fun style of teaching, the family-like atmosphere in his classroom, and contributions he’s made to his students, both academically and spiritually.
“This honor is well-deserved,” commented Brooke Lemmon, OAE principal, who has received much positive feedback from parents about Perez. “I see his incredible contributions every day.”
One parent shared their child’s reflection on how blessed they were to be in a class that is “like a big family.” Another posted on Facebook an encouraging note Perez had sent them in the mail.
“It is most important to me that my students feel safe, welcome, and loved,” Perez said. “These needs must be met before academics can be applied.”
“The more seasoned I get, the more I see relationship-building with my students as a puzzle,” he said. “Each year it’s a different group of students with different personalities and needs, and I have to figure it out. It takes time, but I really enjoy it.”
Perez approaches the school year, and education, as a marathon, and he helps his students view it that way, too—long, sometimes grueling, with lots of peaks and valleys throughout, and a chance for them to learn how to pace themselves.
“It’s important to savor the moments at the peaks and learn from the times of struggle in the valleys,” he said.
Lemmon says Perez’s approach clearly works. “Mr. Perez is all in for OAE and for God,” she said. “He has a positive and professional attitude and enjoys openly sharing his faith with his students.”
Perez said he is incredibly grateful to the person who nominated him for the award and added, “It is a wonderful feeling to be honored for the work I do—even when I already absolutely love it.”
At the close of the 2023 fall semester, Orangewood Academy launched an innovative initiative aimed to create ministry, college, and career-focused opportunities for its seventh- through 12th-graders. The preschool to 12th-grade academy considered the fact that they have international students and that families often go on vacation over the Christmas break. Recognizing this, they decided to move their finals one week ahead, allowing students to not only take their exams but also receive meaningful feedback from their teachers. With the last week of school now fully available, the team decided to launch a career and college readiness week.
Each day of the week, teachers and staff provided different activities and opportunities for students to help them anticipate college, make informed decisions about potential careers, and engage in ministry, as explained by Zaidy Olivarria, the assistant principal. Each activity was curated to be appropriate and relevant for the different grades. The school also partnered with OCGrace church and Relove church to provide ministry opportunities for the students, such as painting fences in an art garden and cleaning out the church closets.
Both students and faculty felt that this week was informative and meaningful. “Dedicating an entire week of school to getting a better understanding of how to apply for colleges, student athlete scholarships, what type of degrees there are, and how to sign up for government-funded programs to help further my education was definitely a big help,” said Victoria Perez, a 10th-grader. Kimberly Analco, another 10th-grader, said that this week helped her and others consider possible expectations for different careers and narrow down potential fields they may like to pursue in their future.
Olivarria explained that this initiative was successful because of the significant amount of teamwork that went into planning. More than a year of intentionality went into developing this event, and they are hopeful that this is something they can continue in the future. Congratulations to Orangewood Academy for finding dynamic new ways to engage and prepare their students for not only a life of service but of excellence.
Last October, Loma Linda Academy Junior High (LLAJH) unveiled its newly renovated STEM and humanities wings, marking a momentous step forward in the school's commitment to providing a cutting-edge learning environment for its students.
The renovations, completed in the summer of 2023, transformed the second floor of the junior high gymnasium into the new STEM wing, while the humanities wing received its facelift the previous summer. The new spaces incorporated modern design elements, including carefully selected colors, furniture, and classroom layouts. These upgrades were a long-awaited necessity, as the old classrooms, dating back to the 1950s, were no longer equipped to support the evolving curriculum and the needs of modern-day learners.
The renovations also catered to the needs of the school's staff, providing a dedicated lounge for teachers, as well as an improved office space.
"This is the culmination of countless prayers, planning, and generous support from donors for this project," said Amy Sovory, LLAJH principal. "We wanted to celebrate and reflect on the blessing of both of these new spaces for our junior high campus."
The program commenced with a warm welcome from Paul Herrmann, Loma Linda Academy (LLA) board chair, followed by an opening prayer from Angela Lalas, vice board chair. Datha Tickner, superintendent of schools of Southeastern California Conference (SECC), provided a brief history of the project, while Iveth Valenzuela, LLA head of schools, elaborated on how these renovations align with the school's TK-12 vision.
Sovory delved into the intricacies of the renovation process, highlighting the challenges and triumphs along the way. The program concluded with acknowledgments from Valenzuela and a prayer of dedication by Verlon Strauss, SECC treasurer. After a ceremonious countdown, the ribbon was cut, marking the official opening of the new wings.
Guests were then invited to embark on group tours of the updated facilities. Leading these tours were junior high students handpicked for their leadership and character, part of the school's Student Ambassador program.
The projects were funded through a loan from the Pacific Union Conference, contributions from SECC, and other donations. Naming opportunities are being offered for the new wings and classrooms to help raise additional funding to reduce the loan. For more information, visit www.lla.org/jh-stem.
