Family Story: Anders Family

A Parent Testimonial from Anders, a PCA Dad of three

“We have three boys, and when our eldest son was in junior high school [middle school], he began to struggle. He had led the class academically and participated is sports, but the learning environment caused him to turn inward. Normally an extrovert, our son stopped reaching out. This raised concerns for my wife and me.

“Even though PCA was—and is—far from our home, we explored it because we knew that our children needed a real change. Our son had the opportunity to shadow a PCA student for an entire school day at the end of the application process. The evening after he shadowed, he exclaimed that he was attending PCA.

“Our eldest has since graduated from PCA, and he blossomed spiritually and socially. He needed the positive, reinforced structure that PCA was able to deliver.

“We still have one son at PCA. We’ve had two sons graduate from the school, and upon entering college, they both adjusted immediately to the academic rigors of college life and have excelled. The strength of character imparted by PCA has allowed each of them to attend a secular university without needing to retrofit their moral development to fit college life. They stand when the winds of change blow; they do not capitulate to the prevailing trends.

“PCA allows the whole child to be developed…spiritually, academically, physically, emotionally, and socially.

“My sons were challenged to give back to PCA through their Eagle Scout projects. Both found joy in developing a project that would be used for years to come. In addition, PCA’s missions trips to Guatemala, New York City and Tennessee Valley have had a dramatic effect on their future decisions for careers. PCA exposes kids to the real world, through the lens of God, and how they can participate in being His hands and feet.

“Society routinely tells us about following the right path to invest in our futures…to select the best investments for our future retirement. Developing children who are well-adjusted, cognizant of the outside world and its allure through pornography, drugs and behaviors is worth our investment. We’ve committed to invest in the one thing we can take with us when we leave this earth—our children.

“We travel 45 miles every day to educate our children at PCA. We don’t drive the latest-model car. We don’t plan elaborate family trips. Is it “worth it?” Is the money and time invested in our children at a young age worth the “sacrifice?” Absolutely. I would do it again. My only regret is that we didn’t find PCA when our eldest was an elementary student.”

Originally Posted: February 5, 2018