Launching Servant Leaders
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
1 Peter 4:10
At Valor Christian Academy, our vision is to launch servant leaders who shape culture through a biblical worldview. One of the ways we do this within our school walls is by having school-wide service projects throughout the school year. Some of these projects are led by our high school students who are working towards their Diploma of Distinction.
At the beginning of the spring semester, one of our Class of 2026 seniors, Jessica, planned & led a school-wide service project for her Diploma of Distinction in Ultrasound. Jessica partnered with The Hope Center in Woodstock, GA, to collect diapers & baby formula to donate to this organization that helps women facing unplanned pregnancies.
Jessica worked closely with our Student Life Coordinator, Kate Hughes, to plan this service project for her Diploma of Distinction. Throughout this week-long project, Jessica was outside each morning during morning carpool to collect these items & thanked families for their generous donation to the service project.
“For my service project, I organized a diaper and formula drive to support families in need in my community. Valor families kindly donated essential baby items and I ensured they went to parents who may be struggling to afford basic necessities. This experience made me feel grateful for what I have and proud that I could make a small but meaningful difference in someone else's life,” Jessica said.
Other than student-led service projects, Kate Hughes, our Student Life Coordinator, will coordinate school-wide service projects throughout the school year. One of the bigger service projects we do here at Valor is packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Each class on campus is given shoeboxes to pack with items brought in by the students & their families. Once these boxes are packed, our Upper School students have the opportunity to go to the Operation Christmas Child Processing Center to assist in processing the completed shoeboxes.
“At Valor, we believe that serving others is a foundational aspect of the Christian faith. Jesus Himself says in the Book of Matthew that He did not come to be served, but to serve, and it is a blessing to work for a school that deeply values the things that Jesus values. Whether through school-wide service opportunities, such as providing meals to Veterans and water to our local National Guardsmen, Operation Christmas Child, clothing, food, and diaper & formula drives, or as individual classes who are serving first responders and organizations in Kenya, Valor is intentional about offering our students & families opportunities to serve,” Kate said.
All students at Valor are required to complete service hours each semester. These hours can be completed at home, in the community, & through campus service projects. Our students will also do service projects together during R3 chapel throughout the school year. Students will make cards for nursing homes & active duty military, collect canned food for a local food pantry, & also help clean up campus. This school year, Valor families can sign up to bring meals that will be served at the American Legion.
We are so thankful for our partnerships within our local community. These partnerships allow our students & families to bless local organizations through serving. Whether it be by food, diapers, or crafts, our students are learning what servant leadership looks like through serving others as Jesus did.
