Relationships- Doing Life Together

RELATIONSHIPS —

DOING LIFE TOGETHER

Relationships are the lifeblood of Legacy Christian Academy.

They run deep. They’re an unwavering source of support and encouragement to students and their families every step of the way to graduation. They share in the joyful moments — and they’re there when you most desperately need them.

Building relationships begins even before a student applies to LCA. Our admissions coordinators are available to families when they’re researching Legacy. For many parents, the first Legacy relationship is with these coordinators, who shepherd them through the process. Then, during a tour of the campus, families get a more in-depth look at the relationships that exist in the classroom and among colleagues. Many of them will be guided by a parent in the Parent Ambassador program.

Prospective students in sixth through 11th grade can experience a day in the life of an LCA student during a “shadow day,” spent with a student in the same grade. That’s an early relationship. Families also meet with either the divisional leaders or a program director, and strong connections are often formed during that interview (see Katherine Onstead’s testimony on page 43). In these first few encounters, families get a sense of the community that is the essence of LCA.

Switching schools can be a stressful time for students and their families. The Collins family was considering moving their three boys to Legacy (entering grades 7, 10, and 12). During the family interview, her oldest son, Gabe (’21), was somewhat aloof (to say the least). He sat with his arms crossed, and his body language practically screamed that he didn’t want to make the move to Legacy for his senior year. After all, he played basketball, and didn’t want to leave his friends and teammates. Andrea Collins remembers Athletic Director Cole Johnson not only taking note but also taking action.

“Cole just looked over at Gabe, and he was clearly sizing him up,” Mrs. Collins says. “Cole said, ‘You’re tough. A tough nut to crack.’” Though Gabe wasn’t immediately onboard, he was disarmed, and began to open up to the possibility of coming to LCA. Right then and there, Gabe and Coach Johnson formed a tenuous bond, and when Gabe agreed to come to LCA, that bond continued to strengthen that entire year, and Coach Johnson was alongside him when he signed his letter of intent to play basketball in college.

The Collins family came from another Christian school, and Mrs. Collins says that for her family, connections were formed substantially quicker and felt more genuine. “In the Legacy community,” she says, “there are so many ways to get

Gabe Collins signs his NLI with Cole Johnson and his family by his side

connected and invested; they seek you out. The grade-level coordinators plan summer events not only to get the new students introduced, but also to get the rest of the class together to forge deeper friendships.” She feels more relaxed, and that she can just be herself. “The focus,” she says, “is on who you are as a person. When we decided to bring the boys to Legacy, we agreed to the covenant partnership. In some ways, it almost feels like co-parenting. We really trust that our boys are being nurtured at school the same way they would be at home, and that’s huge.”

The teachers at Legacy describe a level of intentionality in forming and building relationship with their students. This bonds them with students in a variety of ways, and it extends beyond the subject matter. Mr. Keyes’s science classroom is unlike any other. Memories and his personality permeate the room — from the famous silhouettes lining each wall, to his high school basketball team jerseys proudly hung throughout the room, to the photos of family, friends, and former students on display on every shelf. During curriculum night, one parent observed 18 notecards with the letter K dangling from his whiteboard. “That was when Blair Ehmer (’25) had 18 strikeouts in one game,” says Mr. Keyes, smiling proudly. “It was awesome. I’ll never forget that game, so I put those up there to celebrate it.”

The goal for Mr. Keyes, who teaches science in the Upper School, has always been to have a lasting, positive impact on his students. To that end, he thinks building relationships with them is paramount. To start, he likes to spark their curiosity. “Fireballs are always fun,” he says with a chuckle. “I mean, they’re great at getting people’s attention.” Mr. Keyes and Blair Ehmer snap a quick selfie in his classroom

But he says he forms the strongest connections when he and his students do life together.

That means dedicating much of his personal time to investing in them. Whether they’re after school or on weekends, he says, “all these cool things take place,” he says. “We have ball games and concerts and plays and musicals. I still get a kick out of watching and participating with students — it’s just fun to me.” By investing in the students, he believes he’ll be able to have the greatest impact on them, and that’s the reason he got into education in the first place. Even after 36 years, he’s delighted to come to work every day.

Another Upper School science teacher, Mrs. Ladd, appreciates the value of intentionality with her students. Mrs. Ladd grew a significant connection with her first advisory group, who just graduated last spring. She was matched with this group of nine girls when they were freshmen, and admittedly, she says, when the group first came together, it was a curious mixture of personalities. Over time and with diligence, she says, they tore down walls and built trust and love for one another. She refers to “my girls” as Ladd’s Angels, and they called her “Mama Ladd.”

Mrs. Ladd was a trusted confidante, and they knew she would always shoot straight with them. “The Lord has laid it on my heart,” Mrs. Ladd says, “not only to teach, but also to lead. I do it with absolute humility and honor.” Mrs. Ladd also supports her students outside of the classroom. “If you’re not intentional,” she says, “it’s very hard to be relational.”

Ladds Angels (left to right) Katie Pelham, Cianna Cesare, Mrs. Ladd, Tatum Plunk, Rachel Resch, Keeley Briggs, Haley Phillips, Lauren Burns, Kennedy Parker, and Olivia Clayton

Third-grade teacher Ivy Adair Taylor is a Legacy alumna herself (Class of 2016), and the relationships she built during her time as a student and now as a teacher continue to fill her cup. Though she says she had “so many fantastic teachers” at Legacy, she credits Mrs. Mayberry, who was her third-grade teacher, with many of the teaching secrets she employs in her own third-grade classroom. “The way she talked to you was just so unarming,” Miss Taylor says. “You came into class and you felt relaxed.”

Ivy Adair Taylor as a 3rd grader at Legacy

Mrs. Mayberry changed the trajectory of Miss Taylor’s academic life. Miss Taylor struggled with ADHD as a child, and, she says, “Mrs. Mayberry was the one who saw those signs. My whole perspective changed because of her support. She found ways to engage me that made sense to my brain. She had a tremendous impact on me then as a student and she really helped shape me as a teacher.” Mrs. Mayberry would tell stories in fun accents that made the tales more interesting, Miss Taylor recalls fondly, and distributed Hershey’s Kisses on test days, calling them “brain food.” Miss Taylor employs those same techniques now that she’s a teacher. (left to right) Brooke McNeely, Charlotte Pattee, Miss Taylor, Ashlynn McNeely, Caroline Pattee, Alyssa Howard

Miss Taylor also emphasizes the importance of connecting with her students in their after-school pursuits. She makes it a point to get to as many extracurricular activities her students participate in as possible. “It’s fulfilling to see them doing what they’re passionate about outside of the classroom. I like to show up for my students — it’s important that they see I support them in everything they do, that it’s not just about English and math.”

Though the teachers at LCA look for opportunities to pour into the relationships they have with students and their families, they get to feel the love and support reciprocated on their end as well. Mr. Black, who teaches freshman English, is new to Legacy this year. He says he has witnessed firsthand the power of the community and the relationships at Legacy, even in just three short months. Mr. Black let his students know that his mother-in-law was recently diagnosed with cancer. “You can see the mindset that these Legacy students have,” says Mr. Black. “They’ve learned not to think primarily of themselves but to put others first. It’s been wonderful to see and I hope to be a part of training every succeeding class to do that.” Mr. Black’s colleagues, likewise, have shown their kindness and caring, and he relishes time to connect with them and pray together.

Rooted in the Word and love of Christ, we travel hand in hand, raising up the next generation of leaders. Celeste Cordon, a Pre-K 3 teacher, perhaps says it best: “Legacy is a community that rallies around one another. If there’s adversity, you’re enveloped with love and support. If there’s joy, you’re enveloped by people who are celebrating your success.”

Mrs. Cordon (left) and Mrs. Owens embrace their new Pre-K 3 student Palmer Maynard