Senior Leadership
I am inspired by the faith, courage, and reverence for God by Christian educators around the world! It reminds me of the story recounted in I Samuel 17 about David defeating Goliath. In verse 29, David’s response to the inaction of his
elder brothers and the Israelites especially encourages me. He boldly and nobly answers the call to action by asking, "Is there not a cause?”
I can think of no greater cause than to partner with you as you advance Kingdom education. We fully believe that authentic devotion to the Christian faith and academic excellence are mutually reinforcing. There are not two or three forms of excellence, but rather an ethos that is cultivated throughout every facet of our schools. Faith is not separated from learning but rather integrated intentionally, resulting in a distinctive Christian worldview.
Scholarship and learning become an integral component to the maturation process known as discipleship. Thus, becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ, the ultimate objective of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20), is the prize for which we strive; it is the highest form of excellence! It is certainly conceivable that we could produce students with the spiritual depth needed to enter our pluralistic society and not fall prey to empty philosophies. Rather, they would be equipped to saturate the marketplace to which God has called them with confidence, purpose, and an eternal perspective.
ACSI’s ongoing mission is to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. We want to serve you as you continue to cultivate and sustain a flourishing school. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you—thank you for your obedience to God’s call on your life—you are indeed making a difference.
Dr. Larry Taylor, President & CEO, ACSI
larry_taylor@acsi.org
719-867-0200
ACSI Senior Leadership
Dr. David Balik
Vice President of USA
Dr. Gavin Brettenny
Chief Strategy Officer
Kevin Buelke
Chief Finance Officer
Cindy Dodds
Chief of Flourishing Initiatives
Michael Epp
Senior Vice President of Global
Brett Henry, J.D.
Chief Executive Officer, Sevenstar
Vice President, Educational Resources
John Klingstedt
Chief Operating Officer
Christi Lynn
Vice President, Communications & Engagement
Chris Loncar
Vice President, Human Resources
Jerry Nelson
Chief Ministry Officer
Philip Scott, J.D.
Vice President for Legal Affairs
P. George Tryfiates
Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs
Susan Verheul
Vice President, Executive Initiatives
Dr. Cecil Swetland
Vice President for Development
News and Press Releases
ACSI and Grand Canyon University Host Inaugural International Christian STEM Competition
Phoenix, Ariz., April 19, 2022 – Christian students from five states will converge in Phoenix, Ariz., Saturday, April 23 for the inaugural Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) International Christian STEM Competition (ICSC), taking place at Grand Canyon University (GCU).
The competition, which will allow Christian students in grades 7-12 to compete in five different STEM challenges, is made possible through a partnership between ACSI and GCU.
ACSI Assistant Vice President of Student Services David Ray believes this offering is timely for today’s students.
“We’re thrilled to be able to offer this type of competition to our member school students,” he said. “The divisional competitions and the International Christian STEM Competition allow them to explore the areas of science, technology, engineering and math through a biblical worldview lens.”
The ICSC was preceded by eight divisional competitions held around the world. Divisional competition winners will compete in five challenges at the ICSC, including Aerospace Glider, Cybersecurity, Capture the Flag, IT Coding, Mechanical Slingshot and Robotics.
Corinne Araza, Director of K12 STEM Outreach, a division of the K12 Educational Development at GCU, looks forward to hosting the competition.
“We believe that enabling students to pursue their passions and to really explore the unique ways God has gifted them is important,” she shared. “We want to embrace the Proverbs 22:6 Scripture—to ‘train them up in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it.’”
The partnership between ACSI and GCU also offers member schools free STEM webinars. Topics range from how to start a STEM program to employing technology tools for collaboration.
Ray shared that this competition is reflective of ACSI’s commitment to excellence.
“We’re so glad to offer these competitions to our students,” he said. “ACSI is partnering with our Christian schools to ensure students have ample opportunities to build and refine their skillsets, so they can be Christ’s hands and feet in today’s culture.”
To learn more about the ACSI STEM webinars, visit the website or contact ACSI Care Team by calling (800) 367-0798 or emailing careteam@acsi.org. To learn more about GCU, visit the website.
About ACSI:
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ACSI exists to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. ACSI advances excellence in Christian schools by enhancing the professional and personal development of Christian educators and providing vital support functions for Christian schools through multiple services including teacher and administrator certification, school accreditation, legal/legislative assistance, and curriculum publishing. ACSI supports more than 5,000 member schools throughout the United States and around the world, which collectively serve approximately 1.2 million students. Through additional training programs, materials, and expertise provided to other educational groups worldwide, ACSI’s overall influence and positive impact reaches more than 26,000 schools operating in 100 countries, together serving 5.5 million people.
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