A Reflection on CDA - Andrew Daniel

Andrew Daniel
"When I first came to this school, I was worried, as I feared not being able to make any new friends. But then on the first day of class, my fear vanished as I met other guys that introduced themselves to me and welcomed me to Coram Deo. I met other friends through extracurricular activities, such as basketball and choir. I found people at CDA who were unashamed to live out their walk with Christ, and that encouraged me in my faith, allowing me to live it out in confidence."
Being a senior brings many new challenges. There are college applications to finish, scholarships to apply for, and above all, senioritis that must be battled daily. Senior year also brings the rising realization that life as I have known it will soon change. This, of course, makes me think back on my years in school, and what Coram Deo Academy has meant to me. Coram Deo Academy has been a school allowing me to grow in wisdom and knowledge, both spiritually and academically, specifically training me to become an ethical servant leader with the ability to shape culture for the glory of God. The importance of CDA for me is in the community of friendships, and the support of teachers who invest in the character development of students on a daily basis. 

Friends and teachers are some of the most important facets of school. They have the power of making your experience at high school amazing, or absolutely abysmal, with a gradient of emotions in between. I came to Coram Deo Academy when I was a seventh grader. Before that, I was at a different Christian school and had a completely different educational experience. Even though the school would teach the Bible and encourage Christian values, many of the students did not live according to the school’s vision and principles.

Although I knew Christ, my life resembled more of the friends with whom I was associating. I was a follower and did not have the courage to lead. As we all have heard, “Bad company corrupts good morals”, which certainly happened in my life. Before I came to Coram Deo, my grades had begun to slip, and my parents knew that we needed to switch schools, but it seemed like there were no options right for us.

Then one day, my mother randomly saw the Coram Deo Academy decal on a car, and after a lot of prayers, research, and conversations, I was soon enrolled. Coram Deo Academy was something that God brought to my family so that he could make a change in the direction of my life. God used people at CDA to bring me closer to him and set me back on the right path. 

When I first came to this school, I was worried, as I feared not being able to make any new friends. But then on the first day of class, my fear vanished as I met other guys that introduced themselves to me and welcomed me to Coram Deo. I met other friends through extracurricular activities, such as basketball and choir. I found people at CDA who were unashamed to live out their walk with Christ, and that encouraged me in my faith, allowing me to live it out in confidence. Also, the teachers at CDA influenced me greatly.

The instruction that I received was not only rigorous but intentional, as I saw that teachers at CDA were determined to mold their students into wise thinkers. At the same time, my teachers encouraged me, and I knew that I could talk to them at any time about things I was going through. Looking back, I found genuine friends who cared for me and encouraged me to live and walk out what I believed. I found friends who could keep me accountable, and also had teachers who taught valuable life lessons while in class, and prayed for me when they were at home. It’s absolutely an amazing experience that I think we often take for granted while at school. 

The author of Ecclesiastes, “the Teacher”, encourages his listeners to seek good friendships. He states the value of having friends is in that “If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:10) Friends are important allies, and teachers can have an incredible role in shaping someone. Coram Deo Academy to me has been a place of meaningful friendships, and thereby also a place of tremendous growth. I have been encouraged, rebuked, and strengthened through the friendships that I have had here at this school.

I have also had meaningful conversations with teachers who have encouraged me in my faith, allowing me to mature. So, as I reminisce on my time at Coram Deo Academy, I can confidently say that the community I experienced is one of the most important things that I will remember about my school, and I am very thankful for all the times that I have had with friends and teachers at Coram Deo Academy. That’s what Coram Deo Academy has meant for me.
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  • Mike McCalley
    Thank you for sharing this Andrew! You are amazing young man and it is a privilege to know you.
  • Yes Andrew
    YEs andrew

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