Mount Paran Christian School teenagers are using the power of the written word to influence and encourage others in their faith. For over a decade, students in select English and Creative Writing courses at MPCS have embraced the challenge to write devotional articles for a Christian teen magazine. Upper Room Ministries’ Devozine, written by teens for teens, has an online and print readership of almost 200,000 this twentieth year of publication. Whether for group Bible studies or private meditation, students can access daily devotionals on their website at www.devozine.org.

They are popping up on almost every corner. Vape shops — with their flashy neon signs and catchy names, they are luring our kids to come in and explore what they have to offer. Admittedly, the flavors are enticing: watermelon gummies, root beer float, chai tea latte, apple caramel drop. How can something that sounds so delicious and harmless pose a threat to our kids? After all, it’s not smoking, right?

While the beginning of a new year causes me to look forward with excited anticipation of what God has planned for MPCS, it also allows me to reflect on the people who have brought us to this moment in time. A school is best defined by the people who commit long-term to the mission of a place; those who share in both the growing pains and struggles that naturally come with the educational adventure, as well as the joys and rewards of seeing a mission advanced and student lives transformed.