What Makes Adventist Education Adventist?

                    There is an Advantage to having an Adventist Education!

Enjoying a quiet reading time at Kahili

That’s what the Center for Research on K-12 Adventist Education (La Sierra University) has found. The results were so outstanding that award-winning film producer Martin Doblmeier documented the benefits of Adventist education in his film The Blueprint. The amazing finding was that students excelled whether they were in an inner-city school, a mission school on an Indian reservation, a 12 grade school with hundreds of kids, or a small multi-age one-room classroom.  

What Makes Adventist Education Adventist?

Is it the NAME?  No. The vast majority of Adventist schools do not have Adventist in their name. Only 463 out of nearly 6000 schools operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church contain the name Adventist.

Ken-yen Kids with Pastor Douglas Naa

Is it Adventist because it is financed and operated by the Adventist Church? No, not necessarily. There are hundreds of schools that are operated by Seventh-day Adventists but are not financially supported by the church. Here’s an example: Weimar Academy in CA, DayStar Academy in UT, Heritage Academy in TN, and Fountainview Academy in BC, Canada. These independent schools are generally thought of as self-supporting Adventist schools.

Is it because the school uses Seventh-day Adventist curriculum? Yes and No. All Adventist schools operated by the church, at least in the North American Division, use Seventh-day Adventist curriculum and are subject to Adventist accreditation. Schools operated outside the denomination are free to develop their own curriculum or use curriculum that they feel better serves their student’s needs. But because these schools usually hire Adventist trained teachers, they often use SDA curriculum.

Fun with Roger Brodis and Pastor Naa

So what makes Adventist Education Adventist?  Because Adventist schools are so different in structure, size, financial endowments and cultural backgrounds, yet all show an educational advantage, I’ve come to the conclusion, that what makes Adventist education Adventist, is Adventist teachers who follow the principles for education promoted by Ellen G. White and teach a Bible-based curriculum. In other words, it's not who operates the school, it's who teaches in it! When dedicated Christian teachers focus on sharing Christ, their students are motivated to do their best--and that's what makes the difference.

Based on this definition, we are blessed to have two Adventist elementary schools on Kauai--one on the east side--and one on the south.

Experiencing Thanksgiving Indian Style

1: Kahili Adventist School is supported by the Seventh-day Adventist churches on Kauai, has an operating board made up of members from both constituent churches, and is subsidized by the Hawaii Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. This means that the school receives significant financial aid from the church, which makes it possible for teachers to receive employee benefits and health insurance as do other employees of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In addition, because of church subsidies, the tuition rate is significantly lower for Adventist students. Kahili is currently renting rooms at the Kapaa Seventh-day Adventist Church until it can find a permanent location. The school is blessed to have the teaching creativity and energy of Roger or Gerry Brodis. For more information, call them  at 928-460-0600.

Math Time at Ken-yen

2: Ken-yen Learning Center is a self-supporting alternative home school with 19 students (8 are Adventists) taught by three highly qualified Adventist teachers. Kevin and Angela Kuzma hold Adventist teaching credentials and Masters degrees from Adventist universities. Lynn Provonsha, with a degree in biology, teaches science. These three teachers were teaching at Kahili Adventist School until the board voted a balanced budget and the teaching staff had to be cut. But God used this difficult circumstance to start another Adventist school on the island that instead of costing the church money, contributes to the church. If you’re interested in learning more about Ken-yen, go to Ken-yen.com, “like” them on Facebook, or call 808-752-8780 and come visit. It's at 4122 Koloa Rd, just down the road from Lawai Valley SDA Church.

Lynn Provonsha Teaching Science

            Are these schools different? Of course they are. Every school is shaped by the teacher’s interests, skills and training. But as long as each follows the educational principles given by Ellen White, being different doesn’t make one school better than the other. The art, music and agriculture programs at Kahili are outstanding, but if you want your kid to learn to surf, run their own business, be computer savvy, speak Japanese, or be actively involved in community service by volunteering at the Humane Society or local farms, you might think about Ken-yen.

            There’s just one problem, Ken-yen can’t take any more students…so Praise the Lord we have Kahili, which is dedicated to making sure every Adventist child gets an Adventist education!

            Now is the season to support your Adventist schools by attending their Christmas programs:

Kahili Adventist School:  Sunday, December 14 at 6:00 pm at Kapaa SDA Church  (followed by potluck-finger foods)

Ken-yen Learning Center: Thursday, December 18 at 5:30 pm at Lawai Valley SDA Church: 5:30 potluck fellowship meal, then the Christmas play, “The David Dynasty”, followed by dessert.

                                                    See you there!