Friday Update, March 14th
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power,
love, and self-discipline”
2 Timothy 1:7 -
I retired from swimming in 2016. Swimming has always been a big part of my life. It was the sport that engulfed my life for 20 years. I was blessed to have such a lengthy career with Team USA and competed all over the world in such places like Germany, Australia, Russia, and South Korea to name a few. I swam against the best swimmers in the world, names like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, arguably some of the greatest Olympians of all time and to be honest, that created a little timidity in my own heart at times.
The realm of athletics can be very rewarding, but also discouraging at times. Similar to a Christian life, we go through seasons of abundance and seasons of drought. We may face many trials and immovable challenges that may seem overwhelming and crushing during these seasons of drought. During my time as a swimmer I found myself at the top of the mountain and at the bottom of the valley, and the way out of the valley always seemed daunting. Whether the fear that led to the valley came from fellow competitors or years of swimming without achieving a goal time, it often became discouraging to continue on.
We are not alone in this. The Bible is full of examples of people who struggled with fear and adversity as they sought to carry out God’s mission:
Overcoming fear
Moses: Overcame fear and doubt with God's reassurance and help from Aaron
Gideon: Overcame fear and doubt to save Israel from the Midianites
Ananias: Overcame fear to visit Saul, who persecuted Jesus' disciples
Peter: Fear led him to deny Jesus, but this event became a turning point in his life
Overcoming adversity
Job: Endured unimaginable suffering and trusted God's plan
Joseph: Rose above betrayal and injustice
David: Overcame personal and external adversities, including defeating Goliath with a sling and a stone
Esther: Demonstrated courage when she spoke to King Xerxes of Persia to spare the lives of the Jews
Daniel: Demonstrated faithfulness in a foreign land by standing on his conviction to pray to God only
As followers of Christ, we all face these challenges, dry seasons, or fear. We may have an immovable object in front of us or a season of drought that may seem like we can never overcome. We sometimes choose to be like Jonah, where we run and hide, or maybe like Gideon, overcome with fear and not feeling qualified. But let us not forget what Paul said in 2 Timothy 1 verse 7: For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” Paul’s message here is important, not only for us in athletics, but in every facet of our lives. We must remember to always look to the One, who strengthens and gives us courage to face the race before us.
Prayerfully,
Kyle Whitaker
Athletic Director & High School History
CHOICE Scholarship Refund Letters
The wording on the CHOICE Scholarship refund letters sent out this week made it sound like students were already approved for CHOICE scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year. This was an error by the state and the wording should have said the updated award amount is for the 2024-2025 school year. The final award amount listed on the letter will be the estimated award amount for the 2025-2026 school year. The VCA business office will begin collecting information to process CHOICE Scholarship applications for the 2025-2026 school year on April 7. While there was legislation presented for universal School Choice, we won’t know until June if it is passed. At this time the school will still need a copy of the 1040 form from your 2024 tax return to process your child’s CHOICE application for the 2025-2026 school year. You can submit a paper copy to the business office or email (remember to white out social security numbers) to vcabusinessoffice@vcacademy.info. Mrs. Huber will notify you by email once the application has been approved by the state of Indiana. CHOICE applications will be processed by VCA up until August 1, 2025.
Sycamore App Discontinuation
Effective immediately, the current Sycamore mobile app will no longer be supported and will be removed from both the App Store and Google Play Store. While existing users can continue using the installed app, please note that if the app is deleted from your mobile device, it will not be available for reinstallation.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
VCA Talent Show, March 14, 6:30 pm, sponsored by VCA Music Boosters.
PTF Bake Sale, March 17-19, we need your donations!! Please send individually wrapped, nut free treats to school on Monday March 17 to be sold. Our students love this fundraiser and the yummy treats they get to purchase. All items will be sold for $0.50 - $1.00. There might be a few items priced at $2.00 (larger items).
Spring Break, March 24-28 - No school PreK-12
High School Lock-In, April 4, 11:00 pm, to April 5, 6:00 am
South Campus READ-A-THON, April 7 - more information to come
Elementary Cheer Camp, April 7-9 - Information will be sent home with girls in grades Kindergarten-5
Spring Music Program - Friday, April 11, 6:30 pm at Valley Baptist Church
Branching Out STEM Camp sponsored by PNW, see attached flyer
