Hello! My name is Elena, and it is my first year here at Great Lakes Adventist Academy. I am a sophomore this year, and I work in the Advancement department. I will be experiencing a lot of new things this year, and I would like to share those experiences with you as we go through this school year together.
When I first arrived at GLAA, I was undoubtedly nervous. I mean, who wouldn’t be? When you arrive at a brand new place and know that your parents will leave you there by yourself for the next three weeks, it’s only natural to be nervous. You know you just have to push through it, and so that’s what I did. After the first couple of days, I realized that despite being in a brand new place with a whole lot of people I didn’t know, I actually really enjoyed GLAA.
One of the first things we did after arriving at GLAA was line up for the Student Association (SA) handshake. During the SA handshake, all the students and staff together and walk down the line shaking every single person’s hand! That is around 175 students and about 30 staff plus all of their families. That’s a whole lot of people, but it was really fun. I got to meet new people and even found some old friends. After we finished shaking everyone’s hands, the SA team fed us watermelon and veggie corn dogs. Everyone kind of just hung out for a while, talking and laughing with each other until it was time to head back to our dorms.
Something else that was really fun during the first weeks of school was the pizza feed. All the staff dressed up in black and white clothes and served the students pizza for dinner. While all of us kids waited for our food, we got to color on the butcher paper that the staff had spread on the table. I don’t know about the other students, but I certainly enjoyed coloring on that paper and playing games with my friends.
Then, on Saturday night, we had the SA scavenger hunt. That was a blast! Watching as my class came together to try to beat the seniors, juniors, and freshmen was truly amazing. Almost all of us kids yelled ourselves hoarse, cheering on our teammates. The juniors ended up winning that night, with the sophomores and seniors tying for second. It really didn’t matter too much who won, because we all had a great time. The next morning, we had SA picnic and field games, which was just as fun as the scavenger hunt the night before. The SA team had a ton of activities planned for us, and I enjoyed them immensely. Although I didn’t participate in some of them, I loved watching everyone working hard to accomplish their tasks.
Just last week, we had Fall Week of Prayer, which was a huge blessing. Pastor Darryl Bentley visited us from North Carolina and shared with us how to have a firm identity in Christ. By the time he left on Friday afternoon, many of us students had learned more about God. Many of us also made a decision to deepen or relationships with God. About 30 students made decisions for baptism.
Now, it’s almost time for our first home leave, and I know many of us are excited to go home. GLAA is super fun and jam-packed with all sorts of activities, but it can also be pretty exhausting at times. That is why so many of us look forward to home leave. It gives us a chance to rest and recuperate from all the busyness of life here at GLAA. But, by the time home leave is over, everyone is ready to come back to school, see their friends, and get back into the daily routine of life.
After these past few weeks of school, work, and activities, my nervousness has been replaced by the calmness that comes with routine. Every day, I experience new things and draw closer to God. I have opportunities here that I would never have at home. I am so happy to have become a part of this GLAA family!
I look forward to continuing this journey with all of you. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and check back here for more blog updates throughout the school year.
Love,
Elena
Great Lakes Adventist Academy 