providence-academy

Providence Academy Homecoming Court 2025

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 15:47:29 GMT

Providence Academy is pleased to Present the 2025 Homecoming Court.

Providence Academy will celebrate its Homecoming on Friday evening as the Knights take on Grace Baptist Academy. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., with the Homecoming Court ceremony taking place during halftime.

Those nominated for this honor were selected by their faculty based on the qualities of spiritual maturity, a commitment to academic excellence, school spirit, and service. Based on these criteria, the 2025 Providence Academy Homecoming Court is pleased to present the following representatives:

Jocelyn Beene
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Landon and Taranda Beene

Jocelyn is involved in Chamber Ensemble, Chapel Band, Model United Nations, and has participated in the theater department for three years. She has served as a prefect, been part of the mock trial team, and managed the soccer team. A member of the National Honor Society, Jocelyn has taken honors courses since her freshman year. She enjoys serving in children’s ministry at her church, listening to music, studying history, and baking. Jocelyn plans to attend Belmont University and pursue a degree in elementary education. Her favorite Providence memory is from freshman year—running Coach Cash’s obstacle course during Spirit Week, tripping over a pool noodle, and creating a moment her classmates will never forget.

Abe Hatfield
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Andy and Jessica Hatfield.

Abe is involved in the high school golf team, sports broadcasting, and has served as a prefect for three years. He is a three-time regional qualifier for golf and a three-time recipient of the Best Scoring Average award, and also received the Service Award his sophomore year. Abe loves playing golf, spending time with friends, and ministering to others through Bible studies and overseas mission trips to Romania. He also volunteers at Providence sports camps with Coach Cash. Abe plans to attend Samford University next fall. His favorite Providence memory is the 2025 Doe River Retreat.

Aerin Hicks
Child of Dr. and Mrs. Joshua and Jessica Hicks.

Aerin is involved in basketball, softball, and Chapel Band. She serves as a prefect and is a member of the National Honor Society. Her recognitions include the Pat Summitt Award for basketball and the MVP Award for softball. Aerin enjoys math, apologetics, and literature, as well as hiking, pickleball, reading, and spending time with family and friends. She volunteers at Providence sports camps and plans to attend East Tennessee State University, pursuing a career in the medical or education field. Her favorite Providence memory is winning the adventure race at Doe River with her House Team girls during her senior year.

Caedmon Nidiffer
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Eric and Brenda Nidiffer.

Caedmon is involved in football, basketball, weightlifting, and the Mathematics Club. He serves as Vice President of the National Honor Society and as a prefect and has been recognized with the Character Award for basketball as well as being named a Roan Scholarship nominee. Caedmon enjoys studying the Bible, playing sports, serving in his church and community, and spending time with friends. He plans to attend ETSU or Milligan University and pursue a career in teaching, youth ministry, or business. His favorite Providence memory is hanging out with friends after football walk-throughs.

Gabriel Pennington
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Hank and Debby Pennington.

Gabriel is a member of the football, basketball, and track teams. A devoted Auburn fan, he enjoys nearly every sport. Gabriel plans to attend Auburn University next fall to study accounting. His favorite Providence memory is time spent at Doe River with his senior classmates and celebrating the football team’s victory at Volunteer High School.

Noah Phillips
Child of Mr. and Mrs. Jon and Kristin Phillips, and Ms. Crystal Turner.

Noah is a member of the Providence Academy baseball and football teams and serves as a part-time member of the Chapel Band. He enjoys fishing, working alongside his dad, and studying history. Noah plans to attend college to pursue a degree in business. His favorite Providence memory is being part of the first-ever Providence Academy high school football team.

Anna Turner
Child of Dr. and Mrs. Drew and Nicole Turner.

Anna is involved in Mock Trial, Yearbook, Scholars Bowl, Musical Theater, Cheerleading, Track and Field, and Weightlifting. She serves as Captain of the Mock Trial team, Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook, and is a member of the National Honor Society and Prefect Council. Anna was also selected to attend American Legion Auxiliary Girls State. She enjoys pet sitting, reading, spending time with friends, worship, studying Latin (“Latin is life”), and kayaking. Anna plans to attend the U.S. Naval Academy or East Tennessee State University, pursuing a career in law or the Navy. Her favorite Providence memory is all the early mornings spent weightlifting with Coach Lewis.

Marley Whitaker
Child of Mr. and Mrs. David and Ashley Whitaker.

Marley is involved in track and tennis, earning awards in both sports, including the Tennis Award in 11th grade and the Service Award in 10th grade. She also participated in Yearbook her sophomore year. Marley enjoys apologetics, anatomy, hiking, snowboarding, surfing, crafting, and gardening. She hopes to pursue a life dedicated to marriage, mission work, and marine biology. Her favorite Providence memory is performing as a Backstreet Boy during the Lip Sync Battle.

Every Child Walks Into School Carrying Questions

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 14:52:35 GMT

You Didn’t Just Choose a School. You Chose a Foundation.

Who am I?
What is true?
What is good?

These aren’t questions reserved for college philosophy classes. They’re the questions your child brings to school—often without even knowing they’re asking them.

And you, as a parent, made a courageous choice:
You chose a school that doesn’t ignore those questions, but answers them with the clarity of Scripture and the beauty of truth .

That’s the power of classical Christian education.

Formation, Not Just Information

In today’s world, it’s easy to believe that education is simply about grades, test scores, or college acceptance letters. But classical Christian education is different.

It’s not just about what your child knows—it’s about who they’re becoming .

At Providence Academy, your child is being trained to think deeply, reason clearly, speak winsomely, and love what is true, good, and beautiful. That’s because classical Christian education understands something profound:

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” — William Butler Yeats

That fire? It’s the desire to live for Christ in every area of life.

And that formation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because you, as a parent, made a decision that discipleship matters more than mere academics.

Clarity in a Culture of Confusion

We live in a world that is loud with competing narratives—about identity, truth, and purpose. Our culture is not passive; it is actively shaping the hearts and minds of the next generation.

But classical Christian education steps boldly into that space.

It teaches students to think logically and biblically.
To love virtue more than applause.
To live not for self, but for the glory of God and the good of others.

And it does this because you said “yes” to something different.
Something ancient.
Something faithful.

The 40-Hour Influence

Your children spend around 40 hours a week in school. That’s more time than in church, more time than around the dinner table, and more time than with any other daily influence.

You understood that those hours are not neutral.

That’s why you chose a place where Christ is not confined to a Bible class or chapel—but is Lord of every subject, every classroom, and every conversation.

At Providence, we don’t just teach math or literature. We teach children to see God’s hand in math and God’s truth in story. We show them that all knowledge is unified in Christ (Colossians 1:17).

Because you chose this education, your child is being given a lens through which to see the world rightly—a biblical worldview.

Thank You

Thank you for choosing a path that is not always the easiest or most popular—but one that is eternally significant.

Thank you for entrusting your child to a school that loves Christ, treasures Scripture, and partners with you in the work of discipleship.

We don’t take that lightly.

Because of your choice, your child is not just being educated.
They are being formed—mind, heart, and soul—to live wisely and walk faithfully in a world that needs both.

SCHOOL-WIDE FAMILY TRIP TO THE CREATION MUSEUM

dkeesecker@providenceacademy.com (Destany Keesecker) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 01:46:18 GMT

Save the Date: February 27, 2026

Get ready for an unforgettable adventure! On February 27, 2026 , Providence Academy is taking a school-wide family trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY . As a part of our 2025-26 focus on the Creation story, this special trip offers an exciting, hands-on opportunity to explore God’s creation together as a family.

Families will need to register for tickets through the school, while hotels and other activities need to be reserved indepentantly. Mark your calendars and make plans to join us for a day of faith-building fun and family learning!

Stay tuned— more information to come!

Back-to-School Info

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:00:06 GMT

We’re excited to welcome our students and families into a new school year at Providence Academy!

To make your transition into the year smooth and stress-free, we’ve created a one-stop resource hub:
�� providenceacademy.com/welcome-back

Whether you’re new to Providence or returning for another year, the Welcome Back page provides everything you need to feel confident and prepared for Day One.

What You’ll Find:

Required Forms
Important dates and schedules
Carline instructions , lunch ordering , and other logistics
A special welcome video

It’s all organized in one place so you can find what you need quickly and focus on what matters most: preparing your family for a meaningful year ahead.Bookmark the page, explore the resources, and share it with any new families who may benefit. We’re looking forward to seeing your students on campus and stepping into another joyful year together.

Welcome back, Knights!

The Cross & Shield Summer 2025

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 15:53:02 GMT

Virtue Before Victory: What We’re Really Aiming for at Providence

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 23:54:32 GMT

As we close another school year, I find myself doing what many parents do—scrolling through pictures, watching highlight reels, and taking in the sea of awards, honors, final report cards, and championship recaps. It’s a season full of recognition—and rightfully so. Our students have worked hard, and I’m proud of every single one of them.

But if I’m honest, this time of year also brings something else: comparison.

As a mom—and especially as a foster mom—I know the ache of wondering, “Did we do enough?” When you see others walking across stages with medals or receiving high marks, it’s easy to let insecurity creep in. Social media doesn’t help—we see everyone’s best moments, not the hard work and heart work that happened behind the scenes.

But God sees the *whole* picture.

And He’s teaching me—again—that faithfulness is greater than flashiness. That formation matters more than recognition. And that at Providence Academy, we are in the business of something deeper than grades or game-winning points.

We’re forming *souls*. We’re teaching children to love what is true, good, and beautiful. We’re helping them build lives anchored in Christ.

That’s what I love about classical Christian education. It follows a different rhythm than the world. It values the process. It honors the struggle. It teaches that virtue comes *before* victory.

In Proverbs 22:6, we’re told, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” That’s a promise that speaks to *formation*—slow, steady, faithful formation that isn’t always seen in year-end certificates but will be seen in the kind of person our children become.

Yes, we pursue excellence. Yes, we cheer when students succeed. But more than that, we celebrate when a child grows in patience. When a student owns a mistake. When a teammate encourages another. When a class chooses kindness over cliques. Those are the victories I’ll remember from this year.

As a parent, I’m learning to take a long view. There will always be someone faster, stronger, or ranked higher. But in the Kingdom of God, faithfulness is the measure. And at Providence, I see that kind of faithfulness lived out daily—by students, teachers, and families alike.

So if this year didn’t end with the spotlight on your child, take heart. They are growing. They are being formed. And the Lord is at work—even in the unseen.

Because at the end of the day, we’re not just raising graduates. We’re raising disciples.

And that’s a victory worth celebrating.

The Cross & Shield Winter 25

dkeesecker@providenceacademy.com (Destany Keesecker) — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 18:56:09 GMT

Homecoming Dress-Up Days Announced

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 17:59:40 GMT

Homecoming Dress-up Days Announced

Summer Camps at PA!

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 12:50:20 GMT

Registration for 2024 Summer Camps is now open!

Providence is bringing weekly camp offerings in athletics, fine arts, and discovery. All Summer Camps are open to the local community. Camp offerings are listed below. Click each camp to register. All grade levels will be based on rising grades for 2024-2025.Click here to view camps and register.

The Cross & Shield Winter 24

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 01:52:44 GMT

The Cross & Shield Winter 24

The Cross & Shield Fall 23

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 15:18:13 GMT

The Cross & Shield Fall 23

Grandparent and Grand Friends Day

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 21:12:36 GMT

Save The Date! Novmber 21 is Grandparent and Grand Friends Day!

Stay tuned, details coming soon!

The Cross & Shield Spring 2023

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 11:52:54 GMT

Read the latest edition of The Cross & Shield, Winter 2023.

The Cross & Shield Winter 2023

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 15:41:44 GMT

Read the latest edition of The Cross & Shield, Winter 2023.

Save The Date

aloy@providenceacademy.com (Andrea Loy) — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 20:18:42 GMT

Annual Scholarship Dinner

We are excited to share with you that we have two very special guests for our 2023 Annual Scholarship Dinner and Silent Auction.

Pete Hegseth and David Goodwin will be joining us for the evening. Pete Hegseth currently serves as a co-host of FOX News Channel’s FOX & Friends Weekend and has co-authored a book, Battle for the American Mind, with David Goodwin. David Goodwin is the President of the Association of Classical Christian Schools. We are excited for the evening and look forward to God’s provision and blessing over this event!

Please save March 7, 2023, on your calendar and

stay tuned for more details!

Grandparents Day

aloy@providenceacademy.com (Andrea Loy) — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 20:16:17 GMT

We are excited for grandparents and grand friends to visit us on this special day! Read all about it in our Grandparent Newsletter.

The Business Directory 22-23

aloy@providenceacademy.com (Andrea Loy) — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 21:26:50 GMT

The New and Improved Business Directory!

Welcome to the new and improved PA Business Directory for 2022-23! We are excited to connect the PA family with a host of businesses that directly support our Need-Based Annual Scholarship Fund!

May God get all the glory for this wonderful project that provides tuition support to our families and furthers His Kingdom!

NEW FEATURES:

-You can easily navigate our new directory by clicking on the business name in the index and it will take you straight to the page you want.

-Each business ad has a clickable link that will take you directly to the business website.

-You can use the scroll bar at the bottom of the directory to get back to the index from any page.

The Cross & Shield Summer 22

aloy@providenceacademy.com (Andrea Loy) — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 17:29:00 GMT

The PA Summer Magazine 2022

The Cross & Shield, our newly titled PA Magazine is out. This edition carries our State of The School 2022 Address by Head of School, Ben Holland,in paper form, as well as summer sport camp photos, end of the year student recognitions, and much more! Download and read your copy here.

2022 State of the School Address

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Mon, 02 May 2022 14:48:50 GMT

2022 State of the School Address

TKS Spring Break Edition

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 09:15:06 GMT

TKS Spring Break Edition!

Apps That You Should Know About

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 13:52:44 GMT

Parenting in today’s technology driven world isn’t easy. I’m this parent academy video, Mrs. Trujillo shares some of the top apps you should know about that your kiddos might be using.

TKS Christmas Edition

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 06:01:37 GMT

Watch the Christmas episode here:

Merry Christmas

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:36:51 GMT

Merry Christmas from Providence Academy

PA Business Directory 21-22

aloy@providenceacademy.com (Andrea Loy) — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 15:03:37 GMT

The Providence Academy Business Directory

All proceeds from the business directory benefit the Providence Academy need-based scholarship fund. We encourage everyone to take a look at these businesses as you have need of their services and support them. After 13 years of excellent entertainment on the Christian Storytelling Concert Stage, including artists such as Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West, the Isaacs, and many more.... it became evident that in light of the pandemic, we needed to take a different direction for our fall fundraiser. The business directory is where God led us. We are amazed at the support of our community and with thankful hearts to these businesses, we give God glory for providing students at Providence with a Christ-centered education.

Be Still

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 14:25:18 GMT

Parents, take a few moments to check out our most recent Parent Academy video from Mr. Ballard on the timely topic of learning to “Be Still”.

Hear Dr. Mohler's Presentation from the 2021 Scholarship Dinner

aloy@providenceacademy.com (Andrea Loy) — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 18:09:14 GMT

Welcome to Parent Academy

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 20:04:58 GMT

Welcome to Parent Academy

We know our families are facing new challenges and increasing distractions every day. we have launched an easy to access Parent Academy Platform designed with the institution of the family at its core. Over the year, our administrators and student services team will present new information and timely topics through a Christian Worldview that we hope you find helpful and encouraging as you continue on your sacred journey called parenting. With the understanding that we are created to be image bearers, this on-going series seeks to assist parents in raising the next generation of engaged, faith-centered men and women who live freely and fully in a difficult, hard, and sometimes heartbreaking world. We’ll also bring you some quick tips, resources, and lighter topics along the way. For more information about any of the topics we share, don’t forget to sign-up for your free Axis.org account provided by the school.

Check out these health tips from Nurse Turner and these helpful links:

https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/handwashing-family.html (Handwashing)

The Knight Show (Fall Break Edition)

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 13:00:11 GMT

The Knight Show (Fall Break Edition)

PA Magazine

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 19:19:12 GMT

Download the latest PA Magazine Below

Add Your Company to the Providence Academy Business Directory!

jroark@providenceacademy.com (Josh Roark) — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:25:40 GMT

Add Your Company to the Providence Academy Business Directory!

The 2021 PA Business Directory will have a print and an online component, and it gives our sponsors a great opportunity to get their name in front of our Providence family. The directory will include a section that allows you to browse for local businesses by type, i.e. banks, medical providers and real estate advisors. Ads in the directory start as low as $50. All proceeds go to benefit the need-based scholarship fund. For questions contact Director of Development, Mark Koscak .

Download the packet here.

Alisa Van Cott

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 22:45:16 GMT

Welcome to new PA Board Member, Alisa Van Cott!

Welcome to new PA Board Member, Alisa Van Cott! Mrs. Van Cott is an attorney at Eastman who holds a J.D. Degree from New York University School of Law, a Certificate in Advanced International Studies from Johns Hopkins University SAIS, and an A.B. in Asian and African Languages and Literature (Concentration: Mandarin Chinese; Minor: Psychology) from Duke University. She is excited to use her experience and skills to serve the PA community because she feels the school has provided her children with an invaluable educational and spiritual formation. Mrs. Van Cott and her husband, Steve, have three children at PA in the elementary program.

2020-2021 State of the School

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 16:51:08 GMT

State of the School

In this year's State of the School Address we'll discuss who we are, where we are right now, and where we're headed. We will celebrate what God has been doing at Providence Academy this year and discuss what's next.

Referenced content:

"Who We Are" series: https://www.providenceacademy.com/media#SchoolWide

"New Initiatives" series: https://www.providenceacademy.com/media#SchoolWide

"2019-2020" State of the School Address: https://www.providenceacademy.com/media#SchoolWide

Check out the latest grandparent newsletter!

jroark@providenceacademy.com (Josh Roark) — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 18:19:30 GMT

Check out the latest grandparent newsletter here!

Download the newsletter here.

Updates for Rising 7th Graders.

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 19:19:40 GMT

Download the full magazine below.

Announcing Sherry Chambers as Middle School Principal

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 10:14:51 GMT

Announcing Sherry Chambers as new Middle School Principal.

Read the letter from Mr. Holland here:

"Who We Are"

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 18:34:46 GMT

A deep dive into our core values.

Since 1994 Providence Academy has been built firmly on these four core values: Classical, Discipleship, " In Loco Parentis" , and Christ-Centered. These core values are much more than words on a page; these principles are the heart, the driving force behind how we operate here at the school and greatly impact school life on a daily basis. Head of School Ben Holland, Secondary Principal Dane Bundy, Elementary Principal Dustin Williams, and Curriculum Coordinator Sherry Chambers discuss these values in great detail in our “Who We Are” video series. As you watch this content, please feel free to print off the attached document and follow along. As always, if you have any thoughts, questions, or concerns pertaining to this content, please reach out to us anytime.

Listen to Ken Ham's Presentation at the February 2021 Scholarship Dinner!

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 14:54:29 GMT

PA Business Directory

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 12:41:17 GMT

Click the link below to see the PA business directory.

https://www.christianstorytellingconcert.com/business-directory

PA Newsletter

jordy@whetsellmedia.com (Jordy Whetsell) — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 12:40:28 GMT

Click the link below to see the PA news letter.

https://www.christianstorytellingconcert.com/pamagazine