Staying Active as a Family During Breaks from School

As much as children look forward to summer break, they often spend a lot of it bored, wondering what to do with their newfound free time. While they should dedicate some of their break to rest, summer is an important time for children to form good habits and stay active. If the whole family can get involved, then that’s even better. Here are some fun, active ways you can spend summer with your child. 

Make a Summer Bucket List

Children are often full of ideas, but those ideas go away as quickly as they appear. Take some time with your child to make a list of things you both want to do before the end of summer break. As you complete each task, have your child check it off so they can have a sense of accomplishment. Some of the goals can be lofty, but make sure there are at least a few simple ones like “go to the beach at sunset” and “learn to fly a kite.”

Attend Outdoor Events

On any given weekend, and especially on holiday weekends, you can find all kinds of free or inexpensive family-friendly activities to do together. Find a major park or downtown spot online, and see what they have going on over the summer. Summer festivals, farmer’s markets or even movies in the park can be great opportunities to get out into the world as a family. They can also lead to great memories. 

Explore Nature

There’s nothing quite like connecting with nature as a family. See if there’s a park or nature preserve near you. Before you head out, make sure you’ve packed plenty of water and sunscreen for everyone. Bring the whole family so you can get “lost” in the woods together. Keep in mind, you may lose cell signal. Follow marked trails so you don’t actually get lost. If your child needs a little extra motivation to head out into nature, make it a scavenger hunt! 

Go Swimming 

Swimming is a great activity for all ages, as it’s easy to learn and easy on the joints. If your child isn’t a confident swimmer, consider swimming lessons. You can make it a goal to swim together as a family by the end of summer. This activity is great because there are plenty of indoor and outdoor pools, and you can even go swimming in the ocean. If you are making a day of it, you’ll want to make sure you have sunscreen and reapply often.

Getting active together during summer break is a great way to spend quality time as a family. At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

5 Benefits of Playing Youth Sports

Sports bring people together, especially when it’s their children playing. Many children form their fondest memories while on the court or the field with their peers. Playing team sports gives them the opportunity to learn important life skills while bonding with others who have similar interests. Here are a few of the main benefits of playing youth sports. 

Teamwork

They say “teamwork makes the dream work,” and that’s especially true for young athletes. Teamwork encompasses many elements of sportsmanship, from friendly competition among teammates to working toward a collective goal. Along with learning to work with their peers, student athletes learn how to interact with coaches and captains. This also helps them build important social skills.

Social Skills

Students meet people from diverse backgrounds with varying interests and personalities through athletics. Players need to be able to communicate effectively with everyone around them, from teammates and coaches to adoring fans. Sports put children into social situations that they won’t experience anywhere else, so they get plenty of practice dealing with different social dynamics. 

Self-Confidence

Children often feel pressured to impress everyone around them, from their parents and teachers to their peers. As part of a team, they can be proud of personal achievements as well as those the team makes. Each athlete contributes to setting and meeting the goals of the team. Being part of a team builds confidence for the players, and shows each player the importance of building others up and reaching their personal goals.

Leadership

Learning to lead is an important part of team sports. Everyone on the team carries the responsibility of each win or loss. If one person isn’t on time, refuses to practice or doesn’t want to work alongside others, it brings the whole team down. Joining a sports team also gives children the opportunity to try out for leadership roles, like being team captain. While playing sports, children also learn skills like how to compromise and empathize with others, which helps them be better team players and, ultimately, better leaders.

Focus on Health

With technology being such a pervasive part of our lives, most children simply do not get enough exercise. Being on a youth sports team shows children the importance of nutrition, rest and regular exercise. It also helps them control their weight and reduce their overall body fat. Keeping up with healthy habits allows children to build muscles and maintain healthy bones and joints, building a foundation for lifelong health. 

Our school offers several sports programs through community partnerships and school-sponsored teams. At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

How Christian Education Helps Build Character

When children go off to school, the goal is generally to learn about subjects that will help them pursue a career in the future. However, those who attend Christian school often receive much more than that from their education. Faith-based schools reach students on an academic and spiritual level. This helps many students grow into compassionate, responsible adults who are ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. Here are some of the ways Christian education helps build character. 

Open Conversations

Unlike some public schools, teachers at Christian schools can talk about faith and how it relates to the subjects they teach. More importantly, teachers can help connect faith to in-class instruction. Children are allowed to ask faith-based questions while learning how faith applies to each area of their lives. Prayer is encouraged in the classroom and around campus, giving children moments to seek encouragement and guidance throughout the day.

Teachers as Role Models

Faith-based schools empower teachers to discuss their personal beliefs, which makes life easier for children who have questions about theirs by giving them a point of connection. Teachers can show children not only how to be good people but how to be good children of God. They also give individualized attention to each student’s academic and spiritual wellbeing. Being a teacher at a Christian school means being a role model for students. This empowers teachers to help their students through anything life throws at them. 

Shared Values

Students at Christian schools share the same values as their teachers. This positively impacts their spiritual and moral foundation because they receive the same messaging at home and at school. Christian schools allow children to be part of a caring community of like minded individuals. The more children can learn about and discover their faith, the easier it is to build a strong foundation for who they will become. 

Community Focus

Christian schools feel more like a community for a few reasons. For one, there typically isn’t as large of a student population as there would be at a public school. These schools also encourage students to participate in service projects to help those in need. This is often part of the curriculum and encouraged as an after school activity. Volunteering and serving the community helps children become familiar with the problems people face in the community and around the world. This teaches empathy, which is one of the most important aspects of building character. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa Christian school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Why You Should Join the PTO at Your Child’s School

Getting involved in your child’s education shows that you care about their future. One great way to join the school community is through the parent-teacher organization, or PTO. Collaboration between parents and teachers can make the school a better place for students and educators alike. Even if you don’t have a lot of time to devote, you can have your voice heard in one of these organizations. Here are some reasons why we recommend joining the PTO at your child’s school: 

Meet Other Parents

Joining a parent-teacher organization gives you the opportunity to socialize with other parents. This allows you to make new friends and connections with whom you already share common ground. At town hall meetings and events, you can talk to other parents at the school, which can help ease or work out any concerns you have. As new parents join, you can help them become acclimated to their child’s new school. 

Make Your Voice Heard

Teachers and parents alike need a space where they can hear from one another. PTO meetings and events provide a space to voice your concerns among like minded people. You can also take time to personally thank the teachers at the school for what they’re doing well. Along with speaking for yourself, you can speak for the children, who may not always feel empowered to speak for themselves. 

Help Your Child Feel Valued

Being involved in our child’s school shows them that you care about their education. Many children are proud of their parents for joining the parent-student organizations, even if they act embarrassed about it. Knowing their parents are advocating for them at school can help build childrens’ confidence, which can lead to improved behavior and performance.  

Give Back to the School

Parent-teacher organizations lift a burden off teachers, who often feel overworked. By volunteering at events, helping out in the classroom or just helping make plans for the school’s future, parents can give back to their children’s schools in a big way. This helps raise teacher morale and leads to better educational experiences for students. 

The PTO at NTCA

At North Tampa Christian Academy, parents can be involved in the PTO on a few different levels. Parent volunteers help teachers and the PTO as needed, either in classrooms or on field trips. Room parents assist teachers by facilitating communication between parents, teachers and the PTO. All members can participate in town hall meetings, and they often do. Our PTO helps make NTCA a great place to teach and a great place to learn. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, we always encourage and appreciate parental involvement. Our students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Teacher Spotlight: Mandy Corea

Mandy Corea wears many hats at North Tampa Christian Academy. She’s involved with Campus Ministries, teaches 6th grade Bible and Social Studies, and teaches academic lessons at the SVB Center! 

Corea’s education background is as diverse as her roles at the school. For her bachelor’s degree, she double majored in Sociology: International & Community Development and Spanish Studies with a minor in Religion at Andrews University. She also has a master’s in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University and one in Christian Studies: Children at Risk from Fuller Theological Seminary. 

Including her time as a student missionary, Corea has spent nearly 11 years working in the education field. Education inspires her because she finds that, through education, she can help students become the best version of themselves. Growing up, she had teachers who trusted her and listened to her, empowering her to become a leader. She hopes to do the same with her students.

“When a student feels that they are being listened to and that they are in a safe environment and trusted by their mentors and leaders, thriving and growth begins!” Corea said.

Originally from Southern California, Corea grew up in Delaware and Maryland. As a child, Corea aspired to be a pilot for the Air Force or a mathematician for the NSA. She decided to pursue education as a way of giving back to the next generation. Through storytelling and sharing personal experiences, she encourages students to become involved in their own education in and outside of the classroom. 

“Storytelling converts something that was once just a fact into something personal and real,” Corea said. “Personal experience is vital for students to truly believe in something, and in turn, practice what they learn.”

Corea loves a good story. When asked about her favorite book, she said that there are too many to choose from. Her current favorite is The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. In terms of movies, she enjoys franchises like Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC and Star Wars. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Office and Parks & Recreation are a few of her favorite TV shows. 

Outside of being entertained by stories, Corea likes to have her own adventures. When visiting family abroad, making music, going on missions trips and participating in outreach events, Corea thrives when enriching her life and the lives of others. This is especially true for her students. Whether she meets them on the tennis court at SVB or at Campus Ministries events, this is how she wants her students to feel:

“Feeling loved, loving Jesus, and loving others; fighting for the dignity of human beings around them,” Corea said, “all the while, never doubting that they are each UNCOMMON: they exist for a reason and purpose, they are important, they are wanted, and they are loved, all because they are children of Jesus Christ — and in turn should live life understanding the same about others.”

Get to Know Mandy Corea

If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would you choose? Rosa Parks, Malala, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Indian and Central American food

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? To fly 

What is your favorite place that you have traveled to, or a place you would like to visit? Favorite place: the islands of Greece. Would like to visit: Israel and more of the Middle East

If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you would do? Use it to support and expand my ministry in Honduras 

What are your favorite Bible verses?  Jeremiah 1: 5-9 and Psalm 30: 7a.

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.