Cedric Bridges brings his musical talents into the classroom to help students see music as a gift and a tool to worship and praise God. A gifted musician, Mr. Bridges has a bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. He wanted to share his love of music with students, so he went on to earn a master’s degree in Elementary, Middle School, and High School Education from William Carey University. After teaching at public schools for over 13 years, Mr. Bridges now inspires Faith Life Academy students. He was saved at age 17, was called to preach at age 18 while a college freshman, and received his Elder’s license in the Church of God in Christ. Mr. Bridges is married, and he and his wife have a beautiful little girl. He’s excited to see the blessings the Lord has in store for the students and teachers at Faith Life Academy. Fun Facts About Mr. Bridges He plays six different instruments (organ, keyboard, drums, lead guitar, bass guitar, and saxophone). He is a middle child, number three in a family of four children. He loves playing basketball. He is known as “The Man” because he used that name as an icebreaker while teaching at Grace Christian Elementary School in Mississippi. The kids thought it was funny, and it stuck. He is 5 feet and 5-1/2 inches tall, although he says many people don't want to acknowledge that extra half of an inch.

Caleb, a 10th grader, earns the Student of the Month honor for being mature, responsible, and respectful. He excels in science, is disciplined, and embraces excellence. He led a team that created and implemented successful fundraisers for the school during Faith Life Academy’s Christmas program, and he has also contributed excellent photographs to the school this year. Caleb’s teachers note that he consistently has a positive attitude, even in the midst of challenges. Caleb says he enjoys the welcoming environment at Faith Life Academy and the flexible schedule, which allows him to fully immerse himself in his studies and make the most of his learning experience. He is driven by his entrepreneurial spirit and love for God. One of his favorite Bible verses comes from James 4:10 (ESV), “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” Fun Facts About Caleb He has a passion for cars and motorsports. He operates his own media business focused on luxury car photography and marketing. He wants to become an entrepreneur in sales and marketing.  Please join us in congratulating Caleb for his hard work and contributions to Faith Life Academy. We look forward to seeing what he’ll accomplish in the future!

Danny earns the student spotlight by being a leader. He encourages his classmates and celebrates their victories. The third grader loves all the friends he’s made at Faith Life Academy, being part of the Christmas play, and phys ed. He always gives his best and helps others do the same! When teachers suggest doing a little more, Danny always goes the extra mile without complaining and regularly takes his books home to do extra work. A fun fact about Danny is that he has a pet bearded dragon named Lucy. His interests include camping, rollerblading, hiking, exploring nature, Friday night pizza, and movies with his family. He is learning to listen to the Holy Spirit, and his teacher finds that he is a blessing in class as well as at Faith Life Academy. Please join us in congratulating Danny for being the featured student of the month!

Cierra Henry has been a part of the Faith Life family since 2013 and has been on staff at Faith Life Church as Media Production Manager since 2016. The 2023–2024 school year is her first year as a teacher at Faith Life Academy and her sixth year of teaching. Cierra says she is honored to be able to share the joy and fun of media and creative arts with students and incorporates faith into everyday aspects of her classes. “When we are talking about media, we discuss how to tie our faith into it, what heart we are serving from, and what goal we are trying to achieve.” Cierra makes learning memorable by giving the students plenty of opportunities for hands-on experiences and playing games to make the content more engaging. “As much as possible, I want to give the students the opportunity to do what we’re talking about in class, to use their hands, and to experience what they are learning. I encourage discussion, creativity, and working together.”  5 Fun Facts about Mrs. Henry: She was married in November 2022 and had lightsabers at her wedding. Her favorite things to do in her downtime are play video games and draw digital art. Her favorite place to visit is the mountains. She’s a skilled photographer. She has a dog named Nova.

At Faith Life Academy, we love to recognize our students when they go above and beyond in attitude and kindness. Students can receive high marks for extraordinary kindness, helpfulness, leadership, or perseverance. The March student of the month is ninth-grader Josh. Josh’s teachers say Josh is a positive leader and is becoming a godly young man. Josh recently stepped in to cover the role of another student during the History Night at the Museum play at Faith Life Academy. He performed the character well and enabled the play to go on. As a leader, Josh has shown kindness, encouragement, and compassion to other students dealing with challenges. He enjoys the student and teacher camaraderie and is exploring careers in computer engineering, professional athletics, video game design and development, and architecture. He has learned to discipline himself and be the person the Lord needs him to be, becoming kinder to fellow students and showing respect to teachers. Josh said he’s glad his teachers are proud of his improvements and looks forward to keeping up the good work. We congratulate Josh and look forward to seeing how the Lord will lead him in the future.

Natasha Bowman makes learning fun for her students by being flexible and facing each day with a fresh approach. For example, she might have students collaborate in class or complete lessons outdoors. Whether outside or inside the classroom, she strives to make learning memorable by connecting with real-life learning experiences. Natasha encourages students to develop skills and habits that will help them succeed. Along with helping students be successful, she also helps students learn to accept failure and learn from the experiences. Natasha brings a wealth of experience to help students at Faith Life Academy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with a double minor in Psychology and Sociology from Capital University and a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology from Argosy University. Natasha has worked with the child welfare and juvenile court systems, the Columbus Police Department, and Columbus City Schools. Natasha says she finds it a joy to teach at Faith Life Academy with its unique, supportive environment where staff can truly nurture the heart, mind, and soul of each student.

As a kindergarten teacher at Faith Life Academy, Sherry Simone loves being able to start students out right by integrating the Bible into the classroom and helping students grow in their faith in Jesus as they learn reading, writing, creating, and how to get along with others. With more than 20 years of experience teaching elementary school, Sherry brings a wealth of knowledge to Faith Life Academy. She was a fifth grade teacher at Tree of Life Christian Schools for 11 years and taught at an online Ohio school for two years. Sherry earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Harding University in Arkansas. Born and raised in Arkansas, Sherry is a long-time resident of Powell. She has two daughters—one who attends Cedarville University and one who is a senior at Delaware Christian School. When she’s not sharing the love of Jesus with little ones, Sherry enjoys hanging out with friends and family and traveling to Branson, Missouri. She is honored to be a part of the Faith Life Academy family, and she looks forward to the amazing transformations that will take place in many lives.

Hadessah (Haddie) is Faith Life Academy’s Student of the Month. She is a stellar science student, recently winning first prize for creativity and effort for her marine animal diorama. As a sixth grader, Haddie is a wonderful role model to younger students, studying Scriptures with them, and leading discussions during Bible lessons. She excels at math and also enjoys science and history. She says she loves the teachers at Faith Life Academy. Haddie loves to sing and enjoys playing the keyboard and other musical instruments. She is currently involved in Kingdom Track at Faith Life Church and looks forward to serving on a Dream Team. We congratulate Haddie for her hard work and contributions and look forward to seeing what she’ll accomplish in the future!