The story of Kings Academy
WAYNESBORO - Mary Melton and Linda Lassiter are choosing to reap rather than retire.
The two friends, who have a combined five decades of experience in the Staunton City Schools system, are still educating. Melton and Lassiter are continuing to put their educational gifts and experience to good use, this time at the Kings' Academy. The K-5 Christian school is one of several outreach programs by Oak Grove Restoration Ministries.
Bishop Ted Payne, who pastors Oak Grove, had a vision for leading the church to enter the Christian education field. As it turns out, the Lord had been preparing Lassiter for this endeavor her whole life. The Kings' Academy principal is putting her 25 years of public school education, bachelor's and master's in educations from James Madison University and her master's in divinity from Virginia Union University into good use at the school.
"My educational background and my seriousness about my faith came together in one place at one time," said Lassiter, whose daughter-in-law Emily teaches kindergarten at the school. "I started with homeschooling my daughter, and then Bishop Payne had a vision to have a school. Those two things came together. He had the vision. I had the calling to do the work. They came together, and that's where we are today."
As soon as Lassiter took the position, she called her long-time friend and fellow educator Melton. The two met over chicken at Ma and Pa's Restaurant and discussing entering the Christian education field together.
Melton needed little convincing to come on board.
"I love Jesus, and I think children need to know who he is," Melton said. "I really enjoy being in an environment where I can encourage them to be obedient children, to trust God, to know who He is, to give their hearts to Him at a young age. I know it's very important, because the older you get the more difficult it seems to be."
Each student in the school is enrolled into the Abeka long-distance learning program. The students follow a DVD curriculum, and Melton, Lassiter and Linda's daughter-in-law Emily Lassiter guide the kids through each lesson.
The course material is academically advanced, and is well-equipped to give the kids a strong spiritual foundation as well.
"Like the name suggests, it is the King's academy, and I believe our calling is to educate our children to the ways of the king," Lassiter said. "We want kids to have a love for the king and the kingdom."
