Let Your Light Shine: How CCA Students Are Serving in Our Community and Beyond
At Covenant Christian Academy, we believe that education is about more than academics—it’s about shaping hearts to reflect Christ in the world. This year’s theme, “Let Your Light Shine” (Matthew 5:16), has come to life in powerful and tangible ways through the service of our students.
From our youngest learners to our seniors, CCA students are stepping outside the classroom and into their communities, choosing to love, serve, and shine.
A Foundation of Service: Elementary Compassion in Action
Even our youngest Cougars are learning what it means to serve others with joy and purpose. Much of this service is made possible through the Compassion Initiative, a nonprofit organization founded by CCA mom Brooke Barker.
Through her leadership and vision, Brooke has worked tirelessly to create meaningful opportunities for our students to serve others and engage with real needs in our community. She partners with the school to ensure that students are not only learning about compassion—but living it out.
- Our 1st graders assembled 180 fall treat bags for families supported by Orange Out, a pediatric cancer foundation. Each bag was filled with candy, scripture cards, and notes of encouragement—prayed over and delivered to families walking through difficult seasons.
- 2nd graders continued that impact by preparing 600 Easter eggs for pediatric cancer patients, while 3rd graders created over 100 Valentine’s cards for residents in local nursing homes, bringing encouragement to hearts across our community.
- Our 4th graders served in a hands-on way by creating over 100 toys for animals at the Grapevine Animal Shelter—caring for God’s creation in a meaningful and creative way.
- As a whole, our elementary students came together for Operation Christmas Child, assembling 75 boxes filled with gifts and the hope of the Gospel, and participated in a school-wide coat and blanket drive, collecting 14 large bags of donations for families in need.
Growing in Service: Middle School Impact
As students grow, so does their understanding of what it means to serve others.
Our middle school students stepped into leadership and service through a variety of opportunities. Fifth and sixth graders rang bells for the Salvation Army, raising $397 while sharing joy through caroling, worship music, and scripture cards. They also served at local nursing homes, created blessing bags alongside memory care residents, and volunteered at 6Stones’ food pantry—helping meet the needs of hundreds of families in our area.
Through each opportunity, students are learning that service isn’t just something we do—it’s part of who we are.
Leading the Way: High School Service and Leadership
Our high school students continue to lead by example, using their gifts to serve both locally and globally.
Our worship team had the opportunity to lead and encourage residents at a local senior living community, while an 11th-grade Bible study group assembled blessing backpacks for individuals experiencing homelessness—meeting needs with both compassion and intentionality. One afternoon, a group of our high school boys also set out to deliver Christmas gifts to our CCA neighbors, spreading kindness in the community.
The impact of CCA students extends far beyond our local community.
Brooke, Riley (9th), and Dylan (6th) Bennett served on mission trips in Uganda, while 2025 graduate Emily Briscoe has participated in five mission trips spanning Mexico, Kenya, Japan, and South Padre. These experiences have shaped their faith and perspective in lasting ways.
Student Spotlight: Faith in Action
Beyond organized school efforts and mission trips, many of our students are faithfully serving every week in their own churches.
- Emma (10th) and Lola (9th) Shotts teach 2nd and 3rd graders at their church, with Lola also leading youth worship on Wednesday nights.
- Elli Garcia (12th), Sullivan Kruse (11th), and Meyer Kate Kruse (8th) serve in a preschool Sunday School class, creating a joyful and loving environment where young children begin to understand God’s love. They are patient, kind, and genuinely enjoy helping these children feel safe and loved.
- At Christ Chapel Bible Church in Fort Worth, Sofia Hankins (9th) serves on the Media Arts Team, helping run cameras and capture meaningful moments during worship services. As one team member shared, “Sofia faithfully serves on our production team and is truly a joy… She’s funny, kind, and dependable, and we genuinely love having her on the team.”
These students—and so many others—are quietly and consistently shining their light in places that matter deeply.
Shining Bright
These stories are just a glimpse of how our students are living out their faith. Every week, they serve in churches, go on mission trips, and find ways—big and small—to be a light in the world around them.
As Matthew 5:16 reminds us: “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
At CCA, we are grateful to see students not only growing in knowledge, but also living with purpose—shining the light of Christ wherever they go.
If you’re looking for a school that partners with families to shape both the mind and the heart, we’d love to connect with you. Come see how your student can grow, serve, and shine at Covenant Christian Academy. Schedule a tour or learn more about our mission and community today.