Members of Pacifica Christian Orange County’s administration, faculty and board spoke recently at an informational gathering at Geoff and Lucie Moore’s home in Newport Beach.
After the presentation on the uniqueness of the newest school in town, everybody voiced a desire go back to high school, as long as they could go to Pacifica.
Lucie became involved with Pacifica in May as their director of development.
“I am excited about Pacifica because their mission, to educate students to think critically through a rigorous academic program and to live well through an intentional mentoring relationship with faculty, will best prepare students to become confident, faithful leaders in the 21st century,” Lucie said.
Pacifica is a four-year college-preparatory high school opening its doors to more than 50 students this fall in Newport Beach. Its brochure states that the co-educational liberal arts school “is devoted to teaching young men and women to think critically and wisely, instilling heartfelt joy and interest in learning, while encouraging lives of faith, character, and service to the glory of God.”
The school is based on the same mission, vision and values as Pacifica Christian High School in Santa Monica that was founded in 2005 as the only independent Christian high school in Westside Los Angeles.
David O’Neill, the founding Head of Pacifica Christian Orange County, also served as a founding administrator at Pacifica in Santa Monica.
“At Pacifica, students are taught to think well because the better they think, the better they know how to live, work and engage the world around them,” O’Neill said. “Students are not simply attempting to grow in knowledge, but to renew their minds to see more clearly, act more justly, and love more lavishly. We teach students to better prepare them to leave campus well equipped to positively affect their community, to influence our culture, and, quite possibly, to change the world.”
“Why do we need another great academic institution when there are great academic institutions around town?” asked Keith Carlson, president of the Board of Trustees. “We need the spiritual component. We need to prepare this next generation to be men and women of character who will have the courage to be transformational leaders who will impact our world for good. How do we know the Pacifica model works? We know because it’s been working for ten years in Santa Monica. That school keeps turning out a great product – accomplished students who think and live well. We are a rigorous college prep school, but we’re relational too. We do life with students. We’re college prep meets Young Life. “
Pacifica opens September 24 at their campus at 883 West 15th Street. Class size averages 16 students, with a student-teacher ratio of approximately eight to one.
The community is invited to attend Pacifica’s dedication service for their inaugural classes on Monday August 24 at 5 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Church, 600 St. Andrews Rd.
Pacifica will contribute to the community through classes, book studies and other educational opportunities. Their inaugural community event, The Great Conversation Symposium, kicks off with renowned C.S. Lewis scholars leading a two-day discussion titled “The Education of the Soul” on October 2 and 3.
For further information, visit pacificaoc.org.
Cindy can be reached at cindy@onthegrow.com.
