"What does diversity mean to you? How do you celebrate diversity?"
UNITY
ELCA strives to nurture a unified community of God-centered individuals who are known and valued for whom God distinctly created them to be. We recognize and respect our cultural differences and unique abilities, rejoice in our similarities, and love ALL individuals as image-bearers of God.
Students at ELCA have the privilege of growing up in a richly diverse student population. As you walk our halls, you get a sense of what Heaven will be like as you see students who come from many different racial and cultural backgrounds. In a focused effort to strengthen our diverse culture, we have established a Unity Council to discuss critical issues within our school. The council consists of parents, staff members, and students who meet on a regular basis to discuss ongoing issues and create strategies for future improvement. Our foundational principle is that all people are created in the image of God. As image-bearers, we all have great value in the eyes of the Creator and thus we should treat those who are different than us with that mindset.
The word GRACE describes our focus on diversity within the school...
G - gender
R - race
A - age and ability
C - culture
E - economic ability
All of these groups are represented within our school and are recognized within God's word. Our goal is to teach our students that God has created us in His image and for His glory. As students begin to grasp that concept, they are able to respond to one another in a truly Biblical way.
Unity Council Members:
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Alexa Blackburn
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Rylee Collier
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Ana Corales
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Christopher Craddock
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Grace Lee
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Kaila Leslie
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Madison Norwood
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Jiya Patel
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Gracie Rivers
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Donovan Smalls
Student Testimony:
Being a part of the Council is a way to immerse myself into new, enriching cultures, and it provides a way for me to be aware of how culture impacts our daily lives. I have a deep interest in learning about new things, especially in now they relate to the current world and how it impacts me and shapes my Christian worldview. I have a serious passion about learning what make us (as individuals) who we are; and I feel like culture is a big part of that. I also am deeply passionate about seeing all the beauty in all that God created us to be, and how He uses our culture to shape us. I mean, look at all of this diversity and culture that God created and He loves us all, and He created us all in His image. That, to me, is amazing and marvelous to think about!
-Nadia Osmani, Class of 2022