Investing in the Community: How Christian Schools Make an Impact

By: Josh Worden 

ACSI believes that Faith Teaches every moment, every day, every way. It is tremendous to witness member schools putting faith into action. Through teaching students servant leadership by volunteering at The Salvation Army, to raising money in penny drives to support missions overseas, Christian schools are truly showing what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ. 

Pantego Christian Academy in Arlington, Texas 

Pantego Christian Academy (PCA) serves more than 600 students from EE through 12th grade in North Texas. 

The last dozen years or so, PCA brings together all grades—elementary through high school—on one special day dubbed “PCA Gives Back.”  

On the latest edition on Nov. 5, 2025, the elementary students made Operation Christmas Child boxes with items donated by families, Christmas crafts for assisted living home residents, Thanksgiving boxes for a local mission organization, and more. 

The middle and high schoolers volunteered at more than 20 different sites around the area. Over the years, PCA students have served at the Salvation Army, sorted clothes at a re-sale store, cleaned parks, painted homes, and fed the homeless. 

“We get kids out into places they may not necessarily go with their families,” said Jared Jones, PCA’s Director of Spiritual Formation. “One of the goals with the high schoolers is to get them into more relational activities, serving food, taking a worship team and having a student preach.” 

This year, one group of middle schoolers spent time at an assisted living facility. 

"They were really impacted by the relational type of ministry,” Jones said. “All they had to do was be present. The place had them do some cleaning, but really what they enjoyed the most was sitting with elderly people and hearing their stories.” 

Dr. Kathy Ferrell, the Head of School at PCA, enjoyed spending time with middle school girls at a re-sale store that benefits a pregnancy center. 

“These were seventh and eighth grade girls, and they got to learn about teenage pregnancy,” Ferrell said. “They sorted clothes, cleaned, and put tags on the clothes. When we were leaving, several of the girls said they wanted to come back and help on another day. That’s what it’s about right there.” 

The origin of PCA Gives Back came from the school community itself. 

“It was the vision of one of our parents about 13 years ago,” Jones said. “The parent said, ‘We do mission trips, but what can we do in our local community?’” 

The event was initially just for the high school but soon spread to middle and elementary grades. 

“Our school is the largest thing in Pantego,” added Ferrell. “I want people in our community to know that we’re not just a school. Our mission is to equip servant leaders to honor Christ and impact the world. If we’re not demonstrating that, it’s just a saying on the wall.” 

As much as the goal is to benefit the community, the largest impact is likely on the students themselves. 

“In terms of formation, it benefits the student holistically,” Jones said. “They realize that should be the result of their faith: outpouring. As a school, we spend so much time pouring into our students, and this is a great opportunity for them to realize what it means to pour out themselves.” 

Trinity Christian School in Sacramento, California 

ACSI believes that Faith Teaches. This expands beyond the walls of a classroom and into the community itself. 

Trinity Christian School (TCS), a ministry of its founding church, Trinity Life Center, is putting faith into action through its Great Commission emphasis each October. 

In conjunction with the church, students participate in a canned food drive and a penny drive, and the month culminates with a missions-themed luncheon and chapel. 

“When our pantry is fully stocked, it meets the needs of families that come in for the entire year,” TCS’s Principal, Carl Friedel said. “This year, there was so much that came in that we had to reorganize some of our closet spaces and find new storage to accommodate the overflow.” 

The penny drive raised more than $1,500 to support two missionary organizations. 

The luncheon and chapel celebrate the different nationalities represented at Trinity Life Center. Students prepared music, scripture, and memory verses in multiple languages. 

"Students dress up in traditional clothing and bring food that represents their background,” Friedel said. “Parents can come as well. It’s an amazing opportunity for our students to highlight where they come from.” 

A missionary couple from Ecuador spoke during the chapel. 

“They did an amazing job challenging our students about being missional minded in our own community and highlighting what God is doing around the world,” Friedel said.  

Investing in the community is important to Friedel and TCS because it would be easy to be isolated from the surrounding area if the school made no effort otherwise. 

“Our church is in an impoverished area, and our students are not necessarily reflective of the neighborhood around the school,” Friedel said. “We’re able to have an impact in our neighborhood with the resources coming from the school into the church and then back out into the community.”