Emerson Archer is Ignite Christian Academy’s high school student of the month for December. Emerson is in her third year with ICA and came here after having friends from church who were enrolled here. Her parents wanted her to have access to a biblical, yet rigorous, high school experience, along with accountability for her own work, and teacher support. Emerson says her favorite part of online learning is definitely the ability to set her own pace. She can get extra lessons done if a certain assignment takes her less than expected and this way, she can also get ahead on a subject, which is super helpful when she doesn’t have as much time on some days and can simply take off of that subject.
Emerson is very active within ICA, recently winning our 10—12 grade our spelling bee! Her teacher, Mr. Lewis said, “Emerson is going above and beyond on her assignments, and she truly wants to be involved in the course material. I am so glad to work with students like Emerson and I thankful to see a student that is so dedicated to her education.”
What is your favorite subject and why?
Though I do not take this class anymore, I would have to say that out of all the courses I have taken in my three years at ICA, Spanish has been my favorite. I had so much fun learning and speaking a new language, especially one that is so widely used in the United States.
Is there anything you’ve encountered while studying at ICA that has surprised you?
One surprising and advantageous thing that I have experienced while at ICA is how quickly my fingers adapted to typing all of my work. I can now type super fast.
Where do you live and what do you enjoy about living there?
I live in the state of Illinois. I enjoy living here because all the seasons are so defined. There are distinctly different temperatures, types of weather, and natural beauties that come with spring, summer, fall, and winter. This makes the coming of each new season exciting.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I love, love, love to read. I also enjoy crocheting, a recently discovered and very rewarding hobby of mine. Additionally, I love playing volleyball with my friends.
Do you have any siblings? If so, what kinds of things do you like to do together?
I have an older brother who no longer lives with us and two younger sisters. My sisters and I love watching movies, playing video games, listening to Adventures in Odyssey, and eating Chick-Fil-A together.
What would others be surprised to learn about you?
Others might be surprised to learn that I play three instruments in three different levels of the homeschool band I am part of. I play clarinet, trumpet, and percussion. My clarinet’s name is Larry, my trumpet is Wesley, and my xylophone is in the process of maybe being called Wilson.
Of what accomplishment in life are you most proud?
Over the summer, I took an in-person college course at a nearby college. While there, I was able to share some biblical truths with my professor, who had stopped attending church. Being homeschooled pretty much my whole life has not given me many opportunities like this, and I was astonished by the immense joy that it brought me.
Do you have any plans or goals after you graduate from high school?
After high school, I plan to go to college and pursue a degree in American Sign Language interpretation. I am interested in interpreting for either a school or a hospital. I would also love to adopt deaf children when I am older. I will see what the Lord has for me, though!
If you could have any job in the world, which one would you choose and why?
If I could have any job in the world, I would be an actress in performances for Sight & Sound Theaters. Sight & Sound is a ministry that puts on large-scale, breathtaking musicals depicting the stories of Bible characters. I’ve seen shows in person and online through Sight & Sound TV and my sisters and some close friends of ours from church truly enjoy watching the performances. It is amazing to see what God is doing through this ministry.
If you could offer advice to your classmates, what would it be?
First off, my advice is to take good notes. They are really helpful when studying for quizzes and tests. Secondly, I would say to work hard and do your best for God’s glory alone. Colossians 3:23 says: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Our goal is not to please people, but to please God with our effort, whether that effort resulted in something great like a good grade or something undesirable like a bad grade. If we have the right mindset about our work, God can be glorified no matter the outcome, and that is our purpose in life.