Meet our student of the month, Micah Witherow. Originally from the U.S., Micah is a 10th grader who moved to South Africa with his missionary parents when he was six years old. Today, he considers South Africa his home.
Perks of Learning from a Distance
I decided to enroll at Ignite Christian Academy due to its flexible scheduling and its class offerings. Distance learning provides me with the opportunity to determine my school work day. When I have something coming up, like a family ministry trip, I can work ahead so that I can devote my time and attention to my trip and not worry about my school work.
I also liked how friendly everyone was when I was in the application process. They answered all of my questions and provided me with a lot of great information. When I first enrolled, I was surprised to learn that my teachers live in different states. I assumed they would all be located in Iowa.
Favorite Subject
My favorite subject is U.S. History. I am a history buff who enjoys reading about world events. In particular, I like studying government systems to learn how they impact citizens both past and present.
Life in South Africa
My family moved to South Africa when I was six years old. My parents are missionaries with OC International Ministries. I’ve spent the majority of my life in South Africa and I consider it to be my home.
Living in South Africa is never boring. No day is the same. One day I could be doing my school work, another day I could be out in the bush looking for giraffes and kudu, and the next day I could be accompanying my mom into Finetown, an informal settlement, to deliver tables and chairs to preschools.
The people of South Africa are vibrant and friendly. One of the things I really like is having African pastors stay in our home and listening to their stories.
Hobbies & Activities
Swimming is something I love to do on a regular basis. I participate in the Linrand Swim Club and swim competitively against other local teams. My favorite event is the individual medley because I like swimming all four strokes.
I also enjoy reading and hiking in the outdoors. In particular, I like being in the African bush. I have two younger brothers named Jake and Caleb who like to spend time exploring and hiking with me.
Dreams for the Future
I have too many interests right now to choose exactly what I want to do in the future. However, I do plan to return to the United States to attend university. I also think it would be fun to be a missionary in a different country and on a different continent than Africa. It would be incredible to be exposed to another culture and interact with the people there.
A Surprising Fact about Me
In the course of my life, I have petted a number of lion cubs. In addition, I have also had a lion cub playfully pounce on my back when I wasn’t looking.
My Greatest Accomplishment
Last year I attended a Cambridge School in South Africa. They grouped the classes together so that I took both eighth and ninth grade course work. It was a ton of work! I didn’t have much help from my teachers and was forced to study a lot. I am grateful that I passed all 32 of my final exams at the end of the year and did well. It was a big relief!
Advice for My Classmates
I would tell my fellow ICA classmates to take advantage of interacting with their teachers. My ICA teachers are fantastic and really helpful, especially when I need more clarification on an assignment or project. I never had such a great resource in a South African school. I was on my own. Now, I have teachers who care about me, are willing to help, and want the best for me.