Meet our March student of the month, Shelby DeLille. She’s a self-proclaimed perfectionist and hopeless romantic who has been a missionary kid in Brazil since the age of six. A senior this year, she plans to study social work at a school in the U.S. after graduation.
My ICA Story
I have been a student at Ignite Christian Academy since I began my freshman year of high school in August 2012. The variety of courses and the schedule flexibility ICA provides are two major reasons I decided to enroll.
My favorite things about distance learning are the ability to create a schedule that works best for me and the opportunity to develop self-discipline. I have been surprised by the amount of positive interaction and initiative among ICA students. I feel like I am able to grow a network of friends even though we all live in different places around the globe.
Through all of my years with ICA, my favorite subject was Spanish because I love language learning and found it to be a fun and interactive class.
Life as a Missionary Kid
I have been a missionary kid in Recife, Brazil since I was six years old. Despite occasionally joining in on ministry activities, I was not able to become heavily involved until I entered high school because I had not previously been able to work my school schedule around ministry activities.
Today I am involved in weekly children’s and women’s ministries and also serve as a translator when we host short-term mission teams. The teams have worked in a variety of ways, including construction, painting, in-church ministries, healthcare, and more. I know, without a doubt, that I have gained far more than I could ever give through mission work.
Clubs and Activities
In addition to my ministerial activities, I am involved with The Blue Umbrella and Writers Block at Ignite Christian Academy.
I learned to enjoy the challenges of effective writing and critical editing during my junior year of high school. When I saw the first issue of The Blue Umbrella, I realized that joining the team was an opportunity to continue working on my writing skills and I knew I had to jump in. I now serve on the staff as a writer and copy editor.
I was invited to Writers Block on the student center by my friend, Rose K. Although I have not been able to attend meetings due to scheduling, I have greatly enjoyed keeping up with my peers’ writing endeavors.
I also serve as the current president of ICA’s chapter of the National Honor Society and an ambassador for the National Society of High School Scholars. I found out about both societies by personal invitations and became involved through each organization’s respective application process.
Hobbies
In my free time I love reading, indulging my creative side through art and do-it-yourself projects, and spending quality time with my friends and family here in Brazil. I’m also close with my older sister. Before she moved to college in the U.S. almost three years ago, we often invented culinary dishes and baked desserts together. Thanks to technology, we still keep in touch even though we are thousands of miles apart.
My Greatest Accomplishment
I would say that I am most proud of my work within children’s ministries. I have had the privilege of teaching children once a week at a local church and I have enjoyed watching them learn, grow, discover, and mature.
Future Plans
I plan to attend college in the U.S. starting in August of this year. Due to financial matters, I do not yet know which university I will be attending; my top two picks are University of Tennessee, Knoxville and University of Central Florida. I intend to pursue at least a bachelor’s degree in social work.
Words of Wisdom
My advice for ICA students is to choose to engage with your teachers and peers. Especially in an online setting, it is your choice how much you interact with others. You never know how much you might benefit from communicating with your teachers and building relationships with fellow students. Do not waste the opportunity to get to know others and get involved in the ICA community; this school is truly a blessing.
We hope you enjoyed getting to know Shelby! Look for our next student of the month feature in April.