Shaping Minds and Hearts in Texico

In the Texico Conference, the landscape of our schools is evolving. With 44 percent of current students coming from Adventist homes and 56 percent from the community, our educational institutions are embracing a changing demographic. Yet, amidst these shifts, one truth remains clear—there is an opportunity and responsibility to share the Gospel message with young hearts, many of whom have never heard about Jesus. Here are just a few stories of families who have been affected by our mission.

Instilling Values

Parents like Isaiah Gyan, father of a community student at Crestview Seventh-day Adventist Academy, highlight the invaluable role of Adventist schools. “The decision to take both of our kids to a Christian school was a very easy decision,” says Gyan. “We wanted to make sure that the values that we are teaching them at home are the same values that are still instilled when they go to school. That is why we decided to send our boys to Crestview Seventh-day Adventist Academy.”

Gyan speaks not just of academic excellence but of the priceless gift of values alignment—a foundation built upon principles cherished both at home and in the classroom. The cost of private education pales in comparison to knowing that our children are receiving more than just knowledge; they are receiving an education of the heart.

Changing Lives

This commitment to holistic development is evident in the stories that unfold within the halls of our schools. Our teachers witness firsthand the transformative power of faith. There are countless stories of children who light up at the sound of biblical truths, sparking a journey of discovery and spiritual growth.

Take Rocky Rivera, a Sandia View Academy graduate, whose experience reveals the difference Adventist education can make. “I feel like I came to Sandia View Academy because I was getting called to come here," says Rivera. "I was going down a very dark and narrow path and was surrounded by bad influences. In coming here, my life has just changed a complete 180. After coming to this school, I grew my understanding of Jesus and God a lot more.”

Living Our Faith

Sandia View Christian School (SVCS) Principal Melanie Cano shares a story illustrating how the school rallied around a grieving community family whose child attends SVCS. “We had students asking their parents, ‘Can I visit my friend to give him a note of encouragement and a hug?’” says Cano. “Teachers were also calling, sending notes and checking in on the family.” The school demonstrated their love for God in a way the grieving family noticed and appreciated. 

Learning to Love Jesus

Administrators at Canyon Christian Academy (CCA) have stressed the impact their school has had on their diverse community, where students of various faiths and backgrounds have come together. “I have seen many students affected by their attendance here at the academy,” says Connie Coates, CCA, office administrator/treasurer. “One little girl came to me one day and said, ‘Ms. Connie, before I came to Canyon Christian Academy, I didn’t know who Jesus was, and now I know who Jesus is, and I’m so happy about that.’ I feel like we’re reaching students that might not otherwise have had an opportunity to learn the truth. We’re building foundations here while providing an excellent academic atmosphere. We’re also reaching the more important things—and that’s learning about Christ.”

In a world filled with distractions and uncertainties, the mission of Adventist education remains steadfast, rooted in a profound purpose. In Mind, Character, and Personality, Ellen G. White says, “The great object of education is to enable us to use the powers which we possess, that we may be a blessing to ourselves and to others, and to the glory of God.”

As we reflect on these stories from the Texico Conference, one truth becomes clear: Adventist education goes beyond classrooms and textbooks. It’s about nurturing hearts, shaping minds and guiding students toward a bright future. Texico is dedicated to the mission of Adventist education—making a difference one student at a time.

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