JAN/FEB 2019 ISSUE
Dear AFA Friend,

Our January/February issue of the Fountain highlights a few of our 153 Ad Fontes graduates as they launch into their college and work careers as well as come back to serve Ad Fontes. Enjoy!
ONE BODY WITH MANY GIFTS
Selection of AFA Alumni Careers

The strong academic foundation of a classical education equips students to excel in a wide range of college majors and careers. Here is a sampling of what our graduates are doing after AFA:

Applied Physics Lab, Johns Hopkins
Audio Engineer/Professional Drummer
Biomedical Researcher, Krasnow Institute, George Mason
Business Analyst
Cancer Research Fellow, NIH
Church Accountant
Classical School Administrator
Company Co-founder/Chief Technology Officer
Data Scientist
Digital Marketing, Publishing Company
DOD Analyst
Electrical Engineer
Embedded Hardware Engineer
ER Nurse
Financial Analyst
Firefighter and paramedic (2)
Foreign Service Officer, State Department
Hospital Mental Health Counselor
Latin teacher (and working on a novel)
Masters in Bioethics, Columbia
Masters, Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineer
Medical school (2 – Rutgers and UVA)
Middle School Literature/Writing Teacher
Nuclear Engineer
Nurse Practitioner, Resurrection Health (low income community clinic)
Owner Forge, blacksmithing and bladesmithing
Philanthropy development manager
Photography business
Pilot, Missionary Aviation Fellowship
Professional Dancer and Instructor
Professional songwriter and musician
Project Engineer, Aerospace
Project Manager, Jenkins Home Restoration
Pursuing Advanced Degree Library Sciences
Pursuing MBA (2)
Pursuing PhD, International Studies
Senior Web Engineer
Sergeant, US Marine Corps
Sportswriter
Systems Engineer, Boeing
U.S. Army Lieutenant, US Army, Engineers Platoon
Wireless Network Research Engineer
ALUMNI SERVING AD FONTES
Annual Young Alumni Assembly
On January 3, we had our annual young alumni assembly panel discussion led by Mr. Blunt. Seven recent AFA graduates answered a variety of questions to share their experiences at college, the challenges of the transition, and the benefits of their AFA preparation for college. Classical Christian education is committed to passing wisdom from generation to generation.
Michelle Bollen '11

College: B.A. in Liberal Arts and an M.A. in Theology and Letters from New Saint Andrews College.

Career Steps: Worked for three years translating part of Girolamo Zanchi's De Tribus Elohim and selections of Alcuin of York's De Rhetorica for publication. Worked as a freelance writer for an economics company, a fitness guru, and an independent publishing house.

Current Job: Teaching Latin at AFA ! and George Mason University while working on a young adult novel.

Dream: To develop a K-12 Latin curriculum with her sister (in addition to writing impactful young adult novels).

AFA Impact: “ At Ad Fontes, I learned how to build community. My class had 2 years as the oldest class and we needed to be active leaders, taking initiative to build relationships in my class and with the younger students. In college, though a natural introvert, I understood that to have deeper relationships would require my purposeful action. Ad Fontes also prepared me well for an exceptionally rigorous college academic program with demanding reading, writing and speaking expectation. I am thrilled to be back this semester to share my love of Latin with our students!”  
RECENT ALUMNI ACCOMPLISHMENT
Zach Miller '17

College: Sophomore, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Marine Biology Major

NESA World Explorer Program Recognition: Zach applied to the National Eagle Scout Association's World Explorer Program and was selected as the #1 applicant out of 1,500 applications! The National Eagle Scout Association’s World Explorers Program pairs stellar Eagle Scouts with world-class researchers at exotic, exciting sites around the globe. Since the program's launch in 2012, over fifty Eagle Scouts have earned the distinction to be considered a NESA World Explorer. Zach has been awarded a trip to Greenland this summer to work on the Smithsonian Narwhal Tusk Research program. He will be living with the Eskimos, exploring the country, and assisting the scientists with research on the narwhal.  Congratulations, Zach!

You can watch his application video below.
ALUMNI UPDATES
Laura Beth (Gathman) Moses '11

College: San Diego Christian College, BS in Aviation Technology with Missions Emphasis, Summa Cum Laude.

Certifications: Commercial pilot land & sea and Certified Flight Instructor. 

Current Job: Missionary Pilot with Mission Aviation Fellowship called to Indonesia

AFA Impact: Laura Beth’s calling to aviation and missions began in her Freshman year at Ad Fontes, when a guest chapel speaker presented about aviation in missions. For Laura Beth, a spark of interest was ignited.

“ The Lord began stirring in me a desire to serve in missions, which never diminished after that chapel," she says. "I am so thankful for the teachers, classmates and parents who supported me. Even after graduation they continued to encourage me. I had been confident during my years at Ad Fontes that missions aviation was my call, but during college I doubted it often. One day I received a care package from my younger sister's class put together by Mrs. Smith, which included hand-written letter after letter cheering me on, exhorting me to boldly continue in training for this ministry. They were praying for me. I didn’t even know I needed that, but God did, and it brought me tears."

During college, Laura Beth spent a summer in Alaska working for a flight-seeing company, where she met her future husband Nathan, a LeTourneau (Texas) aviation grad. They married and moved to Anchorage.

Laura Beth and Nathan spent 3 years gaining relevant flying and maintenance experience in Alaska as they looked forward to serving in missions, flying the snowy mountains, glaciers, and scenery of Alaska with students. “ It wasn’t until after college that I really began to mature in my faith, and looking back, I can see how God used those years of waiting as an opportunity to grow me in my Christian walk.”

In summer 2018, Nathan and Laura Beth were officially received as missionary staff with Mission Aviation Fellowship and are preparing to serve in Indonesia. Their mission is to share the love of Jesus Christ through aviation and technology so that isolated people may be physically and spiritually transformed. For more information about MAF and partnering with the Moses Family check out www.maf.org/moses . 

Laura Beth will be speaking at Ad Fontes Upper School Assembly on March 28. All are welcome to attend!
"In Summer 2013, I flew this airplane solo from San Diego to Washington State and back again. I even got to stop and visit Michelle Bollen in Idaho along the way."
Danielle Decker '12

College info: Virginia Tech, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

College Design team: Lead for testing and telemetry of Baja SAE, an engineering team that designs a car from scratch using a 10HP Briggs and Stratton engine and then race it off road.

Current Job: Nuclear Engineer for NAVSEA. A mechanical engineer making additional considerations for radiation and environments that are hostile to metal.

AFA Impact: "O ne of the many things we learn early on at AFA; imperfection and pursuit of excellence must go hand in hand. There has been such a drive lately to pursue STEM for its own sake. There is nothing inherently wrong in this, but for a classical curriculum it needs to be for something more. What is the reason we pursue science and technology? STEM will remain without morals or purpose until that question is answered. Attempts can be made in psychology or sociology, but at the heart this is a question made for classical thinking; logic and rhetoric made to peruse truth. At least to me, science and engineering remains a place to peruse God; we peak over His hands at the mechanisms of creation and strive to build using the designs and principles learned there. Studying the classics provides the proficiency to communicate passion, motive, and understanding beyond the numbers. An education that teaches students to read well and widely can allow us to learn more of the human condition, to retain the awareness of our positions and problems. Add to this the ability to speak in public (without looking foolish or throwing up as I have often come close to) and a classical education can open doors if properly applied."
Joanna Faulkner '12

College Info: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 2017: Mechanical Engineering (focus on propulsion)

Current Job: Project Engineer, Greiner Aerospace, and part of an organization of ethical engineers, called Order of the Engineer. I'm actively involved in the design and production of airline seat cushions and covers. It doesn't sound all too exciting, but it has been a great entry into my industry.

AFA Impact: " I still find myself using the communication and reasoning skills that I developed through my time in high school, whether it was from Mock Trial, reading the Aeneid in Latin, or sorting out efficient means of memorizing the unit circle in Calculus. Doing Mock Trial at AFA taught me to keep on asking questions. It also taught me how to be diplomatic when dealing with sour people. Having spent time with literature and history, I learned to find the context of a situation and get a bigger picture before drawing incorrect conclusions. I learned to make connections between all fields of study and interest, because there was the common theme of God throughout every study and interest. That continued on throughout college and into the job world. God infuses everything and you can tell when his will is behind the work you're doing in how he continues to carefully guide you through difficult and easy times. While I enjoyed math and science in high school, it was my ability to enjoy and appreciate other subjects and topics that has proven to help me in my first job. I don't just do what I'm told and I don't just glaze over when something isn't in my scope of work. I continue to listen and continue to see the links between everything that happens around me. I learn the business side of things, and the financial side of things and even the legal side of things so that I'm a stronger employee. I think it's the way that I learned as I grew up that developed this ability."
Joshua Luckenbaugh '14

College Info: William and Mary: B.S. in English and Film Studies

College Work and Experience: Writer/Editor for Flat Hat (school newspaper), RUF Small Group Leader, English Department Research Assistant. Former Sports Journalism Intern at Washington Times.

Current Job: He fulfilled his boyhood dream of being a sports journalist in DC and working with radio hosts and journalists he listened to and read as a teenager. He works with 106.7 The Fan Radio (working with the Sports Junkies) and with NBC Sports Washington. https://thefandc.radio.com/authors/josh-luckenbaugh and https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/author/josh-luckenbaugh
AFA Impact: " AFA certainly impacted me immensely as a writer. From the research process of junior and senior thesis to producing original, sometimes experimental work in Miss Milroy's creative writing class, I still use the tools of writing I learned at AFA to this day. And beyond that, my teachers at AFA were instrumental in shaping my future endeavors in college and professionally, always encouraging me to pursue my passions and talents and showing a willingness to help and guide me. I'm now doing something that I love, and I'm not sure if I'd be able to say that without my experience at AFA."
Thank you!
Thank you for reading our newsletter, The Fountain ! 

We hope we have provided content that gives you a deeper connection not only
to the mission of AFA, but also to the people that make up this great school community!
Open House Events
Want to see more of Ad Fontes Academy?

Invite your friends and come visit us at one of our next Open House Events:
  • Tuesdays, 9:30-11am
  • February 26 & March 12

Or, email Beth Strachan , AFA's Admissions Director, to schedule a tour anytime.
Admissions : 571-348-0784
Lower School : 703-673-1145
Upper School : 703-673-1145 x102
15452 Lee Highway
Centreville, VA 20120
We value and appreciate your support to further the mission of Ad Fontes Academy.
The Ad Fontes Mission
To glorify God by assisting Christian parents in equipping their children to be servant leaders through a classical education based on eternal biblical truth.