UCA Welcomes New Staff, Taskforce Volunteers

By Tamara Michalenko Terry, October 25, 2016

Upper Columbia Academy (UCA) in Spangle, Wash., is excited to the welcome new staff and taskforce volunteers to the campus. “The Lord has really blessed us this year,” says John Winslow, UCA principal. “We had some big shoes to fill, and God knew just who we needed. In addition to the staff, the taskforce volunteers really help us in running this fabulous boarding school.”

Before school even started, staff met for a prayer workshop with Kevin Wilfley, Washington Conference’s prayer ministries director. “We have since bathed everything we do in prayer,” says Eric Johnson, UCA’s vice principal of development and alumni relations.

The first week of school, students and staff met on the Water Tower Plaza at 12:30 p.m. each day to pray. “It was a wonderful experience to hear their prayer requests and share with them on a spiritual level,” Johnson says.

Please join us in praying for UCA’s staff and taskforce volunteers as they work together to provide a spiritually enriched education for the students.

Shelley Bacon is UCA’s recruiter. She is a longtime supporter of UCA. She and her husband, Barry, have four children, all UCA alumni. Her education includes a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from Union College in Lincoln, Neb., and a Master of Arts in leadership from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich. She is proud to say she has known UCA’s music teacher, Curtis Anderson, since 1974 and Stephen and Florence Lacey (UCA English teacher and registrar, respectively) since 1980.

Brandy Gettys is one of UCA’s English teachers. She graduated from Southern Adventist University (SAU) in Collegedale, Tenn., with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education. Her husband, Rob, is UCA’s athletic director. They have two boys, both sophomores at UCA. Their family enjoys vacationing, especially to see the national parks. Gettys has visited 48 states and hopes to visit the other two soon.

Rob Gettys, UCA’s athletic director, graduated from SAU with a Bachelor of Arts in health, physical education and recreation. He also holds a Master of Arts in educational administration and leadership. Their family moved from Gentry, Ark. He believes family is important and shares the family goal of visiting every state.

Michelle Melendy, a licensed counselor with two master's degrees, is UCA’s counselor. Her career as a marriage and family therapist includes clinical director for an addiction treatment center, providing family therapy and assessments for child protective services, and directing a Fleet and Family center for the U.S. Navy. She and her husband, Jesse, moved from Nevada and have two children: Xander, 7, and Xavier, 5.

Joe Rivera, new assistant men's dean, is not new to the campus as he has been a taskforce dean for the previous two years. He is working toward his degree in general studies with an emphasis in humanities from Andrews University. He really enjoys connecting with students and helping them develop their relationship with Christ.

You can read more about UCA’s faculty and staff at www.ucaa.org/about-us/faculty-staff.

SIDEBAR

Get to Know UCA’s Taskforce Volunteers

Name: Misael Barba

Taskforce position at UCA: Chaplain

College/university attending: Western Governors University

Level in school: Junior

Career goal: Accountant

Name: Enoc Cadena

Taskforce position at UCA: Information technology

College/university attending: N/A

Level in school: N/A