During Portland Adventist Academy’s (PAA’s) graduation weekend, Senior Class member Katee Hickerson was baptized and joined the Adventist Church.
One of her teachers, Pastor Jim Robertson, performed the ceremony, as her relatives, friends, and classmates looked on.
Hickerson is one of many students who has found deepening religious conviction while attending PAA. For the past seven years, PAA has scheduled once-a-month church services on campus, where students and staff share Jesus with others.
Youth from Walla Walla College, Columbia Adventist Academy, Milo Adventist Academy, and others come to the PAA chapel to praise Jesus. Recently, they have been joined by students from Portland Christian High School and Portland Lutheran High School, raising attendance to 250-300 on any given Sabbath, including many young-at-heart parents.
This has led directly to the baptisms of at least 20 students during the past seven years—some at PAA Church, others on mission trips.
Most local PAA baptisms take place on graduation weekend, often involving student leaders. Hickerson was Student Association president when she was baptized; last graduation weekend, Jeff Cummings, Class of 2001 president, and Cody Bullock, Student Association president, were both baptized.
Portland Adventist Academy is thankful that it can play a part in preparing outstanding young people for the Kingdom. •
Jim Robertson baptizes Katee Hickerson.
