At Cresset Christian Academy, extracurricular activities build school community, bring new experiences

For young people, elementary, middle, and high school is a period for establishing a strong educational foundation. At the same time, students also have the freedom to explore activities they're passionate about, forming bonds with one another and learning more about themselves in the process.

At Durham's Cresset Christian Academy, a smaller student body and ample extracurricular activities help build school community and life experiences at every grade level.

"We're not a large school, so automatically the community is tight-knit in that sense. Everybody knows each other, and there's almost a small-town feel," said Eric Rice, lead high school teacher and fine arts teacher at Cresset Christian Academy. "Our parents are very involved, as well. And when we put on our musical, it's not just a high school musical — it's an all-school musical. We try to get our elementary schools involved and our middle school students involved in it as well. They have parts and help out and work on it in whatever ways they can."

Visual art programs are offered for all grade levels, with elementary school and middle school students having an art class once a week, while high school students have access to a number of art electives. Electives include design, photography, choir, acting and scriptwriting, and Advanced Placement art.

In each art-based elective and extracurricular activity, instructors emphasize the school's four core values: academic rigor, Christlike character, interpersonal growth, and worldview development.

"Interpersonal growth has a lot to do with communities and how students relate to and interact with each other. In our fine arts program, students often do a lot of things where they're working together and interacting with each other on projects and things," said Rice. "I need students to be able to talk to each other and communicate clearly. Along with that, I also want them to feel comfortable communicating with me, especially when it comes to giving them constructive feedback and problem-solving."

"Not all schools in this day and age put value in the arts, but Cresset really does value the program, and that is actually a strength for our school. Not only does it improve the academics of Cresset, but it really ties into everything — especially bringing our community together," Rice continued. "At the end of the year, I put on a little gallery show of our work. Not everybody is incredibly gifted in the arts, but everybody can do something that stands out. When you take a piece and put it up and that kid sees that artwork out there, and their parents and other students see, it makes a difference in their lives."

Aside from art programs, Cresset also offers a number of athletic programs, from soccer and cross country to basketball and golf. Through winter and spring, the school typically has at least one female and one male sports team.

Since the school has a smaller population, a wide variety of students are able to participate.

"We try our best to get all the kids to participate at the varsity level, that way they can feel that sense of pride or accomplishment of being on the varsity team. If we have fifth and sixth graders that want to play but aren't eligible yet, we often let them practice with the team, and normally they get taken under the wing of the older kids and get to see what it's like behind-the-scenes," said Sam Feaver, former athletic director and physical education and health teacher at Cresset Christian. "It's a very unique area outside of academics. Students are able to learn about life, about struggles and triumphs, and about how to grow in all types of situations."

Students of all skill levels participate in the school's athletic programs, from kids who have been playing sports since childhood to kids who have never stepped foot on a basketball court.

"Our teams are pretty diverse as far as the spectrum of students that participate, as well as in the level of skill and development. It's a unique blend that allows for relationships to be formed that you wouldn't think would normally be formed," said Feaver.

While COVID threw a wrench in the athletic programs over the last winter, many students came out in full force for the 2021 spring season.

"This past spring, we all resumed normal activities and sports, and baseball has taken over the school. All the kids bring their baseball gloves to lunch and recess. We had about 15 or 16 boys here who hadn't played baseball before signing up," said Feaver. "We've had kids come up and tell us that the reason they want to play is because they want to be part of a team. It's been a great way to see the students form bonds."

"We're slowly building a culture of participation and a culture of community," he finished. "That's definitely something that is neat about Cresset — everyone here really wants to be together and find opportunities to interact."

Aside from athletics and arts, other extracurricular activities at Cresset include festivals, international fairs, and summer camps.

In addition to his position teaching art classes and leading after-school activities, Rice has also taken up the mantle to start a number of new programs at the school. As a trip coordinator, he has led students everywhere from Upstate New York to Europe.

"I've become the senior trip coordinator, and I travel with students every year, which is something I always really enjoy doing. Students change when you bring them out of the classroom — they open up a lot more. I also started a ski club, and we usually do one or two trips a year," said Rice. "I like to help kids get as many experiences as possible. In doing so, not only do I learn a lot about them, but they learn more about themselves and each other, and build those important relationships that are unique to Cresset."