At New Life Academy, preparing students for the future means more than helping them graduate. It means equipping them to confidently step into whatever path God calls them to pursue.
For some students, that next step is college. For others, the next step may be entering the workforce, attending trade school, taking a gap year, pursuing missions, or serving in the military. No matter the path, NLA is committed to developing graduates who are faith-filled and future-ready.
A big part of how we prepare future-ready students is helping them identify the gifts and passions God has given them, and then gain experience and build skills in those areas.
Jed Moseman, Middle & Upper School Principal
Here are five ways NLA prepares students for life after high school:
1. Strengthening Faith and Community
At NLA, students deepen their understanding of faith through the classroom and chapel while being encouraged to put that faith into action every day.
Small class sizes mean students are known, supported, and mentored by teachers who invest in their growth. In every class, sports practice, drama rehearsal, choir performance, and club meeting, NLA teachers, coaches, and staff serve as consistent spiritual mentors. They care deeply about their students and intentionally point them to Jesus through Christ-centered encouragement, prayer, sharing their own faith stories, and connecting daily experiences to God’s Word.
At the same time, students build meaningful relationships with their peers. These friendships are rooted in shared experiences and a common foundation of faith in Christ, often growing into lifelong connections.
Together, these relationships build confidence, provide guidance during key decisions, and continue well beyond graduation. Students leave NLA with a strong network of mentors and friends who care about their future, not just their grades, and who have walked alongside them as they have experienced God at work in meaningful and transformational ways.
2. Developing Gifts, Skills, and Independence
Students at NLA are encouraged to explore their God-given gifts and interests early and often. Through coursework, electives, athletics, fine arts, clubs, and extracurricular activities, they begin to discover how their passions translate into future pathways.
Along the way, students develop more than knowledge. They build transferable skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. These skills are essential whether a student is in a college classroom, entering the workforce, or pursuing a new opportunity.
From retreats, off-campus learning experiences, and mission trips, students regularly step into new environments that stretch and shape them. These experiences build resilience, strengthen relationships, and help students take greater ownership of their faith and decisions. By graduation, students have not only discovered who they are and how they are gifted, but have also practiced stepping into unfamiliar situations with confidence and independence.
3. Growing Leadership and Service
At NLA, leadership opportunities extend far beyond the classroom. Students develop leadership skills by mentoring younger students across divisions, taking on service roles, attending class retreats, and participating in extracurricular activities, clubs, athletics, and fine arts.
Service is woven into the student experience at NLA. Through planned opportunities during their time at NLA, including annual class retreats and a junior-year mission trip, students learn what it means to serve one another, their school, and their surrounding community in tangible and meaningful ways. These experiences help students look beyond themselves, engage real needs, and serve both local and global communities with purpose and compassion.
By graduation, students have practiced taking initiative, leading peers, and serving others in real-world settings. These experiences shape character and build skills that set them apart in college, the workplace, ministry, and wherever they are called next.
4. Guiding Decisions Beyond High School
NLA recognizes that what comes next looks different for every student. That is why our academic program supports a variety of post-graduation options.
Students can prepare for college through Honors, AP, and PSEO courses. Many classes at NLA also emphasize hands-on and project-based learning that builds practical, real-world skills. Through electives, students can pursue their interests while gaining exposure to fields such as engineering, media, and technology, helping them explore potential career paths.
Alongside academic preparation, students and families receive individualized support as they plan for life after high school. This guidance is led by both Melissa Kalinoff, Academic Dean, who oversees academic programming and student learning experiences, and Mindy Haukedahl, Director of Academic, College, and Career Counseling, who works closely with students on post-secondary planning, career exploration, and decision-making.
Together, Mrs. Kalinoff and Mrs. Haukedahl walk with students and families through every step of the process, helping them identify options, evaluate opportunities, and move forward with clarity, no matter which path they choose.
5. Building Confidence for What’s Next
At New Life Academy, success is not defined by a single path. It is defined by students who are prepared to follow God’s calling wherever it leads.
Ultimately, NLA graduates are not only prepared for what comes next but also equipped for a lifetime of growth. They leave spiritually grounded, academically prepared, and purpose-driven, ready to adapt to what God has next. Whether that next step is college, a career, service, a gap year, or an unexpected opportunity, NLA students are prepared to move forward with confidence.
Being future-ready does not mean having one fixed destination. It means being ready to respond to God’s direction wherever it leads.
