Those of us in the good old USA know CCE schools are on the rise, but the amazing story of what God is doing around the world is equally inspirational. Faithful school leaders and teachers are planting schools all across the globe. And students, regardless of their surrounding culture, are experiencing transformed minds, hearts and souls impacting the next generations of students and their extended families. Regardless of where on the planet you are listening from, you will be encouraged by the stories from my guests today – a conversation live from East Asia.
Denise Strickland, along with her husband Wade, serve Indonesian teachers, students, and parents at Cahaya Bangsa Classical School on the island of Java in the beautiful, mountain city of Bandung. As Head of School, Denise draws upon her 20+ years experience in the field of education, mostly within classical, Christian schools, to cast vision, train teachers, and develop CCE within a Muslim majority nation and the SE Asian context she serves. Wade works alongside Denise, as the Director of Academic Programming and an eighth grade English teacher, having taught Logic, Latin, and Biology at CBCS in past years. Together, they are leading Indonesians to deepen their understanding of the historic Christian faith and the Western tradition which developed many of the world’s greatest minds, as they believe this type of education is the best way to cultivate students’ hearts and minds for Kingdom purposes.
Denise holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Learning and Development from the University of Texas in Austin and a Master of Education from Concordia University, Texas. Wade holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Arts in Zoology from the University of Texas in Austin. Over their 33 year marriage, they have raised 5 children, three of whom attended and graduated from CCE schools and two of whom joined the family as teens from the Texas foster-care program. Wade and Denise are now eagerly expecting their first grandchild and their shared interests include traveling, hiking, and reading, while birding & photography are special hobbies for Wade.
As someone descended from a family of educators, education naturally became the passion of Sckolastika Anggraini. This prompted her to join Cahaya Bangsa Classical School (CBCS), a Classical Christian school in Bandung, her hometown. Over time, her understanding of classical education and her experience as a teacher, principal, and curriculum team member has increasingly encouraged her intention to build the nation and improve Indonesian education by emphasizing the ultimate goal of education: the formation of the whole person.
Born and raised in the city of Bandung, one of the largest cities in Indonesia with a predominantly Moslem local population, but growing up in a Christian family who adheres to Javanese culture provided an opportunity for her to implement classical education while still carrying local wisdom that is in accordance with Indonesian culture and Christian values.