Spring Carnival & Silent Auction – Golf Tournament – Citrus Club Dinner

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Congratulations to Mrs. Suzanne Shattler

BS in Science from Ashford University
8 years in education, 3rd year at CFCA
Married to Wes (23 years) 3 beautiful daughters – Kristy, Kelly, Katie
I want to make a difference in the lives of students as an educator at a high-quality Christian school, showing them God’s love and helping them develop a Biblical worldview.

BS University of Phoenix 
Teaching Certificate – UCF
8 years in education 7 years at CFCA
Married to Alfonso, children Christina currently attending CFCA and Jenne.
Life verse: Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” writes Solomon. God commands us to teach children through the Word. Students can learn the study of math, science, and other academics and arts as they pursue the knowledge of God.  My passion, my love of teaching, is a gift from God and therefore must be used to glorify Him.

 BA in History

2 years in education 1st year at CFCA

Married to Stephen

Life verse: Phillippians 4:6-8 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

I am in education, because it is my hope to make a positive difference in each child’s life. Discipleship is my top priority as a Christian educator.

I did not begin considering what profession I wanted to enter until the second semester of my sophomore year in high school.  It was about this time that I began to get deeply involved in my high school, and this was also the time when I began establishing relationships that would alter the desires I had for my life.  Since my early childhood years, I have always had an intense passion for sports.  One of my earliest memories is crying after my Minnesota Vikings lost in the 1998 NFC Championship game.  I can remember playing soccer, tee ball, and machine-pitch baseball beginning when I was five years old.  I have always enjoyed the excitement and comradery involved in playing sports.  I have made some of my best friends, whom I call my “brothers,” through playing sports.  Whether it has been golf, football, basketball, or track, my life has been enhanced by sports.  Other than my Lord and my parents, the people who have had the biggest impact on my life have been my coaches.  My coaches have not always been great, but beginning my sophomore year of high school, I have had great men of God as my coaches, as well as my teachers.  They have been my inspiration in pursuing the professions of physical education, social studies education, and coaching. 

As a junior in high school, I was able to intern for our school’s Varsity Football Coach (as well as Physical Education teacher), Monty Vann, and our school’s Varsity Basketball Coach, Chad Clark.  Learning and coaching under Coach Beckett, my basketball coach my senior year of high school was an added bonus.  These three men have had a huge impact on my life.  They each shared with me their desire to impact the lives of their players and students in general.  They desire to see all of their players come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Their passion was evident, and I began to develop an interest in coaching.  Throughout high school, I have always had great history teachers, such as Mr. Garrett Bess and Mr. Tim Euler.  They did not just quote facts and dates to us; rather, they shared why nations did what they did, how they accomplished their goals, why nations failed, what national philosophies and war tactics were, and why all of these things affect us today.  History has been brought to life in front of me because of my teachers.  I was especially interested in learning American History and Government.  These were the godly men that God placed in my life, who inspired me to live more like Christ. 

My high school had chapel once a week.  One week, our high school Bible teacher, Mr. Kevin Adams, spoke on the topic of “Being a World Changer.”  This message showed me that God has called each of us, as Christians, to accomplish His purposes on earth.  He has given us each different abilities, and He expects us to use them to spread the Gospel to the entire world.  For the first time, I was motivated to find God’s plan for my life.  I began to look at my life and see what passions God had given me.  Lo and behold, the next year (my senior year of high school), Mr. Euler asked me if I would be interested in coaching the fifth and sixth grade boys’ basketball team at the school.  I was excited, and I readily accepted.  Looking back, I can see how this opportunity was God-given.  I had the time of my life that season.  I quickly realized how much these boys looked up to me, and I knew that the most important thing I could do as their coach was to set a good example for them, love them, and establish a relationship with each of them.  There were rough days, but I grew to love each of them as my little brother in Christ, and we had a blast!  Through observing Coach Beckett, I learned how to handle those rough days and how to continue to encourage and establish relationships with my players.

At this point, I knew of my God-given passion for coaching and for working with kids, but I did not know what I wanted to study.  After all, it is hard to just be a coach.  Getting some wise advice from my dad, Coach Clark, and Coach Vann, I decided to pursue physical education, as I have always enjoyed and valued physical fitness.  I decided to double major in social studies education because I was not sure if I wanted to teach physical education alone. 

I have seen in my own life and the lives of my friends how teachers and coaches can impact a student’s life, and I wanted to make an impact for Christ just like they did.  I Timothy 1:5-6 says: “The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.  But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions.”  One of the reasons I was lead to the teaching profession was because many of my teachers showed the love of Christ to me, inspiring me to share this same love with other kids.  I want to be a teacher that students can come to regardless of their situation. I want to show my students the love of Christ, thus inspiring them to live lives of love as the verse mentions.  I want to be different from other coaches.  I don’t want to be a coach who cares only about winning, although winning is nice.  I want to be a coach whom kids can look to for advice and encouragement.  I want to be a coach that fosters an environment of Christ’s love on the court, in the locker room, and in the classroom.  I Timothy 4:8-11 says,“ ‘Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.’ This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it.  This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.  Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them.”  I value physical training. God tells us that it is important to be good stewards of all we own, including our physical body, which is His temple.  However, I want to instill in students and athletes that spiritual training is more important than physical training.  I want students to learn to love God and to strive to live for Him everyday.  I also want them to see me lead by example.

            Finally, the ultimate goal in my life is to win!  When I get to heaven someday, I want to hear the Lord say to me, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”  Paul says this in I Corinthians 9:24-26a, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!  All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.  So I run with purpose in every step.”  With my ultimate goal in mind, I want to live everyday for Christ.  I want to live a life characterized by disciplined devotion to Him.  Winning souls for Christ is the eternal prize I wish to receive.  I want to bring Christ glory through leading these souls to Christ, so that His name can be made famous throughout the earth.  Nothing else matters.

Nathaniel Hughes,

CFCA Graduate – Class of 2012