My name is Sandra Cook. While teaching at a public vocational high school, the Lord initiated a calling on my life to develop a Christian vocational high school. At that time, there were none. It was a new concept. My passion for the calling grew as I realized the fields were “white unto harvest” in this area. Uniquely talented vocational students had been overlooked and abandoned in Christian education for far too long.
I continued in public education, advancing from a teacher to administrator in the vocational high school arena. Finally, after advancing to the position of Assistant Director, in charge of three locations, I distinctly heard from the Lord that it was time to resign from public education and begin the ministry I had been called to begin. I had obtained the experience necessary, as a teacher and administrator, to begin the assignment. However, even with all that experience and knowledge I thought I had at the time, I discovered that there was so much more that I needed to learn. I went on to obtain a Doctor of Ministry degree and pursued my calling.
The Lord opened all the doors and a building was temporarily obtained where Pathways Tech, the first Christian vocational high school, was established in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Volunteers came forward to teach students and lead the ministry. Although the school was only opened for a short time, as the building was repossessed by the bank from the owner who was allowing the school to use it, the organizational plan, the preparations that included the creation of forms and procedures, and the actual establishment and operation of the school were developed and proven. Experience gained through this formation launched the content of the book, BEYOND ACADEMICS, that has been published to encourage and assist established Christian schools in adding vocational program training to their curriculum choices for students.