Greatness requires grit, and success requires steadfastness. A dive into the history of Westminster Christian Academy only reveals the unwavering fidelity and tenacious drive the academy has continued to hold in high regard throughout the years.
Throughout its five decades, Westminster has remained true to its founding principles and aims. Its leaders had clear devotion to God and let Him lead them through unbelievable leaps of faith to get the school to the place it has become.
Originally, Westminster did not have all the luxurious amenities that it has today. At the beginning, the school offered no extracurriculars and operated with a very low budget for technology. However, the early WCA parents were dedicated to giving their children a Christian education, even if it meant giving up all those other typical aspects of high school.
In a documentary produced by Westminster Communications, Jim Marsh, the previous headmaster of Westminster Christian Academy from 1985 to 2013, highlights the sacrifice that was made to get WCA on its feet: “The parents back in those days made that kind of a commitment. It was to a Christian school. This is the kind of foundation they wanted for their kids, so they were willing to sacrifice all of the flashy kinds of things that a high school experience could offer.”
The first campus was located just off Ladue Road. Its purchase required an immense amount of faith and sacrifice on behalf of those invested in the school. Marsh explains, “In order to get that loan, board members actually put up their homes as collateral.”
The board placing their entire property on the line was not the only act of generosity within the community. All WCA families had to participate in the Westminster Shares Program, which required a no-interest loan of $2,000 that would be paid off by the time their last kid graduated. This level of commitment displays the Westminster community’s dedication to the flourishing of the school, a quality Christian education, and acts of service. It also proves the trust they had that God would provide for them and guide them through that enormous financial undertaking.
Marsh continues, “This was a school that was really serious about being a Christian school in all that that means, but also high quality.”
While Westminster had held true to its original Christian values, it had actually grown a lot in many other ways by the time Jim Marsh was invited to be its headmaster.
Angela Schmidt, alumnus of the class of ‘97, speaks to WCA’s values while she attended the academy. She describes, “I also really loved the aspects of integrating your faith and your worldview with education,” states Angela Schmidt, class of ‘97, describing WCA’s values when she attended the academy.
One thing that caused Westminster to stand out from neighboring schools was its willingness to involve its Christian values in every part of the high school experience. This allowed students to feel comfortable sharing their beliefs, no matter the circumstance, knowing that their school was a place of safety rather than separation.
Schmidt expresses, “You can find what you are super gifted in and what God is calling you to, and you can pursue that. […] I feel like that was true then, and I think that’s true now. It really prepares people well for pursuing what they feel like they’re supposed to do in the world after high school.”
Westminster is great at preparing students to enter the adult world after graduation, whether that be college, travel, or anything else they feel called to do. The school provides so much variety in its classes, courses, and extracurriculars so its students have the opportunity to experience a plethora of career paths before deciding definitively what they want to pursue after graduation.
Schmidt also recalls the lasting impact that head of school created in her mind, recalling, “When I was here, Jim Marsh was the headmaster, and […] there was just so much integrity and a real strength of character.”
Jim Marsh led the school with bravery, honesty, and incredible faith, and that clearly played out in the way the school operated and in the way the students treated each other. He’s an excellent example of displaying faith, even in situations that seemed hopeless or weren’t inherently religious, like raising money or purchasing a building.
Marsh has been a huge part of growing WCA into what it is today, and it’s only fair that we continue his legacy by living in Christ and displaying His kindness and tenacity in everything we do. As Westminster enters its next fifty years, there’s no doubt that it will continue to hold true to its deeply embedded mission and vision.
