We are so excited to share this episode with you today!
In 1998, NSA set out to provide 40 missionary families with an online option for education. In 2022, we’re still fulfilling that mission, but on a much larger scale! With over 3,000 students in over 100 countries, our community has grown exponentially. Listen as Brett Bowers, Barry Bennett, and Dan Cooley, NSA’s former Directors, connect the dots of the past 24 years. Hear the details surrounding the founding of NorthStar and the memories and groundbreaking milestones that have brought us to today, our 25th school year! We praise God for all he has done and is doing at NorthStar Academy!
Brett Bowers
Hometown: Dallas TX
University: Texas A&M
Work-life: US Air Force, online learning teacher and admin, and home education program director
Personal life: married to Penni-Lane since 1994, three adult children, living in Alberta, Canada
Barry Bennett
Born and raised in Northwestern Pennsylvania in a Christian family. I have an older and a younger sister. Went to college in East Texas (LeTourneau University), Georgia (Toccoa Falls College), & North Carolina (Columbia International University). Graduated from Toccoa Falls College with a B.S. in Missiology, a minor in Greek, and a concentration in Church Planting. Graduated from Columbia International University with an M.A. in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and a concentration in Intercultural Studies. Worked in network design sales, product management, and earned a project management certification. Started work with the Network of International Christian Schools in 1996 and worked for that ministry for just over 20 years. Currently (as of July 2021) working at a Church in East Texas as an Administrator. Married with one daughter who is a graduate of Liberty University and is currently studying at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.
Dan Cooley
I am the former Director of NorthStar Academy and am now serving in Kenya as the Secondary Principal. My family has been serving with NICS for 13 years in Indonesia, Mississippi, and Kenya. We are originally from Alaska where I was a public school teacher and Principal. We felt the Lord calling us to take our talents and use them to support international missions and that is how we found NICS. We had a friend of ours that as it turns out was working for NICS as a school Director and he needed a Principal there in Indonesia…the rest is history.
We have been very impacted by the work of John Piper and specifically his book, “Don’t Waste Your Life” which is one of the things the Lord used to get us moving. We love to travel, spend time together as a family and play board games. I also love to cook and bake when I get the chance, including smoking meat.
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