BE A BALLER -"Building a lifelong legacy"

BAB Podcast Best of Season 1 Dr. Davina Hicks - Sonshine Christian Academy - Legacy in Education

• Coach Tim Brown, Uncommon Life • Season 1 • Episode 19

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Dr. Davina Hicks continues the powerful legacy of her mom the late Mrs. Deborah A. Jackson an educational pioneer.   Mrs. Jackson was the founder of Sonshine Christian Academy in Columbus, Ohio. 

Dr. Hicks currently serves as the Superintendent of Schools at The Sonshine Christian Academy . While Dr. Hicks possesses the credentials of a leader, she is committed to serve the Kingdom of God, at such a time as this. 

Dr. Hicks  works in the Business Programs department as an Adjunct Professor at Columbus State Community College. Her earned PhD in Business Administration with a Specialization in International Business has prepared her with the skills needed to lead 50-plus faculty and staff persons, over 200 students, and a three-campus PreK through high school organization, along with the exposure to teach adult learners in the college setting to further their effectiveness in the central Ohio area.  A faithful parishioner of New Journey Christian Ministries, Dr. Hicks lives her life with a Christ-Centered perspective. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Hicks shares her life with her husband Mr. Christopher Hicks 

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SPEAKER_04:

Be a baller. Welcome to Be A Baller Podcast, where we discuss how to build a lifelong legacy. I'm your host, Coach Tim Brown. Today, we're blessed to have with us Dr. Davina Hicks, Superintendent of Sunshine Christian Academy. I love saying that word. First of all, I love saying that word, Dr. Hicks, and then the superintendent on it,

SPEAKER_02:

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SPEAKER_04:

Today on the show, Dr. Hicks will share the impact of her mother, the visionary of Sunshine Christian Academy, Deborah Jackson, who has had an impact on so many children and families. Dr. Hicks, welcome to Be A Baller podcast.

SPEAKER_03:

Thank you so much for having me, Coach Tim Brown. I have so many stories

SPEAKER_04:

of your mother. She gave my first opportunity to teach fifth grade boys, which was a dream of mine. My wife taught there and the children went to school there. There was a time when all of us went to the same place. That was such a blessing. The hardest part was the parent-teacher conference. Oh, boy. With Carmen. Okay. You know, when he was in my class, you know, that didn't go too well sometimes.

SPEAKER_03:

I can only

SPEAKER_04:

imagine. You know, your mother, the late Deborah Jackson, was the visionary behind the start of Sunshine Christian Academy in 1981. Go on, talk about the family sacrifices I'm sure the Jackson family had to make.

SPEAKER_03:

Thank you. Yes, sir. Well, again, thank you for having me And it's my pleasure and very, very humbled to talk about Sunshine and the legacy of my mother. She did. She and my father both, they sacrificed a lot to pour into the community. I remember that we grew up in one house, but then midway, I think I turned eight, and my parents had to remortgage their house to buy a property, eight acres, just for the school to continue. They needed the money to pour into the school. I remember always being around and seeing their sacrifices, talking about it, but they weren't complaining. They just let us know, because I'm the oldest of three girls, let us know that this is what it takes. This is what it takes to build. This is what it takes to serve the Lord.

SPEAKER_04:

You saw firsthand the growth of Sunshine Christian Academy from 43 students in 1981 to over 400 in the 90s. Can you talk about why the increase in students and families? What was it about Sunshine?

SPEAKER_03:

Absolutely. Actually, the year she died in 99, there were over 500 students. There's over 75 faculty and staff. Actually, Sunshine at that time was the largest private school for minorities in the state of Ohio run by minorities. And So I really believe that without the help of television ads, there was no social media to promote the business. It was all God. I know she prayed to the Lord of the harvest to send the laborers because she saw that the harvest was plentiful, but the laborers refused. So I know that it was a very tremendous mantle that she had because she talked about the need to expose Christ in education. So the more she talked about it, the more she drew a crowd. And then those who worked alongside her, you, your family, and others who joined the call, you all really made the school what it was in its heyday. And since my coming on board, we're back. We're getting back at those long We know

SPEAKER_04:

your mom was a

SPEAKER_03:

faith warrior. school. I believe I was a sophomore at St. Francis DeSales High School and she passed away. So that did jolt my spiritual personhood. I was totally shocked because I prayed that she would recover. I, along with so many people, were asking God, please keep my mother alive. But it was his will to take her. And so from that moment, I know I did pray to ask God to give me a personal relationship with him as opposed to one that was handed down. And I was reminded of the story. In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord and his train filled the temple. And so it was a journey to discover that my faith was being tried and tested. And so I'm grateful for all of the many, many many people who poured into me and my sisters during that time. And so as I continued to grow and continue to seek the Lord, then he continued to provide. And not only was I able to, you know, move along in my education, my academics, but I believe he gave me a spirit of wisdom that I asked him for. When you lose a parent young, one of your insecurities is who's going to teach me now? So that wasn't insecurity, but I thank God that I just kept going to school. I kept going to school. Now I have a PhD. I can't go any higher than that. But the Lord, He teaches me what books can't. And He has continued to open my eyes to see Him in everything that I'm a part of.

SPEAKER_04:

I know you were blessed to be at a school every day with your mother, sisters, grandparents, cousins. Can you talk about the family atmosphere at Sunshine Christian.

SPEAKER_03:

It's a family. It's a family. And so my mother was instrumental in helping a lot of people get their bachelor's degrees, get licensed in the state of Ohio to teach and find their niche in education. So I did witness a lot of that and I'm grateful for it. So yeah, she employed a lot of my aunts and uncles. My dad is number four of 10. So I have an aunt that works at the school even now. And then My mother was the oldest of four, and so in-laws, her in-laws, cousins. And so, I mean, everyone really wanted to put their hands to the plow and see how they could contribute. And it just made for a colorful, ecumenical experience.

SPEAKER_04:

Yes, I'm sure it did. I'm sure it did. What were some of those sayings that your mother, that you still remember, some things that she said?

SPEAKER_03:

Well, she would always tell me to ask the Lord for wisdom. She would tell me that. passed down. So,

SPEAKER_04:

yeah. Yeah, she shared one that me and my wife, we still talk about this. So, when we were a young family then, we were young children, she said, you have to have a vision for your children. She said, you have to have a vision for your children. Love it. And we've just been riding that ever since. Right. And really, you have to have that vision for your

SPEAKER_03:

children. Yes.

SPEAKER_04:

Speaking of that, there's a special meaning behind the spelling of the name Sunshine Christian Academy. Yes. Not S-U-N. No. It's S-O-N. S-O-N. Can you tell the audience behind, the meaning behind

SPEAKER_03:

that? Yes, sir. We are not ashamed of the S-O-N, which stands for Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Living God. So, yeah, Sunshine Christian Academy. And I'm often having to correct bankers and other third-party vendors. And I have to tell them, no, it's S-O-N. Please make sure we... And then that's an opportunity for me to witness because I say, you know, this stands for Sunshine. Jesus is the Son of God. So, yeah. Yeah,

SPEAKER_04:

there was a song you guys used to sing, Let the Sunshine

SPEAKER_03:

In. Come let the sunshine in. We have a work to do to teach and learn of Jesus as his word commands us to. I'm sure there's a whole lot of people that

SPEAKER_04:

can add and finish that song for you. Right. Your mother truly believed in the value of Christian education. Can you share why the foundation of a Christian education is so bright, especially in today's times.

SPEAKER_03:

Absolutely. We need more light in the world. It's not enough to learn your core competencies, reading, math, science, social studies, but you need to have some foundational truth that will help you navigate throughout your life. If it weren't for my foundation, where would I be? I don't know. I don't even want to think about it. I'm just grateful for the foundation because it is stable. It's sound. There is no other foundation that can be laid, which was already laid in Christ Jesus so that foundation is solid and so we teach the children how to pray at Sunshine Christian Academy then we encourage the children to pray every hour on the hour every time we transition to the next class and we seek the Lord while he may be found and we thank him for what we do have and so that is the real qualifier here it's the concept And that's the glue that that keeps sunshine moving and, you know, connected to not only the students, but the faculty and staff. We all have a buy in that Jesus, if he be lifted up, then, you know, everything else will settle and we'll all grow stronger. Can

SPEAKER_04:

you talk about families? You know, I think the worst is that a child shall lead them. And I've seen that even in my teaching days here. the parents may not have been believers, but they sent their children to Sunshine Christian. Talk about the impact that you see in that.

SPEAKER_03:

Very recently, Sunshine has merged with another ministry, New Journey Christian Ministries, where one of our campuses are currently housed. One of the students, they expressed their desire to want to be baptized. We've got the Bible instructor in there the dean and then he called dad hey dad I want to be baptized and dad said well I want to be baptized too and so I mean these are the these are this is most recent but these are the many you know different testimonies really that speak to Jesus at the head see we are a Christ centered focused organization and where Christ is the center then I mean there's no big guys and little u's is just j-e-s-u-s and so so yeah so families naturally flock to to support their children parents grandparents godparents guardians and you know now we have a generation of grandparents who were you know sometimes they're helping to raise their grandparents their grandchildren or great-grands and so you know we we welcome all all of the families to to experience Christ and see the difference that having exposure to Him makes in a child's life. I

SPEAKER_04:

know as our kids were at Sunshine, we were challenged as well because T.J. comes home learning, we had to teach him these Bible scriptures. We got a scripture of the week, you know, so he has to learn this scripture. So we're not just talking about spelling words, you know, that was part of it too, but then there's this scripture. So now we got to learn as well, you know. The Bible says hide these words in your heart when you might not sin against God. So we had to learn these words as well. And it kind of convicts you as well at some point. You know, here you are sending your children to a Christian school, you know, and they're challenging you. They start questioning you. You know, if you don't pray before me, all of a sudden they want to pray before me. We don't do that. That's what we do.

SPEAKER_03:

Funny that you said that. Yeah. So, you know, I mentioned earlier that every hour on the hour, the children and everybody starts what they're doing and we pray. So, So a few of the parents came in and said, Dr. Hicks, you guys have to stop this praying every hour. Every time at home, my child, when my phone rings or my phone, my alarm goes off, they said, Mom, we got to pray. I just think it's fantastic that that's carrying over into the home. Yes, it is. It's

SPEAKER_04:

challenging. It's challenging. Any alarm, right?

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SPEAKER_04:

In your role as superintendent, I know you've seen some things. Can you share an encouraging word to moms, dads, and grandparents about education? We look at the education system today. Can you share an encouraging word?

SPEAKER_03:

Yes. So education is foundational. Scripture talks about wisdom being the principal thing. And in all thy getting, get in understanding. And so if we can impress upon our children in our households, in our communities, wherever we gather, in the marketplace, place, that wisdom and knowledge and having understanding gives you an edge, gives you an advantage, because not only are you seeking information, but with Christ, you can seek to be the hand, not the tail above only and not the knee. You can have the favor and the blessings that God has prescribed in his holy word. So I'm grateful for the opportunity to talk through the experiences, the education, the can't afford a person, we want to push that. We push, and most of our faculty and staff, not only do they have bachelor's, but several of them have master's degrees. We have about five faculty and staff with doctorate degrees. So having that exposure, being exposed with higher vocabulary and different personalities coming in and out of the classroom, it gives them an opportunity to imagine and to dream and to hope beyond the mundane. It gives them more exposure. So education provides exposure. Exposure provides possibilities. And with Christ, we stress you can do all things.

SPEAKER_04:

All things. Well, you're in here preaching. Make sure I'm not in church. You are a scholar in your own right. You went to the sales and you're just top student over there with college and now you have a PhD and a superintendent. Can you share an encouraging word for just young, especially young ladies about being involved in education and the value of being a teacher or educator? You know how important that is.

SPEAKER_03:

So I most recently accepted a role as an adjunct professor at Columbus State Community College where I teach classes on interpersonal skills and the importance of educating yourself on communication. Communication is way more, it goes beyond the audible language, but also your non-verbals and how you carry yourself and what you put on your body and how you dress and how you use your space and time. And so whenever I have an opportunity to talk to young ladies, I tell them, learn some etiquette, learn the ways of the Proverbs 31 And, you know, your children will rise up and call you blessed, you know, so there is a difference in a godly Christian woman, then, you know, the women you see on, I hate to say, but the reality TV shows, there's a difference, there's a difference, there's a difference, and there should be because scripture tells us to be holy, to be separate, you know, not not yet to be holy, because we have to, we we have a different responsibility and that is, is, is to be light bearers, uh, to carry light around wherever we go. And so, um, so yeah, so communication is key. Learning how to communicate, knowing when to say what, you know, knowing where to go, how to get there, you know, that's all, it all takes on a different level of insight that, that only comes from the wisdom that's acquired through a hunger and a thirst for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

SPEAKER_04:

After you completed this good education, I saw you working in the business world. You were trying to sell me something from Huntington Bank. I remember those days. You were there working hard. Can you talk about that moment when you decided to get back in education and lead Sunshine Christian Academy? What was that moment?

SPEAKER_03:

After college, I went to Yeah, Wittenberg, Wittenberg University. And then my grandparents got sick. I actually went to law school. I have a year left. Yeah, I went to Capital University Law School. But then my grandparents got sick, my mother's parents, and then I became a caregiver. So I couldn't go to law school full time and watch my, you know, help my grandparents. So I started taking night classes and weekend classes, got an MBA, then eventually, you that time, I was trying to figure it out. I didn't, you know, I wish, wish God could just tell me, Hey, you do this, do this next, but it doesn't work like that. And we walk, we walk by faith. And so, so yeah, so I went, I got a job in the banking world and insurance. And then I started working at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. And I, believe it or not, was over there learning and development. So So I didn't know that I was being prepared for Sunshine. I had no idea. And so I kind of lost contact with Sunshine over the years because, you know, life happened. And it wasn't until I got a phone call. I had recently finished my PhD and they said, Dr. Hicks, if you are willing, we'd like to give you Sunshine Christian Academy. If not, we're going to close its doors. there was a grim and grave response. First of all, I didn't even know it was still open. And then I had to pray about it. I had to seek wise counsel because I remember all of the sacrifices that my mother made. And I really didn't go to school for that. My background is business. I have a PhD in business administration with a specialization in international business. So I was traveling all around I was over eight territories with Anthem so I was at a crossroads because I felt like man I'm getting too old to be living out of my suitcase so but then I thought I said well you know I can this is something that I don't want to see die totally and so I went and I visited and man I just I just relived sunshine all over again because I am alumni you know I went to sunshine at kindergarten through 8th grade so I'm a product and then I saw a lot of the teachers that were still there when my mom was alive and I was like okay I don't want to see the doors closed so I accepted the call in Jesus name and I've been there ever

SPEAKER_04:

since that's a great story that's a great story how God prepares us yes he does even that that business background because the school is a business it really is a business

SPEAKER_03:

yeah it has business yeah it's not a for-profit business but every organization has business so I was able to get in there and actually help you know figure out the financials because when you talk about school closing usually points to financial crisis so but God is good I mean we're now at first when I took over they were at like I think 114 students now we're well over 200 and We have three campuses right now. So, yeah,

SPEAKER_04:

God

SPEAKER_03:

is good. Amen. Amen. Amen. And so I'm just grateful to be a part of such a wonderful, great cloud of witnesses. And so legacy starts when we are introduced to Christ, because we don't know how long we have on this earth. And when we depart, if we depart early, then the next faith-filled person has to step up and expose that youth or that man. more about Christ and we learn to pace ourselves we don't run we walk we walk by faith so this is an endurance test and I'm grateful that Legacy started with my exposure to Christ and I pray that I impart Legacy to all of the men and women the young children that come through Sunshine Christian Academy's doors

SPEAKER_04:

That's powerful. Lastly, as we turn the corner a little bit here, can you share a word to Sunshine alumni, parents and families, how they can support the work of Sunshine and be able to continue that work?

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, absolutely. Actually, we have right now a Nehemiah renovation project going on. We have$103,000 needed left for our renovations for the third campus that we own. And so there is our Our website, www.scaoh.us. You can go to our website and find out more about the Nehemiah Building Project at Sunshine. But most importantly, support our youth. We have year-round programs. The upcoming program that the children will be a part of is the Easter Play. So we will be commemorating our reflection of Lent and the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. And just, you know, there's a donate button on our website. So anybody is, everybody's welcome to give. You know, we definitely, you got to have finances to do ministry. Yes.

SPEAKER_04:

Thank you. Well, I want to thank you for answering the call. You continue to retain the legacy of your mother. I'm just so proud of you, you know, because I've been blessed to watch you grow and mature into the leader that you are. The true leader. And, you know, I say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. and just the spirit of your mom is truly on you. Oh, wow. Loving, caring, compassionate. Thank you. That was one thing about you. She was so loving. When I was working there, people would kind of get on you. She had a way of getting on you. It made you feel good. You start scratching your head. But when she said that way. Right, right. And then the last thing, I think the most important thing that she has that you have from her is being relational.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

You've been able to build those relationships, you know, with persons, you know, to build those. It shows by the longevity of people willing to still be there. Right. Will still support. That's all about relation. And so I want to thank you for that. So this brings us to the end of this episode. Thanks to our special guest, Dr. Hicks, on sharing the legacy of Sunshine Christian Academy and her role in continuing the family legacy. Dr. Hicks, thank you for sharing your wisdom and encouragement to the next generation. I want to thank everyone for joining us during this enlightening and informative discussion on building a legacy in education. I hope that this episode was beneficial to you. As always, thank you for listening to Be A Baller Podcast.

SPEAKER_00:

If you enjoy our show, please share this podcast with your family and friends. Be A Baller Podcast is available on all major podcast stations. Be sure to come back next week as we continue to discuss on how to build a lifelong legacy. Until then, don't forget to be a baller. This podcast was created by Coach Tim Brown. It was edited by Teron Howell and produced by by the video production class of Worthington Christian High School.