After graduating from Fresno Christian High School in 2024, I felt lost. I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. Like many young men, I automatically assumed college would give me direction, so I decided to enroll at Clovis Community College. It seemed practical, especially financially, but I quickly realized community college lacked a true sense of community. Classes came and went, but I did not feel connected or like I was moving toward a purpose. After a year, I knew I needed somewhere else, anywhere else to go.
Since 2020, my family has been actively attending The Well Community Church, where I have found a sense of peace and a spiritual home. During a service, Pastor Brad Bell mentioned a new college program the church was starting in partnership with California Baptist University. At the time, it did not even have a name. My mom, aware of how lost I was feeling, followed every update on social media.
When Valley Leadership Academy announced a student tour, I knew I had to see it for myself. Head director Ka‘eo Yoshikawa explained that VLA exists to “help students discover who they are, grow in their faith, and learn how to serve with purpose in their communities.”
The tour was informative; but not everyone was equipped to stay. When I decided to enroll, I was introduced to the original cohort of seven students. To break the ice, we held a potluck outside the Schmitt Camp House on The Well’s campus. It was there that I met Chance Hertel, a 2025 Fresno Christian alum. Hertel shared that a church service that emphasized “staying where your feet are” helped him gain clarity.
“I wanted to get out of my hometown and move closer towards the beach,” Hertel said. “Also, debating playing basketball and then ultimately deciding ‘no’ was difficult.”
We both had an immediate bond over our mutual uncertainty. I realized I was not alone in my search for direction.
VLA’s structure is different from most other college programs. Every student is required to participate in an internship at a local church. The mandatory internship is 50% of the grade received at the end of each quarter. I chose the missions department at The Well, believing that was where I could make the most meaningful impact.
Over the first semester, I learned about exposure trips, short-term mission experiences and extended family members, missionaries supported by The Well for multi-year, to life, international evangelizing. Yoshikawa explained that students are formed academically, spiritually and vocationally.
“Academically, students are enrolled in CBU online degree programs while participating in structured coursework designed to foster critical thinking, theological reflection and leadership development,” Yoshikawa said. “Spiritually, students engage in chapel, guided reflection and intentional practices to help them grow in emotional health and spiritual maturity.”
The next weekend, the seven of us attended orientation. Orientation included rules and expectations, but also bonding activities like laser tag, which helped build trust amongst each other and deeper connections. Later, our cohort traveled to Shaver Lake for a retreat intensive, where we shared personal struggles and began forming real relationships that transformed ordinary classmates into a family.
The program visited CBU’s campus to connect online learning with real-life instructors. We went to CBU’s biggest event of the year, Fortuna Bowl, in Riverside, CA. By the second semester, our group grew from seven to eleven students, and our community continued to strengthen evermore.
One of the most exciting upcoming opportunities is an exposure trip to Bangkok, Thailand. The Thailand trip represents the program’s initial values, which are growing in faith, serving with purpose, and learning to lead while making a tangible difference in the world.
To support the trip, VLA has created an online shop where people can purchase Christian-themed T-shirts. It is much more than a fundraiser; it is a hands-on leadership exercise that teaches stewardship, teamwork, responsibility, loyalty and service. Preparing for this trip reminds me that mission work is not just a concept; instead, it is an action, cultural engagement and intentional service for others suffering.
Looking back, my journey from Fresno Christian to Clovis Community College to now VLA has taught me that clarity and breakthrough often come through struggle. I might not yet be where I want to be with my desires in life, but I’m grateful for all that God has provided. If I could give any advice, it would be to count every blessing.
Yoshikawa envisions graduates as people who are “spiritually rooted, personally mature, academically credentialed, biblically literate and vocationally prepared for whatever God calls them to next.”
Already, I see this vision reflected in our cohort as we grow in unity with one another, serve the community, and explore our individual callings. No one is ever alone. Jesus, through His personal relationship with me, has taught me in trials and tribulations that I am worthy of love. God’s purpose for us all is far greater than we could ever imagine. Be patient and trust in His timing. Without the seasons of uncertainty, I might never have found a program that intentionally forms students academically, spiritually and vocationally.
To learn more about Valley Leadership Academy, visit their website.
To read more from The Feather, visit NIL reshapes college sports and the transfer portal or Athlete Spotlight: Higton cousins strive for college commitment.
Tabitha Peters • Jan 30, 2026 at 1:29 pm
Thank you for sharing your experience, Cole! This is a great program that appeals to many people in our community.
georgia karlson • Jan 29, 2026 at 9:09 am
This is so well written! Such an amazing story!