We are so proud of PAA senior Joshua Crawford, and we just have to celebrate him for a moment. Joshua has been named a National Merit Semifinalist, one of only 16,000 students nationwide to earn this distinction based on his PSAT score. That places him among less than 1% of all test takers in the country. Let that sink in for a moment. This is a remarkable achievement that reflects Joshua's dedication, hard work, and the incredible mind God has given him. He has earned every

Some weekends change you. Bible Camp is one of them. This year, 107 PAA students, along with chaperones and kitchen volunteers, joined more than 400 high school students from across Oregon and Washington for four days centered on the theme Here on Purpose, more than 600 people total, all gathered in one place to seek God together. The energy was something you had to experience to fully understand. None of it happens without the village. Parents, PAA alumni, alumni parents, an

On a September Friday evening, students gathered for the first Community of the school year, and it was a beautiful way to close out the week. Community is PAA's Friday night worship, planned and led by students in Campus Ministries. From the music to the games to the conversations, our students make it happen, and they do it with creativity, heart, and genuine love for their peers. This first gathering of the year centered on Isaiah 43:19 and the theme of A Brand New Day. Wh

The Class of 2030 has officially begun their PAA journey, and what a way to start. Last week, our freshmen headed out for Freshman Adventure, the first of PAA's four grade-level leadership trips and one of the most important first steps a new class takes together. The focus was curiosity, the freshman core value, and an invitation to explore, ask questions, and lean into things that are new and maybe a little uncomfortable. For these students, almost everything about this yea

Every year, PAA's sophomores head out together for one of the most anticipated traditions in the school, and every year it delivers something unforgettable. Sophomore Excursion is built around a single, powerful question: what happens when you choose courage? Through a full ropes course experience, students find out. They climb. They leap. They wobble. They breathe through the scary parts. And they do all of it surrounded by classmates who are right there cheering them on, be

Bob Palmer was 17-years-old and sitting in Mr. Johnson’s Algebra II class in Room 9 at Portland Adventist Academy (PAA) when he felt something click. He knew he wanted to be a high school math teacher. What he didn’t know was that it would take him a few years to get there. Over three decades, in fact. But it turns out the journey wasn’t wasted. Bob calls those years after his Room 9 decision his wilderness journey. Through high school and into college, Bob spent his summers

Every year, PAA's juniors head out for one of the most meaningful experiences of their high school journey. Junior Challenge is not a field trip. It is not a vacation. It is a carefully designed leadership experience built to stretch students in ways that matter, and this year's trip delivered in every way. The purpose is simple and profound. Give juniors opportunities to lead, to struggle, to support each other, and to discover something new about themselves in the process.

Some of the best ideas come from the most personal places. Last spring, Hailey Anderson's mom stumbled across her old look book from her own high school days at PUC Prep, where it was called The Crackers Book. Flipping through the pages together, she showed Hailey the faces and names of classmates she had gotten to know through that little book, and shared how much it had meant to have a resource for connecting with people across her school. Then she looked at Hailey and said

If you want to set the tone for a school year, this is how you do it. PAA's first chapel of 2026-27 was Ask a Senior, and it was everything. Seniors sat up front and opened themselves up to questions from Pastor Fernando, and what followed was one of those chapel moments you do not forget. The advice and wisdom that poured out of these young people was remarkable. They spoke about academics and how to actually approach them. About connecting with teachers and why it matters.

If you want to know about the intentionality behind PAA's culture and community building, Beach Day pretty much shows it. Student Association officers and sponsors planned an incredible day of community, connection, and fun for the entire student body at Blue Lake, and it delivered on every level. The day kicked off with a handshake line, where every single student met every single other student. It sounds simple, but it is anything but. That moment is a foundation, a deliber

School is back in session, and PAA is alive again. Students filled the hallways this week and the energy has been through the roof from day one. Old friends reuniting, new friendships already forming, and everyone settling back into the rhythm of a school schedule. Classes are underway, content is being covered, and students are already diving in. It has been a wonderful first week. Staff is equally thrilled. There is nothing quite like having students back in the building, a

Sunday, August 23 was a perfect day in every sense of the word. Cougars past and present gathered at Glendoveer Golf Course for a morning of golf and an afternoon celebration that reminded everyone in the gathering exactly what it means to be part of this community. Gorgeous weather, familiar faces, old memories surfacing, and a whole lot of laughter. And yes, a few tears too. The good kind. This year's Cougar Hall of Fame inducted the 1999 and 2000 Golf Teams, Todd Manley, a

Before the first bell rang, before the hallways filled back up, the senior class was already doing the work. The weekend before school began, PAA seniors headed out together for Senior Retreat, an intentional and beloved part of the PAA experience. Not a vacation. Not just a fun trip. A purposeful gathering designed to shape who this class will be and how they will lead. At PAA, each class is anchored to a core value that grows with them. Freshmen explore curiosity. Sophomore

The countdown is on, and we could not be more excited. Teachers returned Monday to an all staff morning worship and meeting, grounding ourselves in the spiritual foundation for the year ahead. Our theme, Made Complete, drawn from Ephesians 3:19, sets the tone for everything we are stepping into together. What a beautiful reminder of who we are and Whose we are as we begin a new year. One of the highlights of the week was our Prayer Walk, where staff, pastors, and board member

There is something different about a PAA student. You might notice it on a mission trip to Mexico or the Dominican Republic, where our students spent time this year serving communities far from home. But you would also notice it in Portland, where other students were stocking shelves, removing blackberry bushes, or clearing trash right here in our own city. At PAA, ministry is not a trip. It is a way of life. Every student completes at least 40 hours of community service each

Just before graduation, every senior takes part in one of PAA's most beloved traditions: Senior Sign Out. In Pastor Stephen's classroom, as a final act of senior Bible class, students sign their names on the wall. It is a simple gesture with a profound meaning. You were here. You belong to this community. You always will. At PAA, we pray deeply that we leave a lasting, positive impact on every student who walks through our doors. We want them to leave knowing there is a commu

The season is still months away, but the PAA Girls Basketball team is already hard at work. That tells you everything you need to know about these young women. The girls have been coming together regularly to raise funds for two goals: covering lodging and food for the Walla Walla University Friendship Tournament, and purchasing new team warm ups. They want it, and they are willing to work for it. Last week the team held a car wash, and nearly the entire team showed up, along

Summer World History class is two weeks in and going strong! Students are earning a full year of World History credit in just six weeks, spending nearly six hours a day diving deep into history, geography, cultures, empires, and so much more. It is fast-paced and rich, and our students are rising to the challenge. But the benefits go well beyond the credit. Completing World History over the summer opens up space in the regular school year for an additional elective, giving st

This week, the PAA gym has been full of the best kind of energy. Cougar Basketball Camp was in full swing, with our very own Cougar basketball athletes, led by Athletic Director Lance Judd, coaching elementary students in the game they love. Every weekday, young athletes have been conditioning, training, learning new skills, running drills, scrimmaging, and soaking up every minute of it. But it has been about so much more than basketball. During rest breaks, campers got to vi

One of the highlights of the school year in Kevin "Skippy" Petersen's Physics class is the annual bridge project, and it never gets old. Each student selects a bridge from anywhere in the world, researches its history, design, and purpose, and then recreates it to scale. The method and materials are entirely up to them, which means every single project is one of a kind. The results are always incredible. Once complete, students present what they learned, walking their classma