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

Even before the school year officially ended, the next one was already taking shape. Class officers and Student Association officers were elected for 2026-27, and they hit the ground running, meeting and making plans before the last bell even rang. There is something so energizing about watching a new group of student leaders step up, lean in, and start dreaming about what they want the year ahead to look like for the whole school. The year is behind us now. But the future of

Some chapels you plan. And then there are the ones God takes over. Pastor Fernando opened the final chapel of the year by inviting a few students to share what they had learned about God and how they had grown over the past school year. What began as a handful of planned testimonies quickly became something no one could have scripted. One by one, additional students came forward. Then staff members. Then a local pastor. Each one feeling led to share, to be honest, to speak al

What a weekend. What a class. Graduation Weekend 2026 was everything it should be: a beautiful, full celebration of accomplishments, community, and the memories and history made together over four years at PAA. Sabbath evening opened with Consecration, a sacred and meaningful service featuring Pastor Kevin Wilson, who challenged our graduates to lean into character, curiosity, and courage as they journey into their next steps, all with Christ as their foundation. The candleli

Over Memorial Day weekend, the Rock Climbing Club headed out for their annual camping and climbing trip, and it did not disappoint. The group arrived late afternoon on Friday and set up camp, settling in for a weekend away together. On Sabbath, they made their way to the nationally known Smith Rock State Park and took on the famous Misery Ridge Trail, with its breathtaking views overlooking the iconic Monkey Face rock. What a way to spend a Sabbath, surrounded by the beauty o

We are so proud of our Cougars. So incredibly proud. Late on Saturday night, May 30, the PAA Boys Varsity Volleyball team made history, winning the first-ever OSAA-sanctioned Boys Volleyball State Championship. The school's third-ever team state title across all sports, and its first in boys volleyball, in the very first year the sport was sanctioned by OSAA. Portland Adventist Academy did it first. No one can ever take that away. The victory was thrilling. But the moment tha

Check out the OSAAtoday story of our boys volleyball team's championship victory: https://www.osaa.org/today/article/5002/view?title=4A%2F3A%2F2A%2F1A+state+boys+volleyball%3A+PAA+completes+mission

Check out this story from OSAAtoday from a story preview to the State championship: https://www.osaa.org/today/article/4993/view?title=State+boys+volleyball+preview%3A+PAA+keeps+its+focus+internally

Some nights at PAA just stay with you. The spring music program was one of them. The Biggest PAA Show lived up to its name in every way. A full house, an incredible lineup, and a stage full of students who have been working all year to get to this moment. Broadway. Movies. Original compositions. Music that moved people and reminded everyone in that room why the arts matter so much. God has gifted these students, and on nights like this one, those gifts are on full, beautiful

Last Sunday evening, PAA students traded their school clothes for their best dressed looks and headed to Sah Hah Lee Golf Course for the Student Association Spring Banquet. And it did not disappoint. Beautifully dressed students, delicious food, mini golf, and a whole lot of laughter. That is the recipe for a special night, and that is exactly what it was. A full 80% of PAA students were there, which says everything about how much this community loves to celebrate together. E

Last Friday evening, more than 100 students and more staff than we have ever had at a Community Vespers showed up for one last gathering before the school year ends. And it was everything. Hot dogs, volleyball, basketball, lawn games, and the kind of easy laughter that happens when people just genuinely enjoy being together. Even the intermittent drizzle could not slow anyone down. These are PAA people. A little rain is not a problem. Seniors led everyone in worship singing,

Every spring, PAA empties out. Students and staff load up and head into the community to serve, and every year it reminds us of something important: teenagers are capable of tremendous things when you give them the chance. It also reminds us that this is exactly what Jesus called us to do. This year did not disappoint. Freshmen and sophomores headed to Gladstone Campground, taking on cleaning, weeding, and outdoor maintenance across this expansive outdoor space. They worked h

All year long, dedicated PAA students have been putting in the work. Late nights, extra study sessions, and months of digging deep into challenging material across six college-level courses: AP English Literature, AP World History, AP Calculus, AP Psychology, AP English Language, and AP Computer Science. These are not easy courses, and these are not easy tests. But our students showed up ready. One of the most beautiful moments of testing week happened before a single pencil

In the last two weeks, PAA's drama class has been doing what they do best: making us laugh, making us think, and pointing us toward something bigger than ourselves. Last week's chapel brought us a modern retelling of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the BFF. Yes, the Big Fiery Furnace. We laughed, we were captivated, and we watched three young people stand firmly in their beliefs no matter the pressure around them. The humor, the rhyme, the deadpan wit, all of it worked beaut

Sunday evening, something special filled the air at PAA. Students, families, friends, and fans gathered together for a night of live music and a whole lot of heart, all in support of the Ellis-Johnson Fund and the Music Studio program that has become one of PAA's most unique and beloved offerings. The fundraiser came together from the visions of Emily and Mia, two PAA juniors, and students in the Performance & Production class. The audience was treated to performances from lo

Some weekends at PAA feel like a gift. Alumni Weekend 2026 was one of them. On the first weekend in May, alumni of all ages came back home. Back to the halls, the faces, and the memories that shaped them. From the class of 1948 all the way to recent graduates, alumni gathered to laugh, cry, reminisce, and simply be together. That kind of connection doesn't happen by accident. It happens because PAA leaves a mark. Friday evening, the Golden Agers gathered for a special dinner

We love getting to celebrate our students, and this one made us so proud. PAA junior Josh Crawford has been accepted into the Summit STEM Fellowship, a highly competitive virtual summer program that empowers high school students to explore careers in STEM, develop real-world skills, and connect with a global network of young leaders and mentors. The program is run through Stanford University with mentors from MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Penn State, and more. Students f