"I would not be the person I am today without the experiences I had at Wheatstone."
Lauren Maltby, 2000
The changed lives of students testify to Wheatstone's success. Every year we get letters from students, phone calls from parents, and emails from youth pastors and teachers saying, "THANK YOU" for the impact we've made in our students lives—here are some of those thank you's:
What Students Say about Wheatstone
"I attended Wheatstone during the summer of 2000, and it revolutionized my thinking. The experience challenged me to engage my faith intellectually as well as spiritually. It not only exposed me to the great conversation, it invited me to join. Wheatstone helped me realize how robust the gospel of Jesus is, and that the cost of discipleship included my mind. I would not be the person I am today without the experiences I had at Wheatstone."
La Mirada, CA
2000
"Wheatstone is about learning, not just head knowledge and obscure facts, but how to be a better more virtuous human being. Some people will tell you that your Wheatstone experience is about learning, and it is, but the word that most closely describes Wheatstone? Love. There are very few times in your life that you can clearly point to and say 'my life changed here.' Wheatstone will be one of them."
Centenniel, CO
2006
"I can truly say that Wheatstone changed my life. I've grown up in the church, with a wonderful family, learning the things I needed to learn. But in high school I came up against obstacles dealing with innocence and discipline, and by my junior year my life seemed to have become completely routine. At Wheatstone, I began to actually acknowledge the presence of Christ in my life--peace, confidence, and warmth in my prayers and throughout my daily activities. I realized how much I needed to be challenged, and how Wheatstone helped me to find and embrace challenges. I realized that I will never be "the best" or "the most smart," but that did not mean that I could not continue to learn and grow as a Christian, a student, and a human being. I loved my time at Wheatstone, all that I discovered there, and the friends that I drew so close to."
Yorba Linda, CA
2002
"The Academy is one of the most thought-provoking and challenging seminars I have ever attended. It taught me not how to find the answers, but how to ask the right questions, think more deeply and meaningfully, and how to listen to others, whether or not he or she has the same views that I have. I would recommend this week-long camp to anyone who is willing to expand their mind and thought processes in an attempt to become a better thinker and a better person."
Escondido, CA
2005
"The best part of the Academy wasn't the fact that I made great friends, had great counselors, listened to excellent speakers, had a great time in the dorm with my room mate, and read intellectual pieces of literature, but rather that God was there working through everyone at the Academy and taught all of us how to be better people."
Petaluma, CA
2005
"The Academy equipped me with the skills I need to critically think and question this world and my own life. After starting college, I found these techniques useful in everyday life. The Academy fostered a sense of mental freedom that I continue to crave. I awaited the Academy with few expectations, but walked away with knowledge that I will use and share for a lifetime. If you are interested in challenging yourself, I encourage you to try the Academy."
Yorba Linda, CA
2005, 2006
"Wheatstone Academy challenged me to raise the bar in my life goals for both youth ministry and personal spiritual growth. Spending a week with distinguished professors who genuinely modeled the love of Christ revealed a whole new level of Christian living to me. Wheatstone showed me the "something more" that I did not even realize I was trying to find!"
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
2003
"I will never forget my experience at The Academy. Reading Love Your God with All Your Mind and Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics certainly changed my life. The ethics taught me a new definition of friendship, that the highest sort is friendship of similar virtue. I also had a ton of fun there. I didn't know that professors could be so intelligent and witty but still enjoy life so much. The Academy convinced me to pursue truth with everything I have."
La Mirada, CA
2003
What Parents Say about Wheatstone
"Please accept my sincere thanks and deep gratitude for including my daughter, Jenn, in this year's Academy. The innumerable eternal things Jenn brought home in her heart are priceless. When I picked Jenn up on the last day she was sad that she had to leave and didn't want the Academy to end. Keep up the good work!"
Fullerton, CA
"Does the Academy influence young lives? Absolutely!! My son, Nick came back from his Academy week a changed young man. His view of God has been greatly enlarged. He was challenged to think more critically, encouraged to engage in more dialogue, given a greater appreciation for the arts (thanks to the field trip to the Getty) and came away feeling like there was a peer group in which he felt a sense of belonging. The Academy is impacting lives and helping to shape the next generation for the furtherance of the Kingdom. Thank you for all you do!"
Fountain Valley, CA
"My daughter, Carina, attended 'The Academy' in August of 2005. It truly blessed and changed her life. She was challenged by the materials, study and application and especially enjoyed the class discussions and personal conversations with the staff, professors and guest speakers. The entire atmosphere was exciting for her...from her dorm suite, to the beauty of the campus surrounding her (especially safe, also), to the close-knit feeling of community during and after the academy and the Spirit of the Lord which was ever-present throughout the program. As a mother, I am truly grateful for this incredible once in a life-time opportunity for my daughter."
Tucson, AZ
"Wheatstone Academy was a milestone in our daughter's life journey. She encountered great books, made great friends, and was encouraged to wrestle with great questions, all of which have changed the course of her life in the years since this profound experience. The investment we made as parents was strategic and foundational: the unique experience at Wheatstone continues to produce intellectual and spiritual dividends in our daughter. Her worldview and career have been influenced in ways that will maximize her Kingdom impact on her family and her world."
Brea, CA
"Our first son's experience at Wheatstone Academy helped him to get a preview of what his college experience at Biola would be like. As parents, we see Wheatstone as the perfect springboard for college-bound students who want to be challenged in their intellectual and practical Christianity."
Atascader, CA
What Pastors and Teachers Say about Wheatstone
"Wheatstone is one of the best resources available to help train a generation of young people to stand strong in their faith in today's secular culture. I wish every young person would attend."
High School Bible Dept. Head/Teacher
Capistrano Valley Christian Schools
"Wheatstone Academy is an exceptional spiritual and intellectual experience, and it does an outstanding job of equipping believers in a Christian worldview apt for engaging the world of ideas in college. From the faculty to the staff to the format, the entire program smacks of excellence and I am delighted to be a part of it."
Distinguished Professor of Philosophy
Talbot School of Theology
"For several years now I have seen up close what the Wheatstone Academy experience has done in the lives of students who attend. My conclusion? I've never seen anything like it. Wheatstone is unique, stimulating, transformative, and has a lasting impact on the minds and character of those who take the plunge."
Director of MA Program in Christian Apologetics
Biola University
"For years I have prayed that God would raise up a passionate multitude of teens and college students who love truth, think rationally, and whose lives are based on a Biblical world view. That's why I am so excited about Wheatstone Academy- a unique summer program that impacts young people both spiritually and intellectually. At Wheatstone, renowned scholars like Dr. J.P. Moreland teach students to, "love the Lord with all their mind." There are many options when it comes to camps and retreats, but Wheatstone Academy is unique in both content and long-term impact. I have seen firsthand how the Lord is using this program to groom those who will likely become the Christian leaders of tomorrow. I believe that Wheatstone is a wonderful investment that will enhance a student for life, and will count for eternity."
President
Southern Evangelical Seminary
"In the face of the many challenges that Christian students meet in the college years, Wheatstone Academy has provided a dynamic and relevant program that guides young people toward a solid, Scripturally-based faith. Through the curriculum and the faculty, students are challenged to use their gifts and their minds for God’s purposes, not for worldly prestige. I believe that Wheatstone is equipping tomorrow’s Christian leaders."
President
HomeWord Ministries
"Wheatstone Academy really does infuse a passion for God and His word. It also provides compelling and logical reasons for students to trust in the gospel wholeheartedly. The Academy offers what no other worldview conference does—one-on-one personal attention with a professor/leader. I saw, and I believe you will see, evidence of this program’s effectiveness immediately. Don't miss this opportunity. Invest in the future by providing your students a chance to attend Wheatstone Academy."
Youth Pastor
Emmanuel Faith Community Church
Escondido, California