A Life Forever Changed

A J Addison’s (’13) story started out like many others – he was struggling in school and his future wasn’t looking bright.  His mother made a decision that will forever change his life.

Attending public high school, he was struggling with his academics, didn’t have good self-discipline and was told he would not qualify for college.  His mother had other plans for her son, “I want to put you in a private school because I want you to have a better education.”  So  A J transferred into Fredericksburg Christian School as a Junior.

“It was hard at first because of the drive, I wasn’t interested at first.  It took about two months to adjust but then fell in love with FCS.”

One of the “pluses” for A J in attending FCS was the football program.  At that time the program was only 3 years old.  A J definitely left his mark.  Even in these early football years for FCS, they advanced to the semifinals in A J’s junior year, State Championships in his senior year, and the year after he graduated they won the State Championship.

A J is now attending Marshall University in West Virginia with a full football scholarship.

Academically, FCS prepared A J for college. “When I was at public school, I didn’t have good grades. It was harder at FCS but it made me more focused.  It really motivated me.  Everybody was working hard so I had to work hard.  It established my habits.  It prepared me for college.”  He saw that his preparation was different than some of his university classmates who came from public school. “When freshmen come in, they don’t know how to organize, people come to college lost. I got an advantage over that early.  Stuff I thought people would know I realize I learned at FCS, like how to write a paper.”

Academics is one important area where A J grew at FCS.  He thinks something else was even more important.  When A J talks about the teachers and the impact they had on his life, he says, “The students and teachers are friends. They are there for you in school and life – anything – they will always be there for you.  They taught me to make the right choices.  Like Mrs. Turner, and Coach Coleman.  They were hard on me at FCS, but there’s a reason why they were.  They wanted me to be ready when I went off to college so I will make the right decisions.  I can’t thank them enough”

The greatest impact FCS made in A J’s life at FCS was spiritual.  “In public high school I did not know a lot about God. FCS made me who I am today. I am respectful and spiritual.”  Recalling one of the weekly chapels students attend at FCS he said, “One of the chapels had a guest speaker, that was one of the most fulfilled moments I had because of the message he shared.  I will remember it for the rest of my life.”

When asked what he would say to other parents thinking of sending their child to FCS, he said, “If you really want to better your child academically and challenge your child, this will make them a stronger person, spiritually and academically.  If I didn’t go to FCS I would not be where I am today.”

And where is A J today?  He’s playing football on a full scholarship at Marshall University.  He is in his Junior year and will be graduating a semester early with a degree in Business Management.  A J describes his relationship with Christ as very strong.  The future includes a Master’s degree at Marshall.  He says it this way, “I’m a people person.  I like making people happy.  I could care less about the money.  I want to help and motivate people to be who they want to be.  They can be anything they want to be if they put their mind to it.  I was told I couldn’t go to college before I went to FCS.”