Alumni Spotlight - Jimmy Van Epps (Class of 2000)

Jimmy Van Epps may have only attended LCA for two years, but it left an impact on his life that continues today. He was an LCA assistant baseball coach for ten years, and now his daughter attends school here.  Brian Ray recently caught up with Jimmy and talked more about his decision to attend LCA when he was in high school. It really is a story you don't want to miss! View the video here or scroll down to play.  

What do you love most about LCA? The consistent focus upon Christ throughout all aspects of my time at LCA - classroom, athletics and other extra-curricular activities. If we lose focus of this, there is no reason to have a school. We must continue to put Christ first at LCA.

What is one word that best describes the school? Family

Tell us about one of your favorite memories at LCA. I transferred to LCA the summer of my sophomore year and didn't know many students. I never felt that I was on an island at LCA as the new kid. Some of those that I connected with first at LCA are some of my dearest friends to this day. The commonality of Christ binds us together.

From your own experiences, why do you believe it was important for you to attend LCA? Temptation is everywhere in today's society, much more prevalent than 20 years ago. Seeing and hearing Christ throughout each school day is critical. While LCA is far from a utopian bubble, it provides somewhat of a shelter for young minds.

In what ways did LCA prepare you for college and beyond? Many ways - LCA's curriculum and workload in some cases was more difficult than college. I felt LCA provided somewhat of an independent work environment which mirrored many college courses. The biggest life lesson learned at LCA is the constant reliance upon Christ throughout all walks of life. Hearing the Gospel on a daily basis at LCA helped to establish a Christ centered foundation.

What would you tell a friend to encourage them to send their child(ren) to LCA? Give it a shot. Being transparent, paying the tuition isn't easy, but what better investment can we make besides investing in Christ through our children's education? Looking back, attending LCA was one of the foundational decisions of my life and one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. Is everything perfect? No, and it will never be. We all are sinners and fall under God's grace. The positives of LCA greatly outweigh the negatives, and we feel this is the best school in Central Kentucky for our daughter.