On Monday, February 9 at 6:30 p.m., Trinity’s Distinguished Speaker Series welcomes Joni Eareckson Tada, award-winning author, radio host, international advocate for people with disabilities, as well as founder and CEO of Joni and Friends International Disability Center. After a tragic diving accident left her a quadriplegic at 17, Mrs. Tada fought through two years of rehabilitation, emerging with new skills and a fresh determination to help others.
Her best-selling autobiography Joni, and the feature film of the same name, has been translated into several languages allowing her to take her message of hope and God’s love to over 47 countries.
“We are honored that Mrs. Tada will bring her important and impactful message about God’s plan for each one of us, regardless of physical or mental capabilities, to the Trinity Community and beyond,” explained Megan Howell, Principal, Imago Dei School. “As educators, we play a vital role in our students’ futures, especially those with developmental disabilities. At the Imago Dei School, our unique ‘school within a school’ that serves students with developmental and learning disabilities at Trinity, we strive to equip our students with the tools they need to carry out God’s plan and live independent and purposeful lives.”
Mrs. Tada has served on the National Council on Disability and the Disability Advisory Committee to the U.S. State Department. She has helped guide evangelism strategies among people with disabilities worldwide through World Evangelization and the Lausanne Committee as Senior Associate, Disability Concerns and currently serves on the Young Life Capernaum Board. Multiple award-winner, Mrs. Tada has also been awarded honorary degrees including Doctor of Divinity, Westminster Theological Seminary, a Doctor of Humanitarian Services, California Baptist University, as well as a Doctor of Humane Letters by Indiana Wesleyan University where she was also inducted into IWU’s Society of World Changers.
Mrs. Tada has written over 50 books and has received the Gold Medallion Lifetime Achievement Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Her two latest books, Joni & Ken: An Untold Love Story was released in 2013, and Beside Bethesda: 31 Days Towards Deeper Healing, in 2014. Mrs. Tada’s commentary on disability-related issues have appeared in The Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine.
Joni and Friends International Disability Center has been dedicated to extending the love and message of Christ to people who are affected by disability, whether it is the disabled person, a family member or friend. Their objective is to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs in practical ways and is committed to recruiting, training, and motivating new generations of people with disabilities to become leaders in their churches and communities.
Since its inception, Trinity has been committed to extending educational opportunities and enriching the academic culture beyond the classroom and into the community complimentary for all attendees. The Distinguished Speaker Series features leaders, pioneers and trailblazers in their fields whose life choices have influenced others and changed lives. Past speakers have included noted actor and producer Kurt Cameron, as well as Olympian, author, POW and Inspirational Speaker Louis Zamperini.
In 2010, Trinity Classical Academy launched the Imago Dei School (Latin for “Image of God”), a “school within a school” for students with learning and developmental disabilities. At Imago Dei, students benefit from instruction in a small setting and a low student-to-teacher ratio (average of 3 students to one teacher). While students focus on academic, social and spiritual goals in specially designed classes, they also fully benefit from being integrated into the vibrant Trinity mainstream student culture.
From very humble beginnings in 2001, Trinity Classical Academy has grown from 28 students to over 560 in Transitional Kindergarten through 12th grade, making it one of the largest classical schools in the country. The mission of Trinity Classical Academy has remained consistent: to offer a challenging education, grounded in the Christian faith and the classical tradition, to produce young men and women of virtue, wisdom, purpose and courage.
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Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Missing Persons Unit investigators are asking for the public’s help locating At-Risk Missing Person, Joni Wagg Allen. She is an 81 year-old female white who was last seen on July 6, at 5 a.m., on the 24600 block of Varese Court in Valencia.
Earlier this month, CSUN’s College of Health and Human Development recognized 10 physical therapy students for winning scholarships from the Roy and Roxie Campanella Foundation and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.
Valencia High School seniors presented career projects to local business leaders, teachers and administrators during December, completing a semester-long class that all Valencia seniors are required to take. Nearly 350 students shared Powerpoint, video and photo presentations and spoke about their experience to a review panel for 8 to 10…
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Wonderful to see uplifting people in the world spreading the message of hope to other. Kudos to Ms. Tada and to Trinity for hosting her.
Her story is inspiring and demonstrates yet again that “disability” is a misnomer. It is only when we permit the world to defeat us and prevent us from accomplishing our objectives that a “disability” in fact overcomes the abilities that we all possess as members of a diverse humanity.
The College of the Canyons Foundation will honor Marlee Lauffer with the 2025 Silver Spur Community Service Award in recognition of her longtime support of the college and philanthropic contributions to the Santa Clarita Valley.
The Santa Clarita Veteran Services Collaborative has announced a special Veteran Painting Day, a community event that will take place 8-11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 23 at Hello Subaru of Valencia, 24000 Creekside Road, Valencia, CA 91355.
Finally Family Homes has announced a free Housing Authority Seminar & Community Workshop designed to educate renters, landlords, property owners and management companies about housing rights and responsibilities. The seminar will be held Saturday, March 1.
Rebuilding homes and communities lost to the recent Los Angeles County wildfires is a monumental challenge, one that requires collaboration, expertise and innovative solutions.
As a passionate advocate for community engagement and the power of storytelling, I am pleased to share this year’s "One Story One City" program with you. For those who may not know, "One Story One City" is a month-long celebration that revolves around a carefully chosen book.
Join The Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce for the 16th Annual State of the County, featuring Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. This exclusive event will provide key updates on critical issues impacting the Santa Clarita Valley and offer valuable insights into our community’s future.
The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation recently hosted the 2025 Canadian Energy Storage Roadshow, bringing together industry leaders, innovators and policymakers to discuss the future of energy solutions.
The Santa Clarita City Council will meet in a special, closed session and open session on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at City Hall to consider a number of issues including litigation, agreements and the Sand Canyon Trail.
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced the accomplishments of district junior high school students at the regional MATHCOUNTS competition held on Saturday, Feb. 8, at California State University, Northridge.
The College of the Canyons Foundation will honor Marlee Lauffer with the 2025 Silver Spur Community Service Award in recognition of her longtime support of the college and philanthropic contributions to the Santa Clarita Valley.
Santa Clarita Valley residents are urged to sign a petition demanding the California State Parole Board keep convicted murderer Robert Alan Grigsby in prison.
College of the Canyons will be hosting Information Nights on Thursday, March 6 at its Canyon Country campus and on Thursday, April 3 on Zoom to better assist high school seniors who are interested in starting their college experience at COC.
The Santa Clarita Veteran Services Collaborative has announced a special Veteran Painting Day, a community event that will take place 8-11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 23 at Hello Subaru of Valencia, 24000 Creekside Road, Valencia, CA 91355.
The Master's University men's basketball team stayed in a tie for first place at the top of the GSAC standings with an 82-64 win over the Life Pacific Warriors Saturday night, Feb. 15 in San Dimas.
The Santa Clarita Public Library will host a author event for "One Story One City" author Zoraida Córdova, 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1 at The Mitchell River House.
Braden Van Groningen took the set from Matthew Hamm and pounded it down for a kill to seal The Master's University's five-set win over Stanford Saturday night, Feb. 15 in Palo Alto.
A stout fourth-quarter defense stifled a potential Life Pacific comeback as The Master's University women's basketball team defeated the Warriors 79-57 Saturday, Feb. 15 in San Dimas.
College of the Canyons women's basketball did its very best to secure victory in its final game at the Cougar Cage on Tuesday, Feb. 18 but instead emerged from the contest on the wrong side of a 52-51 result vs. Santa Monica College.
College of the Canyons battled visiting Cypress College for 10 innings at Whitten Field on Tuesday, Feb. 17 before the Chargers pushed one across to escape with a 2-1 non-conference victory.
The William S. Hart Union High School District Governing Board unanimously approved the appointment of Ben Wobrock as the new Principal of Castaic High School.
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2 Comments
Wonderful to see uplifting people in the world spreading the message of hope to other. Kudos to Ms. Tada and to Trinity for hosting her.
Her story is inspiring and demonstrates yet again that “disability” is a misnomer. It is only when we permit the world to defeat us and prevent us from accomplishing our objectives that a “disability” in fact overcomes the abilities that we all possess as members of a diverse humanity.
Mr. Tada’s wife! I wanna find the movie that we watched in his class. Steven Godin Jr.