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.

Trinity Classical Academy
28310 Kelly Johnson Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355