About SCA

Welcome back, Kim Young!

Sound Christian Academy is pleased to announce the return of Kim Young, who previously worked for Tacoma Baptist. Kim will be the new Student Center manager, replacing Alisha Brotherton who moved out of state.

Kim worked as the Food Facilities Supervisor and in the Home Economics program at TBS from 2014-18 before moving out of state. She has worked at Berean Baptist Academy in Fayetteville, N.C. the past two years.

Prior to TBS, she was a recess monitor and teacher’s assistant at Grace Academy School in Marysville for 13 years.

She also has owned and operated her own catering company for 30 years.

We are so happy to see God’s providence provide our school with the return of the very skilled Kim Young. 

Announcing the new Dean of Education

It is with great pleasure that we introduce Mary Neff to the Sound Christian Academy community as our new Dean of Education.

She starts her new job effective July 1.

Mary comes to Sound Christian with more than 20 years of K-12 classroom experience, along with a strong educational pedigree. She is a highly skilled collaborative leader and has a heart for Jesus and people.

She has a Masters in Educational Leadershipo from City University in Fife, a Bachelors Degree in Vocational Family and Consumer Sciences Secondary Education from Central Washington University in Ellensburg and a University of Washington Project Management Certificate.

“Sound Christian Academy is invested in kids and making a difference in the community,” Mary said. “I am excited about being a part of such a great organization and seeing what God is doing in and through our kids, families and staff.”

She has worked the last year and a half at Bates Technical College as a Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator. Prior to Bates, Mary worked for three years at the Rainier State School in Buckley as a Social Services Specialist in charge of staff development for more than 1,000 DSHS employees. She also worked for two years with Edgenuity Online Academy working with several school districts.

Prior to that, Mary was a Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher for 13 years in the Puyllup, White Pass and Clover Park school districts. She got her start in education working in the Morton-White Pass School District.

Mary is an active volunteer at Lifespring Church where she serves as the Community Outreach co-leader. She is a Pierce County Council Birth to 25 Advisory Board member, the vice president of the Bridges of Love board and is a previous member and is a volunteer for South Hill Rotary.

We have an urgent need for a host family for this fall and if you have been considering hosting an international student then now is the time to reach out. Basic needs include:

• Providing a private bedroom (or shared with a child of the same gender)
• Providing transportation to and from school and school events
• Providing all meals

Sound Christian Academy pays host families $1,000 a month to cover extra expenses for their international student. This is an awesome way to influence the life of a teen, as well as giving your family an extra education about a new country. For more information on the SCA International Students program visit our website or email International Student Support Specialist Rachel McGovern for more information.

Sound Christian Academy is pleased to announce Annie Orth as the new Parent Volunteer Network Vice President. Annie is a stay-at-home mom, the vice president for the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Spouses Club and is on the board for the McChord Thrift Shop. Annie replaces Carrie Jo Timmer, who is stepping down to pursue other volunteer opportunities at the school. The Orths have been a part of the SCA community for a year and have a toddler, a kindergartner and a first grader at Sound Christian. Annie has worked professionally in musical theatre for almost 20 years, both on stage and off-stage where she transitioned to teaching and choreographing for several schools and theatres across the country, including serving as the Artistic Director for a Children’s Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama. The Air Force brought the Orths to Washington state and they couldn’t be happier to be here. Annie considers it an honor and a blessing to be able to serve at SCA.

Sound Christian Academy is pleased to announce Cheri Beavers as the new Parent Volunteer Network President. Cheri currently serves as the Project Manager for the Pierce County Early Childhood Network’s Children’s Voice Capacity Initiative and as a Program Director for Child Care Voice with First 5 Fundamentals. Cheri replaces Sarah Major, who served for the 2021-22 school year. The Beavers have been a part of the SCA community for six years. She has three students at SCA including Nathaniel (10th grade), Lillyana (9th grade) and Silas (5th grade). Her husband, Dwayne, is SCA’s Athletic Director. She has worked in the Pierce County community for the last decade overseeing anti-human trafficking, addiction recovery, homeless re-establishment, veteran’s benefits, crisis intervention, and other social work projects for local non-profits and the county. She has overseen volunteer groups from the community for several years including groups serving at the local mission, veterans affairs, food banks, pregnancy centers, Youth for Christ, and homeless camps. Cheri is looking forward to using her network of connections to create opportunities for students to engage and serve in the wider community and for parents, caregivers, and family members to join in serving our students programs at SCA. 

Please welcome new Finance & Business Manager Jessica White. Jessica joined the Sound Christian Academy staff June 1 and is already hard at work helping in our finance office. She worked the last nine years as a fiscal specialist in student financials for Pierce College in Lakewood. Previously, she was the manager at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Tacoma. A University of Washington graduate, Jessica has a child in the SCA elementary school.  You can reach Jessica at 253-475-7226 ext. 131 or by email at [email protected].