CCS Spotlight: Ty Puente

What’s Great About CCS?
R. T. Puente

I was recently asked to appear on a Cornerstone Christian Schools (CCS) student talk show entitled “Warrior 411.” The interview revolved around my role and responsibilities as a teacher at CCS. To ensure that I was prepared, I watched previous episodes of other teacher interviews to ready myself for possible questions. Knowing that I had only a few minutes and not wanting to appear unprepared or unsettled, I began streamlining my thoughts to work within my interview timeline. I discovered that there was much I wanted to say, so I conceded it would be impossible to express it all within the four to five minutes allotted. I decided to write an article in the hopes of conveying my love and admiration for CCS during my eight year tenure.

The Environment

There is an immediate and obvious difference at CCS that I have not only seen, but felt. It is the reassuring sense that you are in a place where God is making a difference in the lives of people from various backgrounds! It’s not just a place where you can expect to see great things happen, but you can also make great things happen. It’s a place where you can enjoy the talents of others while discovering new talents within yourself, as God uses you to explore new ways to minister through teaching. Although there are challenges, I can honestly say, teaching at CCS has been one blessing after another.

My Story

The opportunity to teach at CCS actually arose from an unfortunate circumstance. I was one of many teachers during the 2010-2011 school year that was laid off by a local school district facing budget cuts. A close family friend heard about my dilemma and recommended that I apply at CCS. I applied and was hired. What a blessing from God! At the time, many of my relatives who were enrolling their children at CCS (some had children already attending) informed me of how great a school it is.
Previously, while teaching in the public school system, my wife and I often dreamt of having our kids attend CCS. I never thought that dream would become a reality. My eldest son was just old enough to start kindergarten when I began teaching at CCS, so God’s timing was perfect. This was the year God proved to us without a shadow of a doubt that those who trust in him during the difficult times will be given the desires of their hearts!

In spite of getting laid off, God had a better plan. I was now teaching at a school that proved to be a much better experience than my previous public school environment. In addition, my son was attending the best Christian private school in the city.
Transitioning from an inner-city public school to CCS was a very different experience. How different? Let me take a moment to describe my second day on the job at both places.

My second day on the job at the downtown public middle school was indeed tough…so much so that two teachers in my class that taught before me had quit. Students loudly cursed at me as I attempted to get them to sit in their assigned seats so I could learn their names. I quickly learned that this type of experience was not uncommon.

To the contrary, my second day at CCS was a very memorable one. When I forgot to begin my fourth period class with prayer, a sixth-grade girl quietly said, “Mr. Puente, you forgot to start class with prayer.” I apologized and explained that I was still adjusting to teaching at a private Christian school. The young lady politely asked if she could lead the class in prayer. Of course, I agreed and fought back the tears as she prayed aloud.

From that day forward, I have thanked God for bringing me to CCS. I have asked God to bless me and my family, my students and their families. From previously being cursed, to teaching at Cornerstone where prayer is the norm…I know this God-centered environment has helped me foster young minds in a way that is pleasing to him. 

Here we are today, eight years later, with three of my children attending CCS. My wife and I could not be happier! We can clearly see firsthand the impact that a good Christian education makes. Our children have demonstrated, on many occasions, the significance of a Christian education academically, ethically and morally. To witness our children seeking a closer relationship with Jesus through a hunger to learn more about his Word…it’s a blessing that is absolutely priceless.

Knowing that you are placing your children in the care of faculty, teachers and staff that are anointed of God and care deeply for their personal lives is comforting beyond words. Our youngest is still too young to attend CCS, but we’re already making plans.

The Mission

No doubt, CCS is a school with a mission. It’s a mission that every Bible-believing, faith-following Christian should wholeheartedly support. It’s the mission of creating a generation of future leaders that will boldly proclaim the truth of God’s Word and demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to a lost world.

The benevolent teachings of morality, patriotism, loyalty and respect for family and authority are being replaced with secular ideologies of moral relativism and globalism throughout our public schools and communities. Instead of learning that we are made in the image of a loving God, and that our lives have intrinsic, eternal value, our kids are being made to believe that we are mere animals with accidental origins formed in a pointless void. Sadly, we are seeing the results of this type of indoctrination in today’s youth.

It is a constant relief to my wife and me that our children are attending a school whose mission it is to build a foundational, strong Christian faith. I am thankful that we are among a growing number of families attending CCS, looking forward to what God has in store.