Student Activities

Grace Academy students wear uniforms. However, most levels have at least one dress-up day per month. Teachers usually describe the dress-up day to their students. Examples of dress-up occasions include Career Day, Vocabulary Day, Sports Day, or Red and Green (at Christmas). Occasionally, individual classes may celebrate an event by having their own dress-up day. For example, classes may have a pajama day or a theme day. Elementary teachers usually notify you of dress-up days in their weekly newsletter or by email.

Science Fair

Students in all grades participate in this event at the classroom level. Grades K-3 do class projects and grades 4-12 participate by doing their own project. The school has an evening culminating event in March where students’ projects are judged and displayed.

Fine Arts Fair

The Fine Arts Fair is a lively celebration where students' artistic achievements are on display. Young Author books will shown for the first time. K-3 students publish a class book and students in grades 4-6 publish their own creative storybook.  In addition STEM and Outdoor Skills projects will be displayed. With a variety of creative expressions including literature, science, and visual arts, accompanied by the school band's music and delicious food, it fosters a sense of community and appreciation for student talent and innovation.

History Fair

This school event is for students in grades K-8 and usually occurs in May. Grades K-3 study a class topic and grades 4-8 do individual reports. The event culminates with an evening fair in the gym where students display and discuss their learning.

There are two concerts each year for elementary students. In December, the K-3rd graders have an evening concert and the 4th-6th graders have a separate concert. (The older students often have an opportunity to perform for the younger students in our chapel in December and May if you want to see them twice.) In May, the division changes with a concert for K-2nd and another concert for 3-6th grades. The upper elementary concerts include time for the after-school choir, band, and music classes to perform.

Each Spring, the high school students have a formal banquet. Previous events have included dinner at the Space Needle, a dinner cruise around Puget Sound, and other fun venues. There is an additional cost, but it is well worth the memorable evening.

In January, Grace Academy celebrates the end of the first semester with events at each level. High School students participate in a three-day snow retreat off campus in the beautiful Cascade Mountains. Junior High students participate in their own Olympics with loads of games and team building. Elementary grades enjoy Spirit Week with daily dress-up days and special events. It is a perfect time of year to rejuvenate and prepare for a fabulous second semester.

Most grades go on at least one or two field trips per year. Typically, the field trips are tied to the curriculum or are appropriate for the age level. Teachers will notify parents through their newsletter about the time and need for chaperones. If you want to know details beforehand, ask your child’s teacher.

In the fall, Junior High Students enjoy a time off campus with an overnight trip to a local Christian camp. There is a three-day, two-night retreat designed to build unity among the classes and throughout junior high. It is usually scheduled for the last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of September. Many organized activities are scheduled, and guest speakers are invited. There is an additional cost for all students attending the retreat.

Every other school year we offer a trip to Washington D.C. The trip is open to students in 5-12 grades in the year of travel; family members are welcome. The trip varies from year to year, but will often include numerous sites in our nation’s capital and visits to Jamestown, Yorktown, Mount Vernon, Williamsburg, and Philadelphia.

Every other school year we offer a trip to the United Kingdom and France. The trip is open to juniors and seniors only. The trip varies from time to time, but will often include London, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Normandy, Mont Saint-Michel, and an additional list of amazing sites.

Both trips are an additional cost.

During the last week of June, elementary students participate in Field Day. This is an afternoon event in which students rotate through a series of stations with their class. Classes wear their class t-shirts and prepare for fun in the sun and water games. Parents are welcome to attend and often play a few of the games or cheer for their children. The event closes with ice cream sundaes served to students. If your child has a dairy allergy, you may want to provide an alternative snack for them to enjoy. Talk to your child’s teacher.

The Spelling Bee is a student activity sponsored by the Association of Christian Schools (ACSI) for students in grades 1-8. This event begins early in the year with classroom spelling bees. This process leads four students from each class to attend an evening school spelling bee. The school spelling bee is a somewhat formal event with children wearing their chapel dress. Although two of the four from each class are eliminated, it is a great experience. The two finalists from each grade are invited to attend the District Spelling Bee, which is generally in Seattle. Many other Christian schools from the Puget Sound area participate.

The Speech Meet is a student activity sponsored by the Association of Christian Schools for students in grades 1-8. Students have a speech assigned by their teacher to memorize. Different grade levels have varying categories of memorization. Students will be given the speech before Christmas break in order to get a start on the process. Students perform at the classroom level (all students), school level (class winners), and at the district level (finalists from classes). Most teachers consider the speech as a part of the literacy grade. A rubric is used to evaluate the speech. If your teacher does not send one home with the selection, you may ask for one.

The Math Olympics is another student activity sponsored by the ACSI. Initially, students in grades 3-6 participate in their classroom by taking timed tests in both computation and problem solving sometime in March. Students have 11 minutes to complete a set number of problems for each test. The finalists from this process are invited to participate at a District level typically during the first week of May.

This is another ACSI math competition for students in grades 4-12. The test is given during the school day to all students. Those with the top scores receive awards at the end of the school year.

We offer soccer and volleyball. Our junior high soccer team is open to boys and girls in 5th - 8th grades. The high school soccer team comprises both boys and girls in 9th - 12th grade. Girls in grades junior high and high school may participate in volleyball.

Both boys and girls in grades 5-12 are able to play basketball on our junior high and high school teams.

Golf is available for all high school students. Track and Field is open to junior high students grades 5-8 and high school students 9-12.

Our senior graduation is a special evening. In early June we gather together to recognize the work that God has done in the lives of our graduates and celebrate the culmination of their time at Grace Academy.

As our junior high students move on to high school, we pause to celebrate their hard work and glimpse the students' progress at this stage on their educational journey.

It is always a delight to watch our littlest students walk across the stage in their caps and gowns. This is a time to laugh, cry, and cheer as these smallest of graduates show that they are prepared for the challenges ahead.