Mr. Jay Nihart
I grew up in a strong Christian household, and we were regular church goers. Whenever the church doors were open, our family was standing ready to walk right in! As a five-year-old boy, I was listening to one of my teachers present a Sunday School lesson about Heaven and Hell. I knew for certain that Hell was not a place that I would want to visit but was unsure how I would avoid it. As I was on the way home from shopping with my mother, I asked her how I could be saved from an eternity in Hell. My mother explained that I needed to ask God to forgive me of all my sins and invite him to be my Savior. I prayed alongside my mom in the car that day, and that is when I became a child of God!
I have enjoyed being a part of the ACA family since August, 2013. I have had the privilege to teach second grade and now Middle School Bible and English. I also enjoy being able to interact with the secondary students by being an assistant varsity boys’ basketball coach. My wife, Stephanie, and I have been married since May 25, 2013 and are members at Ankeny Baptist Church where we have served together in AWANA clubs, outreach ministries, and as small group leaders. We have two boys, Grayson and Boden. We have grown to love the family atmosphere at ACA! We enjoy going to sporting events, playing games with family, and boating in the summer! We have grown to love the family atmosphere and support that ACA provides.