Conversations With Newsmakers: Joan Dayton, Freedom Christian Academy principal

On May 24, Freedom Christian Academy celebrated its first graduating class.

Sixteen seniors earned their high school diplomas from the private, nondenominational Christian school off U.S. 301 South near the former Black & Decker plant. Of those 16, only one has opted not to go directly to college. That student is marrying a young Army soldier who will soon be deployed. Principal Joan Dayton said she has told her to finish her education, one way or the other.

"Sixteen graduates in a brand new school. That's something to shout about," Dayton said. "They're pretty special, and they know it. Not in a prideful way, but in a legacy way. They understand how pivotal they were to the building of Freedom."

It was Dayton, along with Hall Powers, who established the school four years ago. Initially, building space was rented from Mount Carmel Church on Owen Drive.

In October 2011, the academy moved into its current location on Gillespie Street. The 86,400-square-foot building previously was home to Technimark, which manufactured molded plastic parts before closing three years ago.

Freedom has 450 students enrolled for the fall in preschool through 12th grade, Dayton said.

The goal is 500.

A native of Michigan, Dayton has proven to be a school builder, previously overseeing dramatic growth at Village Christian Academy before being dismissed in 2007.

"It was a strong difference of opinion" is how she describes the firing.

Six years later, Dayton said she's thrilled to be running Freedom Christian with Powers, the head of operations.

Read the original here:

Conversations With Newsmakers: Joan Dayton, Freedom Christian Academy principal

Big Idea Mastermind Hawaii Private Island – Shafina – Living the Life of Freedom – Video


Big Idea Mastermind Hawaii Private Island - Shafina - Living the Life of Freedom
successwithshafina.com I #39;m living a life of complete freedom with Big Idea Mastermind. I found a way to make money online, and I #39;m excited to get people to t...

By: Shafina Dhanani

The rest is here:

Big Idea Mastermind Hawaii Private Island - Shafina - Living the Life of Freedom - Video

A Unique Luxury Yacht Charter Service in Thailand, conceived by Freedom Divers, Phuket – Video


A Unique Luxury Yacht Charter Service in Thailand, conceived by Freedom Divers, Phuket
http://www.freedom-divers.com A short video montage of beautiful serene footage, epitomising the very decadence Freedom Divers Phuket strive to achieve on all of ...

By: Freedom Divers Phuket

See the original post:

A Unique Luxury Yacht Charter Service in Thailand, conceived by Freedom Divers, Phuket - Video

Freedom Child seeks to crash Belmont Stakes showdown

With Kentucky Derby winner Orb and Preakness champ Oxbow poised for a Belmont Stakes showdown on Saturday, Freedom Child is drawing attention as a potential spoiler in the last of 2013's Triple Crown races.

Freedom Child didn't race in either the Derby or the Preakness. In fact, his last race saw him winning the Peter Pan Stakes by 13 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park.

"These are the opportunities that really get us all out of bed in the morning," said Terry Finley, who manages the West Point Thoroughbreds partnership that owns Freedom Child.

"So as it relates to this colt, he's really given us a good vibe overall. He's a May 18th foal, and he's gotten really better and better in each start."

Trainer Tom Albertrani made his intentions clear after Freedom Child drew the number two post in the 14-horse field for the 1 1/2-mile race dubbed the Test of the Champion.

"I don't know if he is a horse that wants to be behind horses because he's got a free running style," he said. "He'll probably want to find himself clear going into the first turn."

Freedom Child might have ended up in the Kentucky Derby, but his Wood Memorial in April was ruined by a starting-gate incident in which he got out of the gate so slowly that stewards declared him a non-runner, with all bets on him refunded.

"Those kinds of things you just kind of shake your head and it just was a bang-bang issue," Finley said. "The starter, he pressed the button just as the horse on the inside of us broke through the gate, and as a result, our assistant starter reached down and really kind of tightened up on our strap and, as a result, when we broke he was holding on for two or three strides."

Even so, Freedom Child got to within a few lengths of the lead before tiring badly.

So he failed to make the Derby field and instead won the Peter Pan on the weekend between the Derby and Preakness.

Here is the original post:

Freedom Child seeks to crash Belmont Stakes showdown