Honor Academy
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The Honor Academy is a ministry of the Christian organization Teen Mania Ministries located in Garden Valley, Texas. The Academy offers a year-long internship program for young people based upon an Evangelical Christian interpretation of the biblical text of Matthew 28:18–20 and Mark 16:15-18. The Academy teaches young people how to fulfill "the Great Commission" by passionately pursuing a real relationship with Jesus Christ.
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Strong emphasis is placed on developing one's character and living an honorable life before God and man. There are five core values that interns and alumni have committed to live by: faith, integrity, relationships, excellence and vision.
Interns over the years have developed statements that express this commitment, such as "Once an intern, always an intern", "Semper Honorablus" and "Always honorable, for life."
The Honor Academy's campus is located in rural East Texas, near a small town called Lindale. It offers activities for interns including courts for volleyball, basketball, racketball, tennis, a football field, and a swimming pool. The campus has technical training facilities for sound and light production, and a Center for Creative Media.
There are four dormitories located on the south end of the campus in a horseshoe-shape. Each dorm is dedicated in remembrance of someone who has had an influence on Christian missions. Morris Hall is dedicated in memory of Samuel Morris; Green Hall for Keith Green, Carey Hall for William Carey and Elliot Hall for Jim Elliot. The northern portion of Teen Mania's property is referred to as the "Back 40" and is approximately 450 acres of undeveloped land. Interns and staff can use this area for mountain biking, hiking and camping. Also located north of the campus is ETAC, the East Texas Adventure Course. This is a recreational adventure facility, utilized by many departments within Teen Mania.
Upon graduating from the Honor Academy, interns receive a ring to symbolize commitment to a lifelong pursuit of God. This ring is called the Honor Ring. In the past, the inscription on the ring was Hebrew for "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." This refers to the Academy's passionate pursuit of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Now, the ring bears the Honor Academy crest and says "Semper Honorablus."
David Hasz is the director of the Honor Academy, which occupies the former site of Last Days Ministries (founded by Keith Green in the mid-1970s).
Mission Statement: To cultivate Godly men and women to possess a clear vision for their life, the discipline to achieve their goals, the wisdom to live a life of honor, and to excel as leaders; thereby inspiring them to realize their full potential in Christ while preparing them to live a life that advances the Kingdom.
Code of Honor I will conduct myself honorably before God and man in word, thought, and deed.
[edit] Academy Rules and Regulations
The Academy holds to typical fundamental Christian principles of purity, strongly discouraging all forms of sin, especially while interns are in training at the Academy. This includes the view that any pre-marital sexual activity, including non-intercourse sexual contact, masturbation, and homosexual practices, are sinful. Interns in training at the academy are forbidden to listen to secular music, watch R-rated movies, or go out on dates with one another in the first year. Dating is not allowed, as this is a year that needs to be devoted solely to finding God's purpose for your life. Male interns are not allowed to use the Internet without supervision during their first four months at the internship, their hair length is regulated, and facial hair is forbidden. Female interns are not allowed to wear immodest attire, such as short skirts, tight shorts, halter tops, etc. A curfew is enforced for all first-year interns. [1]
While the Academy's rules may seem overly stringent or even unfair to some prospects, current or former interns, and outsiders, the rules and regulations are completely consistent with most fundamental Christian youth groups, church-based schools, and private Christian universities and "bible colleges". Similar rules are also often seen in secular boading schools, charter schools, military schools, and religious parochial, christian, jewish, catholic schools, or secular private schools and academies, all of which also generally teach a strong personal discipline to varying degrees. Such rules are intended to remove external distractions and forbidden extracurricular activities, so interns can properly focus on the core curriculum and other training activities. They are also there to gain discipline.
