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Joan Crawford is an Instructional Coach at Pacifica and a grandmother to eight grandchildren. This speech is from Pacifica's Grandparents Day in 2025.

I was a math teacher, so if you’ll indulge me, let’s do a few quick calculations:

Every student at Pacifica has two parents (2¹), four grandparents (2²), eight great-grandparents (2³), 16 great-great-grandparents (2⁴)… If we continue this pattern for 12 generations (2¹¹) and add up the total number of ancestors over a span of 400 years, we find that each student has 4,094 ancestors.

Our students are the result of thousands of lives, choices, and sacrifices that came before them. That reminds us how precious and unique their existence is—a gift from God, shaped by generations of ancestors.

I’m going to share a small portion of my own family’s ancestral history that directly pertains to Hadley.

I was born in Hollywood and raised in Los Angeles, Northridge, and Burbank, CA. My husband, Kent, was born and raised in Monrovia and Whittier, CA. We both attended UCLA in the fall of 1972, met in our sophomore year, fell in love, and married in December 1976 after graduating.

During the first five years of our marriage, we lived in Arcadia while Kent attended Fuller Seminary and I taught math at Arcadia High School. After he graduated, we moved back to Los Angeles for his pastoral internship, which turned into a 40-year calling. Our eldest daughter, Dayna, was born in 1981.

Dayna attended Westmont University, where she met David, who had graduated a year before her. They fell in love and married. David has his own family history that merges to our family tree at this point. His mother is here today. Her loving influence is very important.

Early in their marriage, while living near us, we began discussing the possibility of starting a Christian high school on the Westside of Los Angeles. They joined the conversation enthusiastically.

God led a small group of founders to turn that vision into reality, and in 2005, Pacifica Santa Monica was born. Kent served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dayna taught science, I taught math and served as Assistant Head of School, and David applied his business training as an administrator.

Not long after Hadley was born, God called David and Dayna to Santa Barbara, where David became Head of School at a Christian high school. Then, when the founding Board of Trustees for Pacifica Orange County began their work, they invited David to be the founding Head of School because of his experience in Santa Monica and Santa Barbara. They moved, and here we are, ten years later. Hadley’s enrollment at Pacifica is a result of generations of people living in faithfulness to God, following His leading and reliance on His sustaining presence through all of life’s challenges.

Each of you has your own story—your own journey that led to your grandchild enrolling at Pacifica. That journey, too, is a result of generations of people, living in faithfulness to God, following His leading and trusting in His provision.

That alone is something worth pausing to reflect on with gratitude.

One of our sacred roles as grandparents is to be keepers of our family and faith heritage. By sharing stories of God’s faithfulness throughout generations, we help anchor our grandchildren in their spiritual and familial identity.

Our lives serve as a testimony of faithfulness, perseverance, and trust in God. We reflect His love, grace, and patience through our actions, attitudes, and relationships. We offer wisdom, encouragement, and unconditional love. Whether through listening, giving advice, or simply being present, we provide stability and affirmation.

The Bible instructs us to pass down faith to multiple generations:

Deuteronomy 4:9 – “Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”

Notice the word “and”—we are called not just to teach our children, but our grandchildren as well.

Psalm 71:17‐18 – “Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.”

We “declare God’s marvelous deeds” through our lives—our actions, our love, our wisdom.

The part of our story that pertains to Pacifica is just another example of faithfulness—following God’s leading and relying on His presence through every challenge. From the very beginning, Pacifica’s journey has been marked by God’s provision. We have seen miracles. We have witnessed students transformed by God’s work through this school.

And now, your family is part of the Pacifica ancestral chain.

Over the years, many have carried the torch for Pacifica, investing in its vision and mission through prayer, time, financial support, and service. And now, God has led your grandchild to this place—not just to receive an education, but to be a part of the legacy.

Here, they will grow, invest, and carry the torch forward. That is reason to celebrate and praise God

I’m going to do just that using Psalm 23. Pray with me:

Thank you Lord that you our shepherd; we shall not want.
You make us lie down in green pastures;
You lead us beside still waters; you restore our souls. You leads us in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake.
Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, for You are with us;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort us.
You prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies;
You anoint our heads with oil; our cups overflow.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives,
And we shall dwell in your house forever.

Amen.