Our School Board – Christian Servant Academy

Samuel Smeal, Executive Director

Samuel Smeal graduated from West Branch High School in 2009 as valedictorian and from The Pennsylvania State University in 2013, receiving, with distinction, a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. He has 9 years of teaching experience, most within the public school setting. In addition to his public-school experience, Mr. Smeal has also taught in China, where he spent a year as a missionary. Of this experience, he comments, “Teaching the Word of God in a communist country is extremely challenging. One must choose his or her words very carefully, and pray every day for wisdom.”

Upon coming back to the United States to teach at a public school, Mr. Smeal married his wife, April, who was also a public school teacher. However, Samuel realized that his days of being on high caution and earnestly seeking wisdom were far from over. “As a public school teacher, my hands are tied just as much as they were in communist China. I know that, as a teacher, I have a great responsibility, according to James 3:1, to teach my students the Truth of God’s Word, and I have done so in creative ways, but it’s time for me to stop dancing around the Truth. It must be preached boldly and steadfastly.” Seeking to be obedient to God’s call on his life and desiring a Biblical education for his own daughter, Jemimah Rose, Mr. Smeal was encouraged to find others with a similar goal for starting a genuine, Bible-based Christian school. The entire school board shares these interests and are fully committed to the authenticity and integrity of education that is provided by CSA.

Allan Shimmel, Secretary

Allan graduated high school in 2008 and college in 2012, where he received a Bachelor Degree in Building Science and Sustainable Design. Allan is currently employed at an architectural firm where he plans to become a registered architect.

Although raised in the church his whole life, during Allan’s college years he met some challenges regarding faith, God and the Bible. Rather than believing what he heard, Allan, by the grace of God and through faithful ministers of Christ, went looking for answers to the hard questions in life, a journey that greatly strengthened his faith. Through that season of his life, and even more so today, Allan has a passion for Christian apologetics, theology, the biblical worldview, and obedience to Christ.

Due to his biblical convictions, Allan sees an important need for children to be discipled with a Christian education. He now also co-owns Cross Construction and Renovation, LLC, which seeks to be mission-minded and make disciples for all nations.

Allan has been happily married to Mariah Shimmel since 2012. In addition to her most important God-given calling in life to be a mother, Mariah works part-time as a Physician Assistant. Allan and Mariah have one daughter, Mia, and another child on the way, who is due to come into the world in June of 2021.

Jacob Scott, Treasurer

Jacob Scott graduated from Elizabethtown Area High School in 2009. In his later twenties, he attended Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and began a career in the construction trade. Mr. Scott has had many opportunities to use his education and hands-on experience for the Lord in the mission field abroad, as well as in our local community. Jacob co-owns and co-operates Cross Construction and Renovation LLC.

Jacob’s interest in serving on Christian Servant Academy’s school board was influenced by the fact that his wife, Sarah, had been a public school educator for 6 years and an early learning coordinator for 10 years. After having their son, Jedidiah, the two had realized that they wanted to embark on a journey toward another style of schooling, one that would put Christ in the forefront of everything he would do. Jacob often thinks of Proverbs 22:6 when pursuing this journey. Of his service on the school board, he says, “Finding like-minded men that have gifts from the Lord help create what CSA is becoming and greatly provokes me to push forward in this substantial endeavor.”