Full Armour Christian Academy, owned and operated by dedicated husband and wife, Henry and Juanita Campbell, celebrate ten years of excellent child care at both of their facilities located at 44 Morgan Road, Warwick and 7 Laffan Street, Hamilton.

The Campbells are extremely dedicated to their work in childcare focusing on a curriculum for children 18 months to five years old.

“We focus on sounds, recognition of body parts, colour, shapes, gross and fine motor development, cognitive development, language and self reliance for ages 18 months to three years.

“From age three to five we continue with the alphabet and numbers. Discovery activities are done every afternoon for the three- to five-year- olds. This involves music and drama, art, science, and gym,” said Mrs. Campbell.

Full Armour offers an array of childcare services including day care, pre-school, after school care and transportation, and summer camp services and occasionally field trips abroad for pre-teens.

Mrs. Campbell decided on a career in childcare in1992 after being a Police officer for two years. At that time the school was known as KAOS (Kids and Other Services).

On March 1, 1992 the Warwick school was opened followed by the Hamilton opening on May 15, 1995.

“As a Police officer I arrested a seven-year-old for shoplifting and that’s what made me start thinking about these kids. I saw that working parents were hard pressed to provide vigilant after school care.

“This insight motivated us to start after-school and transportation picking up children between Somerset and Paget.

“Henry is formerly a military officer with the Bermuda Regiment and is dedicated right beside me.

He has done an awful lot to push the school to where it is today,’’ she explained.

The Campbells changed the name of their facilities to “Full Armour Christian Academy’’ on September 1, 1999. Both of their facilities are very popular and progressive.

“We don’t hold any of our children back. They are eager to learn and we strive to give them learning and kindness in a nurturing environment.

“We have many exceptional students, about 90 altogether, and we keep apprised of the government policies,’’ said Mr. Campbell.

“The important thing at our facilities is that we try to instil Christian values and we maintain a high moral and discipline standard along with a high academic standard,” said Mrs. Campbell.

Their school motto is: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” — Philippians 4:13.

The Campbells spoke favourably of their highly qualified staff who are experienced teachers who possess Nursery Training Certificates or Associate Degrees in Early Childhood Education.

“Our staff consists largely of born-again, spirit-filled Believers who are dedicated to providing our students with the best education. They have a commitment to living by biblical principles which help them stand before their students as exemplary role models.”

The Campbells are accustomed to working long hours each school day from about seven a.m. to midnight. They have two children, a 19-year-old son, Swanson, and a five-year-old daughter, Leslie.

Their son recently graduated from Florida Air Academy and Lesie attends the Bermuda Institute.

During the workdays, Mrs. Campbell arrives at the Warwick school about 10 a.m. and travels into the Hamilton school at 1 p.m.

She has lots of administrative duties, accounting, payroll, bookkeeping, banking, school lessons and field trips to organise for the two schools.

They arrive home around 7 The family get home at 7 p.m., have dinner and enjoy family time together until about 9 p.m. when their daughter goes to bed. Then Mrs. Campbell checks her e-mail, sorts out her diary for the next day, discusses business with her husband and their heads hit the pillows around midnight.

“We take short breaks when schools are out but it seems we can never take a full two weeks. The schools require our devotion and dedication and others depend on us to provide quality care for their children. We take our responsibilities seriously,” they said.

The Campbells believe that the Bermuda Government does a good job enforcing rules and regulations for early age, private nursery schools.

“We all have the same mission and that is to provide healthy family nurturing and a safe environment for early education with a spiritual focus,” Mr. Campbell said.

When the couple were asked if parents are parenting enough to be positive role models they responded that most parents are doing just that. They stress that parents communicate with them about their children, especially those with behaviour difficulties.

“We run tight ships. We encourage all of our children to behave and to be kind to each other. We might have four kids out of 90 that are a little problematic.

“Our students are motivated to maximise their comprehension of academic knowledge while developing a disciplined lifestyle. This emphasis on concurrent academic achievement and spiritual growth instils the ability to make wise decisions.

“It produces in them a manner of conduct and sense of self-worth that commands respect,” they said.

The Full Armour schools believe that they have to impart to their students skills to equip them mentally, spiritually, physically, as well as socially to become leaders in their homes and in their communities.

The Campbells aspire to take their schools up to middle school age, 11, over the next few years. They hope to facilitate their schools to include children up through grade 6.

“We believe in opening doors for our children that no man can close,” Mrs. Campbell said.

“Our schools are the result of cumulative prayer, preparation, planning, research, knowledge and most importantly love.”