Alumni Testimony - Laura Lombardo Lewis (1988)

Laura Lombardo Lewis

Laura Lombardo Lewis, a distinguished 1988 graduate of Christian Central Academy (CCA), exemplifies a legacy that spans generations. Reflecting on her journey, she shares,
"It is my firm belief that God led my parents, my brothers, and me to Christian Central Academy at just the right time, and now thirty-six years later, I can also say that I believe the same for my husband, our children, and for me, as well. Our God knows the hearts of his children. He knows exactly what we need to learn of Him and how we need to grow in Him. He is precise and intentional with every teachable moment presented through His Spirit, His Word, and His people. For our school’s 75th anniversary, our theme verse boldly declares: “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with those that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations,” Deuteronomy 7:9. As I look back at my parents' faith, and how profoundly God answered their prayers that my brothers and I would love the Lord and serve Him only, I am overwhelmingly grateful for their legacy of faith. Daily I am encouraged as I walk the halls of this building that still echo the praises of those who have gone before us: Hold firmly to God, serve His people, trust in His promises, and make Him known."
"I graduated from CCA in 1988. After graduation, I went to Liberty University with many of my CCA friends, and honestly, I hated it. I didn’t hate it because it was a bad school; I hated it because I had walked away from the Lord, and the godly environment conflicted with my rebellious heart. My parents had moved to Ohio my senior year at CCA, so after leaving Liberty, I attended the University of Akron in Ohio and commuted from home. I was pursuing a degree in English. That May of my sophomore year, my father was killed in a car accident. My mom and I packed up our lives and returned to Buffalo. My mom went back to teaching at CCA, where she had previously taught for ten years, and Mrs. Adams, the principal at that time, gave me a part time job coaching cheerleading. That very sad fall of 1990, I began my junior year at Buffalo State University. I graduated from Buffalo State University in 1992 with a degree in English. I had intended to go to law school, but had a change of heart after completing my degree, so I continued at Buffalo State for another year to earn my teaching certification."
"My first part-time teaching job was at Heim Middle School and Williamsville East High School. I traveled between the high school and the middle school every day teaching English. I needed a full time job to support myself, so I applied at Akron Middle School in Akron, New York. I was hired and taught there for four years. It wasn’t long after I had begun teaching in Akron, that I met my husband. We were married in 1998. During my tenure at Akron, I earned my master’s degree in education from the University of Buffalo, and I was awarded Educator of Excellence by the New York State English Council."
"Our daughter was born in 2001, and our son was born in 2003. The Lord graciously and gently led me to leave my beloved teaching career, so that I could be with our children at home. How I cherish those thirteen, wonderful years as a stay-at-home mom!"
"In 2014, my husband and I had concerns about the impact that the public school was having on our children. My mom urged me to go with her to visit CCA. I was sure that I would not be impressed. I wanted to honor my mother, but I was confident that at the end of the visit I would resolve to homeschool our children. As my mom and I approached the school that crisp October morning, I saw the sign above the door that read: “Where faculty, staff, and students will grow together in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man,” (Luke 2:52). This is the verse that my husband had prayed over our children from the time that they were born, and this verse was the Lord’s confirmation to our hearts that CCA was exactly where our children needed to be. That same fall, Mrs. Lawrence invited me to join CCA’s faculty part time to teach Bible and English to our international students. I have been teaching at CCA ever since."
"Our daughter, Kamryn, graduated from CCA in 2019 and is currently teaching high school art in Joshua Tree, California. She married Matthew Kinsman this past August. Our son, Kaden, graduated from CCA in 2021. He is currently in his senior year at the University at Buffalo pursuing a degree in biomedical science with aspirations to continue on to medical school."

"I have a million CCA memories. I attended CCA from 4th grade until 12th grade, and with my mother being a CCA teacher, we were always at the school. I loved our homecoming parades, and our spirit week celebrations. I was a cheerleader all throughout high school. We had the best time cheering for basketball and soccer. Traveling to games, cheering, and performing pom-pom routines was the highlight of my CCA experience. Our coach, and my favorite English teacher, was Sue Hawkins. Together we would plan wonderful pep rallies that we would perform in the auditorium. My favorite was the lip singing contest that we held for high school and middle school. My brother, Tom Lombardo, a graduate from CCA in ‘87, along with ‘87 CCA graduate Mark Siegel, and 1988 CCA graduate Scott Hofert, dressed up in 50’s attire and sang The Four Seasons’ song “Big Girls Don’t Cry”. We called their band “The Insiders” due to the popularity of The Outsiders movie, by S.E. Hinton, that was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. There is a picture of the band in one of our school yearbooks. I only wish we had a video."
"I had the privilege of playing Emily Webb in our school’s rendition of Our Town. While I loved playing Emily, and would cry in every performance of Emily’s farewell speech to the world, it was my best friend, Kristin Redd (Pittman), who has since gone to be with Jesus, who stole the show as Mrs. Soames. The audience would roar as she sobbed about how she always cried at weddings. CCA graduate, 1986, Robert Stearns, founder of Eagles’ Wings and pastor of The Tabernacle in Orchard Park, masterfully played the stage manager and carried the entire performance."
"I loved all of my CCA teachers. Each teacher is a significant part of who I am. Mrs. Grabau was my fourth grade teacher. Back then, she was the young and beautiful Miss Latham. I couldn’t wait to see her every day. I knew she loved me. Her love was my favorite part of becoming a new student at CCA. She taught us French words, and those early French lessons carried me through high school and college and all the way to the Eiffel Tower with my husband. She had no idea that those fun, engaging lessons would be seeds for my career that required two years of a foreign language. I loved Coach MacNamara. He was my physical education teacher and my 8th grade science teacher. I was not good at sports at all, but Mr. MacNamara always patiently encouraged me. He was the first person I wanted to tell when I ran my first marathon. His exuberance was all that I hoped it would be. I’ll never forget his science lesson on streamlining. Every student was locked in on him as he dramatically relayed the magnificence of a plane in flight due to the science of its streamlined design."
"Dr. Deone Drake was my high school Bible teacher and math teacher. While I detested math, I clung to every word that he said in Bible class. I took copious notes, some that I still have in my high school Bible. He told me once: “To whom much is given, much is required,” Luke 12:48. I have never forgotten it, nor the truth of its meaning."
"My English teacher, Sue Hawkins, fostered in me a love for grammar and literature, and most importantly having a quiet time with our God. She would tell our class how she loved to write to the Lord in her journals. She told us how she would write Him letters in her journal, and His Word was His letter back. Journaling became my passion. I have never stopped writing letters to Jesus and anticipating His letter back in Scripture."
"I learned my life verse in 6th grade. My mom was my teacher, and she had the class learn Bible verses weekly. For some reason, out of all of the verses that we had to learn, Isaiah 41:10 is the one that took deep root in my soul. God knew that I would need to hear His voice speak this truth to me when I was far from Him. At the age of 26, when I was so lost and so broken, I cried out to God and this verse is the one verse that He brought to mind in the midst of my rebellion: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Jesus spoke His love into my life when I needed Him most, and since that day, I have never let Him go."
"My prayer for our precious students is this: “...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19"
"My advice to future alumni is to stay connected to the community that the Lord has given us here at CCA. We are a family, and by His grace, we always will be. “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Jesus Christ, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:5-6"
Laura’s story is a powerful reminder of the generational impact of a CCA education, where faith, learning, and love for the Lord have built a foundation that continues to bless and shape lives across decades. Through her life and legacy, she beautifully demonstrates the enduring strength of a CCA education that touches not just one generation, but many to come.