BMA
Beskydy Mountain Academy (BMA) is a four year Christian secondary school specializing in languages. Excellent academics, native English speakers, and a family atmosphere draw students to Frýdlant nad Ostravicí, Czech Republic to attend BMA. The student body currently is 100 and is growing each year.
BMA is currently the only secondary school for Czech students in the country that is built on Christian values, though only about 20% of the students claim to be Christians. The spiritual emphasis at BMA is on encouraging and empowering students to formulate and discuss a spiritual perspective in a safe environment. Reading the Bible in English class, special seminars, class discussions, and quality relationships all underpin this goal.
The staff at BMA is a team of a full time Czech director, two full time American teachers, and many part time teachers. Petr Hermann lives in nearby Ostrava with his family and is the school director. Paul Till moved with his family to Frýdlant from Chicago several years ago and now teaches most of the English classes. Jonny Lobel followed shortly after from Albany, NY (via Dublin, Ireland) and organizes the technology curriculum.
The first graduating class left BMA in 2007 and since them students have been accepted at various universities in the Czech Republic, Britain and America, including:
- Yale University, New Haven
- Moody Bible Institute, Chicago
- University of Manchester, Manchester
- Warwick University, Coventry
- Palacký University, Olomouc
- University of Ostrava, Ostrava
In addition to an exciting curriculum, BMA provides students extensive programs and extracurricular activities. Each year students are sent to America to study at American high schools or participate in American summer camps. There are weekly English activities at BMA, including an English language Bible study, movies, baseball games, cheese parties, and more. Each year, BMA hosts a Christmas seminar day where guest speakers are invited to give lecutres on a variety of topics. Finally, field trips give students a chance to experience new places like Czech and Slovak mountain regions, Budapest, Vienna, Barcelona, and Rome.