When Jarrod Cherry arrived at Avondale in 2012, he wasn’t completely sure where life would take him. Growing up in Toowoomba, he longed to be part of a Christian community, something he knew he wouldn’t find at a big city university.
Graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary), Jarrod completed his first practicum at Brisbane Adventist College and knew immediately he was on the right path. “Teaching was something I wanted to try out because my main passion in life is people and working with people,” he explains. That passion has driven his career, first at Gilson College in Victoria and since then at Brisbane Adventist College, where he currently serves as Head of English and Head of Year 9. Jarrod is also pursuing an MBA through Avondale University.
Beyond the classroom, Jarrod has invested deeply in youth ministry. He has helped lead StormCo trips, organise summer camps, and to create experiences that shape young lives. Participating in these experiences was formative for Jarrod in his teenage years, and now he has the privilege to organise and create the same experiences for others.
“When I get to see how much the young people just love and enjoy the experiences, it’s just so rewarding when you see how much they love it, and I got play a part in that.”
For Jarrod, service isn’t just a value, it’s a way of life. “The most valuable thing we can do is to serve and love others,” he says. It’s an ideal first lit in him through Avondale’s mission opportunities, one that has only grown stronger over the years. Today, Jarrod is shaping lives inside and outside the classroom, reminding us that service is about seeing people thrive.