Conquering Conversations | Desert Christian Academy

Protecting our children from online pornography and sexual exploitation is one of the greatest challenges facing parents today. But what if the solution requires more than parental controls, screen-time limits, and difficult conversations?

In this powerful episode of Conquering Conversations, we sit down with Dr. Marcel van der Watt, CEO of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), to explore the battle being fought in courtrooms, legislatures, and corporate boardrooms to protect children from the dangers of online sexual exploitation.

Marcel shares the remarkable work NCOSE is doing to hold powerful technology companies accountable, advance legislation that protects children, and challenge the systems that enable exploitation. We also celebrate significant victories that offer hope for the future.

Most importantly, we introduce NCOSE's Parent Center, an incredible resource designed to equip parents with practical tools, valuable information, and opportunities to make a difference.

This is a conversation every parent needs to hear. The challenges are real, but there is reason for hope—and parents don't have to fight this battle alone.

Learn more and access parent resources:

National Center on Sexual Exploitation: endsexualexploitation.org

NCOSE Parent Center: https://bit.ly/4yABysk

What does it take to faithfully serve students, families, and Christian education for more than three decades? In this inspiring episode of Conquering Conversations, we sit down with longtime educational leader Beth Young as she reflects on 33 years of ministry and leadership at Desert Christian Academy ahead of her retirement.

Beth shares timeless wisdom for parents navigating today’s rapidly changing culture and offers practical insights on how to help children thrive spiritually, emotionally, academically, and socially—even in challenging times. From building strong character and resilience to keeping Christ at the center of the home, this conversation is filled with encouragement, perspective, and hard-earned wisdom from a lifetime devoted to Christian education.

Whether you are a parent, educator, or simply passionate about raising the next generation well, this episode will challenge and inspire you to think deeply about the lasting impact of faithful leadership and intentional parenting.

Why do so many young people walk away from their faith after high school? And what can families, schools, and churches do to change that trajectory?

In this episode of Conquering Conversations, we sit down with Desert Christian Academy’s Chaplain, LaNej Garrison, to tackle one of the most important questions facing Christian families today. Together we explore the growing trend of faith disengagement among young adults and discuss the deeper reasons many students struggle to carry their faith with them beyond their teenage years.

LaNej shares practical insight on how schools, churches, and—most importantly—families can work together to cultivate a faith that lasts. From creating spaces where students can ask hard questions, to modeling authentic faith at home, this conversation offers encouragement and practical guidance for parents who want to see their children build a lifelong relationship with Christ.

If you care about raising students who don’t just graduate with knowledge, but with a resilient and personal faith, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Artificial Intelligence is no longer the future of education — it’s the present.

In this episode of Conquering Conversations, we sit down with Alli Lipsher from The Social Institute to unpack how AI is rapidly transforming the educational landscape. From tools like ChatGPT to AI-powered study platforms and writing assistants, today’s students have unprecedented access to technology that can either enhance learning — or quietly replace it.

How should parents respond? Is AI a threat to academic integrity, or a powerful tool to steward wisely? And what skills will truly matter in an AI-driven world?

This conversation equips parents with practical guidance for helping their students navigate AI ethically, think critically, and grow in character. We discuss how to set healthy guardrails at home, how schools are adapting, and why wisdom, discernment, and leadership will matter more than ever in the years ahead.

AI isn’t going away. The question is whether we will fear it — or teach our children to conquer it.

Resources from The Social Institute:

• Our A.I. Literacy White Paper, Ready For Now: How A.I., Media, and Digital Literacy are shaping K-12 student learning and well-being, Download it here
• Another great download for educators and families is our playbook Fostering Student Excellence: How to Empower Students to Play to Their Core as They Navigate A.I. for actionable strategies to guide students toward ethical choices and academic success
• This is a recording of one of our previous webinars on Harnessing A.I. to Combat Misinformation: Essential Tools & Strategies for Educators that specifically focused on on misinformation and deepfakes.
• Our Chat GPT Playbook for a look at how one of our most popular family resources break down the apps and devices that students are using

In Part 2 of our conversation with Beth Aune from Desert Occupational Therapy for Kids, we move from understanding big emotions to building long-term strategies at home.

Beth shares practical, doable tools to help parents reduce power struggles, establish healthy boundaries, and coach their children toward emotional regulation and resilience. We discuss proactive routines, consistent responses, and how to stay calm and steady when your child is anything but.

If you’re raising a strong-willed child, this episode will help you lead with confidence, clarity, and connection—especially in the moments that matter most.

In this episode of Conquering Conversations, we sit down with Beth Aune, from Desert Occupational Therapy for Kids, to tackle one of the most common—and challenging—parenting realities: the strong-willed child.

Beth brings practical, research-informed insight to help parents understand what’s really happening beneath intense emotions, power struggles, and big reactions. This conversation equips parents with clear tools to navigate moments of high emotion, de-escalate conflict, and respond in ways that build connection rather than control. If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to respond when emotions run high, this episode will give you clarity, confidence, and a practical path forward.

In this episode of Conquering Conversations, we dive into one of the most common questions parents ask: How is my child’s learning being measured?

In this episode, we sit down with Renee Loewen, DCA’s Director of Educational Programming, to explore student grading and the school’s transition from traditional letter grades to proficiency-based grading. Renee explains how this approach focuses on clearly defined learning standards and skills, giving parents a more accurate and helpful picture of student progress. You’ll learn why this shift matters, how it benefits students, and what parents should look for when reviewing progress reports.

Whether you’re new to proficiency-based grading or simply want to better understand how to better support student growth, this conversation will equip you with clarity and confidence.

Join us for our first episode of Conqering Conversations with Courtnie Howard and Kirk Scott!