All About Us
Our Beginnings
The Grace Academy of Small Wonders (GAOSW) was founded in 2012 by Gloria Terry. God placed the burden for little girls upon her heart. She observed girls who did not know how to behave properly, and who based their self-worth on superficial and sexualized media messages; instead of a foundation of inner strength comprised of integrity, virtue, and moral excellence. These messages expressing a “anything goes” attitude sends a false message to girls. A message that may cause many of them to struggle with their identity, value, and body image. The struggle can lead to more serious character flaws and social challenges creating entire generations of girls who always feel insecure, inadequate, or just not good enough which can hinder them from reaching their greatest potential.
Knowing that the soul of a child is like a clean slate ready to be written upon, and whatever is etched upon their heart will remain there almost unchangeable throughout their adult years. God gave Her the vision and strategy to work with girls while they are young, innocent, trusting, and spiritually hungry. The strategy is to pour into girls while their hearts are pure and their souls open with an insatiable thirst only to be quenched with character and spiritual values to counter the worldly messages of today. Ms.Terry has been mandated to teach girls how to grow up as poised confident and classy women. Highly effective leaders and world changers with high esteem, self-control, etiquette and grace. The girls will learn to be aware of the inner beauty that comes from spirituality intelligence, and their integrity. Knowing this, girls will place their real value and self-worth on the “treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
Our Mission
Our mission is to nurture character, spiritual awareness, social skills and etiquette into the lives of developing girls who will grow and mature into young women who demonstrate integrity, modesty, and leadership competency.
Our Vision
Our vision is to establish a faith-based intervention and prevention program for young girls with support to their parents that will inspire girls to grow into young women of integrity and character, and who have spiritual awareness and an understanding of appropriate behaviors, social skills, and etiquette.
What We Believe
Building Good Character in Young Lives
Character is lasting beauty that endures throughout the years. Today, more than ever in our world of social media and “selfies” where much attention is given to how one looks, young girls and women, too, need to be reminded that the greater focus should be inwardly and nurturing who they are becoming. GAOSW’s message to girls is simple: “Real and lasting beauty begins within the heart and is demonstrated in good and godly character.”
7 Pillars of Belief
- Supporting children is to gently care for a young, innocent, growing human souls.
- Nurturing children is a God-given responsibility and priviledged gift.
- Guiding children is to be a role model of integrity leading by example.
- Honoring children is to teach a child respect of self and respect of others.
- Training children is to prepare a child with a readily accessible toolbox of life skills that teach a child how to think and problem solve on his or her own.
- Believing in children is to awaken the greatest potential within and the vast possibilities that lay dormant in the young heart of a child.
- Loving children is to demonstrate to a child that they are valuable, treasured, and loved keeping them safe from harm so they are secure knowing their well-being means everything.
Grace Academy of Small Wonders — supporting, nurturing, guiding, honoring, training, believing in, and loving children (young girls) in a way they will know who they are and develop high esteem based on a godly foundation and fulfill their greatest potential. GAOSW is shaping the hearts and minds of girls growing into young women and our leaders of tomorrow.
Director and Founder
"But to each one of us, grace has been given..."
Ephesians 4:7
Gloria A. Terry just love girls and when you have a love for girls, you want the very best for them. With a daughter (and son), 2 granddaughters, 3 nieces, and 5 great-nieces, Ms. Terry has watched girls grow around her into young women all her life and it’s inspiring to witness girls discovering the treasures they are to this world and to know their lives have deep meaning and purpose. Passionate about mentoring girls effectively to bring out their grace, Ms. Terry founded Grace Academy of Small Wonders in 2012. “Girls maturing into young women need strong and stable role models today,” Ms. Terry said. “And they need role models who can teach them much more than the exact way to apply make-up or to post the picture-perfect selfie.”
Ms. Terry fosters emotional intelligence, spiritual awareness and the social aptitude girls tody growing into women will need to sustain them with success and respect as women. A graduate of Hiram College, Ms. Terry received a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences and has done graduate studies in the Women’s Leadership and Christian Ministries. She received a Lifework Leadership Certificate of Graduation and is also a certified Grief Recovery Specialist and Mental Health Coach, and is a licensed and ordained Christian minister.
“Life’s adversities and difficult experiences can be our greatest teachers when we endure them with wisdom and grace,” Ms. Terry said. “We might struggle at first to find the value of difficulties and pain, but the lessons are definitely there and will make us better humans, if we surrender to the process. It’s crucial that we don’t give up or become a sell-out.” Ms. Terry is also a writer and published author who helps girls find their “inner voice” through journaling, reflection, and self-awareness.
Ms. Terry has personally witnessed how God’s grace is a wonder within the heart of a child, and her goal at GAOSW is to help every little girl participating in the program discover that wonder and grace.