It’s been so fun interviewing each of our Solid Rock families this far, and we hope you enjoy this latest interview with Nick and Allison! Stay tuned for more Solid Rock family spotlights coming soon!

Tell us a little about your family.

We are the Ruzicka family: Nick, Allison, Max (6 years) and Luke (4 years), and we live in
Metamora. Allison is a registered nurse and stay-at-home mom. Nick is an inspector with the
City of Peoria. Our boys love to be outside riding their 4-wheelers and helping dad work in the
shed. We love camping (this one is still growing on Allison), hiking, weekend getaways,
Florida vacations and just spending time together as a family. Our boys keep us busy and bring
us so much joy! We are so thankful God entrusted us with them!

Why did your family choose Solid Rock?

We chose Solid Rock for many reasons. We had felt for a while that we wanted something more
for our boys’ education but didn’t know what that looked like. We heard about Solid Rock and it
just felt right. We spent many months praying about this decision and asking God for clear
direction. As the culture strays further and further from God, we wanted our son to have a solid
foundation to build on as he gets older, and to be able to stand firm in a faith that is not
swayed by culture. We feel it is our responsibility as parents to provide a firm foundation for our
children in their day-to-day life at home and at school. We believe the Solid Rock mission,
curriculum, and values strongly support the way we have chosen to raise our boys!

What is your favorite part or what excites you most about Solid Rock?

What excites us the most is watching Max grow and learn in a Christian environment and make
friends with children whose families share in the same values. One of our favorite things about
Solid Rock is the emphasis they place on serving. The servant days throughout the year have
been a great way of encouraging the students to think of others. We are also so excited to
watch Solid Rock grow each year and see God’s provision as He leads and guides this school.

What is your child’s favorite part of school? (Recess is a totally valid answer 🙂 )

Max would say his favorite part of school is P.E. and science! He really loves his friends and his
wonderful teacher who we are so blessed to have teach the boys! She is a true gift!

What does your child want to be when he grows up?

Max says when he grows up he wants to be a tire shop worker (our family owns a tire business)!
He would also like to work part time at Menards or Home Depot (his favorite stores), and part
time with his dad doing handy-man things!

What is your volunteer position at school?

My volunteer position is being one of the kindergarten aids. It is an honor to be in the classroom
with Mrs. Haworth two mornings a week! I run copies, read to the kids during centers, take them
outside for a short morning recess, and help with any other tasks she has for me! It is so fun to
see the students working hard, learning each of their unique personalities and watching them
grow individually and as a group! I also love getting a front row seat in seeing how the Bible is
woven into the students daily curriculum- that is so special. I also volunteer as the school nurse
and Nick uses his skills to help with the remodel of the new school building and will be on the
maintenance team. We love being involved and being a part of this community!

What is a character trait you want to instill in your children?

There are more than one but the Fruits of the Spirit are attributes we want to instill in our children.
We love the Fruits of Spirit jar that Mrs. Haworth uses in the classroom. As the boys
demonstrate these qualities they are able to put a fruit in the jar and work toward earning class
rewards. This is a direct and applicable way for the children to see these attributes in action and
in a way their minds can comprehend! We also encourage these behaviors at home by giving
the boys gold coins when they demonstrate a Fruit of the Spirit and letting them exchange them
for a fun family activity of their choice after they have earned so many. We believe the Fruits of
the Spirit pave the way for developing Godly character and that is what we hope to instill in our
children.

What is your go-to dinner recipe that everyone loves, and is easy!?

Our go-to is pretty simple but we love taco night! Always a crowd pleaser, easy to customize,
and the boys think it’s fun to add their own toppings!

What is your advice to families that are on the fence about sending their child to Solid Rock?

Our advice would be to pray about it! Ask God for wisdom and clear direction, then write down
the ways He speaks to you. We have found that the benefits far outweigh the sacrifices. Having
a supportive community around you along with a safe and Godly environment for your child to
learn and grow both academically and spiritually is such a huge blessing! We couldn’t be more
thankful to be a part of Solid Rock!

A big thanks to Allison and Nick and all they add to our Solid Rock community! We are so blessed to have them with us.