Cephas Institute

Why Cephas?

One of the first things people ask when they hear our name is, “What does Cephas mean?”

Cephas is the Aramaic name Jesus gave to Peter (one of His disciples) when he first began following Him. It means "stone" or "rock." This has deep significance, as Jesus later told Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church,” indicating that the name Cephas carries strong ties to spiritual, lasting foundations.

However, this is not the only reason we chose this name.

About six years ago, when I really started to learn who Christ was and what it meant to be His follower, I began to yearn to reach international communities for Jesus. Soon, this vision began to sharpen, with a dream to one day start a school internationally, in places where access to quality education was limited. However, it was never just about education—it was about reshaping and rebuilding communities.

I saw children who felt lost or had been told they weren't enough being empowered with confidence, tools, and a clear sense of purpose. I came to the realization that education, when built on strong foundations, has the power to reshape lives.

During this time, I was brought to Isaiah 58:12:

"And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;"

I have held on to this verse ever since, reminded of God's great desire to see generations saved and firmly rooted in Him.

We still carry the dream of reaching international communities, but we have come to realize that rebuilding communities starts wherever we are. Right now, we are loving this season of getting to invest in and pour into the communities here in Southwest Florida.

So, for us, the name “Cephas” points back to this promise: the promise of a place where students are known, where academics matter but so does character, where students are challenged, encouraged, and reminded over and over again that their identity isn't found in achievement, but in Christ.

Hi families!

I wanted to take a moment to tell you a little bit more about myself, how I ended up in education, and how those experiences have shaped the vision behind Cephas!

My name is Gabriella, and I grew up in a homeschooling family here in Southwest Florida, loving the flexibility and opportunities it provided. If you had asked me growing up what I wanted to be, though, "teacher" would not have been my answer.

That began to change during my freshman year of high school when a co-op teacher showed me the impact one person can have on the life of a student. For the first time, I saw that teaching was not just about academic content, but about encouraging, mentoring, and investing in young people.

After completing a service-learning project at an elementary school in Fort Myers, I became increasingly drawn to education. I worked with children through Soccer Shots, mentored students at FGCU, served families through a local nonprofit, started tutoring students in grades K–12, and eventually became a middle school teacher (and girls soccer coach) after graduating college and earning my teaching license.

I've also had opportunities to serve internationally through church partnerships in Mexico and Africa. One of my most keen memories is helping direct a summer camp for local children in Mexico—without speaking a lick of Spanish! Those experiences stretched me in many ways, but they also confirmed a deep passion for serving and building into the next generation.

Over the years, something that has stuck with me is that education without relationships is empty and does little to impact the next generation. This emphasis on relationship is one of the factors that makes small learning communities so impactful.

At Cephas, we care deeply about strong academics, but we place an even greater emphasis on character development, mentorship, and meaningful relationships. Why? Because we believe that students need more than information. They need encouragement. They need guidance through challenges. They need adults who help them discover their strengths, grow in confidence, and develop a sense of purpose.

We believe that growth doesn't happen through worksheets alone. It happens through real-life interaction, intentional mentorship, and having someone walk alongside you through both successes and struggles.

I am incredibly excited to begin this journey at Cephas and hopeful about the relationships we will build and the impact we can make together!

If you think Cephas might be a good fit for your family, we'd love to connect with you. Feel free to reach out here or visit our website to learn more : cephasinstitute.com !

Hi & welcome to Cephas!! 👋

Families, we are so incredibly excited to introduce ourselves and share a vision that has been growing in our hearts for a long time.

Our names are Gabriella and John, and we are thrilled to be opening a faith-based learning community right here in Fort Myers this August. Cephas Institute was born out of our shared passion for education, intentional discipleship, and community. After spending a lot of time around middle schoolers and working in different educational spaces, we decided to launch serving 5th–8th grade students, with big plans to expand in the future!

We truly believe that education should be structured, personal, and rooted in biblical principles. In an intentional setting, students get the opportunity to be deeply known and thoroughly supported. Our mission at Cephas isn't just to help cultivate students who think critically and communicate clearly, but young people who also lead humbly and serve with compassion.

To help make this accessible for local families, we are happy to share that we proudly accept both the PEP and UA scholarships!

Whether you are a homeschool family looking for robust academic support, or a parent searching for a more intentional alternative to traditional schools this fall, we would love to connect with you.

Swipe through the photos to see our full details, visit cephasinstitute.com, or send us a DM to chat. We can't wait to meet you! 😊