APS Home  School

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Collins

Mark and Pam Collins were both raised in the San Fernando Valley and attended high schools in the LAUSD, graduating with honors. While in high school, Mark set his sights on a career as a firefighter and began working toward that goal. He started testing with various municipalities as soon as he turned 18 years old (the legal minimum), and entered college to earn a degree in Fire Science. Within two years, he was hired by the Torrance Fire Department (TFD). Because of his young age, he was affectionately given the name “fireboy” by the other “firemen”. He has remained with TFD throughout his entire career. After 30 years of service, Engineer Collins is no longer called 'fireboy', but he still looks the part.  He now spends his retirement years in service at his church as an elder and a Sunday School leader.
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Pam began a career in business immediately upon high school graduation (as in 5, count’em 5 days after graduation). She also enrolled in college, taking night courses that did not conflict with her job. Her goals changed when she met Mark (Ohhh he is so handsome...) Collins. Wedding bells soon followed, as did eventually, their daughter and son.

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​After a full season of home schooling, Pam is now, in her own words, "A retired home schooling mom who remains devoted to building a strong family based on the Word of God, and one who enjoys all four of us serving our Lord Jesus." She also LOVES being a grandmother.

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Pam and Mark have been married since 1983 and have two children:  Their daughter graduated from APS in 2002.

Their son (aka "Can we play basketball, Dad?"), graduated from APS in 2004 and was an APS College Scholarship winner.

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Upon graduation from APS, their daughter entered Pierce College from which she earned an A.A. degree, and then completed Eternity Bible College. She married her soul-mate in June of 2007. They changed Mark and Pam into Grandma and Grandpa at the birth of their first grandchild.  

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After graduating from APS, their son attended The Master's College from which he graduated (with honors) with a degree in Communications. He is currently pursuing a law degree at UCLA School of Law with an intership at Georgetown Law.