COLLEGE HEIGHTS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ALUMNI & FRIENDS NEWSLETTER
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legacy
F A L L
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S H A R I NG C O M M ON R O OT S – NO U R I S H I NG G E N E R AT ION S
Class of 2009 Reunites for 10 Year Reunion
LEFT TO RIGHT: Matt Garman, Jennifer (Harris) Garman, Emily Beaver, Drew Byrne, Natali Byrne, Josh Massey, Joy (Calef) Paden, Malachi Sjorlund, Jennifer (Marti) Regier, Lindsey (Chenoweth) Sjorlund, Ashley (Sauer) Neely, Audrey (Mikhail) Harris, Marshall Harris, Jared Yenzer, Hailey Yenzer, Nicole Edge, Sean Roycraft, Kara (DeVine) DePriest, Jay Brown, Molly Brown, Michael Arnold Yeager, Aly Gleason, Jeff Bair, Amanda Sauer, Hayley Howerton, Dalton Brothers, Kayla Jones, Jeremy Jones
The class of 2009 enjoyed their ten-year class reunion on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1. Alumni and their spouses celebrated with dinner at Hackett Hot Wings on Friday night. On Saturday they had a brunch for alumni and their families at the Southwest Missouri Bank Community Center. There was a wonderful turnout, with 23 out of 43 from their graduating class in attendance. It was a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, reminisce about high school years, and encourage each other for the future.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Todd Garman, Jennifer (Harris) Garman, Kirstie Kelly, Jaclyn Shepherd, Lindsey (Chenoweth) Sjorlund, Lennox Sjorlund, Maddox Sjorlund, Ashley (Sauer) Neely, Joy (Calef) Paden, Amanda Sauer, Dalton Brothers, Carly (Cole) Young
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” –Jeremiah 17:7-8
During During the the 2018-2019 2018-2019 school school year, year, our our student student body body included included 77 77 students students coming coming from from 42 42 alumni alumni families. families. That’s That’s 14% 14% of of our our student student body! body!
Welcome to our newest Alumni members… Class of 2019 Dylan Aleckson Matthew Birchard James Calandro Austin Coggeshell Nathan Cummins Sydni Cummins Jaden Durling Macie Frazier Samuel Girard Matthew Hamilton Karli Hardy Nathaniel Hardy Bryce Jackson Maddie Jones Kylee Lang Zane Leavens
Skyler Levendosky Connor Manley Ian Meyer Lainey Miller Jace Opel Daniel Painter Carson Reed Jack Roberts Olivia Rogers Anne Secker William Secker Sarah Silvey Clay Sitton Danielle Smith Makayla Spaugy
Kylee Lang, recipient of the Matthew J. DeWelt Christian Character Award. Kylee is the daughter of Eric and Melissa (Earhart) Lang (‘94).
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Summa Cum Laude Graduates: Nathan Hardy, James Calandro, and William Secker
Reconnecting with…
MADISON (Hart) LYONHART (‘07) When did you begin attending CHCS? I began attending CHCS when I was in sixth grade (the year 2000). What school sports or extracurricular activities were you involved in at CHCS? I was pretty terrible at sports in general, but CHCS started a softball team my Junior year and I played that season. My time was full of other extracurricular activities including: Math League, Scholars Bowl, Student Council, Drama, and Worship Team. Who was your favorite teacher and why? In Junior High I had Mrs. Ohmart for History and she unknowingly shaped my path. Not only was she my teacher, but she was one of my best friend’s mother and host to many of our sleepovers. Mrs. Ohmart made history come to life with our Athens vs. Sparta debates, the building of miniature castles, and other projects. I got wrapped up in the stories, people, and places of the world. I think that is really what helped form my interest in theology (which is a ton of history). My Master’s is actually in Theology with a concentration in Church History. I focus on looking at conversations around gender and theology throughout Church History and how this has shaped our current conversations about gender. How did CHCS help prepare you for college, career and life? I remember having more homework and a stricter load than my friends at local public schools. At the time I don’t think I realized how much this would benefit me when I entered college (and beyond). Starting college was a smooth transition for me academically. Many of my peers were unfamiliar with how to write an academic research paper, do extensive reading, etc. They really struggled, but I found myself plugging right in and succeeding throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies. l think a lot of this comes from the foundations that College Heights provided, especially in the areas of reading and writing. Tell us a little about the path your life has taken since you graduated from CHCS? Upon graduation, I attended Ozark Christian College and received a BA in Cross Cultural Ministry. I subsequently did a year-long internship with the College Age Ministry at College Heights Christian Church. I then married Jonathan Lyon in 2012. We joined our last names (Hart and Lyon) to make Lyonhart. I moved with him to his hometown of Vancouver, Canada. There, we pastored the English Ministry of a Chinese Church, pursued our Master’s degrees in Theology, and I also worked as the Admissions Officer of our graduate college (Regent College). After five years in Vancouver, we moved to Cambridge in the United Kingdom. We have now lived in Cambridge for two years. I work as the Outreach Coordinator for the University of Cambridge and my husband is pursuing his PhD in Philosophy of Religion. Eight months ago we welcomed our twin boys, Søren and Augustine into the world. It’s been an awesome ride!
Tell us about the work you are doing now, why is it important to you? I’m currently working as the Outreach Coordinator for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of Technology at the University of Cambridge. Those are a lot of words that basically mean I work with different departments in the school to help increase diversity amongst their undergraduate students. We are looking at how we attract the best and brightest from underrepresented backgrounds. (These will be students coming from certain ethnic minorities, backgrounds of poverty, or students from families who have never attended a University/College.) It’s a really fun and rewarding position. I am about to switch jobs and will be working for my church, St. Edward King and Martyr. Our church is pretty cool because it is where the first Reformation sermons were preached in England. Talk about a great place for a history/theology student! I’ll be running a series of talks aimed at building up the Christian post-graduate community in Cambridge. We will be discussing ways to be in secular academia while also being a Christian. We want to help strengthen the Christian graduate community in their faith as they pursue Master’s and PhD’s at Cambridge in various fields. I’m really looking forward to this role and launching this new initiative. It will also allow me to mostly work from home and be with my twin boys. What pearls of wisdom would you give other graduates and students at CHCS? To High School Students: High School is a season of life and like all seasons it will fade and become less and less relevant. It’s an important time for shaping our path, but to be honest, I barely remember the things that stressed me out at that time. Who said what to whom, the things I did or didn’t attend, the test I did poorly on, the friend who hurt my feelings… all those things fade in your memory and what is left is who you became from those experiences. Focus on being a person of integrity and character. That is what lasts. Don’t get too wrapped up in the chaos and drama of this time; focus instead on the person you want to be throughout the entire course of your life and let your choices be based on that.
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EMPLOYEE NEWS What do these College Heights employees have in common? They are also Alumni!
Our Alumni-Employees were recently asked to reflect on what College Heights Christian School means to them and why they choose to work at their Alma mater.
< The reason I came back and why College Heights means so much to me was that through Jesus, using
this school, my life was saved. I’m not sure where I would be right now if CHCS had not been established. So, coming back to serve Jesus and see Him do the same for other kids that He did for me, using this school, was an incredible opportunity and I’m so very grateful. Thank you, Jesus, for College Heights!! (Leah Blankenship ‘87)
> I became a Christian the summer before attending CHCS. My Bible classes and other teachers who LEAH BLANKENSHIP
invested in me gave me a strong biblical foundation that I needed at a crucial time in my life. I truly believe my four years at CHCS played a tremendous role in leading me where I am today in my Christian life. Teaching here allows me the opportunity to try and do for my students what this school did for me. (John Blankenship ‘88)
JOHN BLANKENSHIP
< I have a huge heart for this school because when I was in high school, many things were broken in my life
and the school became a family to me. My walk with the Lord could have gone either way, and because of College Heights, I drew closer to the Lord. I am here because I want to create that same family “safe place” feeling for our students. (Mary Colin ’93)
> I loved going to CHCS when I was in High School. We thought it would be a good school for our kids too.
MARY COLIN
Due to my husband’s desire to be a teacher (transitioning from being a preacher), he was hired at College Heights which was a great spiritual change for our kids compared where they had been attending school. Plus, I feel God had a purpose for me being able to get to teach with Lynne Bontrager and has blessed us all in this change of our lives. I praise the Lord in all the ways he works. (Melissa Lang ‘94)
< CHCS gave me a foundation in Biblical truths and a Christian worldview that helped keep me grounded
MELISSA LANG
through the difficulties and trials of life. I wanted to be a part of continuing that mission. (Matt Perry ’00)
> It is my privilege to be back and working alongside some of the same teachers who taught me. The story
MATT PERRY
of how I came back is actually my wife’s. One Sunday when we were visiting my parents in Joplin and attending CHCC, Kayla clearly heard God call her to apply at CHCS. The entire service Kayla prayed, “Please don’t make me live in Joplin,” but she faithfully applied anyway. There were no openings that year, but CHCS kept her application on file and called her the next year. She had just come off of a hard year at her previous school and saw God’s hand of provision. When I finished up my teaching degree there was an opening for a CHCS science position and I jumped at the opportunity. It’s great to be able to work in the same place as my wife and in a place that I can truly call home. (Carter Calef ‘05)
CARTER CALEF
We are grateful for these alums’ continued service to College Heights! SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES…
MOVING ON…
Congratulations to these College Heights employees who celebrated a service anniversary last spring.
We bid farewell to the following employees who concluded their service at College Heights last spring.
LEFT TO RIGHT:
5 years: Leslie Neuenschwander and Marilyn Stewart 10 years: Anita Zarrabi, Stacey Thomas and Krista Good 15 years: Jeanne Cummins 20 years: Kaye Griffith
Charmagne Stanley Mike Endicott High School English Teacher
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(Charmagne would like you to know her new email: ccstanley19@gmail.com)
High School Science Teacher
Leslie Jones
Secondary Teacher, Softball Coach
Randy Goldsmith Superintendent
COUGAR TRACKS Taylor Little (’11) received her PhD in Physical Therapy from Missouri State University in May. Taylor’s brother, Will (attended), earned his Master’s in Accounting from Baylor University in May where he was a standout tennis player. Will is now coaching tennis at Southern Methodist University.
Konner McIntire (’11) married Ramsey Fowler on August 17, 2019. In May, Konner graduated with her law degree from Kansas University School of Law. She and Ramsey will be moving to Alexandria, Virginia where he has accepted a job at the U.S. Department of Defense. Congratulations to Skylar and Cheyenna (Lorimer) Lewis (’17) on the birth of Grantlee Colt. Grantlee was was born April 17th at 7:41 pm weighing 7 lbs 11oz. He was 19.5 inches long.
Congratulations to John (‘88) and Leah (Kent ‘87) Blankenship on their 29th wedding anniversary, which was August 18, 2019. John and Leah both continue to teach at CHCS (John – high school Bible, and Leah 2nd grade). They have one son, Marcus, in 7th grade. Best wishes are extended to Bryce and Joy (Calef) Paden (‘09) on the birth of Jett Elijah on August 24th. Jett weighed 6 lbs 11 oz, and was 18.5 inches long.
Ryan Geary (‘15 ) and Taylor Murphy (‘15 ) were married May 17, 2019. Ryan has worked for Sears the past four years and is Operations Manager. Taylor will graduate December 2020 from OCC and MSSU with dual degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies and Elementary Education. Taylor was a student teacher last semester at College Heights. Taylor states, “We both have aimed to serve God, and it is even better serving as a married couple. I’m very glad CHCS was where we met and got to grow as friends and eventually a couple.”
Michael James (‘14) and Meghan Lamar were married June 8th. Congratulations!
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SAVE THE DATE FOR…
HOMECOMING January 10, 2020 Ozark Christian College
Reach Out… Reconnect… and Remember The Legacy alumni newsletter is currently printed three times a year. Your input is important to help us keep everyone up to date. If you have alumni news you’d like to submit, would like to update your contact information or be added to the mailing list, contact Sonya Wilkins at 417-782-4114, ext. 236 or swilkins@collegeheights.org.
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