Veritas Issue 1: 2018-19 by Covenant Christian High School

THE

VERITAS

ARTIFICIALLY ANGELIC

By Sara Wright

WHAT IS THE VERITAS?

ART APRECIATION SENIOR INTERVIEW

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT LIFE

HOMECOMING WEEK

FOOTBALL FUN

STUDENT SUBMISSIONS

BEHIND THE SCENES : THE VERITAS A brief history of the school's newspaper Amelia Bostick

“Veritas” has been the title of Covenant’s news publication for as long as it has been in existence; but what is the meaning behind this, and why is it a word the newspaper has stuck by throughout the years? This unique term signifies truth and one of the first writers

to use it was Marcus Cicero, who wrote, “Friendships are nurtured by veritas...” This idea is exactly what this news magazine strives for and should be based on. Like a true friend, we should be focused on being honest, inclusive, and thoughtful in order to fully embody

the values of the school we represent.To be honest, we should always take into consideration what is accurate. To be inclusive, we should stray away from the norm and be sure to represent as much of the student body as possible. And, to be thoughtful, every article or piece of art should come in and out with a sense of diligence and vigor. These are the goals of the news magazine and why the name Veritas has endured.

PM | SEPTEMBER

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2018

HOMECOMING

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"At my last school, homecoming was more of a party kind of atmosphere and vibe because there were so many of us; whereas here, everyone is so chill and it was so comforting and the way it was decorated was just so pretty!”-Brie Schlienz ('20)

POWDERPUFF

“Here, everybody likes to do spirit week and dress up and stuff and it’s not really lame or not cool here. But at my old school, if you tried to dress up, everybody would be like 'what are you wearing?' or 'why you doing this?' or it was corny."-Jay Wright ('21)

A r t A p p r e c i a t i o n Sara Wright explains the meaning behind her painting, "Artificially Angelic." Jerusha Long It is difficult to find someone “It kind of sounds selfish, willing to describe their true wanting to be able to do thoughts and feelings that myself.” How perfect, toward people who pretend that Sara uses her ability to to be something they’re not. create to glorify our Nobody wants fake friends, creator. She finds joy in but everyone has them. interpreting God’s beauty Everyone is one. No one can through her own truly portray the fullness of perspective so that others themselves to everyone, can understand how she without feeling completely sees the beauty of life. The alone in their failures influence that started Sara towards perfection. on her artistic journey was Although the topic is the lovable Covenant set challenging, Sara Wright designer, Mrs. Reagan. used her God- given talent When Sara was eight years of painting to represent the old, she helped create the reality of hypocrisy. Sara set for The Wizard of Oz at Wright shared her story Covenant. Mrs. Reagan in order to show how she taught Sara how to paint; sees the ever since then Sara has, purpose of “looked to her as the first art and influence to start my love the truth. for art.” Alongside art, Sara Sara’s enjoys using her talent to intention write songs. "Artificially for creating Angelic" was created to art is, “to concentrate interpret a series of the beauty of nature and songs she wrote Freshman God’s work”; however, Sara year. The three songs doubts her ability to portray describe the perspective of God’s work. three

characters: man, demon, and angel. “The man falls for both of them (demon and angel) but chooses the demon.” The first song reflects on man’s nature to be impulsive and make choices based on social pressure.Sara continued to explain the meaning of her painting of an angel bleeding black blood, “(the angel) is flawed too...this piece is depicting someone who can look so pure and so beautiful on the outside but be bleeding black on the inside.” It’s not hard to find the meaning of truth threaded throughout this piece. The angel knew that she was putting on this facade of innocence and purity. However, the man in her song was not able to see the disguise the angel masked herself with. Sara continued, “The wings aren’t real.That’s why she is

bleeding, they were shoved into her back and have been a false image of herself.” Sara passionately explained how her painting connects back to Covenant: “so many kids at Covenant come off as perfect and intelligent and beautiful. But some of them have really horrible things about them, not that they’re jerks, but some of them have pasts, you know?” She notices that, though Covenant is different from most schools, we are supposed to be a school where truth is pursued more than any other quality; our teachers and faculty work hard in order to show us how we could be more genuine. However, students at Covenant have a tendency to pressure their peers into

the logistics and choice of words as much as she focused on making the song real. And that’s exactly what is shown in this painting. A real message of owning the darkest parts of our past in order to walk forward anew.

The social pressure to achieve perfection creates people who are not confident in who they are;people who are, like the angel, trying to hide themselves. Sara comes from being homeschooled and a pastor's kid. She explained how her peers tend to assume she is innocent, or angelic but obviously, no one is pure. Sara, like everyone, has a past that makes her fallen.When Sara began to write her song, there wasn’t a plan. She did not think about being something they are not.

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INTERNATIONAL STUDENT LIFE By Joann Ncube International student Jinhong Ju discusses his transition from South Korea to America.

Jinhong Ju was born in Daejeon, South Korea on March 3, 2002. Before Jin left Korea, he went to Munjeong Middle School. Jin left South Korea and came to the U.S. on August 28, 2017. Because his dad was offered a job working for the U.S. army, Jin moved to New Jersey and attended Randolph High School for a year. However, because his father’s visa ended and Jin has to follow wherever his dad went, Jin ended up coming to IN in

Jinhong Ju "Jin is a cool guy." -Dawson Fink ('20)

order to continue his studies here, but he could only go to a nonpublic school.Instead of going back to South Korea with his parents and older sister, he came to Indianapolis, Indiana, and is currently staying with Dawson Fink and his family. Jin stands 6-foot tall and is a sophomore. He is highly academic and social. He is friendly and brilliant. During the time I spent with him, he began by giving short and timid replies; however, as we spent more time together, Jin grew more comfortable with me.

He seemed pretty interested in the questions I was asking and kept leaning in order to understand properly. When speaking with teachers, he kept most of his focus on them and listened intently. His interactions with his friends are playful and funny. Teachers, specifically Mr. Ward, Mr. Hutchinson, and Mrs. Taylor, said that Jin is intelligent, engaged, and interested in learning. Mr. Ward noted that when Jin first came to Covenant he did better than the majority of the sophomore class on a grammar test, even though he did not have as much time to prepare. Despite coming into the school year late, Jin has already formed close friendships with several of the students. Mr. Hutchinson mentioned that “unlike the other international students, Jin makes eye contact with him.” Even though the answers were brief, Dawson mentioned that

“Jin is a cool guy. He’s very quiet, and studies a lot.” Dawson explained how Jin and he have bonded through attempting to scare one another. I have seen Jin jump out to surprise Dawson outside the school. Jin enjoys listening to music, and quotes from Sunmi’s song, “Gashina,” “Time heals everything.” His favorite movie is 2017’s Spiderman Homecoming starring Zendaya and Tom Holland. In New Jersey, Jin used to play soccer at a private club and didn’t enjoy it. However, he is an amazing golfer. When I asked him about golf, he responded with passion and

confidence, explaining how he plans on playing for the Covenant golf team in the spring. When talking about his personality, Jin thought he was really easy to talk to. He thinks that he’s a bit too shy at times. He aspires to be an engineer, just like his dad. Jin’s favorite class is ENL, English as a new language taught by Mr. Stephens, because it makes him feel comfortable and there are not a lot of tests. When I asked whether his Randolph High School in New Jersey or Covenant was more difficult he quickly replied by saying the school in New Jersey was more difficult. He then continued by saying he got the worst grade he had ever received in World History while in New Jersey. He got a “B.” When I asked Jin what he felt the meaning of Covenant was, he thought about it, not sure of what he wanted to say, he replied with the “Bible, Christianity, and family.” Hesitantly he continued, saying when he heard the word “covenant,” the words“Bible,” “Christianity,”

and “family” were almost always associated with it. Coming to Covenant didn’t have an impact on whether or not he should believe in God. Jin, at first, considered himself to be “open to anything,” but now he is glad to say that he is a Christian. He also commented that “South Korea is mainly Christian.” Throughout the interview Jin never clearly mentioned the differences between South Korea and the United States, because there aren’t many. With South Korea being a small country with a population of about 51

Korea and the United States of America is the level of respect presented to older generations. Jin then revealed that when he first came to the United States, it was hard for him to address his teachers the same way he did his peers. Another significant difference he talked about is how students in South Korea tend to mainly make friends with students that are in the grade. Jin continues to form bonds and grow in his relationships with his teachers and his peers.

million people, most South Koreans live in apartments or flats. Unlike America, there here is very little housing with multiple floors. Something that also caught my attention was that Jin will have to participate in military training in South Korea when he turns 19. South Korean men have to do at least 2 years of military service between the ages of 18 and 28. However, females aren't forced to enlist, they have an option. A major difference between South

"In the few months that he has been here, he has become part of our Covenant family, so let’s continue to make him and other new students welcome!"

L e s s o n s i n a n A l l u r i n g C o u n t r y By Chloe Carlson

Student Submissions

We came upon a glistening lake bordered by rocks and surrounded by a lush green meadow. Pockets of flowers could be seen popping up through the grass like the morning sun peaks through the dawn. It was a very pleasing view, and, had it been my choice, I would have stayed in that place for the remainder of the day. But, as I stood in awe, my teacher, the famed George MacDonald, began leading me toward two figures. They seemed to be comfortably positioned. One, a Solid Person, was seated in the meadow; while the other, a female ghost, was seated on a low rock. As we drew nearer, we overheard this conversation: “No, Avery,

I am positively certain it was all set to be against me,” said the female ghost to the Solid Person. “All along Mother and Father were going to go through with that, well, adoption, whether I gave my consent or not.” Here, Avery, the Solid Person, tried to speak but the ghost continued. “After it happened, they gave so much energy to the others they forgot about us. We would attempt to talk to them and then one of the others would interrupt. Mother or Father, depending on who we were talking to, would dismiss us and care for the others. It was unbearable to see and feel; they abandoned us for others they ‘rescued’.” “But, Erica, Mother and Father did their very best to help everyone acclimate. It was a change for everyone, but especially Mother and Father.”

“Yes, yes… that is a very noble statement of you to say, but we were forgotten. In the mess of them trying to help the others, they forgot their own beloved children. We became an afterthought.” “Erica, you have given me no particular instances to think through. You have only given me your thoughts. You haven’t explained an actual moment where that happened. And, as I have explained to you many times before, they tried very hard. If you ever felt abandoned, why did you never tell them? Or run to the One who will love you no matter what?” “Oh sure, the One. I tried to talk to Him. But He never listened or responded.” “He often gave us opportunities to get to know the Innocents, whom Mother and Father welcomed into our home. After we had gone through it, I saw the change as a blessing in disguise. He had us in mind all throughout the process.

Did you never realize this?”“No, no, no! I refuse to believe it! If He had done it for my good, to grow me, and help me, He would have given me the feelings of undying love. If He had given me feelings, I may not have abandoned our family to marry John. I may have stayed and been content at home longer, like you were.” With this, Erica hung her head in shame and regret, as she remembered with sadness all she had done. Avery looked upon her sister with compassion. She reached out her hand to Erica and with an understanding tone said, “Erica, do you not remember when I used to cry myself to sleep because I thought things would never get better? But you would lay in bed, facing the wall, with the air of sadness and anger about you. The same anger and sadness is still with you even now. You have let bitterness consume you. You must grow past the thought everything

happened in order to benefit you.We gave the Innocents a home. Innocents who may have grown up lonely and bitter have now grown up with a gracious Mother and compassionate Father, who loved them dreadfully, as they always have loved us. More than this, the Innocents found a relationship with The One, redeeming their soul along with their very lives. But we, too, ended up stretched and more mature. Do you not see?” “No! Avery, you have been among the clouds for too long it has lead you to believe it was all a beneficial thing!” “Erica, the difference is I did not let my sadness or even anger overtake me. I worked through the change. I prayed and sought the Lord through it all. It made me a better person. I was stretched and forced from my comfort zone. In the end, I was made better. I was stronger because of it.”“You are wrong!

I know it, I know it, I know it! And besides, God could never fix me now! And if He tried, I wouldn’t let Him. I would not!” At this moment, I turned to my teacher and asked, “Why is she so bitter and angry? Why did she not see the beneficial change, but, rather, saw the negative? Why does she still refuse to see the positivity of it all?” My teacher replied, “My boy, she is right, in a way, about what happened, but she has twisted it into a war in which all odds were against her. You see, everything was hard for both of them. They had to learn new rhythms and share their parents with people who were essentially strangers. But the difference between the two sisters is, Avery sought the Lord and made a goal of getting to know the Innocents. When she was concerned, she voiced to her parents her thoughts.

Sand James Tu Erica, on the other hand, grew bitter because she hated the change. She didn’t enjoy sharing her parents with new people. She found the Innocents bothersome and in the way. She didn’t make an effort to get to know the Innocents, instead she ignored them and slowly grew to resent them. I am not saying Avery didn’t find things difficult occasionally, but I am saying she found a way to grow past the difficulties, unlike Erica. Now, Erica has been bitter and angry for so long, she does not know how to be otherwise. She has befriended bitterness and it now cloaks her very soul.” All these things, as they were explained, made me realize, giving resentment safe harbor in one’s heart hurts them and keeps them from loving Innocents. We should be careful not to let it consume us. As I pondered the things I was learning, my teacher led me away to a new spot in this alluring country.

A young man is sitting on the beach, He grabs a handful of sand. But when he raises his hands, The sand is slipping away from his hands. So he grabs another handful of sand, And this time he grips it tighter than last time. Some sand still slips away from his hand, But at least there is still some sand left in his hands. The old man looks at the reward he got from his effort, He smiles and lies down on the beach with his eyes shut. Then his breath stops and his whole body becomes sand and turns into part of this beach.

STUDENT OF THE QUARTER Amelia Bostick

Like it or not, the seniors are leaving. They’ve done their time, their four years of high school. This being said, it’s important that our news magazine features this leading class in order to pay tribute to them well and exaggerate the mark the senior class leaves on the school. This quarter, we chose to interview the senior Caleb Hardman. Not only in his own answers about himself, but in the responses we recieved from staff and faculty, Caleb is an all around stand up guy. From the little things like Mrs. Towles saying, “He’s cute!” to Tripple, Watson, and Smith really

showcasing his growth in music, leadership, and his spiritual walk with the Lord; Caleb’s character is one that is noticeable by each person he comes across. Here is what Caleb had to say in response to questions about school, life, and the Lord. -What’s it like being a senior?- “It is so weird being a senior. There is a new sense of reality to it because we are supposed to be the leaders of the school and the good examples, but also the next step of life is so much nearer than before. All-inall, being a senior is nice, but there is a bitter-sweet tension.” -Have you fully adjusted to being a senior? How’s it different from your previous years?- “I have definitely not adjusted to being a senior yet. In previous years, I had friends in the classes above us and I felt like I had so much time ahead of me to look forward to. Now, I'm just trying to enjoy the

most I can in every day because I know I don't have much longer left in the place I am at right now.” -Do you feel pressure because you’re seen as a leader to other grades and you’re told to act as a good example?- “I've always felt a pressure to be a good example and a leader to others around me, so honestly, I haven't felt much of a change this year. I just know that if I am going to be an influence on others younger than me, then I need to make the most of my time.” -ARE you being a good example?- “I don't think that I am being a bad example. I would say that I am a good example to those around me, but no one is perfect all of the time. I have [times] where I know the right thing to do, but I don't do it.” -Do you believe you’re matching the expectations of the school?- “I would say that I am matching the expectations of the

school perfectly well. I challenge myself in all my classes and maintain straight A's, while also trying to challenge my own faith so that I can understand more. I am involved in too many things to count and have made the most of my time at CCHS.” -Do you ever wish you could go back to previous years?- “All the time. I wish I could go back and change so many things from previous years.” -Why?- “Hindsight is always 20/20. There are so many minuscule things that I spent too much time worrying about and I wish I could go back and show past me what was really important.” -What has been your favorite year here?“My favorite year was probably sophomore year because my friends were starting to be able to drive and so we could hang out and do more things outside of school. This was also the year that my classes started being more what I

wanted and I made so many more friends. Overall, this year was super fun and I went through so many things that I won't soon forget.” -What is your most memorable Covenant experience?-“I have so many little memories, but one of the moments that I still remember the most was the football game on the Friday when we got out for Fall Break sophomore year. We played Traders Point at their field, but there were so many Covenant students there and I had a great time with friends singing along with Neil Diamond to Sweet Caroline.” -What do you hope to achieve this year as a senior?-“I would like to grow in faith this year and challenge myself in maturity to branch out to others in my class. I want to be able to lead others in a direction that is pleasing to God, while still enjoying everything that I am involved in.

involved in anything?“Outside of school, I have worked multiple jobs. I have worked five different jobs, most of them overlapping so that I am working two at a time. Other than that, I am only involved in school related things.” -Do you see the Lord working through these extracurriculars?“I can definitely see God work through my extracurriculars. It is easiest to see with the relationships I develop because it helps me to feel more whole as a person and helps me to minister to others. Especially in places where I get to be around people who don't profess to be Christian like at work, I can minister to them even in the little things.” -Have you seen your time at Covenant, this time speaking of the classes and teachers, shaping or changing your views or relationship with God?“Undoubtedly. I have matured so much through

-So I know you are involved in Chamber, Theatre, and Tennis; is there anything else you’re involved in here?“Along with Chamber, Theatre, and Tennis, I have played volleyball every year (it's my favorite sport to play), I am on Student Council, I am on NHS, I am the VP of Finance for DECA, and I am involved in Men's Discipleship.” -How have these things affected your experience here?-“I have grown so close to my best friends through different activities such as Theatre, Chamber, Tennis, and Volleyball. Also, I have learned how to handle great amounts of responsibility while managing time for other things in life like a social life. Let me tell you, it is hard to still find time to have fun with friends when your schedule is packed with so many activities.” -How about outside of school?Are you

things.” -So our theme for this quarter’s news magazine is TRUTH; what are some ways you have seen truth in the hallways, the classroom, or in relationships you’ve made through the years- “Other than the pursuit of knowledge version of the truth, I find the most capital "T" Truth in human connection and interaction, whether that be with friends, a teacher, or just someone in passing. I tend to be able to read people very well just by interacting casually, so I like to feel like I am learning more about them, even the parts that they don't want to show others because this means that I can show them compassion and listen. The most rewarding place I found truth is when someone will open up to you and be vulnerable because this enables me to show them Christ and listen to what they need.”

the intellectual challenges and faith-based discussion that Covenant has provided. I always love when we have projects and papers that force us to dive deeper into our understanding of the transcendent qualities of life. Talking about complex issues and abstract ideas that relate to our faith push me to know God better. It pushes me into a deeper relationship with Him.” -How do you balance your relationship with Christ, tennis, theatre, and friendships?- “I'm not going to lie, balancing my spiritual life has been very difficult with how busy I am with everything else. It's embarrassing to admit how little I have focused on praying to God or staying in His word daily, but that is part of my goals for this year. I want to be able to maintain a more perfect balance between all of these

He has gotten to know me in my walk with Christ. He has gotten to know me and how I react to issues in life and he is always willing to listen and provide his wisdom on the topic.”

-Have you seen your time at Covenant, this time speaking of the classes and teachers, shaping or changing your views or relationship with God?“Undoubtedly. I have matured so much through the intellectual challenges and faith-based discussion that Covenant has provided. I always love when we have projects and papers that force us to dive deeper into our understanding of the transcendent qualities of life. Talking about complex issues and abstract ideas that relate to our faith push me to know God better. It pushes me into a deeper relationship with Him.” -Who is someone here you look to as a mentor or good influence on your walk with Christ?“I have always looked up to Mr. Tripple. Even though he has only taught history for me, he has always connected with me and encouraged me in my walk with Christ.

Caleb is...

"Growth in past years; not only in music but in leadership as well." -Mr. Watson "Great kid!"- Mrs. Gainey "Quiet but engaged." -Mrs. Reiss "Gaining confidence in who he is." -Mr. Tripple "Gives great insight and has great spiritual maturity."-Mr. Smith "Humble about his brain and how smart he is."-Mrs. Taylor "He's cute!"-Mrs. Towles

Football Fun Elaina Essig “I want Covenant's name for football to get out there so it can grow.” -Jonah Bronger “I just want to be able to build a bond with all of my teammates before I go off to college. And leave an impact on them as a captain." -Austin Anderson “Building relationships is so much a part of the body of Christ.” -Coach Mac “Seeing these guys who come from different backgrounds coming together for a common goal is really neat.” -Coach Mac

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