The Legacy Fall 2016 by College Heights Christian School

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 2006 Reunites for 10 Year Reunion

by Jessica Nothum

On July 2, 2016 the class of 2006 held a small reunion at the Campbell family farm in Sarcoxie. We enjoyed a bonfire with hot dogs, s’mores, and other sides. Catching up with one another was great and we all stayed late playing a card game. It was a simple reunion but everyone had a wonderful time. Unfortunately due to the holiday, many were not able to attend. However, the class is planning on a second get-together this fall! Watch their Facebook page for more details or email me at Jessica.ann.massey@gmail.com. PICTURED: Cory and Elizabeth Krause, Jonathan Baker, Whitney Wood, Tyler Brown, Amanda Baker, Barry Arwood, Joe and Jessica Nothum, Dan and Summer Ory, Skylor Kingrey and Tara Midence.

ALUMNI REUNION RECEPTION PLANNED Calling ALL classes from 1983-2016!

Join us on December 16 for a special ALUMNI REUNION RECEPTION and meal at Ozark Christian College! We want to reconnect with you. Come hungry and enjoy a catered meal in your honor! Please pass the word to fellow classmates. The reception will be held upstairs in the gym as we cheer on this year’s basketball teams and witness the crowning of this year’s king and queen. Don’t miss it!

Katie (Gariss) Marsh Honored

Katie Marsh with her coach, Maryann Mitts.

Katie (Gariss) Marsh (’98) was honored to be inducted into the Joplin Area Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony May 20th at Twin Hills Country Club in Joplin. Her fellow inductees were Rod Smith and Joe Ketchum. Katie was a three-year starter for the women’s basketball program at Missouri Southern from 19982002. Named to the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year in 2002, she is one of only two Missouri Southern student-athletes to ever earn that honor. Her achievements weren’t limited to the basketball court, as she graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA, while making it through the honors program, serving as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President, and actively participating in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She was a two-time Academic All-American, a two-time MIAA Presidential Scholar, a two-time Academic All-MIAA pick, and a three-time MIAA Academic Honor Roll honoree. Katie is married to Josh Marsh and together they have four children. The oldest two are students at College Heights. Katie is a Physician Assistant and is very active at College Heights Christian Church, serving in the Women’s Ministry.

“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

CATCHING UP WITH…

KRISTIN (Boyer) TAYLOR (‘09) Since graduating from College Heights in 2009, Kristin has been a busy woman! She wrote in recently to update us on her life. In 2012 she married David Taylor and together they have a daughter, Kaitlyn. Kristin is thrilled to have graduated this past May from Missouri Southern State University with a degree in Psychology. She is currently serving as the Application Processor in the Admissions Department at Ozark Christian College. “At the moment I am not sure where God will lead us, but I am interested in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Maybe down the road I’ll go on and get a Master’s degree so I can pursue that career path, but for now, I love my job at OCC and love being a mommy and wife.” Kristin wanted to share that she is grateful for CHCS and how she was equipped for college. “Looking back now, I know that if I hadn’t gone to CHCS I wouldn’t be where I am now. I’m thankful for the wonderful teachers I had during my time there.” She also shares her greatest spiritual lesson to date: “It is so much easier just to follow God than to deny Him.” She explains, “In high school I was embarrassed to be a follower of Christ because of how people would react or think. God has changed my heart and life over the years… the world can hurt you – that’s just how it is. That is the consequence of our choices when sin entered the world, but there is victory in Jesus! … God is the only one that I am striving to please.” Her final word of encouragement is to current students or recent graduates. “College is rough, but as long as you keep God in your heart and at your side, He will help you through.” Thank you, Kristin, for sharing a glimpse into your life and heart.

Caleb Hoover Competes in Olympic Trials It’s not often a small, private school can brag that one of their own competed in the Olympic Trials, but that is exactly what Caleb Hoover (’11) did this past summer. Caleb, who still holds the College Heights records in the 1600 and 3200-meter, as well as the Missouri State record in the 3200-meter, finished sixth in the second heat of the 3,000-meter steeplechase in Eugene, Oregon with a time of 8 minutes, 37.70 seconds. He missed the finals by 0.1 seconds, a disappointment that he took with a positive attitude. Caleb says, “It would have been tougher if I had been an actual contender, if I thought I had a chance at making the (Olympic) team. My (NCAA) national race a couple of weeks ago didn’t go as well as I expected. This time I wanted to have fun, compete as hard as I can and see what happens. That’s what I did, and I had fun with it.” “It was pretty great just being there. I’d never been in that situation before. I had not raced a lot of those guys because they are professionals, and it was cool to get to race against them… names I remembered from 2012. The focus was to go in and have fun and gain some experience because I plan to be back there.” Caleb finished his career with the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks as a three-time All-American, and he was a part of the 12 Big Sky Conference championship teams among cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. He was also named an academic All-American for the second straight year. He had a 3.97 GPA with his undergraduate degree in biomedical science and a 4.0 in the human relations program as a graduate student. Caleb plans to eventually go to medical school, but he is taking a break for now and plans to move to South Carolina and run for Furman Elite. “I’ll be there next year for sure … hopefully there to compete for the next few years. I really wasn’t in a position to run professionally until this last time. The level of commitment, you live and breathe running. You don’t ever go out. You stay in your room every night, go to bed at ten and get up early. It’s a whole mindset of giving your all to something. That never really occurred to me that that’s what anybody did. Now I realize it’s what everybody does to get to the next level.” Congratulations, Caleb, on your success!

Special thanks to Jim Henry and The Joplin Globe for their contribution to this article.

Cougar Tracks ACCOMPLISHMENTS Brittany (Eppright) Wright (’09) earned her doctoral degree in physical therapy from Southwest Baptist University. She received her doctoral hood as part of the graduate degree ceremony held on May 14. She is a 2013 graduate of Evangel University, where she received her Bachelor of Science biological chemistry.

NEW BABIES Welcome to the world Henry James Horton, son of Michael and Sarah Cox (’00) Horton. Henry was born on May 9 weighing 9.4 lbs and 20.5 inches. Big brother is Liam. Chris (’01) and Carol Watson welcomed Carmichael Richard Watson on May 1, weighing 7 pounds, 20 ounces. Congratulations!

MARRIAGES We extend dual congratulations to Jessica (Garner) Robertson (‘08) who graduated with her Doctor of Pharmacy from UMKC in May and was married to Bryce Robertson in August. They are making their home in Asbury and Jessica is working as a pharmacist in Lamar, Missouri.

Jordan Miller (’11) and Hannah James (attended) were married August 6.

Karli Keele (‘12) and Brandon Patterson were married on June 25, 2016. Karli is finishing her senior year at MSSU with her student teaching semester in Webb City Schools. Congratulations Karli and Brandon! Ryan Beaver (’14) and Lydia Buford (’15) were married May 28.

Greg (’04) and Leslie (’05) Ballew welcomed their first child, Eisley Jane Ballew on November 2, 2015. Congratulations!

Congratulations to Kaylee (Ohmart) (’11) and Devin Wortman on the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth (Ellie) on April 19. Ellie came a bit early weighing 4 pounds but is doing very well now.

Josh Aleckson (’11) and Savannah Beaver (’13) were married July 23.

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

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4311 E. Newman Road Joplin, Missouri 64801

JOPLIN, MO 64802 PERMIT NO. 26

Be sure to “like” our new facebook page, COLLEGE HEIGHTS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ALUMNI. Carrie (Mosbaugh) Arrowsmith (‘96) has volunteered to administer this page. Please invite your fellow alumni to “like” the page as well. There is already some great reminiscing happening there. Thank you, Carrie!

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.