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
College Heights Turns Forty! Many alumni returned to CHCS September 7th to help celebrate the school’s fortieth birthday! The evening honored past leaders and superintendents and included a time of celebrative worship led by the chapel band worship team. The kids enjoyed inflatables, games, and face painting. A photo booth and food completed the party atmosphere. With many second generation alumni these days, it’s always fun to see whole families coming together as we praise God for his faithfulness to College Heights over the years. ABOVE: Leah (Kent) Blankenship (’87/Current Staff), Lynn Bontrager (Current Staff) and Mary (Stokes) Colin (‘93/Elementary Principal) RIGHT: Class of 2008 L-R: Miles Edge, Sam (Wendt) Garman, Leah (Gillquist) Mallatt, Lacie (Sparlin) Good, Ethan Beaver Coach Eric Johnson
BELOW: Class of 2016 L-R: Anthony Skinner, Kellen Gratham, Abbi Hardy, Jake Painter, Nate Wilkins
PAST LEADERS: B.A. Austin, Jim Rhea, Nelson Horton
“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
Reconnecting with… KOLLEEN GLADDEN (‘14) When did you begin attending CHCS? I began in Kindergarten! What school sports or extracurricular activities were you involved in at CHCS? Oh- school things! I was in Scholar Bowl, NHS, Track and Field/Cross Country, Cheerleading, Forensics, Theatre, Art, whatever people needed another hand for! Who was your favorite teacher and why? I love so many teachers, and they all had different, equally profound effects on my life. Mrs. Miller pushed me to be a better student and intellectual. Mrs. Stanley showed me how to be a better person. Mrs. Davison encouraged me to be myself. Mrs. Nichols taught me how to express myself. I could go on and on! How would you describe yourself as a teen and how has that changed, if any as an adult? I would have described myself as ridiculous, chaotic, messy, fun-loving, happy – my personality hasn’t changed at all, honestly. What has changed is that, with age and maturation, I am able to acquire and use new tools for the continuation of personal growth – a never-ending journey! How would your old classmates describe you? My classmates would probably describe me as silly, fun-loving, having an unusual fashion sense, (“fashion”) – these are all still true!
What did you like best about your years at CHCS? I loved the community. I regularly talk to/spend time with people from high school. Many of my closest high school friends have met my college friends. The bonds you make are different than the typical high school friendships – they are built to last. How did CHCS help prepare you for college, career and life? CHCS helped in so many ways. The homework load was so manageable in college because of high school. After taking Mrs. Miller’s physics and chemistry in the same year, nothing in college could stress me out! No matter what came my way, I knew I could give it to God and handle it. CHCS taught me that as well! Tell us a little about the path your life has taken since you graduated from CHCS? (schooling, career, family, missions, etc) I went to Pittsburg State University and received two bachelor’s degrees – one in Technical Writing, one in Graphics and Imaging Technology, and a minor in Innovation Engineering. Now, I am at the University of Virginia School of Law. In college, I, along with a few other women, founded the first Kansas chapter of GAL, a Christian sorority,
and it grew to over 80 members! It was amazing to watch God take it over and shape it into what the organization is today. Who were the most influential people in your life, role models? All of the teachers I mentioned earlier, my parents, my advisors in college, many of my professors – so many it would be hard to name! Tell us about the work you are doing now, why is it important to you? I am currently in law school. It is incredibly important to me to utilize the academic framework established by CHCS to make the world a better place, and I hope to do that through a legal career. What pearls of wisdom would you give other graduates and students at CHCS? Get involved in college! You will meet some of the greatest people by exploring shared interests. Do everything in your power to show up to class; it will pay off incredibly. Get to know your professors! They have so much knowledge to share with you. The most valuable gifts you can give are free- your time, your encouragement, your love.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Kolleen was too humble to share the many awards and accomplishments during her time at Pitt State. The following appeared on the PSU website and is shared here with our audience:
During Kolleen’s four years at Pittsburg State University, she founded the campus chapter of the Christian sorority Gamma Alpha Lambda Sorority Delta, was a member of Honors College, was a student athlete and a member of the University Choir. Last spring she was chosen as one of eleven keynote speakers at Pittsburg State’s first TEDx event, and in May she was named Outstanding Senior Woman. Her list of involvement also includes being elected Vice President of Student Government Association where she organized monthly meetings with the university president and fellow SGA officers, collaborated with faculty to allocate funds to campus organizations, and hosted initiatives focused on issues faced by international students. She has also been active in helping organize volunteers for mission trips in the U.S. and the Middle East and is founder of the Student City Advisory Council, a group that facilitates weekly meetings with members of the Pittsburg City Commission to discuss pertinent issues and possible solutions. Kolleen was accepted into 19 Law Schools and offered a combined total of more than $1.2 million in scholarships before choosing the University of Virginia School of Law. Well done, Kolleen!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR…
HOMECOMING January 11, 2019 More details to come!
Reach Out… Reconnect… and Remember
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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.
Our deepest sympathy goes out to Matt (’07) and Chandra (Cole) (’06) Sooter. Their daughter, Addy passed away on June 3rd after a courageous battle with DIPG, a rare form of brain cancer.
COUGAR TRACKS Congratulations to Kaylee (Ohmart) and Devin Wortman (’11) on the birth of Cooper September 6th. Proud sister is Ellie. Cooper weighed in at 6 & 1/2 pounds; 18 & 1/2 inches long. Grandma is Middle School History teacher Mrs. Nancy Ohmart. The Wortmans live in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Patton Conroy (‘11) married Julia Paganis on May 12, 2018 at Camp Loughridge Chapel in Tulsa, OK. They met through their summers at a Christian Camp in southeast Oklahoma. They both plan to graduate from the University of Arkansas this December; Patton with a Masters of Mechanical Engineering, and Julia with a Masters of Psycology. Patton works at Pitney Bowes and they live in Fayetteville. Mark Stanley (’11) graduated from the University of Arkansas in May with a Masters in Engineering. His emphasis is environmental engineering (water). He is working for Anderson Engineering in Joplin. Hannah Fuller (’14) and Graham Martin were were married June 29, 2018. Hannah teaches 4th grade at Eastmoreland Elementary in Joplin. Congratulations!
Chey Lorimer (’17) married Skylar Lewis on July 13, 2018. They reside in Sarcoxie, MO. Chey is the daughter of Brian (’97) and Jamie (current staff) Lorimer. Congratulations!
Congratulations to Makenzie Paden (’14) and Nate Wesley who were married August 4, 2018. Best Wishes are extended to Daniel (’15) and Rose Compton Calandro who were married June 2nd, 2018. They are making their home in Jefferson City. Daniel is a senior at the University of Missouri. He has spent the last two summers in Eastern Europe in the old Soviet countries studying Russian. He has also earned a pilot slot in the United States Air Force upon graduation. Rose is an auditor with Central Bank.
Brianna Shores (’14) graduated in May of 2018 from the the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a minor in Chemistry, and emphasis in Biomedical Sciences. She will begin medical school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in January of 2019. Currently, Brianna is the director of tutoring for a non-profit organization called GlobalFC. GlobalFC serves the underserved, primarily refugee community in Kansas City through the sport of soccer, educational tutoring, and mentor programs. Emily Shores (’16) was recently accepted into the Social Work program at Missouri Southern State University, which begins this fall. She is the founding member of the Epsilon chapter of Gamma Alpha Lambda, a Christian sorority, at MSSU. Emily is currently an emergency room advocate in sexual assault cases for Lafayette House, a member of the Southwest Missouri AntiTrafficking Coalition, and works for the Division of Youth Services of Missouri as a mentor for at risk youth.
SERVICE AWARD RECOGNITIONS RETIREMENTS Many would say that working at CHCS is not just a job, but a ministry. Many of our staff celebrated anniversaries in May and were recognized with a special gift.
L-R: 5 years: Matt Perry, Chrissy King, Heather Cawyer; 10 years: Patty Kruse, Molly Creswell, Desiree Limkeman, Mary Colin; 20 years: John Blankenship; 30 years: Daniel Lewis.
At the end of the 2017-2018 year, we bid a sweet farewell to five long-time educators: Tabitha Davison (Drama); Glenda Austin (Music); Melissa Belk (Music); Patty Kruse (Guidance Counselor) and Julie Pechawer (5th grade). The secondary teachers were given a special luncheon in their honor, and they all were honored at a faculty and staff reception. Thank you for your faithful years of service!
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NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE 4311 E. Newman Road Joplin, Missouri 64801
PAID JOPLIN, MO 64802 PERMIT NO. 26
Choir Alumni Return as Longtime Directors Retire Each spring the CHCS choir presents a final concert highlighted by senior special numbers and solos and ensemble pieces. However, this past May’s concert included some very special extra elements. Approximately 35 alumni of Outreach choir came to sing the final songs and to honor retiring directors Glenda Austin and Melissa Belk, who taught at CHCS for 24 years. Special treats included Glenda playing her own arrangement of “What A Wonderful World” on the piano, and Melissa Belk and her husband, Chris, joined by their daughter, senior Hannah Belk singing “The Prayer.” It was a great evening full of laughter, tears, and special memories.
Ladies from the Class of ’07: Brianna (Tunnell) Howard, Emily Dunavent, Alex (McIntire) Willis, and Emily (Ohmart) Otey
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