The Legacy Spring 2016 by College Heights Christian School

COLLEGE HEIGHTS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ALUMNI & FRIENDS NEWSLETTER

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legacy

S P R I N G

THE

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

Homecoming 2015 A wonderful evening was enjoyed by all December 18th, 2015. Friends, families, alumni and students took in basketball games and witnessed this year’s crowning of king and queen, Hunter Jones and Caitlin Good. Red Onion catered a wonderful meal for our alumni, and it was heart-warming to see so many familiar faces reconnect. It’s not too early to mark your calendar for Homecoming 2016 – December 16th. We hope many of you will be able to come!

“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

JODI (Smyth) ROGERS (‘87) When did you begin attending CHCS? I began attending CHCS 3 days into my junior year in 1985. My mom, Sue Smyth, had taught there since the school started. My oldest friend, Kathy Moorehouse, had begun attending College Heights the first day of junior year, and she encouraged me to join her. It felt like the time was right, so I did. What school sports or extracurricular activities were you involved in at CHCS? Oh my, that is a great question and one that is best answered by a story. For those of you who don’t know me, I am 5’9” and in high school I weighed maybe 125 pounds. On my first day, I was approached by some peers – Kristin McCarthy, Leah Kent, and Stacie Doss – and asked if I play basketball. I said no. They asked if I played volleyball. I said no. Then they said, quite dramatically, “Then what DO you do?” It was then that I realized that my lack of athletic prowess might not fare well in my new environment, and that I’d better figure something out! I was also told that the high school became a ghost town on game days, so my friend Kathy and I decided to be cheerleaders. I never would have done that in a million years had I stayed in public school, but at CHCS, it was a perfect fit for me. Even Kristin, Leah, and Stacie cheered with us when they weren’t playing basketball or volleyball! Kristin and Leah also joined me in “choir” class, which ended up being a quartet of 4 girls, including my future sister-in-law, Meri Crabill, accompanied by Leah’s mom, Ann. Our quartet has continued to sing together through the years, creating a lifelong bond between us. I was also a member of Outreach, student council, yearbook, math league, pep club, band, and National Honor Society. Who was your favorite teacher and why? There were so many favorite teachers, and with such small classes, each and every teacher I had truly invested personally in me. It was a wonderful environment to be taught in. I have amazing memories of Nina Lewis, Linda Brockett, Joe Butcher, Ron Skaggs, Phil Rehrig, Walt Wicklund, Annette Miles, and Terrie Dresh. I have hilarious memories of getting in trouble in my mom’s government class when Kathy and I would get the giggles. I adored my senior trip to Florida with advisors Annette Miles, Phil Rehrig, and Terrie Dresh, who treated us like sisters and brothers and didn’t mind a few pranks thrown in here and there. They were such great sports! I can’t possibly choose a favorite because they all provided me with not only strong academics, but also a strong sense that I mattered. How would you describe yourself as a teen and how has that changed, if any as an adult? As a teen, I would describe myself as headstrong and determined, but also as an encourager and friend. I was also both an artist and a singer. Not too much has changed, though I have mellowed a bit and most of my encouragement is spent on my own family of five. I am now a 6th grade teacher at Webb City Middle School, where a co-worker recently asked me if I was always as strong-willed as I am, so maybe that hasn’t changed as much as I think! I did get an art and design degree in college, and I do still sing on the praise team at College Heights Christian Church, so creativity is still a large part of my life. What did you like best about your years at CHCS? I loved every single thing about my time at CHCS. It was the best decision I could have made my junior year. I loved my small, tight-knit class of fourteen students (10 girls, 4 boys) and the close ties we had to the classes just above and below us; my caring and invested teachers; all of the parents who became like second parents to us all; the office staff and administration that cared for us and about us as if we were their own; and the constant reminders that Godly living is just as fun

Left yearbook photo: Jodi Smyth Rogers. Right photo: Kathy Moorehouse, Kristin McCarthy, Stacie Doss

and rewarding as worldly living seems to be, but carries with it a much greater reward. CHCS helped me to truly find myself. As John 1 puts it, I was made to be my true self, my child-of-God self. Each of our spiritual gifts were nurtured and brought to the forefront of our lives, and we appreciated our differences. I believe that my class (of ‘87) was the best at celebrating each other, and we loved each other unconditionally. Tell us a little about the path your life has taken since you graduated from CHCS? (schooling, career, family, missions, etc) Since graduating from CHCS, I have almost constantly remained in school in one way or another. I attended Ozark Christian College and Missouri Southern State University my freshman year, then transferred to John Brown University in Arkansas to finish out my college education. I graduated from JBU with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art and Design, with a focus on graphic design. I worked as a graphic designer in Joplin for a few years, then as a freelance graphic artist and interior designer/muralist here and there once I married and had children. I married my husband, Keith Rogers, in 1992, and we have three kids: Ellen (21), Seth (19), and Abi (18). When our youngest started kindergarten, I took a job in their elementary school as a Title I assistant. After ten years in that job, I pursued a teaching degree from Western Governors University and am now in my third year teaching social studies and reading at Webb City Middle School. I’ve always known that God has a sense of humor and confirmed that when He instilled in me a strong desire to teach. I had refused a teaching degree while originally in college because I had no desire to teach, plus I wanted to follow my own path rather than following in my mom’s footsteps. I also never paid attention in my history or geography classes because I didn’t understand how they would help me be a better designer! Thankfully, my year at OCC allowed me a Bible minor, and that has helped me tremendously as I teach ancient civilizations to my students. I love what I do, because I get to develop relationships with my students that echo the ones my CHCC teachers shared with me. I also am afforded to the opportunity to tell my students about God and Jesus, as they are miraculously a part of my curricular objectives. The weekends usually find me at home with my family or extended family, including my parents, Jim and Sue Smyth, the latter of whom still helps me grade papers whenever needed. I feel immeasurably blessed to be living the life that God has given me.

CATCHING UP WITH…

COURTNEY (Muter) AVIRETT (‘01) I began my freshman year at College Heights in 1997. Throughout my four years there, I continually heard peers refer negatively to the Christian education they were receiving as somehow placing them in a ‘bubble’. Looking back, I am thankful for this so called ‘bubble’. I was able to create relationships without a lot of external pressures placed upon myself and other teens in the public school setting. These friendships were based on common beliefs and values. Now that I am older and have the ability to make decisions with a more mature brain, I can draw on these relationships to help in choosing people that bring me encouragement and have like-minded values. The realization of just how this ‘bubble’ formed my adult life was motivation for me to begin the homeschooling journey with my three children; Marcella (6), Ryan (4) and Perry (2). My husband Shawn Avirett is a high school history teacher at a public school here in Naples, FL. Many times throughout the week I will find myself praying that God would somehow guard the hearts of these teens as they trek through a battlefield. I am reminded so often of how our minds are still being formed at these tender ages and it baffles me why society views it as such a negative to want to hold teens back from these difficult and sometimes life-altering decisions until their brains are mature enough to realize consequences. College Heights provided me with that buffer. I believe the teachers and administration were a large part of that. My husband began his teaching career in a private school here in Florida. I realized quickly the wide gap between a public and parochial teacher’s benefits. I realize now just how much my education cost these teachers. I am thankful for their sacrifice. Two particular teachers have had a profound effect on me. Mrs. Miller, who taught me biology and chemistry, certainly had a role in my decision to head into the medical field. Throughout high school I saw her as tough but I now know she was simply trying to get us to reach our potential. Mr. Lewis also challenged us in class but it was his role as Coach Lewis in track season that helped me to push past mental blocks or challenges. At one track meet in particular, Coach Lewis informed me I would need to run a long distance leg in a relay. I hate to admit it but I cried and told him over and over I couldn’t. Long distance wasn’t my thing. I don’t remember that day if my relay team placed, but I do remember that I finished and that I learned a big lesson on teamwork. Track was definitely one of my favorite high school memories. Heading to state 3 of 4 years and watching our boys team win state my senior year was so exhilarating! The other most memorable events for me were playing spades our

senior year (it was banned the next year), math class with Mr. Truelove, spirit weeks, and cheering classmates on at sporting events! I also competed at CHCS in basketball, volleyball, and student council. As a teen I did everything with passion. I laughed hard, cried hard, prayed hard, and loved even harder. Passion is a good thing but my enthusiasm wasn’t necessarily transferred to the right outlets after high school. I tried heading down many paths: scuba diving instructor in the Caribbean for a few years, acquiring a degree at MSSU with the intention of doing medical sales, trying to meet others’ expectations for a year at Ozark Christian College. In the end I ended up right where God wanted me. I met my husband Shawn after packing all my belongings in my two-door Honda Accord in 2006 and driving through the night to move to Florida. At the time I felt the need to get away from ‘expectations’. I was nominated as the ‘happiest’ or ‘smiles the most’ at College Heights my Senior year. (I can’t remember the name of the specific award). By 2007 I didn’t feel happy. I needed to find my own faith, and nine years later with lots of helping hands I have! We are active in a new church plant in Bonita Springs, FL. My husband leads worship and I teach children’s church. My real passion is for my Neonatal ICU babies. I graduated in 2008 from Florida Gulf Coast University with a Nursing degree (Go Eagles!) and ever since have been working with this precious population. I will start my Doctorate in Nurse Practice this fall at FGCU. It was very easy for me to be ‘carried along’ by all the Christians in my life – my dad as a minister, my grandparents being missionaries, attending a Christian school. I owe my time at College Heights to my parents; especially my mother for driving me 45 minutes both ways from our home. She also drove buses for extra-curricular activities as well. Her dedication to my schooling and activities still shine through to me to this day. After graduating College Heights, I realized they couldn’t carry me any longer. It was a tough lesson to learn but God is faithful! It is easy to get caught up in the emotion of high school as I did. Now I think peers would say I don’t quite show as much passion and my out-going personality like I did in high school. My favorite things to do are kayaking, reading on the beach and swimming. My passion, however, is more focused on my relationship with God. Without College Heights, my parents, and Christian relationships in youth group and school I wouldn’t have the pegs that I now can hang so many of my beliefs on. I am so proud to call myself an alumnus of College Heights and it always brings a smile to my face to see the awesome things God is doing there!

Missions Week 2016 The week of March 14-18 was our annual Missions Week at College Heights. For 13 years now, students have been devoting the week before spring break to serving others. Ten groups served in Jamaica, Mexico, Kentucky, Arkansas and locally with God’s Resort, Life House, Crosslines, Missouri Baptist Children’s Home and Thru the Roof Ministries. Each year our students report that this is one of the highlights of their years at College Heights. The theme this year was “All In” based off Mark 12:30 which says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” We are grateful for students and staff who are committed to serving others!

GOD’S RESORT IN JOPLIN

MEXICO

Graduation May 15th… You are Invited!

For those who live locally, we would love you to join us in celebrating the class of 2016! Baccalaureate will be Sunday, May 15th at 2:00 in the College Heights Worship Center. Commencement will begin at 3:45 with a reception between the two events in the gym. It is always exciting to see children of our alumni graduate. This year’s class includes Chloe Brewer, daughter of Ron (’83) and Teresa Brewer and Michaela Keele, daughter of James and Lisa (Pufhal) Keele (‘84). Lisa is the first alumni to have a grandchild attend College Heights. Grandson Gage Carnes is in preschool and is the son of Alison Keele (attended).

JAMAICA

ATHENA DeSONIER

JOLENE & CLAUDIA CANNON

Cougar Tracks Congratulations to JOELLE (Moeller) CANNON (‘00) on the birth of Claudia Joelle on November 13, 2015. MIKE (’05) and MEGAN (Calderon; former staff) DeSONIER welcomed their first baby, Athena Soledad Calderon DeSonier, on Feb 4 in Arlington VA.

HAGER FAMILY

Congratulations to BENJAMIN and CHRISTIE (DeSonier) HAGER (’09) on the birth of their first child, Oliver Westley Hager who was born February 23rd weighing 6 lbs, 5 ounces in Ft.Worth, Texas. KATIE JAMES (’12) married Buna Nat November 26, 2014. Congratulations! KARISSA LIEB (’14) married Austin Eilerman on December 18, 2015. Austin joined the US Marine Corps and is currently in Basic Training scheduled to graduate May 20th. After two more months of special training, they will be stationed on a Marine base somewhere on the coast. Congratulations!

KATIE & BUNA NAT

Congratulations to MISSY SHABAZZ (‘95) who graduated May of 2015 from the University of Arkansas with a Doctorate in Math. Her dissertation was Isometries of Besov Type Spaces among Composition Operators. Missy is currently a professor in the math department at the University of Kansas.

KARISSA & AUSTIN EILERMAN

MISSY STERLING (‘11) reports that she enlisted in the Air Force Reserves on April 28, 2015 and is a photojournalist assigned to the 442d Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. ZACH WILKINS (’11) graduated from Ozark Christian College December of 2015 and has accepted a Student Ministry position at Victory Christian Church in Franklin, Indiana where he and his wife, Chelsea will begin serving in June. ZACH & CHELSEA WILKINS

MISSY STERLING MISSY SHABAZZ

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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.