COLLEGE HEIGHTS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ALUMNI & FRIENDS NEWSLETTER
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W IN T E R
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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
Reconnecting with “The Sauer Twins” (‘09)… AMANDA SAUER and ASHLEY (Sauer) NEELY (‘09) become a better person. I am thankful that because of those vulnerable years of love, laughter, and trust with each other, I still go to those women when I need prayer or want an awesome girls night out!
When did you begin attending CHCS? Amanda & Ashley: Kindergarten in 1995 What school sports or extracurricular activities were you involved in at CHCS? Amanda: National Honor Society, yearbook, softball, basketball, senior year class president Ashley: National Honor Society, volleyball, basketball, and homecoming queen What did you like best about your years at CHCS? Amanda: The camaraderie among my teammates while participating in sports. I was blessed to be on teams where the girls cared about each other and were encouraged to push through adversity and do their best. I loved the competition and nail-biting moments. It was exhilarating! Being on the softball team the first four years of the program made me very proud, despite the ups and downs. In retrospect, it gave me a lot of tenacity for life’s future endeavors. My teammates were (and still are) some of my best friends and I attribute some of these close friendships to the many hilarious moments that happened on and off the field/court. Thank you, Coach B, for putting up with our many shenanigans! Ashley: The friendships. The friendships that I formed throughout high school were much stronger than I even realized at the time. Many are still my best friends to this day. I was blessed to be surrounded by other young women that pursued the Lord, encouraged me and pushed me to
Tell us a little about the path your life has taken since you graduated from CHCS? (schooling, career, family, missions, etc) Amanda: After CHCS, I went to MSSU for two years. Then, I transferred to the University of Arkansas where I earned a B.S.E. and a Master’s in Arts of Teaching, both in Childhood Education. I graduated in 2015 and returned to Joplin for a teaching job. I am now in my fourth year teaching 5th-grade at Kelsey Norman Elementary. I have been blessed to travel with my family to multiple countries and states in the last decade. I immensely enjoy experiencing new cultures which has led me to become involved with a student travel program, EF Explore America. Last year, with a colleague, I was able to take 14 sixth-grade students to Washington D.C. We are planning our next trip now and I plan on partnering with this extraordinary company for many years to come in order to subdue my travel bug! A year ago, I bought my own house in Joplin, which I’ve enjoyed making into a home for myself. In my free time, I thoroughly enjoy reading across many genres and hanging out with my friends or family. Ashley: I initially went to MSSU for two years and then transferred to the University of Arkansas. (Go Hogs!) I received a B.S.E. in Communication Disorders and an M.S. in Speech Language Pathology. I returned to Joplin in 2015, got married to Chase Neely, and accepted a job for Seneca public schools. My husband currently works in the music department at MSSU as the percussion instructor. Two years ago, we purchased and renovated the home Chase grew up in that his grandparents purchased in the early ’70s. Last summer, I switched to practicing speech (continued on page 4)
“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