THE VERITAS
May 24, 2019
Covenant Christian High School
Tiny News Issue 6
LOOKING BACK: A FLASH ON THE PAST Article by Hannah Mossbarger (‘20) and Joann Ncube (‘21)
What group of Covenant kids would you hang out with now?
Here at Covenant, we love our teachers. A lot. Seriously. The way that they are so selflessly invested in the students every day demonstrates their willingness to ensure that we understand the material from a Christian worldview and that we are adequately prepared to embrace the challenges brought on by academics. However, we also love them because of their quirks, senses of humor, character traits, and interests. It’s what helps them to connect with certain students or to significantly impact specific groups. Do you ever wonder what your teachers were like in high school? What kids they hung out with? Well, Joann and I did, so we went and asked a few.
Mr. Tripple: I was friends with a lot of different groups. I would be friends with everyone. Maybe Josiah Suarez and/or Josiah Allman. C-Hutch: OH MY GOSH THAT’S SO DIFFICULT TO ANSWER! Probably Sam Young, Connor Craig, some of the guys from the volleyball team, just because they come here during 8th period. They’re not jocks, but are like second-tier kids.” Mr. Ward: I’ve been told I would be Oliver Kortepeter. He and Sorin came to me last year with this religious debate and it totally seems like something I would be talking about with my friend in high school. SHIELDS: All of them.
How would you describe your high school self? Mr. Aguinaga: Overall, I wasn’t a good student most of my high school life except senior year. I would describe myself as apathetic, and only getting my grades to where I can pass. I wasn’t a self-seeking learner my first years in high school. Until I became a Christian Junior year, and then I realized how much I have lost. My senior year, I totally changed and I raised my grades to straight A’s and I felt that I had a purpose for learning.
How have you changed since high school? Ms. Brown: I look exactly the same. I am a lot more confident. In high school, I was really insecure, but I acted like I was confident, like a fake till ya make it kind of thing. I wasn’t a Christian in high school, so my relationship with God has changed my heart. I am a lot more patient and a lot more loving now. Mr. Wildman: I was pretty scattered. Definitely a slave to my emotions. And I think I’ve become a little more level-headed and a lot less caring as far as worrying about the social implications of who I am. I still try to stay pretty involved and active and do various things— so that part hasn’t changed.
Mr. Ward: I was extremely conscientious, mostly in terms of religious things. I had a Bible study routine that I was really strict about, and it was really intense. I was probably a little too legalistic with things like that— a lot more than I am now. Whereas now I feel like (and I think teaching has done a lot of this), you see how people are and how relationships are supposed to work. And I think that my view of our relationship with God has developed and changed a lot through things I’ve seen at church, but also through things I’ve seen here at Covenant, things I’ve read, and just through growing older. I still read my Bible and pray every day, but I just think about it differently. That was something that held me back a lot. So much of my life was consumed with “when I go to school, I need to be evangelizing,” but I was too afraid to do it. And I just think my life was too consumed with that anxiety.
Aguinaga: I became a teacher because I realized how important [learning] was in life. I value every opportunity to learn something new. Now I take every opportunity to learn whatever: culture, science, and obviously languages. Now I consider myself a lifelong learner.
FOR WILDMANS: Do you think you would have dated each other in high school? Mr. Wildman: Oh definitely not. She would not have dated me— she’s a lot nicer with a lot better intentions. I was a very traditional high school boy in that I didn’t always have the best intentions at heart when I was dating. She was definitely a lot better behaved than I was in high school, and she wouldn’t have been interested in me at all. And I probably would have thought that she was a goody two-shoes, which now I look back and that was foolish, too. You grow up and you learn the error of your ways. I’ve definitely done that and now I’m glad that she and I are together.
This is C. Hutch!!!! C-Hutch: My brain has developed. Isn’t it supposed to be fully developed in a male when they’re like 21? Anyway, my frontal lobe is fully developed now. I played a lot of sports like baseball, I ran cross country, swimming. I was in the “non-cool sports,” and it was like being a college athlete in high school. I was tired all the time— in a constant state of fatigue. But I was like second-tier cool— I was a second-tier kid. I was in with the kids who were popular, but I wasn’t one of them.
THE VERITAS
May 24, 2019
ENNEAGRAM
Article by Tatum Julian(‘20) It is no surprise that we are all wired differently. From our thought processes to our reactions, to the way that we feel emotions or express our feelings, we are all created differently. Part of this, of course, is due to the life experiences we face that mold us into the people that we are, yet at the same time there is a fundamental makeup of our beings; what makes you you. We all know of different personality tests that give us letters or numbers to explain what kind of person we are, but I would like to focus on the Enneagram, a test that has been extremely helpful for me to further understand myself and the people in my life. Since taking interest in it I have cultivated stronger connections with people in new ways, fueled by more knowledge of our individuality. With the help of Soul Gardener and the Enneagram Institute, I have put together a small description for each personality type to begin a possible growth in your awareness of yourself and those around you.
This type is energetic, goal-oriented, and optimistic. They will keep themselves busy with responsibilities giving it their all as they tend to fear failure. They will have great aspirations for themselves that may keep them preoccupied from being fully in touch with their feelings. 4.Individualist. Teacher example of this type: Mr. Wildman If you absolutely hate the fact that I am listing off categories and descriptions that people may fit in or relate to, this may just be your type. These personalities desire and admire authenticity, creativity, beauty, and harmony. Feelings are experienced deeply for these people as they are often melancholy dreamers and very introspective, which can be their strength and downfall. 5. Observer. Teacher example of this type: Mrs. Reiss This type is fueled by curiosity and a desire for knowledge and understanding. Their best quality may be listening or problem-solving but may be withdrawn as they seek knowledge and are preoccupied with their own interests.
1. Reformer. Teacher example of this type: Mr. Tripple
6. Loyalist. Teacher example of this type: Mrs. Shields (secondary type)
Productivity, reliability, and honesty are strong suits of this type. They desire growth but also value structure; change without structure or control may not be easy for 1’s. This type may be critical of themselves or others, but ultimately their criticism is rooted in their devotion to improvement.
This type is well balanced with compassion, loyalty, and responsibility. They desire security and direction which may fuel paranoia and the fear of failure. Their strong suit is loyalty even if it requires self-sacrifice.
2. Helper. Teacher example of this type: Ms. Brown. This type is driven and fueled by taking care of others. Your trust and appreciation will mean the world to these servant-minded and people-oriented personalities. They are compassionate, empathetic, and generous, but can have the tendency to suppress their own needs and fear not giving enough. 3. Achiever. Teacher examples of this type: Mrs. Shriner, Mrs. Shields
7. Enthusiast. Teacher example of this type: Mr. Dix This type chases adventure with enthusiasm and spontaneity. Their imagination, tendency to dream big, and many talents are strong. Ultimately, they desire fun and happiness, but may be guilty of impulsive decisions and procrastination.
8. Challenger. Teacher example of this type: Mr. Fightmaster. This type is one of many strengths, such as confidence, hard work, and strong decision making. Usually very di-
Tiny News Issue 6 rect and a very accomplished leader. Despite their many strong suits, they may have an expectation or need for respect, fear embarrassment, and struggle to be vulnerable.
9. Peacemaker. Teacher example of this type: Mrs. Wildman. With strong suits of being accepting, supportive, and empathetic, this type seeks wholeness and harmony. They avoid conflict at all costs and often struggle to make decisions. With very generous hearts this type is loving and invested in everyone around them. Their downfalls may be passive-aggressiveness or procrastination to avoid issues with others. If you resonate deeply with one of these, whether in the positive or negative traits, know that it is simply the way that you were created. Every character trait you have can be used by God to fulfill his works in amazing ways. You may be different from your sister, mother, dad, brother, best friend, co-worker, or anyone else in your life, and that is perfectly okay. More than okay, that is exactly how you are supposed to be. Embrace your uniqueness. Embrace the way you were created. With all of this being said, know that the complexity of this topic extends far beyond what I could summarize in this short article. There are many more factors that make this specific personality quiz so unique, because it recognizes that it is impossible to define a person simply with a number and a few descriptive words. As you look further into the test you will begin to understand how there are “wings”: characteristics of another type that are dominant in your personality. Along with that, it will explain how there are certain numbers that you will become in times of stress or in times of growth. Ultimately, I hope that you will pursue any curiosity you may have in understanding more about yourself, as I have done. It is truly an amazing thing to do and will produce more growth than you can imagine.
SPANIARDS: AN INSIDE LOOK INTO A DIFFERENT CULTURE Article by Jerusha Long (‘20)
Is Covenant what you expected? David: “I expected it to be different, I didn’t expect like everyone to be on their phones out and stuff. But I didn’t realize that you guys have a lot of technology, which is different. It doesn’t mean it’s better or worse, it’s just different. The rest is what I expected it to be.” Ana: “ I didn’t expect it to be like that either. I thought that— I didn’t know that you could eat in class, and just like go out whenever, and I also didn’t think that you were so so religious, I mean it’s a Christian school and you have to be religious but not like that much.” Lucia: “Uhhhh, yes, it was exactly how I expected. When my exchange came to Spain we talk about it and she describe me Covenant. So it was exactly how I expected, and it’s like I don’t know, a typical American High School but I like it.” What are the people here like? Are they nice? David: “Yes, they are really really really really friendly.” Ana: “I thought that no one was going to talk to me, but it was really nice to meet so many people.” Lucia: “ I think the people here are very nice and friendly, but I also expect that, too.” Are the toilets here weird to you?
G E O FFR E Y
by Emma Hunt (‘20)
melon Fanta… what? I mean it’s good. The food is very expensive. Today I found the first thing that is less expensive: Pringles. I prefer Spanish food. Our bread is so much better.“ David: “ You have a lot of flavors. You have better things, like peanut butter… I love peanut butter. And you don’t eat much fish, we eat a lot of fish. I haven’t eaten fish in a month.” How do you feel about the difference in taxing? Lucia: “Every time we buy something we know how much we have to pay, every time we buy something it includes the taxes. Here you buy stuff and you don’t know how much anything is!”
Ana: “Yours is annoying. The water is upper. Your toilets are stupid.” Lucia: “But toilets here are cleaner than in my school, to be fair.” What is different about the food/grocery stores? Lucia: “Stores here are huge. You have food from many places in the world. You guys have Oreos, like 50 types. And for here it’s much expensive. Unhealthy food, you have it cheaper here. Like the fruits and vegetables and stuff are so so expensive. We don’t have Mexican food, like real Mexican food. Chinese food no, japanese food no. I miss my bread!” Ana: “You guys have so many variety of things, so many of whatever. Like, I have never seen water-
S T U D E N T S H O U T- O U T
What is different about the houses? Lucia: “Bigger, much bigger here. In my house you take like three steps and you meet someone.” David: “You have much more space between the houses.” Ana: “You have big yards, like really big yards.” Do you like personal space? Lucia: “Spanish people are much more touchy. It’s strange for me because every time I meet someone here I don’t have to give the two kisses. It’s weird.” Ana: “Two kisses is way easier. Now I am like, do I give her a shake? She’s not going to say anything? In Spain it is not confusing.”
submissions from Covenant Faculty & Staff
Cameron Reagan is a champion of behind-thescenes service. If you went to see “Tuck Everlasting”, then you saw (but didn’t really see) Cam at work! He was one of the students primarily responsible for making sure everything went smoothly behind the scenes. This role perfectly captures his heart for serving others in ways that don’t bring attention or recognition to himself. Cameron has also helped me with many un-glamorous projects over the years. All of my students have benefited from his work on these projects, but they’ve never known it and he’s never been publicly recognized for it. His work is always reliable and spot on. He is trustworthy and I can count on him, and I’m grateful for that. When my children are in high school, I hope they will have Cam’s heart for service to others, whether it’s in the spotlight or behind the scenes. He is an excellent example to us all.
Photo courtesy of McIntyre Imaging