THE VERITAS
3-2-1. . . DODGEBALL!
March 8, 2019
Covenant Christian High School
Tiny News Issue 3
Photo courtesy of Rich Unland Photography Article byJerusha Long (‘20) We’ve all felt it before, “Today… we play dodgeball.” Your knees begin to shake as you see the faces of the enemy across the line. Obviously, our brother nerds are standing there beside us, looking at the impending doom of the rubber spheres set before us. Although we might feel the fear of being smashed by dodgeballs, we can only imagine how African tribes felt 200 years ago when they played the first known version of dodgeball. Dr James H. Carlisle, a missionary in Africa in the 1800’s, witnessed the first dodgeball game. The game that is today played for “fun” was deadly for the tribes. Dodgeball originated from warriors practicing their agility, ruthlessness, and teamwork by hurling rocks at each other. This game was practiced to intensify their skills, and when a teammate was injured, the rest of the team would gather around them with rocks of their own to defend them from the opposing tribe. James found much interest in this, and when he returned to England he portrayed the game to his peers. Many scoffed and decided that they just didn’t have the stuff to throw and dodge accurately. But, when he began teaching at St. Mary’s College, he
was able to incorporate the tradition into a sport. For safety, they replaced the rocks with tough leather balls that still did plenty of damage, but were not deadly. The teams would compete in a field with no restrictions, causing the game to be prolonged for hours. Also, one could be hit many times but remain in the game until he fell from the force of the ball.
especially Spirit Week traditions. The green, the orange, the red, the blue. The week full of raucous SRT’s. The chanting. The two-girl minimum. The Chik-fil-A giftcards. The thrill. The fear. There he was, Skylar Stone, the last Senior alive. The sophomores, Anna Kegeris and Trey Flatt, are defending their honor alone. Skylar is tossing balls to the sophomores, daring them to take their shot. The entire student body is on their feet, dripping with anticipation. Trey throws the blue ball as Skylar steps aside, using his agility to his advantage. Anna and Trey both have a ball and look at each other in a moment of confidence and pure ruthlessness. They both chuck their balls at the Sky $. One misses as he tries to catch the other, but the red ball bounced off his chest, leaving him eliminated.
This game was played in England for decades, but how did it come to be so popular in America? In 1884, Philip Ferguson, an American, saw this game and decided to make the game more efficient by having shorter games. He is the man who put boundaries on the field and put teams on opposite sides with a line in the middle. The official rules were created in 1905, including: (1) one hit and you’re out, (2) players come back in after a catch, and (3) no stepping out of bounds while dodging. The crowd cannot believe it, waves of orange flood the court as the sophomores run to their team. The That is how the popular game came to be about. But, Seniors stare blankly, for they cannot comprehend St. Mary’s college can still be seen every four years the madness that has just taken place. The mighty playing against Yale with the classic freestyle rules seniors had fallen, and the Sophomores stand triumthe school began with to keep the tradition alive. phant. Looking like little oranges, the sophomores cannot contain their excitement. The game is over. Traditions are just as important here at Covenant— R.I.P.
The Joyous Flower that is Mrs. Towles Article written by Hannah Mossbarger (‘20) with quotes from Covenant students
Dear Mrs. Towles,
You always point out how many times I’ve been late in such a loving way. Whenever I walk in late, you It’s me, student. I just want you to knowhow much ask if I was sick, and if I’m okay or how my appointI truly love and appreciate you, so here is a letter at- ment went. You specifically always make a point to tempting to express my immense gratitude. ask about my mom’s health and tell me that you are praying for her and never make me feel glossed over. You greet everyone with a beautiful smile that can brighten even the dreariest of days and nothing rat- It means so much that you invest in and care about tles you. You handle even the hardest things with the students here at Covenant. Your cheerful attidude joy, and your love for Christ manifests itself through has impacted so many lives, including my own. You your cheerful attitude. have been such a large influence in my life and I truly believe that you use the reality of your position for Your caring heart shows through your daily inter- the best. actions with everyone you come into contact with. I love how kind you are every time I go into the of- Thank you for being a beaming delight each day, for fice because you genuinely care about each of the your good spirit and compassion towards others, for students. You’re always happy to talk to me about telling me to feel better when I go home sick, and for how school is going and never hesitate to ask how taking care of things at our school— especially the I’m doing. Your attentiveness to what is going on in people. I hope you know just how much we love you. my life means so much! All my love, Student
Photo courtesy of Rich Unland Photography
THE VERITAS HOW TO KEEPArticle YOUR FAITH IN A NON-CHRISTIAN ENVIRONMENT by Brie Schlienz (‘20) March 8, 2019
Get involved with like-minded people. Make friends with people who have the same morals as you, who can hold you accountable for your actions. These friends don’t have to be Christian, but make sure you are influencing them and they’re not influencing you. At the same time, having Christian friends provides you with someone who can pray with and for you. Having a support system that has the same beliefs can help you remember that you are living this life for God, not anyone else.
Photo courtesy of Student Publications Whether you’re off to college in the fall or you’re going through another year of high school, navigating through your teen years isn’t easy; add onto that a struggling relationship with the Lord and it’s a recipe for a trying year. Attempting to balance your social life with homework and school is already very difficult; but when you are also trying to balance your relationship with God, the load seems too heavy to lift. Cultivating a healthy relationship with the Lord while going to a Christian school is pretty easy, but when you’re planted in an environment where you are not constantly being fed the Lord’s word by the Lord’s people, it’s easy to stray away from God and towards other relationships and possessions; homework, good grades, new friends, new adventures, new everything can become first priority and God becomes second. But in the end, He should be the number one priority in your life. Whether your non-christian environment is work, family, vacation, or school, there are easy ways to ensure that your relationship with the Lord stays strong.
HER OE S AN D V I L L A I N S
Article by Elaina Essig (‘20) Through Marvel movies and DC comics, superheroes and villains have been enjoyed by girls and boys alike. With Spring Spec’s theme of “Heroes vs. Villains,” shouldn’t we think of what makes a hero a hero and a villain a villain? Who decides? Can anyone who is admired be a hero? What if that person turns out to be evil at heart? The most powerful villains are those who pose as heroes. “Maybe I am a villain in your story, but I am a hero in mine” (Shon Mehta, The Timingila). Everyone believes that what they are doing is right and that they the hero of their own story, so where does one draw the line between good and evil? “Technically a hero and a villian can be the same person considering their point of view” (Audrey Mason, ‘20). Mr. Watson is extremely passionate about everything that he does, and when asked about Superheroes vs. Villains and why he chose this theme, he had a lot to say. “I think that the primary dif-
Get involved in the word. Whether it’s going to church, being part of a small group, or reading the Bible routinely, getting involved in the word is the greatest way to hold tight to your faith. The Bible presents the best and most truthful Truth you will ever find. Draw boundaries with your friends. Drawing your boundaries with your friends, Christian or not, makes sure they know your comfort zones. It’s okay to have friends who do things that you don’t want to partake in or who believe in different things; it’s healthy to have those friends, we need those friends. But they should never be friends who pressure you into doing something that is against your beliefs or that you are comfortable with. Take a moment to recognize the beauty of your surroundings. Every person, every tree, every cloud, every bird, every single thing you look at has been hand-crafted by God and it is glorious. Recognizing the beauty of the created world will allow you to see the beauty in everyday, and it oftentimes brings joy. Seeing God’s beauty in everything will open the door to you seeing the beauty, mercy, and love in God. If you see that all people are made in God’s image, you will be more understanding and more loving. Hold yourself accountable for your actions. As Christians, our lifestyle should reflect the Lord’s
ference between a hero and a villain is how they resolve conflict. Heroes have an outward focus on conflict, they want to resolve conflict for other people and take care of others. Villains have a self focus; when there is conflict, they seem to focus on themselves and focusing on fixing things for their own ideals.” Mr. Watson always puts lots of time and energy to picking out the setlist for Spring Spec, and this year was no different. “It was my intent in the show to highlight characters that demonstrate qualities that are both heroic and villainous and actually challenge us to think about the qualities that they have in both.”
Tiny News, Issue 3
love and glory. If we recognize that our actions have not been a reflection of the Lord, we have the ability to change ourselves and get onto a path where we can spread the Lord’s name through our actions, thoughts, and words. Be forgiving, be loving, be kind. We should constantly offer forgiveness to others and ourselves. God forgave us for things bigger than we could ever understand so offering forgiveness for the sins of our peers will put our heart at ease. Kindness should be offered to all people because it will get us so far both on Earth and in Heaven. Love should pour out of us like a flood. God loved us first so we should love ourselves and others. Go to God, not social media. As good as it feels to know that you have an audience to hear your pain, going to God with your feelings and/or problems will offer more of a solution than telling your Instagram followers about your problems. God can offer a much better solution than anyone on Instagram. Speak out about God’s glory. Whether it’s in the form of a discussion with a friend about Christianity, or telling someone about how you saw the Lord working in your day, or sharing your devotional with somebody, it’s important to speak out about the Lord’s glory. Pray constantly and consistently. As cheesy as it is, praying constantly and consistently will keep you in touch with the one person who will never forsake you and who will always love you. God is our most reliable source and he will always offer an ear to listen. There will be times when you want a response from someone that you can see and can hear an actual answer from but at times, we come across people who cannot trust. Whether you’re going to college or going on a trip or even staying at home, you’ll meet people who you cannot trust and that’s normal. But don’t feel alone because you’ll always have God to confide in.
Get your Spring Spec tickets online at covenantchristian.org/tickets or at the door!
Spring Spec will be something that you will not want to miss! You’ll hear numbers from Newsies, Tangled, Hercules, The Little Mermaid, Footloose, Hamilton, and more! Mr. Watson encourages everyone to look at the director’s notes at the end of the playbill as he has challenged everyone to look at superheroes and villains in a different light.
STUDE NT S H O U T-O U T
Student Publications reached out to the teachers, asking them to send us a paragraph about a student that they appreciate — one who they think deserves more recognition. Here’s what one had to say: “I have the pleasure of having Austin Anderson in two classes this year. My classes are not easy, but he always comes in with with a great attitude, a big smile on his face, and no whining. “He has a curious mind, works hard, and perseveres when the going gets tough, all qualities which I greatly value. And he always let’s me know that he has my back with his encouraging, ‘I got you, girl!’ What more could a teacher want?”