Classic Features

Augustine Literacy Project

Our Restoration and Sustainability program is growing! This year, a group of Covenant Day students completed two months of training and a practicum to become Augustine Literacy Project tutors. The Augustine Literacy Project is a non-profit that trains tutors to use the Orton-Gillingham approach to improve the reading, writing, and spelling skills of students in need. Mrs. Caron Lye, Associate Director of Academic Resources at CDS and leader of the group, said that Covenant Day is the first school in the area to pilot the program.

With any new program, there are bumps along the way, and this was no different! Plans fell through with the first school due to COVID-19, but God opened the door for Covenant Day students to provide virtual tutoring two days a week with The Nest Academy, a tuition-free school that serves Charlotte’s immigrant and refugee community. While doing the sessions over Zoom has posed some challenges, everyone has come together to make it work. “Our first session was wild, exciting, and filled with tech glitches, but the girls were wonderful,” Mrs. Lye shared.

Teachers at The Nest Academy say that students benefit from the program because it reinforces the concepts they’re learning in class, plus they like hearing from a fun, friendly face! However, students at The Nest Academy aren’t the only ones benefitting. Emery Van Voorhis, a junior at CDS said, “I treasure my Tuesday and Thursday afternoons where I can meet with my student over Zoom. It is rewarding to watch her face light up with joy each time she tackles a new letter or a difficult word! I expected this program to be an opportunity to help someone else, but I have been blessed by this time more than I could have ever imagined.”

UNITE

Covenant Day’s UNITE group, a new student diversity group, kicked off its first year on campus in a big way by planning Black History Month. The group organized several activities, including selecting music from African American artists to be played for the daily bell change in the high school building, posters highlighting African Americans and their contributions to the world, special chapels and advisory groups, and an inaugural student-produced newsletter. UNITE exists to be a voice for cultural, racial, and ethnic inclusion and diversity at Covenant Day. “We believe that heaven will include all cultures, races, and ethnicities, and we want to emulate the diversity of God’s kingdom here at CDS,” members of the group shared. We look forward to seeing all the ways God uses this group!

The H. Brent McKnight Justice and Mercy Oratory Contest is a special annual tradition that honors the late U.S. District Judge H. Brent McKnight and his legacy. Judge McKnight, also a Covenant Day parent, highly valued the ability of young people to articulate what they believe. The biblical teachings of justice, mercy, and humility were foundational to Brent’s character and his work as a judge. Thus, Covenant Day formed the Justice and Mercy Oratory Contest in his memory.

Each year, students competing in the contest receive a prompt based on the theme verse Mrs. McKnight selected, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Students write a 3–5 minute speech in response to the prompt, which changes every year. The judges select a winner based on the content, originality, topic, and delivery of the speeches. This year, senior Nick Bash took home the top prize for his speech!

Mrs. McKnight shared that the contest not only honors her late husband, Brent, and his legacy, but also serves as an annual renewal of hope for her. “I leave the contest each year with hope that these future generations and these future leaders are thoughtful, passionate people who have the ability to apply biblical principles not only to their own lives but also to the challenges that face our world. For this reason, I wish more people would attend the contest. The speeches are worth hearing,” she said.

This year, Mrs. McKnight’s daughter-in-law, Hannah Silver McKnight, was one of the judges. Hannah is married to the youngest McKnight son, Samuel (‘16). They will attend graduate school at the University of St. Andrews in the fall. Mrs. McKnight’s oldest son, Brent (‘12), is married to Ashley and will graduate from Duke University School of Law in May. He will clerk for two federal judges after graduation. Her middle son, Matthew (‘14), recently left the Washington, D.C. staff of Senator Ben Sasse to complete a graduate degree in Theology at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He will attend Duke Law in the fall.

Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

A Decade of School Spirit

Whether it’s roller skates, a beach chair, streamers, or wrapping herself in Christmas lights, CDS lifer and president of the Covenant Crazies, senior Hallie Barnwell, has always gone all out with her school spirit! Some of her favorite costumes over the years include a three little pigs costume, a Greek goddess salad dressing outfit, season’s day when she brought a beach bag and used a beach chair in class, roller skates for ‘80s day, and a Christmas costume where she wrapped herself in lights and plugged them in during each class. Hallie’s school spirit is so much a part of her story that she wrote her college essay about the time she wore roller skates to school for spirit week. It must have worked because she got into her college of choice!

In addition to being the president of the Covenant Crazies and organizer of all things school spirit, Hallie was also a cheerleader and involved in the theater program. Over the years, she’s participated in eight musicals. After performing in her first musical in sixth grade, Hallie was hooked, but the praise dance group in lower school is where she says her love of dance and the arts first bloomed.

Looking back, Hallie shared what makes Covenant Day special is the small environment. She said since it’s a smaller school, it’s easier to get the whole grade involved in different activities such as pep rallies. Hallie has also enjoyed the opportunity to give back by working with younger students through the Little Lions cheerleading program. In the future, Hallie would like to combine her love of theater and kids with a career in the arts where she can use theater to teach kids about God. Wherever the Lord leads Hallie, her Covenant Day family will be cheering her on! Next year, Hallie will attend Samford University where she will be a cheerleader and study theater for youth.

LS PE with COACH PELC

The primary purpose of lower school PE? Joy! Coach Pelc, our lower school PE teacher, believes that kids should learn through play. He accomplishes this by focusing on major motor skills and team sports. But it’s not all fun and games. “I think the tension between joy and stress is hard in education; we don’t just care that the kids are happy. They may not like all sports, but we really focus on what can get them playing confidently,” he said. “ That may be myself participating with them or simplifying the rules, but we don’t regularly do easy, cute activities. We push our students to sacrifice, push their bodies, finish, compete, and sometimes they would say ‘suffer’ through things!” The hope is that by the time students enter middle school, they’ve had a small taste of every team sport Covenant Day offers.

Coach Pelc also serves as the programs director for Camp Lion and coaches varsity football and middle school lacrosse. When he’s not at Covenant Day, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, Leo.

MS PE with COACH PARRISH

Practical–yet comprehensive–is what it’s all about in middle school PE. Coach Parrish uses a mix of Fitness for Life curriculum, strength work using a block-zero program, and Rick Howard’s Catch-22 - Why Fundamental Motor Skills Are So Important, to create a holistic approach to the development and growth of students. He is certified in strength and conditioning, and even started the first weight room at Covenant Day years ago!

Coach Parrish has been a coach for more than 30 years, including 13 years with Covenant Day’s varsity track team and six years with the middle school cross country program. His favorite part of coaching is being a part of the daily adventures of a middle school student. “I love the relationship,” he shared. “Every day is something new.” He also believes that play and sport are a form of worship and enjoys sharing that truth with students. In his spare time, Coach Parrish enjoys reading, studying, learning to cook, and spending time with his children.

Imagine not having adequate shoes to run, play, and participate in sports. Iffy and Eseosa, two students in Covenant Day’s International Program, knew what this was like back home in Nigeria, but that all changed when they received new shoes through Access to Success (A2S), a local non-profit.

“Getting shoes that day was the highlight of my week,” Iffy remembered. “I was so excited and happy and could not wait to start using them. The feeling of getting shoes like the ones I received was unexplainable. I had never gotten shoes like that in my life. That was a turning point for me. I started playing basketball and got involved in the Access to Success After School Academy.”

This year, during our annual Lower School Missions Week, Iffy and Eseosa had the chance to give back by organizing a shoe drive with A2S. With the help of our entire school community, over 500 pairs of shoes, more than half of which were brand new, were collected. Students also wrote letters with pictures and notes of encouragement.

The shoes and letters will make their way to children in Nigeria this summer! Tiffany Wilkinson of A2S said, “We have no way of knowing how these shoes and letters will impact the lives of those in Nigeria, but I know that it will change their lives for the better. They will share smiles, inspire hope, and empower dreams.”

Spreading Hope Through Shoes

The People Behind the Programs

Behind every program at Covenant Day are teachers and staff who, through their passions and commitment to Christ-centered learning, have spearheaded dozens of programs over the decades that have made lasting impacts on thousands of students.

Learning a new language can be a daunting task, but Mrs. Gesin’s lower school students are always eager and ready to learn. She says as soon as her students come in, they ask with a twinkle in their eyes, “What are we doing today?” That’s because Mrs. Gesin incorporates what she calls “fun factors” into every lesson! Puppets, crafts, and even things from nature like insects are just a few examples of how Mrs. Gesin uses hands-on learning to make Spanish fun and engaging. Mrs. Gesin loves being part of a team of educators who all have the same goal. “I believe our goal to serve Him, educate the minds and reach the hearts of our students brings us closer together as educators,” she shared. “It is a joy to serve together.” In her spare time, Mrs. Gesin enjoys spending time with her family, laughing, playing games, and being a grandmother for the first time! This summer will be her 15th summer working as a camp nurse in Liberty Corner, N.J., the same summer camp where she met her husband 38 years ago.

Jackie Gesin, LS Spanish Teacher

Mr. Hunter, a native of Charlotte, joined the Covenant Day community two years ago as a Bible teacher in the high school with a passion for helping students see Jesus Christ from all the Scriptures. You also might catch him playing piano for school musicals, choir, or student vocal auditions. His favorite part about teaching is engaging with students. He also loves the great camaraderie he shares among fellow teachers. “I believe the CDS community beautifully weds academic excellence and loving, Christian community,” he said. “I’ve been impressed by the quality of our teachers and the maturity of our students.” Mr. Hunter, his wife, Caitlyn, and their two daughters love spending time outside at parks and playgrounds. His family has a “Mission Im’parks’ible” to explore every park in the Charlotte area. They also enjoy family singalongs and belting out their favorite Disney tunes. Mr. Hunter loves to compose piano music, write and arranges hymns and psalms, and pour-over coffee. William Hunter, HS Bible Teacher

After 16 years as a middle school life science teacher at Covenant Day, one thing is for sure: Mrs. Wasielewski has never been bored! She says the middle school at Covenant Day is unique because of the strong community of faculty and staff. “We laugh a lot both together and at each other, and that camaraderie and purposeful relationship-building spill over into our classrooms,” she shared. “We do a lot of learning but know how to have fun while doing it. Relationships with our students are the key to our success.” While students work on exciting projects in her science and CREATE classes, the number one biblical conversation is around how to work in groups and with other people. “We talk about how God wants us to interact with each other and how we all bring different gifts and talents to the table,” she said.

Mrs. Wasielewski also serves as the MS Science Department Chair, MS Windy Gap Retreat Committee Chair, and CREATE elective teacher for sixth grade. Mrs. Wasielewski, her husband, and three children will soon embark on a new adventure, but we are grateful for her years of service, laughs, and learning along the way!

Doreen Donnelly, HS Administrative Assistant A lot can change in twenty years, and Mrs. Donnelly has been here to witness it all, both as a parent and an employee. She started working at Covenant Day as the “all-school receptionist” when the school only went through middle school. After seven years, she moved to the high school administrative assistant position and has been at it for the past 13 years. Mrs. Donnelly loves working in the high school because it’s never boring! She loves the energy that teenagers bring and getting a birds-eye view to watch them grow over the years. When she’s not at school, Mrs. Donnelly loves visiting her grandchildren, planting flowers, organizing closets, and reading. In her free time, she also enjoys walking, bike riding, cooking, and eating! She is also passionate about ministering to younger women through conversation, listening, and giving encouragement. Whether through phone calls, texts, or over lunch, she desires to help by praying for them, touching base, and hopefully leading younger women to bring their burdens to the Lord.

When she looks back on her first year of teaching, Mrs. Bell will have a memorable story to share. Not only has it been a unique year, but because she was an assistant in first grade last year, Mrs. Bell had the chance to “move up” to second grade with some of her former students. “I love that in my first year of teaching, I can say that I’ve walked with these kiddos into second grade together,” she said. Mrs. Bell grew up in a Christian school, and because of that impact on her life, she always knew she wanted to be part of that experience for others. “I love seeing my students light up when they make connections about the world around them and can see our Creator’s hand in it all,” she shared. “Walking onto campus every morning, I thank God that I can be part of His kingdom work - doing what I love!” In her free time, she enjoys exploring Charlotte, trying new restaurants, going on walks with her husband and dog, enjoying the sun, going on coffee runs, shopping, and cooking. Mrs. Bell and her husband are passionate about supporting church plants and ministries, particularly those geared toward students and young adults. One thing Nanci won’t be doing in her spare time: riding a bike! She shared that she never learned how to ride a bike, which her students think is hilarious! Nanci Bell, 2nd Grade Teacher

Mr. Broadus loves people, and it shows! Living life side-by-side, growing, learning, and teaching students is what drives him. His heart for middle school grew out of his experience in middle school when he became a Christian and made lifelong friends at a Christian school. He hopes to help students during the sometimes awkward and challenging years of middle school to not only grow and learn but to enjoy as well! Although he’s only been at Covenant Day a short time, he’s already made a big impact. After moving from Ohio earlier this year, he shared that the Covenant Day community helped make the transition easier. “My favorite thing about working at the middle school has been my coworkers,” he said. “In addition to my coworkers, the students make working in the middle school exciting. Every day is an adventure that enriches my life. They keep me on my toes, and I never leave a class period without at least a couple of good laughs.” A true Renaissance man, in high school, Mr. Broadus bowled, played soccer and basketball, participated in plays, musicals, school government, the improv team, and the marching and symphonic band where he played the sousaphone/tuba. Today, he enjoys a good board game, deep conversations with his wife, movies, plays, and visiting museums, zoos, and aquariums. He still loves bowling and said if anyone is interested in putting together a bowling club, he’s ready to help coach and hit the lanes!