Alumni News & Class Notes

Here from the Beginning

Six children and twenty-three years later, the Roberts family would do it all over again! Mrs. Mary Roberts and her husband, Mr. Tim Roberts, long-time Christ Covenant members, first learned about Covenant Day in the ‘80s when plans to start a Christian school took shape, and parents had to camp out in the gym to turn in their application! Mrs. Roberts said, “We were excited that the type of education we desired was right here on our church campus.” She served on the school board in the early ‘90s and Mr. Roberts as an elder at Christ Covenant. Between school and church, the Roberts family spent a lot of time on campus. So much so that there was a running joke that they should pitch a tent on campus!

It took 23 years, but all six of the Roberts children were lifers at Covenant Day. The oldest, Mark (‘08), began kindergarten at Covenant Day in 1994. Mary Frances started the year after in 1995 (‘08). Brad (‘11) started three years later in 1998. Carol Ann (‘13), Palmer (‘15), and Virginia Kay (‘17) each followed two years after the other, with Virginia Kay ending the Roberts legacy when she walked across the stage in 2017!

Mrs. Roberts said that one of her favorite memories was driving her children and their classmates on field trips. She said having a teal 12 passenger van came in handy! She enjoyed getting to know her children’s teachers, friends, and friends’ parents. Many of those relationships formed years ago have stood the test of time. “I love the people at CDS,” she said. “Many of them are the teachers and staff that I grew to love when they taught and cared for my children many years ago.”

When Mrs. Roberts youngest was in high school, she began substituting in the Covenant Day offices. Today, she covers lunches for two of our administrative assistants and works as the afternoon lower school receptionist. She said she’s blessed that she didn’t have to go through the CDS withdrawal after her last child graduated.

So, what are the Roberts children up to now? Mark got a business degree from Montreat College and now works in Asheville for Goodwill Corp. He also works part time in marketing for Carolina Mornings, a cabin rental company. Mary Frances graduated from Covenant College and worked for several years as a child life specialist before becoming a stay-at-home mom to Eden (2) and John (6 months). Bradley received a biblical and theological degree from Covenant College. He is the youth director at Fairview Christian Fellowship (PCA) in Fairview, NC, and is finishing his Masters of Divinity degree at RTS in Charlotte part-time. Carol Ann graduated from Covenant College and is the CEO of Choices Pregnancy Resource Center Chattanooga, TN. She also began XO Events & Design, a wedding and event planning company, and has started a part-time role as an account representative for Canaan Group and Associates. Palmer graduated from Liberty University and is commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force through the ROTC program. He is currently at Vance AFB, OK, learning to fly in their Undergraduate Pilot Training. Virginia Kay is a senior at Covenant College studying business and sociology. She is an intern for Signal Energy Constructors in their human resources department and anticipates a full-time position upon graduation. She also works with Carol Ann at XO Events & Design.

Even though the Roberts family are now spread out across the country; they still try to make time to get together. When they do, they enjoy board and card games, outdoor activities, and playing with the new little ones. On reflecting over their 23 years at Covenant Day, Mrs. Roberts said, “We are very thankful for God blessing our family with a rich theology that was woven into the academics, extracurriculars, and our church life. God is good!”

ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

Submit your class notes online at www.covenantday.org/alumni.

’06 Lindsay (Holden) Herrington and her husband welcomed their first baby, Graham Matthew, into the world on February 2.

’07 Caroline (Farish) Pickens, and her husband, Ryan, welcomed their third son and brother Hudson James on October 7.

’07 Daniel Martin married Austin Brown on January 23 in Mint Hill. The couple resides in Blue Bell, PA.

’08 Joe Holden married Bailey Glenn in September. The couple lives in Charlotte.

’08 Heather Leonall was engaged to Steven Melcher on December 12. They are planning a June wedding.

’09 John Kempf and his wife Emily welcomed their first child, Ellie Merritt, on February 10.

’10 Kayla (Osterhus) Cherry and her husband welcomed their baby girl, Ainsley Rose, on January 7. ’10 Lauren (Villarreal) Sloan and her husband welcomed their baby, Isabel Brittle, on November 27.

’10 Sarah (Leonall) Palacio and her husband welcomed their baby boy, Jonathan Chase, on November 13.

’10 Hayes Wilkerson is engaged to Caroline Lewis. They are planning a September wedding in Raleigh and will reside in Charlotte.

’11 Rosalyne (Wier) Arceneaux and her husband welcomed their baby boy, William Garrett, on November 20. Older brother, Rowan Joseph, is two years old.

’11 Josh Glover and his wife Sarah welcomed their baby girl, Lyndon James, on March 31.

’11 David Loman started his own fitness coaching business, Loman Health LLC.

’12 Rachel Blong is engaged to Cameron Williams. The couple is planning a May 2022 wedding. ’12 Nancy Pendleton was awarded Teacher of the Year at her high school for 2020-2021.

’12 Caleb Porter and Rebekah Rosser are engaged and are planning a December wedding in Charleston, SC. Caleb is working at LPL Financial as an associate service consultant, and Rebekah is working for US Bank as an RCA officer in anti-money laundering. Rebekah is also pursuing a graduate degree in investigations.

’13 Lauren Andersen authored a peerreviewed article titled “Analyzing the Spatial Determinants of Local COVID-19 Transmission in the United States” with colleagues and students from Appalachian State that was published in the scientific journal Science of the Total Environment.

’15 Gracie (Groves) Greer married Garrett Greer on March 20. The couple resides in Alabama where Gracie is an RN at The Children’s Hospital of Alabama.

’15 Caroline (McKissick) McDonald married Zach McDonald on April 2. The couple lives in Lakeland, Florida.

’15 Caroline Stroud is engaged to Seth Nelson.

Herrington ‘06 Pickens ‘07 Martin ‘07 Holden ‘08 Leonall ‘08 Kempf ‘09

Cherry ‘10 Sloan ‘10 Palacio ‘10 Wilkerson ‘10 Arceneaux ‘11 Glover ‘11 Loman ‘11

’15 Leah Wright became the youngest ultra-high net worth manager in Vanguard history with her recent promotion, leading a team of skilled relationship managers.

’16 Jessica Boyce traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, where she worked as an EMT volunteer and lived with the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity for a month. This medical mission trip was with an organization of volunteer healthcare professionals who helped with critical healthcare needs due to COVID-19.

’16 Cameron Echols is engaged to Tyler Trant. The couple met in Australia, and they are planning a summer 2022 wedding in the OBX. Cameron is an account executive at Mix+Shine Marketing & PR and lives in Destin, FL.

’16 Cameron Waters is engaged to Jacob Willis and they are planning a November wedding. The couple will live in Greenville, SC. ’17 Brooke Akers is engaged to Eli Wolf. They are planning a September wedding in Alabama. After graduation, Brooke will work with All Things Ministries, and the couple will reside in Auburn, AL.

’17 Sarah Billiard was recognized by the University of Virginia for achieving her 1,000th kill in her collegiate volleyball career. She will continue her volleyball career at UNC Wilmington for graduate school this fall.

’17 Hannah Joye is engaged to Sam Fletcher. They are planning an August wedding in Charleston, SC, and will reside in Charlotte.

’17 Nathan Sharrett is engaged to Katie Cochran, and they are planning a December wedding in Ohio. Nathan was named the Crossroads League Player of the Week for Indiana Wesleyan University Soccer. ’17 Katherine (Stroud) Carter married Jacob Carter on January 2, 2021. The couple is living in Mooresville, NC.

’17 Joel Thomas was elected the student body vice president at Liberty University. His achievements include creating new diversity initiatives, starting cultural intelligence training for executive leadership, and advocating for mental health initiatives.

’18 Elizabeth Bryan and Davis Swann were engaged at Chapel Hill and are planning a 2022 wedding. They plan to remain in Chapel Hill after the wedding.

’18 Sophie Lindner competed in the Division 1 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in March 2021. She was awarded two relay first team AllAmerica titles (7th and 8th) and two relay honorable mention All-America titles. Sophie also placed 13th in both the 100m and 200m backstroke, earning individual honorable mention All-America titles.

Wright ‘15 Boyce ‘16 Echols ‘16 Waters ‘16 Akers ‘17 Billiard ‘17

Joye ‘17 Sharrett ‘17 Carter ‘17 Thomas ‘17 Bryan & Swann ‘18 Lindner ‘18

Sara Carter (12)

Nick Bash (12) Madelyn Bradley (10)

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