ALUMNI
The Messick Family Continues Their Legacy
“He, who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it …..” Philippians 1:6 In 1953, Walter Parks Messick Sr. and Nellie Messick moved from North Carolina to Mt. Dora, FL to fulfill a promise they had made to God. This promise was to give their son, Parks, a Christian education. Parks was immediately enrolled in Christian Home and Bible School, where he remained until graduating in 1965. Parks played basketball for Coach Cletus Stutzman, who was a huge part of his life. During this time, his father, Parks Sr. worked at the school from 1957-1973, serving as Campus Supervisor and as a member of the Board of Directors for 16 years, during one of the largest expansion efforts at the time. He worked on the construction of some of the original buildings and did grounds work. Mr. Messick constructed five of the buildings that are on campus today. He began to plant trees and plants to beautify the campus.
were able to transform our campus into a beautiful and serene garden-like learning environment. This commitment is an ongoing mission, and I give God the credit for all that has been accomplished and will be in the future." - Parks M. Parks later started his own business of landscape and irrigation, but has always continued to help on campus with landscape designs and irrigation. To this day, his family has been proud to see him working when they pass him on the sidewalk, and now his grandkids get to do the same.
Carissa (Messick) Kessinger began attending CH&BS in kindergarten and graduated in 1996. She met, and later married, her high school sweetheart, Ryan Kessinger, a 1995 graduate of CH&BS. They have four children who all attend MDCA. Their oldest son, Riley just graduated in May 2021. Their other children include Colby (9th grade), Carlyn (6th Parks and his wife, Jan, returned to CH&BS from Sarasota, FL grade), and Brayden (3rd grade). "We wanted to have our in 1979 with two-year-old Carissa. Emily and David were born own children attend the school because this is our home. shortly after the move. They lived in an apartment on campus We know the sacrifice it took my grandparents, parents, and before moving into a house on 12th Ave. Ryan's parents to put us through school here and we wanted to raise our own kids in the same type of experiences and "We made the decision to continue our family legacy of atmosphere. Ryan and I decided to do whatever it takes to Christian education for our children. I had a dream of making keep them at school here. The family legacy is so special, but the campus look like a beautiful garden under all those their Christian walk with Christ is the ultimate goal. Having whispering pine trees, so I began making the changes that I Christian examples in teachers is the best thing we can wish could while employed at the school from 1979-1981." for them." - Carissa K. - Parks M. Emily (Messick) Mabry, graduated from CH&BS in 1999. Emily Parks has always done all of the landscaping design on campus and her husband, Jason, have two children at MDCA, CJ (9th) and has also served some years on the Board of Directors as and Hunter (7th). Emily has worked at MDCA for the past 10 well as the P-T-A president for several years while his children years as a lead VPK teacher. were in school. "I LOVE my job. I love working with the kids and getting to know their families and building relationships with them. "Between 1990–2003, it was my honor to serve on the school's Board of Directors. The school experienced another growth period and through the help of many beneficiaries, we
Walter Parks Messick, Sr at a board meeting
15 | Imagine · Fall 2021
Parks, Class of 1965
Cletus Stutzman and W. Parks Messick Jr. looking over the plans for a new entrance to the school.
Ryan, Class of 1995
Carissa, Class of 1996
