From 2009 Wings, Arrowhead Christian Academy (Redlands, Calif.; Crystal Kazmierski, adviser)
Through fellowship and caring, Teachers and students get down to what really matters
The Last Letter band members pray with Nick Sellars on February 3 after they performed praise songs with a hard-core twist. The band invited students to stay after chapel if they wanted prayer. Mackenzie Photo: Mike Shaw Mills and Natalia Van Damme meet with Colleen Langley on March 20 for a discipleship group on Friday mornings. “We read a psalm and a proverb, pick our favorite verse, share our prayer requests, and pray,” Mills said. Photo: Kalie Stier
Lillie Daniels walked into Scott Blakey’s Bible class. “Mr. Blakey, I have a question,” Daniels said. “In Brit Lit, we were talking about whether or not babies go to heaven. Where was that verse you told us about earlier? I couldn’t find it, and I looked the whole period.” Blakey calmly answered the question, and then a hand shot up. Soon, it was 12:12, and the bell was about to ring for lunch. The period had been filled with questions and confessions from the class rather than the planned lesson. But it didn’t matter because Blakey knew what was important to spiritual growth. “A lot of people take [going to a Christian school] for granted,” Sharon Durant said. “I like the fact that I know people here are Christians, and I can talk to them about my faith. I can see different viewpoints than my family’s when I talk to my friends, and I grow deeper [in my faith].” “Romans 10:9-10 is our [tennis] team verse,” Caleb Light said. “We brought it back this year and put it on our sweatshirts. After [Willie] Guida left, the team wasn’t going to do it anymore. I felt that the things Guida instilled in us were important and got us further. Cody [Loreman] and I talked to our coach, and we still have to memorize it.” “ASB is so close,” Renee Owens said. “Every month we have a class period devoted to prayer requests and talking about what’s going on in our personal lives. We are like a family, and people just let stuff out. [Merea] Price encourages and prays for us. Everyone prays for each other.” “I feel both blessed and sheltered,” Tim Hooyenga said. “At times when we need spiritual help and guidance, there are teachers there.” The last day of Spiritual Emphasis Week, February 27, was evidence of this. Teachers and students had times of fellowship and prayer for each other. Dennis Henry sacrificed ASB members pray before the homecoming pep rally on October 15 minutes of his class period to pray with students after 24. In addition to prayer, the chapel was dismissed. He knew the significance prayer has in a members had weekly devotionals student’s life. as part of their class discussions. Photo: Chloe Sheppard Rebecca Tierce had tears streaming down her face. She was going to move to a different city, and someone found out, even though it was supposed to be secret. Joanna Sowell sat next to her, with her Bible open, reading Scripture to console Tierce. Sowell did not need to have the right words, because God’s Word was enough. The two were late to class, but Sowell knew comforting her friend was more important than a tardy.
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Sam Blakey leads chapel on December 19, with the help of Kim Carter’s voice and Joe Burgess on bass guitar. Blakey led chapels during Spiritual Emphasis Week as well. “These chapels have been speaking of a call to be better, not just altar calls or cliché Bible lessons. They’re stretching us,” Sharon Durant said. Photo: Matt Westerfield
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Coverage begins at the school gates
What encompasses student life coverage is an ongoing discussion — and has been for decades. Students, advisers, judges and those writing the standards define the possibilities, most with a hint of flexibility. Regardless of what actually appears or how it appears, well-rounded coverage reflects the diversity of the school and is personalized with storytelling photos and meaningful quotes. Fresh coverage gives readers a complete overview of the entire year, including both special events and everyday life in and out of school. Coverage includes topics in school, out of school and a depiction of a perspective on the students’ social life as well as of their perspective on the world. 2 • Communication: Journalism Education Today
Spring 2010