ALUMNI LANCE
[ HOME  ]    [ ALUMNI ]    [ CONTACT ]  

Shoreline Christian School Alumni Monthly E-Newsletter
June 25, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE...
Class of 2015


Congratulation to the fifteen seniors who on June, 15, 2015 became our newest alumni!
  
Our prayers are with you as you move on to the next chapter in your life!  

 


Weak and Fearful?

 

School's out and we are wrapping up this year. Weak and Fearful was NOT our theme for the year - it was Strong and Courageous. However so often that's how we feel - small, weak and afraid of what's ahead. 

 

Most mornings my prayer is for strength to make it through the day. Not because I'm disgruntled or unhappy - I love my job and family - it's because I know I can't do this on my own. 

 

As a Christian school, we can't do it on our own either. Two phone calls and a conversation yesterday reminded me yet again that God is still at work here.

 

Last week we emailed the Presidential Recap - it is a look back on this year at being Strong and Courageous. I encourage you to read it if you haven't already. 

 

It been a terrific year - to God be the Glory, 

 

        

Tassie DeMoney

Director of Development and Marketing


Featured Alumni:        
Submitted by Andrew Deelstra (Class of 2010)

I graduated from Shoreline Christian in 2010, 13 years after stepping into my grandma Roosendaal's kindergarten classroom for the first time.  Okay, it wasn't actually the first time, but it was the first time I was going there for school.  The rest of my years there (SCS, not kindergarten!) were a blessing, growing and learning with classmates in the broader context of the Shoreline Christian community.

 

In August of 2010, I left for Dordt College to study mechanical engineering.  I was nervous the preparation I received from going to a small high school would hinder me in completing what is a notoriously difficult program at Dordt.  My fears were soon alleviated when I realized that my first semester of physics was pretty much a review, the first math classes that I took simply reinforced and built upon what I had already learned, and that my engineering classes were fun, challenging, and led by professors who were invested in seeing their students succeed.  For me, Dordt was a perfect continuation of my time at Shoreline Christian - both schools are small enough that building community (both social and spiritual) comes naturally, but still offer a level of educational excellence that, in my opinion, is second to none.

 

Upon graduating from Dordt last year, I was offered two jobs in vastly different fields and had to make a decision that (I thought) would permanently lead me down one distinct career path.  The first option that I had was to stay at Dordt and work as an admissions counselor.  The second was to move back to Washington and work for the federal Bureau of Reclamation at the Grand Coulee Dam as a mechanical engineer.  After much prayer and many conversations with family, professors, and friends, I decided to go to Grand Coulee and participate in a two-year "engineering training program" that would offer me the opportunity to travel extensively and work in the various areas at the dam and other Reclamation offices.


Within the first nine months of working at Grand Coulee, though, every supervisor above me either left or shifted positions within the organization.  As a result, the training program lacked continuity in upper-level management support and many of the things that I was most excited about were altered or dropped completely.  I had hoped to participate in technically challenging projects, but much of what I did was very mundane and did not extensively utilize my engineering education.  I was frustrated, not only by my work, but also by the lack of a vibrant faith community in the area.  My plan was then to stay at Grand Coulee for the two years of the engineering training program, then move on from there.

 

In March of this year, however, I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from one of the admissions staff members at Dordt who was part of my interview process last year.  She mentioned that they were looking to hire new people in the office and encouraged me to again apply for a job as an admissions counselor.  I decided that, given the circumstances and the providential timing, I would at least submit an application and go from there

 

I was offered the job in early May and moved back to Iowa to start work on May 28.  It is great to be back in Iowa and to work at a job that is fulfilling and makes good use of my personality and social skills.  I do not regret my time at Grand Coulee and am very thankful that I could be close to home during that time, especially in the weeks surrounding Grandpa Roosendaal's death.  I am also glad to have a year of engineering experience under my belt in case I ever want to go back to grad school or to work as an engineer in the future.

 

Right now, work is fairly slow in the Dordt admissions office, but I'll be traveling extensively in the fall and spring to various high schools and college fairs to recruit students.  My territory includes Nebraska, Florida, and all of Canada, so if there are any SCS alumni in the area, please let me know and I'd love to meet up with you!  And, as a shameless plug, if you have friends, children, or friends' children who are interested in an awesome Christian college education and experience, send them my way. :)


 

      

Dennis Roosendaal Scholarship Recipient
The Dennis Roosendaal Scholarship recipient this year was Nicholas Bratt.  This scholarship was awarded to Nicholas, who demonstrated a servant's heart and a love of science and math.  He plans to earn a degree in biology or chemistry at Whitworth University in Spokane this fall.

Along with this Scholarship, Nicholas received several other awards on Honors Night this year, including the Biological Science Award, the Math Award, the Instrumental Award, WA State Honors Award, and the President's Award for Educational Excellence.  He was also chosen Student of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2014-2015, by the faculty of Shoreline Christian School, with the emphasis on academic excellence. 

Nicholas has been involved in numerous activities during the course of high school.  He was involved in Shiloh, drama, and piano for four years, and he was in National Honor Society and student council for three years.  

Presidential Campaign

We've  had great response to the Presidential Campaign. Thank you to all who have contributed! Our goal is $500,000 and so far we've raised $339,202. 

 

We still need your help! Please consider supporting the education and spiritual formation of the next generation so they too can be transforming influences in the world.

 


Memorial Garden Plaques
In celebration of our 60th anniversary, a space was created for stories - past and present - a memorial garden. 

Now we need stories!  You can tell your story on a plaque that will be attached to the faces of the benches.  Learn more here.


Featured Alumni Stories:
Each month we like to feature an Alumni in our newsletter.  This is a great way for alumni to re-connect. We would love to hear from you about where you are and what you are doing now.  Share your story with us.

Reunions and Homecoming

Are you planning a reunion this summer? We'd love to hear about it!

Class of 2005 - 10 Years
Class of 1995 - 20 Years
Class of 1985 - 30 Years
Class of 1975 - 40 Years
Class of 1965 - 50 Years

We are planning another Homecoming Celebration in December...more details to come! 

Save the Date!

The Presidential Gala is coming October 16th.

 

Gift Matching

Does your company have a matching gifts program? Boeing, Microsoft, and Expedia are just a few of the many companies that offer this benefit to their employees.  With a match you'll double your giving to the school! Check with your Human Resources Department to find out if your company's commitment to their community extends to donating money to non-profits.