Newsletters Highlight Covenant Youth Achievements

Christie Clark, an incoming junior at Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa, was part of the Tulsa Volleyball Club, champions of the 17-and-under gold division in the USA Junior Olympic Volleyball Championships in Sandy, Utah. Clark's team won the 64-team tourney by defeating a team from Memphis, Tennessee, in the finals. The team was seeded 60th heading into the tourney and won 11 of 12 matches in Sandy, a suburb of Salt Lake City.

A 6-foot-2 inch middle blocker, Christie has been playing club volleyball for three years. The 16-year-old has played varsity volleyball for two years at Cascia Hall and her teams won the state title both years.

Meanwhile, in the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs, Colorado, John Clark was competing with 47 other seniors-to-be at a four-team tourney. The 6-foot-7 inch forward played for the South team, which won the tournament. John is also at Cascia Hall and is considering playing basketball in college. He was an All-Conference and All-City pick last winter.

John and Christie's parents, Bill and Laurie, traveled to both tourneys. Bill, pastor at Redeemer Covenant Church in Tulsa, said that both events were eye opening. "It's a rewarding feeling to have watched the kids prepare themselves so hard," he said. "It was fun to see them have success - I'm proud of them. They've given up a lot and have dedicated themselves to personal excellence. It was something for John to go from medium-sized basketball in Oklahoma to playing against NBA prospects. It was amazing."

Numerous other Covenant youth people also have accomplished themselves in recent months, according to reports gleaned from more than 200 church newsletters received each month by the Department of Communication. Listed by conference, they include:

CENTRAL

• Chicago, Illinois: Aaron Kletzing of Ravenswood Covenant Church and Northside College Prep High School was accepted into the U.S. Military Academy (Army) in West Point, New York, following a three-year baseball career that included more than 20 wins as a pitcher. Kletzing, who also competed in varsity cross country and basketball during his high school career, earned All-Conference and All-Area honors in baseball while becoming an honor student in the classroom.
• Crest Hill, Illinois: Church of the Redeemer high school seniors shone brightly at Plainfield High School and in church activities. Meagan Peck, a National Honor Society member, won Best of Show for her artwork at her school district's annual Art Showcase. She also played two sports in high school and was honored by a number of organizations for her academic and leadership skills. She will attend the University of Iowa. Erin Spika earned honors in basketball and soccer while in high school and will play soccer at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. Connie Barnard was a National Honor Society member while competing in soccer and playing in various bands at the school, specializing in the flute. She plans on attending North Park University in Chicago. Another future North Park student, Diane Slaga, was a youth group leader and student representative on the church's Christian Education board while volunteering in the community.
• Moline, Illinois: Elim Covenant Church student Ben Jacobi received a Number One Superior Rating at the Illinois High School Association band contest for his marimba solo. Meanwhile, Maggie Wiborg was honored by the Moline Chamber of Commerce for her academic work (she was in the top 10 of her class) and Molly Yoeckel was given a fine arts award for her efforts in the school orchestra. At First Covenant Church in Moline, David Krismantis was given an academic scholarship from the local Chamber of Commerce for being in the top 10 of his junior class. And Hannah Peterson was crowned prom queen on prom night at United Township High in East Moline.
• Mount Prospect, Illinois: Northwest Covenant Church student Anna Peterson was valedictorian of her class at Prospect High School and received a number of academic honors, including National Honor Society. She was also a finalist for the National Merit Scholar program and was an Illinois State Scholar. A two-sport athlete in high school, Peterson was also on yearbook staff and played a leadership role in the school's morals program.
• Stambaugh, Michigan: Grace Covenant Church teens Brandon Hakari, Krista Kindwall and Kyle Fish were all named to the National Honor society at their respective high schools.

EAST COAST

• Attleboro, Massachusetts: Attleboro Covenant Church high school graduates made their mark in three different high schools. Mansfield High's Edmund Richardson, a two-sport athlete in high school, will attend North Park University. From Attleboro High, Amy Botelho was editor of her school's newspaper, among other things. She will attend Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Rebecca Tucker was involved in band and chorus - she will attend the Community College of Rhode Island. Meghan Howard, a National Honor Society member and president of the Music Honor Society, is headed to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. And Emily MacPherson, a National Honor Society member, was involved in music and drama at her school. She will attend the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. From North Attleboro High, Caitlin VanDeGiesen was vice president of student government and played three sports while participating in other leadership opportunities. She will attend James Madison University in Virginia. James LeBlanc also played three sports and was in various organizations. He will attend college at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth campus. And Justin Jackson, a baseball and football player and student leader in high school will attend Community College of Rhode Island.
• West Peabody, Massachusetts: Community Covenant Church student Chris Nihan won a blue ribbon at a local science fair for building a motor with magnets and batteries that conserved energy. Nihan attends Burke School in West Peabody, as does Zack Stammer, another award winner at the science fair. Stammer won first prize for developing a model for bee heat - a process of setting up a beehive and pumping the heat made by bees from the hive into a home.
• Bowie, Maryland: Church of the Redeemer student Peter Nilson was a co-captain for Team Maryland, which competed in the 2002 Panasonic Academic Challenge at Disney's Contemporary Resort Convention Center in Lake Buena, Florida, June 22-25. Team members are asked questions from the areas of mathematics, science, language arts, social studies, the fine arts, foreign language and technology. Questions are written by educators from high schools and colleges throughout the nation. Team Maryland won first prize and all six members of the team earned $2,500 scholarships and other prizes. Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company funded the scholarships. Nilson was valedictorian at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt. He will attend Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, this fall.
• Bedford, New Hampshire: Bethany Covenant Church students were busy during the school year, including 21 high school graduates. Gregor Appareti of Methuen High School will head to Western New England College in Springfield, Massachusetts, after earning first-team All-Area honors in soccer. Ethan Burns of Goffstown High was named to the National Honor Society and will head to the University of New Hampshire. Goffstown High classmate Taylor Groves also made the National Honor Society and will be attending Penn State University. Concord Christian School graduate Benjamin Douglas Wyman (vice president of the student body) made the National Honor Society and earned a scholarship to Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. Brett Seastedt of Timberlake High was a National Honor Society member and starred in wrestling and football during high school, winning the state wrestling title at the 171-pound weight class and earning a spot on the New Hampshire senior All-Star team in football. He will attend the University of New Hampshire. Nine students from Bethany Covenant graduated from Manchester High-West. Among them was valedictorian Meghan Laura Doherty, a National Honor Society member who will attend Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee; Rebecca Tarsa, a National Honor Society and National Choral Award honoree who is attending American University in Washington, D.C.; and Tyler Aspinwall Clark, a National Art Honors Society and National Honor Society member who will attend the University of Vermont.
• East Greenwich, Rhode Island: Christ Church student Brent Mancuso was selected by the Christian Student Athlete Association as a second team All-America competitor in recognition of his impact on his peers for Christ through his achievements in sports, academics and servant leadership. Among other things, Mancuso was a state qualifier in the 45-meter dash at the state indoor high school track meet this winter while competing for North Kingstown High School.

ECCAK

• Eagle River, Alaska: Community Covenant Church student Eddie Jackson was named to the Who's Who of American High School students. Jackson attends Chugiac High School in Eagle River is involved in the school's ROTC program.

GREAT LAKES

• Grand Rapids, Michigan: Elizabeth Stone of First Evangelical Covenant Church in Grand Rapids was at the USA Disability Swim Championship in Federal Way, Washington, June 13-15, and the 12-year-old swam in eight events, qualifying for the finals in seven of them. She was second in the 1,500-meter freestyle event and established a new American record with a clocking of 25 minutes, 24.2 seconds. Elizabeth was born with Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency - her femur is extremely short - and she had four surgeries to correct the situation. Her mother, Linda, stated that it is similar to being an above-knee amputee. Adopted from Russia, Elizabeth began competing in swimming at age nine. She has been competing against kids with no disabilities for years, which has given her an edge when she swims against people in the same category she is in. A week after competing in Washington, she won seven first-place medals in the Junior Wheelchair Championships in New London, Connecticut.
• Traverse City, Michigan: West Bay Covenant Church student Amber Hansen of Traverse City Christian School was a member of the Inside-Out North 14-and-under girls volleyball team that captured the Michigan State Amateur Athletic Union championship in the silver division. The coach of the team was her father, Russ Hansen.
• Jamestown, New York: John Cross of Zion Covenant Church recently was honored for his efforts at a band competition in Toronto while competing for Cassadaga High School.

MIDWEST

• Clyde, Kansas: Brantford Covenant Church student Valerie Brax won the title of Washington County Junior Miss recently, winning the physical fitness and poise categories. Brax will compete at the state competition next March. Another youth group member, Erin Carlson, was co-valedictorian of Clifton-Clyde High School and was honored at the Governor's Scholars Award Program in May for being in the top one percent academically in Kansas.

NORTHWEST

• Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethlehem Covenant Church student Sam Seely beautified his church by planting a peace garden at the playground area for his Eagle Scout project. Seely, a student at South High School in Minneapolis, also helps at the church's childcare center.
• Richfield, Minnesota: Bethany Covenant Church student Erick Abramson of Richfield High School captained his high school football and basketball teams while serving as student government president. He also organized the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle. Abramson will attend the University of Minnesota. Ruth Johnson of South High School will attend North Park University after using her gifts in technical theater in high school. Two others from youth group will attend North Park. Meghan Kelly graduated from Irondale High School in New Brighton and was active in the school band (trumpet), and Heather Sowl graduated from Richfield High, where she was a member of the National Honor Society and a captain of the cheerleading squad.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST

• Hilmar, California: Eleven Hilmar Covenant Church students graduated from nearby Hilmar High School this year. Erin Ahlem graduated as salutatorian and will attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo this fall. Michael Donohue received the Governor's Scholar Award and will attend the University of California-Santa Cruz. Meanwhile, Brian Garrett received the Merced County 4-H scholarship. He will attend California State University-Stanislaus.

To find out more about youth and teens in the denomination, regularly visit the denomination's web site at www.covchurch.org or subscribe to the free Covenant Newswire service - information will be found near the top of the home page.

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