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Student Artist Highlights Covenant Youth Activities
NAUGATUCK, CT (July 6, 2004) - Sarah Cave of Hillside Covenant Church recently
earned a Gold Portfolio Award for excellence in visual studio arts
during the Connecticut Scholastic Art Competition.
A senior at Westover School in Middlebury, Cave studies under the
guidance of Michael Gallagher and Zach Lyttle. Her work was among more
than 2,000 submitted in 18 categories at the event, which was
co-sponsored by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards of 2004 and the
Connecticut Art Education Association. Cave's submission will also be
judged at a national competition later this year.
Cave is among many Covenant youth, teens and young adults who have been
busy in recent weeks. Other updates on Covenanters are being divided by
conference and region as much of the information came from various
church newsletters from more than 250 congregations throughout the
denomination.
CENTRAL
- Chicago, Illinois: Ravenswood Evangelical Covenant Church's Anna
Erickson, Christian Lennard, Kelsey Hodgkinson, Axel Erickson, Krista
Koeller, Elin Erickson, Nicole Westlind and Annie Tran were members of
the cast of "Annie," a play held by Peterson School recently. Hodgkinson
was first in the city for her age group in the mile competition as her
team won team honors. Elin Erickson's soccer team won a championship in
her age group also. At the high-school level, Meghan Hodgkinson, a
softball and volleyball player at Von Steuben High School, earned an
Illinois State High School Association award for posting a high
grade-point average while competing in varsity sports. Another Von
Steuben student, Christopher Rudd of Edgebrook Covenant Church, earned a
similar honor and was a varsity baseball player for the Panthers, which
earned their first divisional title since 1981.
- DeKalb, Illinois: Hillcrest Covenant Church recently confirmed
Betsey Adams, Blaize Diaz, Josh Howells, Jared Kuryliw, Helen Muleya,
Melissa Vines, Stefanie
Wessel and Ben Woolsey and recognized their mentors Amy Wessel, Joel
Howells, Mark Cordes, Manny Diaz, Sherri Howells, Wendy Kuryliw, Becky
Sisler and Dick Snyder.
- Moline, Illinois: First Covenant Church confirmed David Ballard,
Amanda Caldwell, Jami Fitzgerald, David Johnson, Joe Peterson, Matthew
Seidel and Emily
Stanley at a Confirmation Sunday worship service on May 23.
- Naperville, Illinois: Naperville Evangelical Covenant Church's
Eleanor Good received a band scholarship for music camp this summer and
did well in an academic endeavor at her school, finishing fifth in a
fossils science project at the Illinois Science Olympiad. She also had
projects in four other events.
- Rockford, Illinois: Bethesda Covenant Church's John LiCausi
graduated magna cum laude from Rockford College with a degree in
Business Administration after
playing football at the school for four years. He received the Wolpe
Award twice for having the highest grade-point average of any male
athlete in his class. A brother, Chris, is headed for Rockford College
to play football after graduating from Belvidere High School. He
received a Presidential Scholarship from the school. Fellow high-school
student John Carlson of Rockford East High earned an Illinois State
Scholar Award for his academic prowess in high school and will attend
Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Andy DiMarco graduated from CAPA
arts program at Rockford Auburn High and was a member of the National
Honor Society and the Who's Who of American High School Students. He's
headed for Michigan Technological University. Vicky Rufino of Rockford
Jefferson High is headed to Rock Valley Community College after earning
a Presidential Award and a LaVoz Latina Scholarship. Eileen Dixon of
Stillman Valley High earned the Anderson Band Scholarship a Southern
Illinois University (SIU) Provost's Scholarship as she will attend SIU
in Carbondale and major in Chemistry. Ned Wright of Rockford Christian
High was senior class president, served as managing editor of his
school's newspaper and ran cross country and track. He's headed for
Judson College in Elgin.
- South Bend, Indiana: Gordon Sill, Duncan Kinuthia and Mark Olsen
were confirmed by the Evangelical Covenant Church of South Bend at a May
23 worship service. Sill participated with Krista Bladel at a Central
Conference-sponsored junior-high weekend mission trip in Chicago in May.
He also has been noticed for his musical prowess as of late. His
original jazz composition was submitted to the Carpe Jazzum competition
sponsored by a local radio station and his submission was among 12
picked to be put on a CD.
- Iron Mountain, Michigan: First Covenant Church confirmed Autumn
Dugree, Brian Tresedder, Aleah Ahrendts, Chris Maki, Heather Hautamaki,
Ben Lamy, Emily Conard and Becky Kahl at a recent worship service.
EAST COAST
- Thomaston, Connecticut: Lisa Kellogg of The Covenant Church of
Thomaston is headed to East Asia with Campus Crusade for Christ during
the next year as part of a short-term mission team doing ministry in
that region. She will serve as an intern there and work primarily with
college students. Kellogg had served in East Asia during the summer of
2002.
- West Peabody, Massachusetts: Community Covenant Church's Evangeline
Anderle received a "Best Author" award at a recent assembly at West
School. Another student from the church, Annie Scotina, was at a May
series of six dance recitals, performing in a total of 36 dance numbers
in all, after taking dance lessons at Dance, Etc. in Middleton.
GREAT LAKES
- Whitehall, Michigan: Nate McLouth of the Evangelical Covenant Church
of Whitehall is currently playing professional baseball for the
Pittsburgh Pirates' minor league Class AA team the Altoona Curve in
Altoona, Pennsylvania. He is an outfielder with the Curve, hitting .305
and stealing 15 bases as of June 28 as his team posted a 47-30 record.
An All-State baseball player in high school, McLouth moved up to Class
AA ball after making the All-Star team at Class A Lynchburg, Virginia,
last season. He recently reached base in his 30th straight game, a Curve
franchise record, and has shown other signs of productivity with 42 runs
batted in and a team high of 18 doubles.
MIDWEST
- Wausa, Nebraska: Ben Rodenborg traveled with New Way Singers, a
musical group from Nebraska Christian College, last month as he traveled
to Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and his home state. A total of
125 students traveled to various parts of the Midwest as part of three
tours.
NORTH PACIFIC
- Eugene, Oregon: Valley Covenant Church recognized three high-school
seniors who recently graduated, including Brandon Aldridge of
Springfield High, Susan Bilynskyj of Churchill International High
School, and Dale Allen of North Eugene High. Aldridge and Bilynskyj are
recipients of Hope for Tomorrow scholarships as Aldridge will attend
Oregon State University and Bilynskyj will attend Pacific University.
Allen, a standout baseball player, is headed to Linn-Benton Community
College.
- Kent, Washington: Kent Covenant Church's Kirk Carpenter was chosen
for the highest community service award given by Kiwanis International
to a local Key Club member. Carpenter, who recently graduated from
Kentridge High School, was given the Sandy Ninninger Award, which is
given to only 40 students out of an estimated 500,000 international Key
Club members eligible for the honor. Carpenter has served three years in
organizing and transporting fellow high school students to nearby
Seattle Union Gospel Mission to serve meals and minister to the homeless
on a weekly basis. He has also been active in the church's youth group
and Young Life group at school. He is attending North Park University in
Chicago this fall.
- Olympia, Washington: Grace Community Covenant Church's Jeff King,
who recently graduated from Olympia High School, was honored with the
"Achieving by Believing" Award after being nominated by his school's
principal Matt Grant. King helped introduce legislation at the State
Senate level that gives extreme parental neglect a greater penalty than
for neglecting a domestic animal.
NORTHWEST
- Mankato, Minnesota: The Evangelical Covenant Church of Mankato
recently featured a youth group play/skit team called "Kids Off the
Couch," a contingent of eight members including Leah Buege, Brady
Jackson, Hannah Wendt, Goyo Mendez, Maureeca Herwig, Kendra Braunger,
Chanteal Erb, and Alison Travis. The group participated during a
Wednesday night weekly youth program called Journey, performing a total
of seven skits and adding to the worship element of the program. Their
final performance was on May 21.
- Rochester, Minnesota: Rochester Covenant Church's Casey Landherr
recently graduated magana cum laude from Minnesota State
University-Mankato with a Law Enforcement degree.
- Willmer, Minnesota: First Covenant Church hosted a series of
children's events at various area parks, averaging a combined 127 in
attendance by children. The "Fun in the Park" events reached 198
different children, said pastor Cheryl Perry in a recent church
newsletter report. The events occurred simultaneously at three different
parks, with five stations at each venue (music, Bible, crafts, games and
snacks).
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST
- Oakland, California: First Covenant Church's Katie Lewis earned nine
varsity letters at Redwood Christian High School in San Lorenzo before
graduating. She played soccer and ran for the track and field and cross
country teams at the school. She was also valedictorian of her class and
earned honors from the California Scholarship Federation and the
Association of Christian Schools International. She's headed to
Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. A college student from the
church, Trebor Whitehead, recently earned his Eagle Scout ranking, the
highest rank for those involved in Boy Scouts of America. He lives in
Oakland. Meanwhile, Kat Ranillo won first place in a music competition
for playing the violin. She is home schooled by her parents in Oakland.
- San Jose, California: First Covenant Church's Christina Lenon was a
co-valedictorian at Valley High School.
- Santa Barbara, California: Montecito Covenant Church's Noah Bryant
recently finished 12th in the NCAA Division I track and field shot put
event in Austin, Texas, as a member of the University of Southern
California (USC) men's track and field team. After placing seventh in
the Pacific-10 meet and sixth in the NCAA West Regional, Bryant
qualified for the final round with a toss of 60 feet, 5 and ¾ inches.
His best throw was a 62-5 effort at a dual meet against UCLA on May 1.
In 2003, Bryant was ninth in the Pacific-10 meet in the shot put, 13th
in regional and was a runner-up in the Pan American junior track and
field Junior Games later that summer. A state champion shot putter
during his high school track and field career, Bryant was also an
All-Area football player at Carpinteria High before heading to college.
SOUTHEAST
- St. Petersburg, Florida: Faith Covenant Church sent 37 people
(mostly youth and young adults) to Puerto Rico for "PR2004," which ran
from June 20-27 in Caguas and other venues. Associate pastor Brian Alnes
stated that a food ministry to 100 people was one aspect of the effort.
Another effort was a cleanup crew for a Dads for Boys youth ministry
being done in Pinones. Along with Alnes, mission team members included
Aaron Wall, Alex Hart, Amanda Lovallo, Amber, Diana and Drew Logue,
Andrew Scott, Austin Yee, Brad and Jane Lenhart, Brian Stamp, Brittany
Kott, Bryce Unger, Drew
Towey, Emma Sobczak, Hannah Hayes, Hilary and Rachel Hibbard, Jason
Nasworthy, Jessie and Josh Bowman, Julia Howard, Kevi Carroll, Kevin
Massey, Kevin Riley, Kristin Uhrinek, Lizzy Ribal, Melissa Harford,
Morgan McDonald, Steffan Larson, Steven Bodlak, Tess Mullinax, Chris
Rossbach, Gina Rivera, Amanda Keener, and Silvia Leeper. Mullinax
recently graduated from Shorecrest Preparatory School with honors (she
heads to nearby Eckerd College in the fall and will play basketball
there). Wall graduated from Canterbury School after being named Most
Outstanding Senior and being member of the National Honor Society (he'll
attend Florida Institute of Technology this fall). Three other high
school graduates were mentioned prominently in the church's recent
newsletter. Faye Williams of Northeast High School was fifth in her
class of 263 academically, graduating with a 4.5 grade-point average,
and played volleyball and basketball at the school. She will attend St.
Petersburg College with help from a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
Barbra Spalek graduated from the same school and will attend the same
college with a Doorways Scholarship. Geoff Yee of Northeast High is
headed to University of South Florida's St. Petersburg campus with help
from a Bright Futures Scholarship.
To know more about what is happening with our Covenant children, teens
and young adults check www.covchurch.org. To send information to
Covenant Communications, email the Department of Communication at
newsdesk@covchurch.org or call 773-478-4631.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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