Stephanie

Senior, Class of 2018

At EC, what I appreciated the most was the close relationships I could have with my teachers. I have enjoyed every teacher I have known at EC. In Essay Workshop, for example, Mr. Steen always used creative teaching methods to keep his students engaged and push them to become better writers. For example, we watched the movie Inception and had deep discussion about dream and reality afterwards. We tried different flavors of candies to explore different senses and wrote about the experience later. Mrs. Okma’s Advanced Composition class also challenged me to become a better writer and scholar. All the writing assignments pushed me to reflect more on my life and helped me discover things that I am passionate about. I have also gained a profound understanding on historical events as well as contemporary issues from Mr. Uitermarkt’s classes. Outside of the classroom setting, I also had opportunities to connect with EC faculty. I would stop by Mrs. Lagerveld’s office almost everyday to “report” my day and my feelings because she is like a mom to me. She would smile for my joy, and she would encourage me when I was feeling low. Furthermore, I was able to befriend teachers through school trips to India and the Netherlands. I can go on and on about these examples because EC faculty are all willing to connect with students inside and outside of classroom.

At EC, I also appreciated the chance of being a part of the Humanities program. The program not only allowed me to challenge myself intellectually but also gave me the opportunity to develop close relationships with friends. Sharing the same class with the same group of people everyday, I came to know my Humanities friends on a deeper level. In class, we would passionately engage in debates and conversations. After school, we would help each other with homework and support one another through difficulties.

The Eastern Christian tagline is “Engaging. Nurturing. Transforming.” EC has embraced all of these aspects into its education. My felt my time at EC was engaging because of its diverse classes and extracurricular activities. My experience at EC was nurturing because of the personal care and attention that EC gave to every student. EC teachers would always be there for their students, whether they had academic related questions or life related concerns. EC education was also transforming because it cultivated students’ critical thinking skills inside and outside of a classroom setting. In class, teachers encouraged students to express their opinions and grow as a scholar. Outside of school, EC encouraged students to join mission or academic trips to gain real-life experience. Therefore, I hold deep appreciation towards EC education.