INTERMOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL BLOG
November 2021 Students of the Month
Congratulations to Hudson Pletcher (Kindergarten), the November ICS Lower School Student of the Month!
Hudson is an incredible student. Not only is he a fast learner of new concepts, but he also stays engaged during lessons and brings a lot of thought into each new subject. Aside from his academic abilities, his character is exceptional! He is kind, loving, and caring towards others, is a strong proponent for justice, and is respectful and gentlemanly to his teachers and classmates. Hudson is a joy to teach and exhibits a great example of Christ-like behavior for others.
Congratulations to Jackson Smith (7th), the October ICS Upper School Student of the Month!
Jackson Smith is a seventh-grader who really loves school. As a matter of fact, he will tell you that he loves school so much that he thinks that summers are the worst. His favorite subject in school is history. Basketball is his favorite sport to play; however, he plays football and golf as well. He has a younger sibling in third grade. This is his tenth year at ICS. He demonstrates excellent leadership skills inside and outside of the classroom, and we are excited to have Jackson as our Upper School Student of the Month!
Meet Mrs. Provost!
Meet Mrs. Provost, ICS’ new Pre-K aide!
What's your new ICS title and position?
Pre-K Aide
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here?
I’m originally from Washington State and my husband and I moved here to be closer to our grandchildren!
Where do you go to Church? The Mission Church!
Tell us about your family! I am married to my best friend of 18 years. We are a blended family of four children, all grown, and have four grandchildren, with one on the way this December.
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? I studied ballet since I was seven years old and danced pre-professional with LA Dance Company. I have also been a dance teacher for all ages for over 15 years. It’s my favorite passion in life.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? I look forward to the long-lasting relationships with the kids and watching them grow!
What else would you like the ICS community to know about you? In my spare time, I like to teach ballet and hang out with my grandchildren. Being that it is all girls in my family here in Utah, we of course break out the tutus and dance, dance!
Welcome to the ICS community, Mrs. Provost!
October 2021 Employee Spotlight
Mrs. Frazee, 5th Grade Teacher
How long have you been at ICS and what do you do?
This is my 7th year at ICS. Although this is not my first time teaching 5th grade, it is my first year teaching 5th grade at ICS.
What brought you to ICS?
We wanted a Christ-centered learning environment for our children when we moved to SLC.
What is one thing that has happened at school recently that you'd like to share?
It's hard to choose just one, but recently I've loved the conversations that we've had as a class during Bible. It's been encouraging to hear the students discuss the things they've been learning in their own personal devotions as they walk with Jesus. It was also encouraging to see the way the class connected and worked together on the Outdoor Lab trip!
What is your hope for your students and/or our school this year?
My deep hope for myself, my students and our school is that we would intrinsically believe and confidently live out the truth that we are indeed who God says we are as image bearers and reflectors of God. I am confident that in doing so, this will impact how we live our lives.
October 2021 Students of the Month
Congratulations to Shyloh Parrish (5th), the October ICS Lower School Student of the Month!
Shyloh is always joyful and full of enthusiasm. She's always looking for ways to help her teacher and her classmates. She has a good attitude no matter what is happening around her. She's not afraid of making mistakes and trying again. It is evident that she loves Jesus, her family, and her classmates. It is such a joy to have Shyloh back at ICS!
Congratulations to Kyler Begg (11th), the October ICS Upper School Student of the Month!
In addition to cleaning up the lunchroom recently by himself, he was a huge help to Mr. Hulin and Mr. Behmer by setting up concessions for a volleyball game. He completed this task after working hard at baseball practice. His humble willingness to serve has been noticed by our faculty and staff! His example teaches others to serve simply to serve, not to be seen.
August 2021 Student of the Month
Congratulations to Remy Shootman, the August ICS Student of the Month!
Remy worked several weeks at Camp ICS this summer on staff, mainly with the Pre-K through 1st grade campers. Her work ethic, initiative, and skill in working with the kids was excellent! She showed strong leadership skills and reflected a passionate heart for the campers. Thanks for all of your hard work this summer, Remy!
September 2021 Students of the Month
Lower School
Congratulations to Audrey McGough, the September ICS Lower School Student of the Month!
Audrey always enters her classroom with a smile and cheerful attitude each morning. She is responsible, quick to follow the routines and do all that she needs to do. Audrey is diligent and does her very best work all while being polite and respectful to both adults and her classmates. She is a kind and compassionate friend that demonstrates excellent behavior inside and outside the classroom! She is a wonderful role model to her classmates!
Upper School
Congratulations to Vivy Peek, the September ICS Upper School Student of the Month!
Vivy is in the 7th grade and new to ICS this year. She is full of enthusiasm and joy. Vivy is kind and respectful, and she gives her best in class. She is also on the MS volleyball team! Thanks for being a wonderful student, Vivy!
Meet Mr. Boyce!
What's your new ICS title and position? High School History Teacher
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here? Spartanburg, South Carolina. I came to Utah to help with church planting in downtown Salt Lake City.
Where do you go to Church? Gospel Grace Church at Liberty Park
Tell us about your family! I have two parents and two siblings (I'm the youngest of 3). All of them still live in the Carolinas. I have two nephews and one niece! My parents worked extra jobs to get all of us through our local Christian school.
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? Aside from Clemson football, I'm pretty passionate about subject verb agreements, theological frameworks, delicious beverages, Cafe Rio, and finding good deals on stuff.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? I’m looking forward to doing a deeper dive into teaching history than I've been able to during my first six years of teaching.
What else would you like the ICS community to know about you? I love Salt Lake City. I also love having meaningful, constructive conversations with people whose viewpoints differ from mine!
Meet Mrs. Saullo!
What's your new ICS title and position? Part-time Pre-K Teacher
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here? For the last 20 years my husband has been in the navy. As a result, I have followed him around the country, moving 13 times! I would still consider TN home though, even though I haven't lived there in over 20 years. It is where I went to middle school, high school and college. It's also where my family still lives!
Where do you go to Church? We only moved to UT two months ago, but we have attended Salt Lake Evangelical Free Church several times and so far it feels like where we are meant to be.
Tell us about your family! My husband is in a residency program at the University of Utah for occupational medicine. He is one of the most hard working and dedicated men I've ever known. We have three loving and adventurous boys. Our oldest, Nate, is almost 10. He is a voracious reader and has an overall love of learning. Our middle son, Dean, is seven. He is an excellent playmate with his older brother as well as his younger brother. I love watching him transition from one to the other! He excels in building, design, and overall creativity. Our youngest, Gabe, is five. Gabe loves nothing more than spending time with his brothers. Concrete facts are his strength! His knowledge of our world, especially geography, is mind blowing!
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? I love to design cut flowers. It is a skill I picked up almost 15 years ago and something that brings me such joy.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? I look forward to the chance to get back into the classroom after taking some time off to be home with my boys. The opportunity to work where they will be attending school is an experience I have always dreamed of. Teaching at such a Christ-centered school is such a blessing to me. I'm excited to instill in my class God's love for them!
What else would you like the ICS community to know about you? This opportunity to teach again at ICS was 100% God's will for my life! I've never had so many doors fly wide open for any other experience, job, or decision that I've been faced with. God is good!
Welcome to ICS, Mrs. Saullo! We are excited for you to be a part of the lion community!
Meet Coach Sherrill!
Meet Coach Sherrill, ICS’ new head baseball coach!
What's your new ICS title and position? Head Baseball Coach
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here? Memphis, TN. I met my wife while in AAA and due to a long baseball schedule every year, we decided to be near her family in the off-season in UT.
Where do you go to Church? Hope Church in Sandy
Tell us about your family! My son Dalton is 9. He's into Harry Potter and Legos. My daughter Bridget is 7. She's into kitties, unicorns, and horses. My son Brock is 5. He's into sports and monster trucks. M wife Lindsay is __ years old. She's into Hallmark Channel and IDnetwork!
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? I love movies. The Godfather is probably my #1.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? Progress. I'm looking forward to seeing the fellas get better as players and start to become young men!
What else would you like the ICS community to know about you? I played 9 years in the MLB. God has blessed me at every turn in my life. My folks, my brother, my career, my wife, my kids and now, my new career. He's always been there for me and He'll always be there for you, too.
Welcome to ICS, Coach Sherrill! We are excited for you to be a part of the lion community!
Meet Mr. Rodriguez!
Meet Mr. Rodriguez, ICS’ new music faculty member!
What's your new ICS title and position? Instrumental Music Teacher and Bus Driver
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here? I’m from San Antonio Texas. My wife came to help her sister through her pregnancy and she loved it here. She asked me to move to UT so we did a few months later (July 2019).
Where do you go to Church? New Creation Church
Tell us about your family! I love my wife Monique, son Eli (6 years old) and step-daughter Isabel (19).
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? I really like to laugh and draw. I’m not a artist but learning is always good. I’m passionate about the presence of God, meaning I love serving Him through music, fellowship & community.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? I love teaching music and seeing the students discover new things and the sounds of music.
What else would you like the ICS community to know about you? I’m honored to teach at a Christian school! God is awesome, and I’m looking forward to the new things that God has for us at ICS.
Welcome to ICS, Mr. Rodriguez! We are excited for you to be a part of the lion community!
Welcome Back to ICS, Mr. Parker!
Meet Mr. Parker, ICS’ new middle school Bible teacher!
What's your new ICS title and position? Middle School Bible Teacher
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here? I’m from New Hampshire originally, but moved to Utah 4 years ago to help with a church revitalization, after spending time pastoring in Indiana and Colorado.
Where do you go to Church? We love sharing out where our community goes to church in the valley. It's always a neat connecting point. Gospel Hope Church in Riverton. We love the valley (especially the SW corner) and are thankful for what God is doing in our community and our church family.
Tell us about your family! My wife Colleen is a pretty amazing wife & mom, definitely my better half. We've been married 17 years and have a 5 year old son Timothy. He's a creative, full of life and emotion, red-head. We enjoy serving God together, hiking, camping, and visiting state & national parks.
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? I'm passionate about taking on challenges and helping people & organizations grow. Most people assume I love reading theology books, but I actually really enjoy books on psychology, business mindset & strategy. A few of my favorites are “Good to Great” (Jim Cramer), “One Minute Manager” (Ken Blanchard), and “Blink” (Malcolm Gladwell). I'm currently reading “Effortless” (Greg McKeown). I also relax by playing & watching all kinds of sports, including some obscure ones like cricket & competitive darts. Currently, I'm playing quite a bit of golf on courses all over the valley and loving that.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? Middle school is one of my favorite ages of life. Life is changing so much, and there are so many good and important questions middle schoolers are asking. I love how the Bible simply and honestly answers those questions. And I'm looking forward to wrestling through and laughing with them as we explore God's Word.
What else would you like the ICS community to know about you? The team of people (admin, ops, & faculty) God has brought together at ICS is truly remarkable. They love God, love the students, and serve with all their hearts, well beyond what is normal. It's a privilege and honor to teach alongside this incredible team.
Welcome back to ICS, Mr. Parker! We are excited for you to be a part of the lion community once again!
Meet Mrs. MacAvoy!
Meet Mrs. MacAvoy, ICS’ new second grade teacher!
What's your new ICS title and position? I am going to be the new second grade teacher at ICS.
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here? I’m originally from Virginia but currently live in Sugarhouse. My family and I moved to Utah in 2013 to be a part of church planting around Salt Lake City.
Where do you go to Church? I attend Gospel Grace Church, where my husband is a bi-vocational pastor.
Tell us about your family! I have been married to Josh for 15 years; we have three energetic boys. We like to go hiking, spend time outside, and play board games together. We also have a cute labradoodle named Chase!
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? I am passionate about teaching kids, so I pursued an undergraduate degree in elementary education, taught in three different states, and have always taught kids at my church.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? I am so excited to get into the classroom with eager learners. I have always taught in a public school and am looking forward to teaching within a Christian context, where I can help the kids understand the Bible.
What else would you like the ICS community to know about you? When I am not teaching, I love reading, running, and watching Hallmark movies.
Welcome to ICS, Mrs. MacAvoy! We are excited for you to be a part of the lion community!
Meet Mrs. Hafemann!
Meet Mrs. Hafemann, ICS’ new music faculty member!
What's your new ICS title and position? Music Teacher: I will be instructing HS Ensemble, HS & MS Bells and 4th & 5th Grade General Music.
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here? My husband, Enrique and I have lived in UT for almost 5 years! I am originally from Des Moines, IA but most recently Billings, MT. Enrique and I moved to UT so he could complete a very temporary apprenticeship. As the story usually goes, God was leading us somewhere we never imagined. We fell in love with our church and this city and plan to be here long term.
Where do you go to Church? We are apart of Ridgeline Church. We have been apart of Ridgeline since they planted in 2018 and I have recently become their worship director.
Tell us about your family! Hafemann party of two! Or three if you count our beagle Marley.
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? I am highly passionate about normalizing mental health. To neglect how Jesus has used my mental health struggles, would be to neglect the most miraculous and beautiful parts of how he has drawn me unto himself.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? How do I even answer this?! Top Three: 1. Getting to know all my students! 2. Being apart of such a unique & diverse faith community. 3. And of course, making music everyday!
What else would you like the ICS community to know about you? I started playing piano at 4! I also have several years of experience as an accountant. Put the two together and you have a giant music theory nerd.
Welcome to ICS, Mrs. Hafemann! We are excited for you to be a part of the lion community!
Meet Mrs. Gorka!
Meet Mrs. Gorka, ICS’ new middle school science teacher!
What's your new ICS title and position? Middle School Science Teacher
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here? I'm from Phoenix, AZ. My family was drawn to Utah for the mountains. We came because I felt called.
Where do you go to Church? I go to Capital Church.
Tell us about your family! I've been married 9 years, and I'm a boy mom. I have an almost 4 year old and a 6 year old. They are wonderful and opposite from one another in every way.
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? I am most passionate about spending time outdoors. I love everything from gardening to rock climbing.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? In my new role I'm most looking forward to all the fun activities and labs I will get to do and getting to know the students.
Welcome to ICS, Mrs. Gorka! We are excited for you to be a part of the lion community!
Meet Mrs. Banta!
Meet Mrs. Banta, ICS’ new kindergarten teacher!
What's your new ICS title and position? I’m excited to be the new Kindergarten teacher!
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here? I grew up in Kansas as part of a large family. My six siblings and I were raised by strong and faithful Christian parents. While living in Kansas, I met my husband who was from Oklahoma. Because of his job we have had the great opportunity to live all over the United States and see incredible things and meet amazing people along the way. We have lived in Texas, Arkansas, West Virginia, Washington, and Utah. We originally came here because of work, but then fell in love with the people and the mission field and the mountains.
Where do you go to Church? We go to Hope Church. We have attended since 2014 and absolutely love it! I get to serve with the children regularly and my husband is a deacon. We have a great community group that is like our family.
Tell us about your family! My husband and I have been married for 17 years and have 6 kids. Our oldest is 16 and our youngest is 6. We have been fostering our six year for almost a year. We love to do things together as a family whether it be board games, hiking, or sporting events. We love learning the history of places and seeing the beauty of God’s creation. I’ve had the pleasure of homeschooling our children at different ages and we have loved watching our children grow into amazing young people. We love to open our home to people and share food, laughter, and games.
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? My true passion is Biblical archeology and history. I love reading, listening to music and sharing what I know with those around me. I’m a very competitive game player and am passionate about winning. I’ve been known to throw a shoe or two if I lose… ;) I am also a big KU fan (Rock Chalk Jayhawk!) and my husband and I get a bit crazy during college basketball season.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? I’m excited to be in an environment that allows me to glorify God in everything I do. I love teaching and I’m so happy to be working with such a fun age group. This age loves to be silly but they are so excited to learn as well.
What else would you like the ICS community to know about you? I can be fun but I am also serious about teaching. Being able to share truth and watch as young people grasp concepts that they had not thought of before gives me a lot of joy. I am passionate about my Savior and my faith and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve in the Valley alongside fellow believers.
Welcome to ICS, Mrs. Banta! We are excited for you to be a part of the lion community!
Meet Athletic Director Ryan Behmer!
Meet our new Athletic Director Ryan Behmer!
Meet ICS’ New Athletic Director Ryan Behmer
What's your new ICS title and position? Athletic Director
Where are you from? If you're not originally from UT, how did you end up here? Growing up we often moved and never really settled in one location. I ended up living all over the US and enjoyed living in many places. Chicago is where I consider home when asked. God has led me to many places throughout life and brought my wife and I to UT in 2019 after living in Shanghai for a few years.
Where do you go to Church? My wife and I are members of Gospel Hope Church in Riverton, UT.
Tell us about your family! God has blessed me with a beautiful wife who was born and raised in Hong Kong. She is a very talented musician and worked as a teacher in Shanghai. Together we have two beautiful children. Our little girl Juliet is around 18 months old and her little brother Moses is around 3 months old.
What is something most people don't know about you? OR What are you most passionate about? I have a passion for leading others to grow in their talents God has given them. It really brings me joy to see and help others serve the Lord with their gifts.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role at ICS? It is very exciting to be back in Christian education where we have the opportunity to help students see the world from a biblical perspective. Sports gives us a great opportunity to grow in our Christian character and I look forward to helping create a culture of Christian excellence within ICS Athletics.
What else would you like the ICS community to know about you? My wife and I look forward to becoming a part of the ICS community and are thankful for the support we have experienced since I started here!
Welcome to ICS, Ryan! We are excited for you to be a part of the lion community!
Miss Shin's Lion Story
When I flew out to Utah to get a tour of ICS, the welcoming staff, beautiful view of the mountains and trees, and the voices of energetic children absolutely captured my heart! I felt called to join in on the mission statement of ICS to teach in a Christ-centered learning community that equips and inspires students to thrive in God's world. God's hand was so evident when he led me to accept the 4th grade position at ICS to grow, to serve, and to love my students and my neighbors here.
Miss Shin's Lion Story
How did you decide you wanted to work at ICS?
After graduating from Dordt University in Iowa, I was hoping to teach at a school near the ocean or the mountains. When I felt unsure of where to begin my search, my college professor was able to connect me to Mitch Menning, our ICS Head of School, who was also a Dordt University (previous known as Dordt College) graduate.
When I flew out to Utah to get a tour of ICS, the welcoming staff, beautiful view of the mountains and trees, and the voices of energetic children absolutely captured my heart! I felt called to join in on the mission statement of ICS to teach in a Christ-centered learning community that equips and inspires students to thrive in God's world. God's hand was so evident when he led me to accept the 4th grade position at ICS to grow, to serve, and to love my students and my neighbors here.
How long have you been working at ICS?
1 year (2nd year currently)
What is your role at ICS?
4th Grade Teacher
What do you look forward to the most about coming to work everyday?
I look forward to greeting my students with an "elbow bump" and seeing their smiles & hearing their stories each morning. God's mercies are new each morning, and it is incredible to receive His strength to be joyful, faithful, and courageous. Our class also loves to sing a hymn and share our prayer requests to start our day!
What do you like to do when you're not hard at work?
I enjoy cooking new recipes, making Asian food, or baking in my free time. I have a passion for worship and love to play the keyboard and sing praises to our God. Utah is also a beautiful place, so I have also been enjoying going on hikes with friends!
What is one thing your students and/or coworkers may not know about you?
I started to sing hymns when I was four years old! :)
The Nerdrum Family's Lion Story
We moved from California to Utah last year and had our two boys in a highly recommended public school. Shortly after they started, our oldest was having a hard time, he wasn't feeling challenged and was missing learning about God and Jesus…
Our experience with ICS has definitely been a God-thing!
We moved from California to Utah last year and had our two boys in a highly recommended public school. Shortly after they started, our oldest was having a hard time, he wasn't feeling challenged and was missing learning about God and Jesus. His demeanor went from a boy full of spunk to his light quickly fading. This moved my husband to jump online in search for a Christian School, he came across ICS and set up a tour within days. We visited and knew right away that ICS was the place for us. About a month after we transferred them over, my husband was pursued and offered a job with a company in the Bay Area CA and after much negotiating (to stay) and praying we felt we needed to move there and take the job. We were so sad to leave ICS and we didn't want to start the boys at another new school mid way so we proposed to ICS to allow us to do long distance learning (this was a couple weeks before the lockdown and that being the new norm). To our surprise they agreed! The staff and teachers were super helpful, supportive and encouraging to set the boys up for success. We know it wasn't easy so we were beyond grateful. Then the lockdown happened and it turned out that our boys didn't miss a beat, they were now doing what the rest of the school was doing. God had it all planned out this way for us. Shortly after arriving in the Bay Area, and given all the uncertainty with Covid, my husband never had to go into the office and the company offered remote work to all their employees. Giving us the opportunity to move back to Utah. After much praying and research we decided to come back and continue with ICS. A total God thing! And we are super grateful that ICS worked with us through all the transitions and uncertainties of this past season. Couldn't be happier! The way they handle our unique situation with such grace showed us the school's heart to serve, willingness to do hard things and flexibility to accommodate challenges. I believe God honored that kind gesture towards our family by preparing the school for what was to come with the lockdown. It spoke to us that they are truly following God's guidance and adapting to the needs of their students and family. True ministry work. We are so grateful! It made our transitions smoother and took away the burden of having our boys go to different schools and all the emotional and mental struggles that come with that. In these times that was a huge blessing!
Aside from our God thing with ICS, we love that ICS is not just a faith based school but that they value academics. One thing that stood out to us and definitely our deciding factor, is that it is important to them to offer excellent, competitive education partnered with a biblical worldview. Not one or the other but both. Huge for our family. What can I say about the teachers? The teachers are more than teachers, they quickly become family friends. They are thoughtful and care greatly about each of their students. They know how to encourage but also challenge them to grow. We appreciate how they get to know their students' strengths and areas of improvement. This helps us create goals for our boys to work on at home knowing they are being encouraged at school to achieve them too. Tackling areas of improvement together with their teachers is a huge support. We love ICS and believe you will too! We are excited to see how God grows our boys there and for the opportunity to connect more with the ICS community!
Written by Janet Nerdrum, ICS mom
Mrs. Lee's Lion Story
The last 3 years I have had the privilege of teaching all levels of art and dance. It has been a blessing to teach my passions..
How did you decide you wanted to work at ICS?
My sister encouraged me to apply for the elementary art position opening. I started at ICS part-time teaching elementary art. God opened the door for working at ICS at the same time our oldest son was starting Middle School. A preschool enrichment position opened and I added that to my job. Then I became a lead preschool teacher as well as art. The last 3 years I have had the privilege of teaching all levels of art and dance. It has been a blessing to teach my passions.
How long have you been working at ICS?
11 years
What is your role at ICS?
Art and Dance Instructor
What do you look forward to the most about coming to work everyday?
I love the opportunity to share Christ through the arts with the students in my classes. Being able to direct them to worship the Lord through visual arts and dance is a privilege. I thank God every day for being able to openly talk about and direct students to Jesus. For me it is a ministry and a heart call. I love it! I get paid to draw and dance and talk about Jesus!
What do you like to do when you're not hard at work?
I love morning walks, hiking in the mountains and working in my flowerbeds. I especially enjoy hiking in the mountains with my boys and my husband.
What is one thing your students and/or coworkers may not know about you?
I hunt and fish!
Isaiah Menning's Lion Story
Community. I don’t think it's a secret that the past twelve months’ intense social isolation and political polarization have challenged our personal experience with this word, and maybe even our faith in various communities’ usefulness at all…
Community. I don’t think it's a secret that the past twelve months’ intense social isolation and political polarization have challenged our personal experience with this word, and maybe even our faith in various communities’ usefulness at all.
But I should probably just speak for myself. From age five to eighteen, ICS was my primary community. Across elementary capture-the-flag games to Jazz Band in middle school to high school’s Speech and Debate, I found many common goals with so many peers and mentors, but the defining experience and glue amidst and through it all was a dedication to each other and God. There were definitely times when that wasn’t felt, but whether through Ms. Potter’s teaching us to respect each other on the elementary playground, a God-delighting attitude in playing music with Mr. Hope, or Mrs. Croswhite guiding us to use Debate as a powerful tool to serve Jesus, it is very easy to see the throughlines. The palpable and utterly consistent chapel throughout my ICS experience easily comes to mind too. In a new way, I miss my specialized and broad ICS communities that could get rowdy at basketball games, equip me well, and love me powerfully. And I also miss chapel.
Both the pandemic and graduation have changed that. In a healthy and exciting way, the past term in college has offered bounties of opportunities for new growth and stretching. I would be lying if I said there was no personal struggle, especially under pandemic conditions where real community seems far off. But by total Providence, and definitely working through my experience in valuing community at ICS, in a real way, I have found it at Dartmouth. Yes, in freshmen rashness, I signed up for far too many extracurriculars, but whether in publishing for The Dartmouth Political Times on my passion of wolf politics, contributing to the college’s science journal, or competing against other Ivy League debate teams, I feel I have meaningfully contributed to the broader Dartmouth community. But, in large part through a freshman, Zoom-powered student bible study we started prior to arriving on campus, I have found deep community built on eternal goals beyond what I could ask for. Outside of our study, but with many of the same people, I have stayed up all night exploring the nature of sacraments in Church history, had the privilege to see a fellow student come to faith, and in a mutual dedication to following King Jesus, felt free to openly explore the deep and even doubt-ridden parts of what I believe.
In many ways, the past few months have been genuinely trying in what was a term like no other. But from my formation as a dedicated community-member at Intermountain Christian, I’ve been provided with an inspiration to continue similar pursuits in college. And ultimately in greater appreciation for my Creator’s nature as a unified Trinity of community through sermons at my Hanover church, I have seen God’s gifts of provision and learning. And as I write this a few hours after my first second term class, I can’t wait to see how I and my communities further progress.
Written by Isaiah Menning, Class of 2020 alumnus