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Jim Elliot Christian High School sends 49 out to the real world

By J. Paul Bruton
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Area graduations have been in full force recently, and Saturday it was Jim Elliot Christian High School's turn to offer the world a new batch of wide-eyed seniors.

With ceremonies beginning at 3 p.m., the large parking lot of Temple Baptist Church was soon filled and cars were making parking rows in the dirt fields. Inside, the sanctuary was also filled to capacity, and the foyer ended up holding an overflow of people in a standing-room only arrangement.

Wearing shining green robes, approximately 50 seniors walked down the main aisle of the church, where they sat on stage, facing the audience for their last time as students of Jim Elliot High. In contrast to the Class of 2003, the still young school, which is now five years old, graduated just four seniors in its first year as an institution, according to co-valedictorian Derek Nuss.

"Our class began its freshman year with just over 30 students ... Today, our class is graduating with merely 50 students. We have seen many changes in the school as it grew from under 80 students during our freshman year to nearly 200 students today," Nuss said.

Standing at the podium with his own larger-than-life image being cast on two large video screens behind him, Nuss stated to the hundreds gathered that two facets of life are the most important -- hard work, and a life of character as a Christian.

" ... In reality there is no magic formula for success. There really is only one way to be successful, and that is through hard work. We live in a society that puts little emphasis on hard work, however, diligence and perseverance always pay off," Nuss said.

"A Christian's view of success must be different than that of secular society. Christianity does not measure success based on net worth, but on character," added Nuss.

Co-valedictorian Sheehan Tejamo reminded attendees and fellow classmates to take full advantage of the present, exhorting them to not get caught up in dwelling on the future nor the past, but to live the Latin phrase, carpe diem -- seize the day.

" ... The next moment is ours. What we need to take real advantage of is the present ... I exhort you to take advantage of the time that is given to you," Tejamo said.

"We can use the phrase (carpe diem) in a positive way. Each moment holds so much in store for us if we would only open our eyes to the opportunities ... Ecclesiastes 9:10 says that whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might," she said. "Don't miss the opportunities of doing what God is tugging at your heart to do."

As the graduates sat together in a moment of contemplation before taking communion, JECHS Chaplain Dan Lambdin reminded the students that high school is truly over, and the students will now experience real growth.

"This is not the real world, this attending high school, going to school. You are now about to experience the real world. Now, you will really have opportunities to grow. Now, you will really have a chance to learn and to be stretched and to put into practice the foundation you have been provided. I want you to be encouraged, because there is nothing out there, there is nothing you will experience, that God's not prepared for."