Persevering Through Adversity

            Adam “Duffy” Dunson has been a student at Worthington Christian since the 8^th grade. Before coming to WC, he attended Polaris Christian Academy with classmates Tommy Anthony, Anna Schwartz, and Blessing King.  Since transferring to Worthington Christian, Dunson has made friendships that will “endure a lifetime”. He is beloved by classmates for his energetic personality and contagious laugh. Although he is extremely friendly and outgoing, he is the toughest person I have met.

            Growing up, Dunson developed a passion for football. While he excelled at other sports, his passion for football remained. However, his mother, Nikki, and father, Rikki, did not want him to play. This is because Rikki broke his neck in a freak football accident at age 15. He was a star athlete. This tragedy left him wheelchair-bound for the remainder of his life.  Rikki instilled the integrity and grit that Adam bears today. He encouraged and loved Dunson more than anyone. After his father’s passing, Dunson’s desire for football grew even stronger. He persevered through a heartbreaking tragedy and strived to make Rikki proud. His mother Nikki finally had leniency and agreed that Rikki would want Dunson to play. At the beginning of his Junior year, Dunson’s football journey began and soon earned a scholarship to play football for Indiana Wesleyan University.

The biggest influence on Dunson’s life has been his mom, Nikki. Her support for him throughout the years has been tremendous. She has shown him what Christ is like, and how to incorporate Christianity into everyday life. Nikki’s love for Christ and others radiates onto anyone that talks to her. Another influence recently on Dunson’s life has been select families in the Worthington Christian community. Their support and love for Dunson have positively impacted his life in countless ways.

Dunson’s advice for underclassmen is to be yourself. “There are going to be people who don’t appreciate you”, Dunson advised. “You just have to be yourself and live for God”. Dunson has already been pouring into the younger generation. He is extremely outgoing towards kids who may not feel seen or loved. He shows them what toughness and perseverance looks like on the field and in the classroom. His impact on the middle schoolers and underclassmen at Worthington Christian is admirable and Christlike.

~ Tommy Anthony     

            

Seeing Life Through the Lens

            JaVaun“Java” Robinson came to Worthington Christian in sixth grade. His experiences up until his senior year have shaped him into the hard-working man he is today. While Robinson plans to study cybersecurity at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, his interests go beyond his academics. Because of this, he sees life differently: Through the lens of a camera.

            Growing up around sports cars fascinated the young Robinson. His passion for automobiles accelerated as he experienced top speeds on the highway, gazed at Porsches at car meets, and witnessed the amount of detail owners put into the vehicles. Robinson's curiosity quickly grew into a hobby. That hobby quickly turned it into a job at MercedesBenz in Easton. He enjoys detailing and tuning up the luxury cars that are sent in.

Robinson doesn’t just tune up cars, however, he also captures them through the lens of a camera. He takes photoshoots of cars on the side. Robinson is driven by the field of photography. He currently runs two social media pages. One account flaunts photos of high-end vehicles he finds at car meets. The second page focuses more on the simplicity of human life, such as a simple walk on the sidewalk. His talents behind the lens have gained him a vast following. Everything he has achieved within the photography world has been self-built and earned.  However, his connections and relationships with people are the driving force being his pursuit of success.

Robinson may have pushed himself to capture life with his camera, but his parents have taught him what it takes to work hard and succeed in life. “My parents came from Jamaica where they had nothing,” Robinson remarked, “To see where they are at now inspires me to work my tail off each day”. Furthermore, their commitment to Christ after coming from practically nothing has cemented in Robinson a heart for Jesus. His parents have taught him that nothing should be taken for granted. Everything is a gift from God and should be treated as such.

Robinson is one of the most motivated people I have ever met. He is always looking for that next opportunity, that next window, that next step. Robinson is constantly pushing his limits within the world of creativity. He never stops for a break. Robinson is always flooring it, with his eyes through the lens.

            Robinson’s advice to the underclassmen of Worthington Christian is to take more college classes. He admitted that the college classes were a grind, but in the long run, it pays off. “CCP classes count as college credits and can help lift the pressure of freshman year”, Robinson advised. “If you’re willing to grind it out, I promise it will be worth it.”

~ Tommy Anthony

 

Feeling No Pressure

 

            Jaeda Tagoe has attended WorthingtonChristian since the second grade. This Fall, Tagoe earned a full-ride scholarship to attend Northwestern University. She plans to major in Psychology, which is the study of human behavior. Tagoe admits, however, that the path to earning a full-ride scholarship is not achieved without feeling at least a little bit of pressure.

Tagoe played basketball this year as a varsity starter on the girl’s state tournament team.  Her impact on the defensive end and her ability to stretch the floor offensively played a major part in the team’s success this year. They prospered under pressure due to Tagoe’s leadership and intensity. Tagoe’s state run with the team this year will forever be one of the most memorable experiences she had in high school. The friendships and bonds that she made with her teammates are ones that will last a lifetime.

            Tagoe feels like she has left a mark on Worthington Christian through relationships. “I got to experience new relationships this year, not just in my grade, but with juniors, sophomores, and freshmen.” Tagoe believes that the foundation she has built with high schoolers of all ages will help them flourish.

Her advice for underclassmen is to not take everything so seriously. “One bad test or one bad experience is not going to define your high school career,” Tagoe advised. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.” Too much pressure will ultimately lead to failure. To be successful, you must be okay with making mistakes. Life isn’t about making mistakes; it’s about responding and learning from those mistakes." Trust in God, try your best, and everything will fall into place.

~ Tommy Anthony

             

Thinking Outside the Box

            Isaac Myhal is a gifted senior here at Worthington Christian. After attending WC for 8 years, Myhal plans to major in mathematics at Hillsdale College. At Worthington Christian, he has heavily been involved in the arts, including the choir and theatre. Myhal’s favorite performance in the choir was his performance of The Awakening. He has also contributed to 11 theatrical productions his favorite being Godspell. Although Myhal is extremely successful in the arts, his most talented attribute is his ability to think outside the box.

            Myhal has created multiple different computer programs. He created a bible discovery website, a March Madness bracket generator that statistically produces the best possible brackets and a keyboard program that makes typing the Hebrew language easier for new students of the language. Furthermore, Myhal designed a system that allows one to rate their favorite songs. The program then sorts the ratings to make the most relevant playlist to the listener.

            The advice Myhal gave to underclassmen is to put the time in. “I put a ton of time into my projects”, Myhal admitted, “You have time as an underclassman. When you get an idea, jot it down. At some point, you’ll gain motivation to put the pieces together and complete the idea.” Myhal's projects weren’t created overnight. It took months of dedication and failures. “You have to go beyond the boundaries,” Myhal advised, “Do something different from what everyone else is doing regardless of your ability, you must be okay with not knowing it all. You just must take what you’ve got and start working with it.” In the end, Myhal promises you’ll have something valuable.

~ Tommy Anthony

Seeing the World Through Paper and Pen

            Chad Smith has been attending Worthington Christian since pre-school. His involvement with extracurriculars includes track, soccer, and cross country. These countless hours spent around Worthington Christian's peers have impacted him in numerous ways. After he graduates high school, Smith is going to study animation and screenwriting at Huntington University. If you know Smith personally, you know that he is one of the most likable people out there. His joy and optimism can lift even the heaviest of rooms. He has a gift of encouraging others and being a light in peoples’ lives. Smith plans to bring that joy to the drawing board.

            Smith has always been fascinated by the world made by the pencil. Whether it be sketching faces, telling a story, or animating a cartoon, Smith has always seen the world through paper and pen. Although Smith hasn’t publicly released any of his work just yet, his skills on the paper are apparent within his work. Smith’s most proud skill is his ability to create a deep and intrinsic story. The fantasies he creates can fill up to 30 pages. His development and detail among the characters he sparks can captivate any reader he might have.

            Smith is excited to study what he loves in college. However, he feels like there are a lot of underclassmen out there who lack this confidence. “Just because you aren’t the best of the best, doesn’t mean you can’t confidently pursue your dreams.”, Smith advised, “Do what you love”. There’s always going to be someone who will be better at your craft than you. However, you can’t let that get you down." Smith wants kids to pursue what God has placed on their hearts.

~ Tommy Anthony

Taking a Leap of Faith

            Jarrett Doherty has been attending Worthington Christian for 13 years. Doherty’s journey began at the Powell campus at WC. After it shut down, he transferred to the Westview location. Doherty was involved in band, choir, and track throughout middle school and half of high school. However, music has always stuck out to him. Doherty feels spiritually led to completely focus on musical production after high school. He has decided to give his future to God and take a leap of faith.

            In the 8th grade, his music journey began. Doherty and Carson Graham, both current seniors at Worthington Christian, were assigned a project about the Hobbit. They decided that the best way to portray the book would be through music.  Doherty knew a guy who had a music studio in his basement, so that’s where he began the recording for class. Doherty fell in love with music that night. What had started out as a school project soon turned into a passion that would last a lifetime.

            After years of self-teaching and practice, Doherty started making albums under the name Jady. He has multiple music albums out that he has solely produced, written, and sang in. Doherty also produces for certain artists, one of whom happens to be Jay Joseph. This year, he was blessed with the opportunity to open for Twenty-One Pilots on their music tour. He left school for two months to tour with Joseph, playing in notable cities throughout the country. Boston, New York City, and Pittsburg to name just a few. One of his performances was in the famous Madison Square Garden.

            Doherty plans to continue to tour after college with his drummer. “It’s truly a blessing that I’ve found someone who wants it as much as I do,” Doherty remarked. “We both have the same end goal. We’ve just been clicking and writing music together”. They plan to release an album soon named “The Haze”.

            Doherty incorporates Christ into his music through telling a story. “My biggest influence is Twenty-One Pilots.”, Doherty mused. “They integrate their faith in a way that’s not stuffed in your face, but it’s easily attainable to anyone who isn’t a Christian.”  Doherty tells a story by bringing his music from hopelessness to hope. He wants the audience to search for the story. If they look for it, they’ll find Christ.

            The advice Doherty gives to underclassmen is to pursue their dreams. He stresses that you should want to do something because you love it, not for the money. “God places dreams and gifts in your life for a reason. Pursue it, don’t push it aside.” At the end of the day, we all need to take a leap of faith when pursuing our dreams. Give your future to God, and He will bless you in unimaginable ways, just like He blessed Doherty.

~ Tommy Anthony

The Importance of Finding Relationships

            Bekah Shively is part of the class of 2022 here at Worthington Christian. She has been attending WC since the 3^rd grade. Her involvement in extracurriculars runs deep, proving to be multitalented in music, tennis, and theatre. This year she was a stage crew member in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and played Pearl in SpongeBob the Musical. While Shively enjoys the arts and sports, her passion resides in historical studies. She plans to major in Museum Studies at Walsh University.

 The interest in history that Shively possesses stems from the relationships with the history teachers at Worthington Christian. “I’ve always had great relationships with my history teachers”, Shively remarked, “They gave me that passion.”. Shively has become extremely close with the high school teachers a Worthington Christian. “When I come back from college, I’m going to grab coffee with every single one”, Bekah exclaimed, “The staff here at Worthington Christian are really strong.”

            Shively advised underclassmen to take Internship Academy. “It was the deciding factor for me in picking my major”, Shively stressed “It’s an extremely helpful experience that allows students to figure out if they would want to pursue their passion in college. Being able to spend time in that setting helped me narrow my major down.” Internship Academy is a class that seniors can take at Worthington Christian.  You get to sit behind a current worker in your field of interest and get a deeper understanding of what that career would look like. You are assigned tasks that would be like the ones you would get as an employee. The teacher for Internship Academy is the beloved Mr. Johnson. If you are a rising senior, make sure to sign up!

            Shively's involvement in so many school activities coupled with her ability to positively impact the lives of classmates and teachers is a rare gift. As her classmate, you could truly see the light of Christ shining in and through her. Shively will carry on this gift into her next stage of life, bringing that light of Christ to anyone who crosses her path.

~ Tommy Anthony

Identity Found

Grace Cardenas came to Worthington Christian as a 7th grader. Cardenas was born in Europe and has found herself living in England, Germany, and Switzerland. She can speak German, Spanish, Swiss dialect, and English. Her experiences and background look very different from most people at Worthington Christian. Although this past has allowed Cardenas to become open-minded to different peoples and cultures, it presents an identity crisis. 

 The introduction to America was a major change for Cardenas. Once her mother decided to move their family to Ohio, Cardenas didn’t know what to expect. After she arrived in America and started attending Worthington Christian, Cardenas experienced a heavy culture shock. On top of increased difficulty in academics due to the new language, her social life seemed to be a challenge. Cardenas felt isolated and alone within a new culture and community. “Sometimes I found myself excluded,” Cardenas reflected, “but I eventually managed to find a friend group that fit me and my culture.” 

A Christian school was a new environment for Cardenas. At first, her belief wavered. “It took me a while to figure out if I really did believe that Christ is my savior. In the end, Worthington Christian led me to believe that Jesus is the way. My faith has grown stronger ever since.” At first, Worthington Christian was a foreign place to Cardenas. In the end, however, she became comfortable within her identity and found herself walking with Jesus. 

Cardenas had some valuable advice to share with the underclassman of Worthington Christian. “Don’t change for anyone”, Cardenas stressed, “In the end, people will look up and admire that you are different, and you are true to yourself.” High school is a tough time to find one’s identity. From cultural influences to peer pressure, kids can find themselves changing into someone they are not. Cardenas struggled with finding her identity at the start. However, Christ and her peers gave her the confidence she needed, allowing her to be the person she is today. Cardenas plans to attend Ohio State Newark, majoring in physiology, which is the study of how the human body works.

~ Tommy Anthony