A small crowd gathered in a school perched atop a hill on a picture-perfect Friday evening to recognize the 12 individuals who are collectively the Trinity Christian School Class of 2023.
Lillian Burrell, Jaiden Dobbs, Daniel Gilliland, William Hancox, Kyle Knight, Sofia Pancoast, Jaden Sheffstall, William Stranko, Levi Teets, Josiah Whitted, Sadie Wyer, Zane Yeater.
Friends. Classmates. Warriors. Graduates.
“Congratulations guys, we made it,” Senior Class Vice President Lillian Burrell said, leading off a short list of speakers, including Valedictorian William Hancox.
Hancox said the new graduates would be wise to embrace failure and learn from it, be that in professional, academic, athletic or spiritual endeavors.
Failure, he continued, was famously a teacher to the likes of C.S. Lewis, Michael Jordan and Abraham Lincoln. The failings of Moses, King David and Apostle Peter are written in scripture.
“What made these men such amazing believers is not that they never failed, but that every time they failed, they took ownership of their mistakes, repented of their sins and turned back to God knowing only He can change them,” Hancox said.
The commencement address was delivered by StoneBridge Baptist Church Pastor Jason Sheffstall, whose daughter, Jaden, also delivered remarks as the Senior Class President and Salutatorian.
The elder Sheffstall congratulated the class on its toughness and perseverance, noting the 12 students with him on stage were entering high school just as COVID was becoming a household name.
“Your first year of high school, your class was introduced along with the rest of the world to a global pandemic that left many of us homebound, concerned and anxious about our futures,” he said. “But today, you stand on the cusp of a new chapter in your lives.”
Sheffstall’s address encouraged the soon-to-be graduates to seek wise council, avoid those who would lead them away from truth, stand firm in their faith and share it with others.
“Live out the difference that Jesus makes in your life, and I promise you will never regret that,” he said, later adding, “We need more warriors who will fight for Jesus.”
