On Friday March 27, Alison Wells (Covenant class of 1998) married Ross Blaikie. It was a wonderful celebration for them, and for their family and friends. Alison is one of five Wells children that attended Covenant Christian School! There were many ex-Covenant students involved in the wedding, including James and Matt Wells, Amy Wheaton and Pete Muddle with Music, and Heidi Muddle as the Matron of honour. The happy couple are honeymooning in Vietnam and will be living in Manly upon their return. We wish them every happiness.
Jan and Trevor requested no flowers (even though Jan LOVED them). They would prefer donations be made to Network Heaven (Anne Salvador) or Covenant Christian School's Kindy to Year 2 Building Program (Tax Deductible) - contact Andrew Lowry (02) 9450 2688
Jancine (Jan) Bridges (nee Goodwin), as the first teacher of Covenant Christian School at Belrose, holds a special place in the life of the School. Jan passed away on November 20th 2008 from breast cancer.
Earlier this year as part of Covenant’s 30th birthday celebration Jan took the opportunity to visit several senior school classes to share with them some of her memories. In 1978 as a 24 year old Jan Goodwin was interviewed as a candidate for a new Christian school starting in the Northern Beaches. The interview lasted all day! After that marathon Jan thought the job of foundation teacher would be too hard, but as the days went by she increasingly felt God's call to Covenant. Jan accepted the role and went on to serve for nine years as a teacher at the school.
Jan shared stories with the students of the early days highlighting just how far the school has come. On the first day in a rented church hall at Terrey Hills there was one class of 19 students. They ranged from Kindergarten to Year 5 but they had no desks or chairs. Along came a truck with kitchen tables on the back. When Jan informed the parent delivering them the tables and chairs were too big for some of the smaller children they found a solution. The legs of each table and chair were sawn off to a suitable height for each child.
When the school moved to its present site on Forest Way Belrose children wore gum boots and caught yabbies in the creek. Teachers were also asked to learn to drive the school bus. This bus had a top speed of 50km per hour and no power steering. When Jan was being taught to drive she managed to wipe out some fences at the school and was quite happy when she was no longer asked to drive!
Some current students also shared their memories of how the school has changed just in the time they have been here. Jan prayed for the students and encouraged them to listen for God's calling in their lives through reading the Bible and prayer.
Jan was passionate about Christian schooling and a valued member of the School Association. She was excited by the wonderful things happening at Covenant and its growth to over 750 students. In September she attended a Fundraising Dinner where the School Tour on DVD was launched. When the plans for the new Kindergarten to Year 2 Buildings were unveiled she stood and urged the 130 attendees to support the school in the complete Kindy to Year 12 vision. She was always ready to offer both encouragement and advice on how to improve the school she so loved. She encouraged staff and students to be faithful in their ”Covie Calling”.
In 1979 Jan celebrated the school’s first birthday with cupcakes for each student. Thirty years later Hospitality students used the school’s commercial quality kitchen to prepare 1,000 cupcakes in a continuation of the tradition she had started.
Jan lived in North Balgowlah. She is survived by her husband Trevor and her daughter Sonia who currently attends Covenant Christian School.
Arnold Poernomo (Class of 2006) dropped by the school for a visit recently. After finishing school last year he completed a Meeting & Events course. He is now doing a Business Marketing Course and is working at ‘Bills’ in Darlinghurst. It seems as though the skills he showed in Hospitality at school are still shinning through as Arnold came 2nd in a Barista Competition at the Chatswood Spring Festival recently.
Elissa Deenick (Class of 1994) has recently returned from Canada after four years working at the University of Toronto's Cancer Institute. She has been awarded a Howard Florey Fellowship by the National Health and Medical Research Council and is now working at the Garvan Institute in the Immunology and Inflammation division.
Kris Nosworthy (Captain in class of ’06) is studying at Adelphi University in the USA and is halfway though his first semester. Kris is on a soccer scholarship and is majoring in History and with a minor in Education. He is playing and starting regularly for the University team and is in the running for the Atlantic Soccer Conference Championship.
Peter Cannings left Covenant at the end of Year 10, 2004, and was the John Little Award recipient that year. Peter has nearly completed a Carpentry course at the Narrabeen Fitness Academy which he is enjoying immensely. He is also enjoying driving his own car and being involved in his church.
In July this year, Simon Keefe (Class ’02) and Emily Keefe (Class ’04) completed a nine day trek along the Kokoda Track in PNG. Even though it was an extremely difficult feat, they really appreciated the opportunity to experience the history and the culture of this famous track.
Jo Kay (nee Suominen Class ’02) is currently living in Russia with her husband, Tim, and 1 year old baby, Elijah. Tim is studying Russian languages at St Petersburg State University and the family are immersing themselves in the Russian culture in preparation for doing a long term mission in Russia with Operation Mobilisation.
Jono Vink (Class of ’90), his wife, Amy, and three children are serving as missionaries in Musoma, Tanzania. Jono and Amy shared their story with students at a recent Covenant assembly. The Vink family are currently on home assignment in Australia as they await the birth of their fourth child. It is always very exciting to hear what our past students have been doing since leaving Covenant. Please pray for the Vink family, for the safe arrival of the new baby and their return to Tanzania.
Trent Hardy (Class of ’04) has achieved a place on the Dean’s Merit List for Academic Excellence for his outstanding performance in 2006 at UTS Faculty of Science in the degree Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. Congratulations, Trent, on this accomplishment!
Nathan Bennett (Class of ‘03) announced his engagement to Courtney McCloud during the holidays. Nathan’s mum, Lesley, is the Education Support Coordinator at Covenant.
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Jono Vink (Class of ’90), his wife, Amy, and three children are serving as missionaries in Musoma, Tanzania. Jono and Amy shared their story with students at a recent Covenant assembly. The Vink family are currently on home assignment in Australia as they await the birth of their fourth child. It is always very exciting to hear what our past students have been doing since leaving Covenant. Please pray for the Vink family, for the safe arrival of the new baby and their return to Tanzania.
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