4. For Jesus, who is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
5. CONTENTS
BEGINNINGS
6 Heritage History in the Making
BIOGRAPHIES
14 FRANK, WALTER, AND DONALD BEST
Behind the Vision: Heritage Christian School
Was Founded on Faith and Family
16 SUSAN WHICKER
Recalls the School’s Early Days
17 KYE HARRIS
First Administrator Laid Important Groundwork
18 DAN STROUP
Brings the Bible to Life for Heritage Middle Schoolers
21 DR. DOUG HEIMBURGER
All of Life Is Sacred
22 DR. KENT BRANTLY
Preserved for a Purpose
28 CATHY BARTEMUS
Makes Music Magical for Elementary Students
30 TODD ABERNETHY
Lives for More Than the Game He Loves
32 LEN SOMERS
Teaches History as God’s Plan for Mankind
34 WILLIAM VIMONT, DEVERN FROMKE AND JAMES BECK
Heritage’s First Headmaster and Principals
35 JAMES WEAVER
Leadership in Action
36 MARY JANE ENGLISH
Her Educational and Spiritual Legacy
38 AL LEINBACH
The Treasured Face of Heritage Christian School History
43 MATT WARE
Lives a Life of Abundance and Faith Despite Personal Tragedy
44 BRENDA KLINGERMAN
A Teacher of Teachers
6. 46 JENNIFER NUTTER
Gives Back and Reaches the World, Right Here in Indianapolis
48 TERESA STROOP
Cherishes Every One of Her “Stroop Troops”
50 DAVE NEFF
On the Leading EDGE
51 LAURA PAYNE
Shows Students the Heart of Music
52 KELLY FARIS
Lives a Life Full of Basketball and Faith
54 JULIE HIATT
Turns Learning into Fun for Kindergarteners
56 KRISTIN YOUNG
Brings Grace and Talent to the Stage
57 DAVE WATT
Brings Heart to History
58 MEG OSBORNE AND LAWRENCE SMILEY
Cultivate Students’ Athletic Talents and Faith
60 J. SCOTT MCELROY
Helps Believers Discover the Power of the Arts
62 ERIN FOX
Shows Students Expression through Song
64 ANDREW MARTIN
Atom Probe Technology Is All in a Day’s Work
65 DIANE RENNICK
Her Classroom Is a Window to the World
66 JOE REED
A Witness to God’s Power
67 JIM BENEDICT
Points Students to Christ, Inside and Outside of the Classroom
68 BILL BURDINE
Fifth Grade Chose Him
70 KELLY TAYLOR
Creates Beauty in Song
72 LISA FOSTER
Encourages Students to Think Deeply and Critically about Science
7. 74 RYAN AND DAVID LEDBETTER
Stay Grounded in Their Faith in the World of Professional Baseball
75 SHELLIE THOMAS
Her Secret Ingredient: Joy
76 JULIE COOPER
Creates a Space Where Art and Faith Intersect
78 ROB COSTLOW
Writes from the Heart and Inspires from the Keyboard
80 JENNI KOLENDA
Puts Jesus into All of It
81 YOOJIN CHO-KIM
Combines Music and Ministry
82 LONDON SWAN
Follows Her Dreams in TV News Broadcasting
83 DIANN BOONE
Reaches Sixth Graders’ Hearts and Minds
84 DOC RICHARDS
Coached Athletes to Glorify God, Play Hard, and Have Fun
85 KIM CANDLER
Teaches the Whole Child
86 MARGARITA THIENES
Translates Love into Language
88 NATHAN LITZ
One of Our Nation’s Elite
89 CARTER BOOKER
Prepares Students for Life beyond High School
90 GREY TOMLIN
From a Place of Strength
92 SHERMAN WILLIAMS
Indiana Basketball Hero Makes Heritage Athletics His Ministry
96 A TRADITION OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
103 CLASS PORTRAITS
138 EMBRACING THE FINE ARTS
152 ACHIEVING THROUGH ATHLETICS
162 PARENT-TEACHER FELLOWSHIP
166 BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
8. We will glorify God through the discipleship
of students and the pursuit of excellence
in education, with the Bible as the
foundation and Jesus Christ as our focus.
9. 2 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
eritage Christian … a Christian
heritage. For fifty years, Heritage
Christian School has established
a rich heritage of providing
quality, biblically based Christian education at
the corner of 75th and Binford Boulevard in
Indianapolis.
The same vision that was embraced by the
founding fathers of Heritage Christian fifty
years ago still rings true today: to prepare the
next generation of leaders to impact the world
for Christ. Our school’s mission also remains
the same today as it did at our founding: to
glorify God, disciple students and pursue
excellence in education, with the Bible as our
foundation and Jesus Christ as our focus.
The Heritage Christian School success story
is one that comes directly as a result of God’s
blessing. From its humble beginnings to
its current position as a leader in Christian
education, God has blessed Heritage Christian
School and He is still in the blessing business.
Much has changed in the world, in our culture
and at Heritage Christian over the past fifty
years. One thing that hasn’t changed is our
commitment to provide an outstanding
education with a biblical worldview; a view
of the world through the lens of the Word of
God, and biblical principles with Christ at the
center. The case for and cause of Christian
education has never been more important than
it is today.
Heritage Christian is responding to the
dynamic and ever-changing challenges
facing Christian families in the twenty-first
century. While our mission and vision have
not changed, our methods and the way we
deliver Christian education will always need to
change and improve.
We are committed to excellence in education
and have increased and enhanced the quality
and quantity of our academic offerings, as
well as enhanced the use of technology in the
classroom. We are utilizing our Teach, Mentor,
Train approach to refine and elevate our
culture of discipleship, while maintaining our
commitment to integrate a biblical worldview
into every aspect of the educational experience.
We are fervent in our desire to connect, enrich,
and develop more people, by attracting and
retaining the highest quality, mission-minded
faculty and staff and enriching the racial,
ethnic and socio-economic diversity in our
school community. We desire to expand
our reach as we grow our admissions and
marketing practices, to increase new student
enrollment and expand our presence to impact
further our internal and extra communities
H
OUR HERITAGE
IS OUR FUTURE
10. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 3
for Christ. Lastly, we are working fervently to secure our future, to improve the
school’s value proposition by executing our strategic plan and strengthening our
culture of donor discipleship.
Our dream for the next fifty years is that “Heritage Christian School will be a
light that shines in the darkness, a premier institution increasingly recognized
as a model of twenty-first century Christian education, transforming lives and
reaching the world for Christ.” Whether you are affiliated with Heritage, past
or present, thank you for being part of our family and part of our dream.
Please enjoy reading through this fiftieth anniversary commemorative book.
We so appreciate the vision and support of the Heritage Christian founding
fathers, Board members, administrators, faculty and staff, alumni and others
throughout the years, for all they have done to make Heritage what it is today.
Our school’s future is bright because of the godly heritage of our past.
God bless,
Jeff Freeman, Chief Executive Officer
“The Heritage Christian School
success story is one that comes directly
as a result of God’s blessing.”
Photo by Studio Thirteen Photography
13. 6 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
he story of Heritage Christian
School is one of providential
design and of a God for whom
nothing is impossible.
The year was 1964 and brothers Walter
and Donald Best had relocated their young
families from Seattle to Indianapolis. The men
played key roles in the Best Lock Corporation,
a lock manufacturing company founded by
their father, Frank Best.
The organization sought to expand
its operations on the northeast side of
Indianapolis. Interstate 465 construction was
underway and a large, undeveloped parcel of
land at State Road 37 and 75th Street was
a prime location. Frank Best acquired the
acreage and it became the location for Best
Lock’s headquarters. Through his generous
donation, a portion of the land also would one
day become the home for Heritage Christian
School.
Meanwhile, the Best brothers searched the
Indianapolis area for a non-denominational
Christian school for their families. Their
children had attended Christian schools in
Seattle, where a vibrant Christian school
movement was gaining momentum. The
Bests prayerfully considered their options and
decided that, with God’s help, they would start
an interdenominational school that delivered
excellent education from a biblical point of
view. They determined that if God would
bring in fifty-nine students, they could make
it work.
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
As a first step, they recruited Kye Harris,
a Seattle acquaintance with significant
experience in starting and helping to run
Christian schools. Harris and his family
relocated to Indianapolis in 1965 and
launched a mail campaign to area pastors,
inviting them to informational meetings over
coffee, in supporters’ homes. Interest quickly
grew and within four months, the school had
enrolled more than one hundred students.
Harris recruited William Vimont, another
seasoned Christian school pioneer, for the
role of principal. He moved his family
from Arizona to Indianapolis on faith, since
there was no up-front guarantee of receiving
his salary.
A Board of Directors was created to provide
leadership for the school. The original group
included: Leonard Hunt, long-time director of
Wheeler Mission; Indianapolis businessman,
Dale Malcomson; Robert Porter, president of
Lifegate, Inc.; and Walter and Donald Best.
T
(continued on page 8)
HERITAGE HISTORY IN THE MAKING
A STORY OF SOVEREIGNTY
14. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 7
“The story of Heritage Christian School
is one of providential design and of a God
for whom nothing is impossible.”
Pictured here, at the 1966 groundbreaking, are (left to right): Robert Porter, Donald Best, Dale
Malcomson, Walter Best and Leonard Hunt.
Aerial view of the
property at 75th St.
and State Road 31,
circa 1958
15. 8 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
Thenextchallengewastotacklestudenttransportation.
Harrisproposedthepurchaseofsix1-tonpaneltrucks
thatcouldbeconvertedtopassengervans.Aningenious
idea,really,inagenerationthatfarpre-datedcurrent-day
minivans.Financecompanies,however,werelessthan
excitedaboutlendingmoneytoaschoolthathadnotyet
evenbeenincorporated.
Undeterred, the Heritage men approached the owner
of Johnson Chevrolet. He was polite, but uninterested
in assuming risk for a $24,000 purchase from an
unestablished legal entity. In a last attempt to persuade
the man, Harris pulled out a sheet of the school’s
newly printed letterhead. On it were the names of
Christian school experts and advisors from across the
nation and a handful of Indianapolis businessmen.
The dealership owner casually glanced at the list and
pointed to one of the names on it. He excused himself
to make a quick phone call. When he returned, he
announced, “Gentlemen, if this man is interested in
your project, I will do it. He is my best friend.” He
sealed the deal with no down payment and personally
financed a year of insurance and the cost to convert
the vehicles to special purpose buses. Through
providential circumstances and a generous $30,000
gift from Lilly Endowment Inc, God enabled the
school to pay the debt in full.
PRAYERS ANSWERED AND
DREAMS REALIZED
The school moved forward, receiving its official
articles of incorporation as Heritage Christian
Schools, Inc. on June 14, 1965. With Harris as
administrator, the school hired necessary faculty and
staff. Victory Baptist Church stepped up to
house classes.
Heritage Christian School officially opened its
doors to one hundred fifty-nine pre-kindergarten
through ninth grade students on Sept. 8, 1965. It
seemed no small coincidence that the number of
students God had provided was exactly one hundred
beyond the fifty-nine students that the school’s
founders had originally prayed for.
Throughout the school day, students occupied
virtually every inch of space at Victory Baptist
Church. The pastor gave Harris and Vimont use
of his office. In the mornings, teachers moved the
church pews aside to make room for tumbling mats,
creating a makeshift gymnasium down the center
aisle. In the afternoon, pre-kindergarteners used the
pews for their daily naptime.
Even the baptistry served dual purposes.
Students auditioned there for the choir, with curtains
drawn for anonymity.
Within a year, enrollment had increased to nearly
three hundred fifty students, and it was clear that
the school needed more space to grow. God ordained
two key events during the summer of 1966. First,
Devington Baptist Church offered its larger facility
as a temporary location, enabling the school to
expand enrollment and to include grades ten through
twelve. Secondly, Frank Best generously donated
an additional fifteen acres of land to the growing
institution and pledged 25 acres more for future
(continued on page 10)
17. 10 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
development. Don Best reportedly drove by
the land frequently, saying, “I see it, Lord, I see
it.” Heritage Christian School broke ground
for its new building.
A PERMANENT HOME
By year’s end in 1966, construction was
complete and faculty and staff moved in to
the new facility over Christmas break. When
classes resumed in January of 1967, they
welcomed four hundred and fifty students
into an initial nineteen brand-new classrooms.
Word spread and enrollment continued to
climb. With another 5-acre donation from the
Best Foundation, additional classrooms were
added in 1973.
The school’s footprint expanded over the
following decades to accommodate the needs
of a growing student body and to offer a
full range of academic and extracurricular
programs. The construction of the current
high school and Commons area was
completed in 2007.
Today, the 38.5-acre campus houses separate
elementary, intermediate, middle school, and
high school buildings; a fine arts building; and
athletic facilities that include an elementary
gym, a 1,250-seat high school gymnasium
complex, a football/soccer/lacrosse stadium,
track, softball and baseball diamonds, and
tennis courts.
AT THE HEART OF THE
HERITAGE STORY
The Heritage story has God’s fingerprints all
over it; from the very beginning to its future.
God instilled the school’s founding parents’
desire for their children to receive an excellent
education that reinforced the faith and values
they were teaching them at home. He brought
just the right people at just the right times
and built their faith as they saw Him provide
resources and answer prayers. He created an
environment where thousands of students
have received valuable training for work and
life as Christ- followers.
The story of Heritage Christian School really
is one of the God who continues to bless this
institution with His favor. It’s an ongoing
narrative that He’s writing in the hearts and
lives of our students, families, alumni, faculty
and staff. May the telling of it bring Him
much honor.
GOD SHOWS UP IN SMALL DETAILS
AND BIG WAYS
As the first gymnasium (now the Elementary Cafeteria)
was first being built, the building contractor received
word that there would be a three-month delay in receiving
the custom-sized structural wooden beams needed to
complete the project. Construction was at a standstill. The
building crew actually knelt and prayed for an answer to
what seemed an impossible situation.
A few days later, a semi-truck drove up to the construction
site, unannounced and carrying a load of large, wooden
beams. As it turned out, its intended delivery had been
misrouted and mislabeled. The order actually was for
a church in Ohio, but the address given was that of
Heritage Christian School in Indianapolis. A completely
different architect had custom-designed the beams to
meet the church’s exact specifications. Remarkably, they
measured at exactly the same dimensions as those needed
for the Heritage project. The church was contacted, to
let them know that the delivery had been misdirected.
Their response? They really didn’t need the beams for
another three months. They were pleased to place another
order and let Heritage use them. Amazed, the Heritage
construction crew installed them for the school’s new gym
and further construction proceeded without delay. From
that day on, Heritage faculty and staff have referred to the
ceiling’s structure as the “Miracle Beams.”
20. 50 YEARS OF HERITAGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 13
BIOGRAPHIES
21. 14 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
“The brothers’ combined talents
made them a team well suited to
starting an educational ministry
from scratch.”
hen you trace the origins of Heritage Christian
School, you quickly discover the vision and
invaluable contributions of the Best family.
Frank Best is well known for his invention
of interchangeable core lock systems and the Best Lock
Corporation he founded. But those in the Heritage
community also know him for his generosity to the school.
His land donations made it possible to develop the campus on
which Heritage still stands today. It was through two of his
sons, Walter and Donald Best, that God shaped a vision for a
Christian school in Indianapolis.
Walter, the eldest of three brothers in the Best family, served
as the President of Best Lock Corporation for nearly thirty
years. He was a pilot and flight instructor during World War
II. As a civilian, he often took friends and colleagues on rides
in his airplane and it’s from that aerial vantage point that
some of the school’s early building photos were taken. He’s
well remembered for the Scripture he often cited and even
mounted in the lobby of the Best Lock Corporation: “Trust
in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall
direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, King James Version)
Donald was known as a faithful prayer warrior whose
intercession played an important role in the life of the school.
He often walked the perimeter of the vacant property on
State Road 37, claiming it for a school, for the glory of
God. His daughter, Debbie (Best) Baney says, “He was a
businessman by profession, but an evangelist by heart.” It was
on his birthday, June 14, in 1965, that Heritage Christian
School received its articles of incorporation. Many who knew
Best remember well his love for music and his powerful tenor
voice that he developed when he sang opera while a student at
the University of Washington. His life’s verse was Galatians
6:10: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us to do good
to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of
believers.” (New International Version)
The brothers’ combined talents made them a team well suited
to starting an educational ministry from scratch. Their shared
values of love for Christ, their families, and our country
shaped the school’s foundation. They were Christian families
committed to quality Christian education for their own
children. God used their hard work and obedience to bring the
idea of Heritage Christian School to fruition, so that Christian
education could be an option for many other families, too.
W
THE BESTS
BEHIND THE VISION: HERITAGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
WAS FOUNDED ON FAITH AND FAMILY
22. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 15
In addition to being an avid pilot, Walter Best also loved motorcycles. When the Best Lock Company identified
a need for land in Indianapolis, he drove all the way from Seattle to Indy on his motorcycle. He’s pictured
above, in an early photo, courtesy of the Best family.
Donald Best
Walter Best
24. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 17
ye Harris was one of the driving forces
behind Heritage Christian School’s
launch. He moved his own family to
Indianapolis from Seattle, so that he
could introduce the idea of Heritage to families and
churches in the Indianapolis area. He built interest in
and enrollment for the school prior to its opening, then
served as Heritage Christian School’s first administrator.
In the words of his daughter, Susan Whicker (HCS
1967), “Daddy was a visionary, indeed…He was so
moved by Pearl Harbor that he left home and joined
the Marines at age fifteen and saw action in the Pacific
theater. In a foxhole, in the thick of battle, he gave his
heart to Jesus. After being wounded at Iwo Jima, he
returned home to marry his childhood sweetheart,
and they told the Lord, ‘If there is any job you can’t get
anyone else to do, we’ll do it. If there is anywhere you
can’t get anyone else to go, we’ll go there.’ And they
meant it.
This desire for the Lord to use them any way He saw
fit became the driving force in our life as a family.
Consequently, Daddy and Mother were always willing
to be there when a group of parents in a locality called
and asked for help to found a Christian school for their
children. At the time of the founding of Heritage, they
were involved with the start of several other schools in
the Midwest, also.
His commitment to Christian education was all
consuming for our family, to the extent that several
of us children were homeschooled when there was no
Christian school where we were living. Not only did the
current school(s) capture the full force of his experience
and skills as an educator, but also his heart. He loved to
see children developing the character of Christ and a
love for learning.”
K
KYE HARRISFIRST ADMINISTRATOR LAID IMPORTANT GROUNDWORK
25. 18 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
W
hen you talk with Heritage Bible
teacher Dan Stroup, it’s easy to
feel as if you’re the only person in
the room. You get the sense that
he’s really, truly listening. That he’s genuinely
interested in what you have to say. And the
truth is that he is.
This quality surely is one of the reasons why
he’s such an effective instructor with his
seventh- and eighth-grade students. “They
want to know, do you love them? Do you enjoy
what you’re doing? Do you like to be with
them?” explains Stroup. “I think if they sense
that, they’re going to be with you.”
With him, they are. Stroup engages students
from the time he commences class with a daily
“pre-game warm up” review until the bell
signals the end of the period. He clearly has a
game plan for each day’s lesson and the kids
respond well to the security of the structure,
the easy-going pace, and the meaty content
he delivers.
The class is less a monologue and more of a
dialogue about both the facts and applications
of scripture. On this day, Stroup guides his
eighth-grade class through Old Testament
passages, pausing at times to ask them
questions. “Everything written in the past is
here to teach us,” he reminds them.
Over the years, Stroup developed a creative,
colorful approach to help students recall
biblical content and principles. He dubbed
them “sponsors,” a name loosely derived from
the educational realm of Sesame Street. In
actuality, they’re effective mnemonic devices
infused with homiletical precepts. Every week
brings a new, highly anticipated set of Stroup’s
simple words and drawings. He recreates
all of them for easy reference, on a single
chalkboard that vaguely resembles a collection
of hieroglyphics.
Stroup strikes a beautiful balance of
foundational biblical knowledge and practical
application. From Psalm 73, he accentuates
the value of making good life choices. From
the pages of Joshua, he reminds the kids that
their lives matter to God; that He has uniquely
gifted them for service; that they can have an
impact on other people. “The more you expose
yourself to God’s Word, the more you start
seeing your place in the world and begin to
understand your purpose,” he says.
To reinforce the point, Stroup moves into the
“Where are They?”(WAT) segment of the
class. It’s a masterful and powerful approach
on many levels. Each “WAT” features a
Heritage alumnus or alumna who is following
God’s calling on their life and profession.
DAN STROUP
BRINGS THE BIBLE TO LIFE FOR
HERITAGE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS
(continued on page 20)
27. 20 50 YEARS OF HERITAGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Stroup has introduced students to the lives of professional
athletes, Broadway actors, and missionaries. Today, he dims
the lights for a video about Heritage alum, Mark Smiley
(2000), who’s a photographer, filmmaker, and mountain
guide on a quest to scale the fifty classic climbs of North
America. When it’s over, Stroup gently asks, “What is it that
God wants to do in your life?”
With a few minutes of class time remaining, he announces
that it’s time for the “S Files,” (S is for Stroup) which he
describes as random information that you don’t need to
know. It’s just for fun.
It happens to be “Pi Day,” when the world celebrates all
things mathematical. One student has brought in individual
pies to share with the class, complete with a can of Reddi
Whip. Before they indulge in the sweet treats, Stroup gathers
the students for a group photo to commemorate the occasion.
He insists that this author join them.
It’s just this kind of inclusive gesture that makes Stroup
endearing. It’s that conscious, intentional acknowledgement
that another’s presence matters. Of his students, Stroup
concludes, “I want them to know that I know who they are.
I want to be involved in their lives a little bit in the short time
that they’re here in my class, so that when they leave, they’ll
be able to say, ‘he knew who I was.’”
20 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
“They want to know, do you love
them? Do you enjoy what you’re
doing? Do you like to be with
them? I think if they sense that,
they’re going to be with you.”
Photo courtesy of Grace Ramey (HCS 2013)
28. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 21
he ongoing life story of Heritage alumnus
Dr. Doug Heimburger (1970) is one of
a man with a medical and humanitarian
mission that spans the globe.
He received his MD from Vanderbilt University in 1978,
completed a residency in Internal Medicine at St. Louis
University, and then a fellowship and master’s degree
in Clinical Nutrition at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham (UAB). He joined the UAB faculty in
1981 and for the nearly thirty years that followed, he
has educated and trained medical students, residents
and nutrition fellows, all the while practicing clinical
medicine and researching the nutritional aspects of
cancer prevention.
A 2006 sabbatical shifted Heimburger’s focus from
domestic to global health, when he spent six months at
the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia,
researching nutritional aspects of HIV/AIDS. His
appetite for global health work only increased. He
received and accepted an offer in 2009 for his current
role, as associate director for education and training at
the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health.
Heimburger’s passions reflect his family’s history in
both medicine and missions work. His great-
grandparents were missionaries to China from
1864-1920 and his grandparents served as medical
missionaries from 1912-1934.
His father, Dr. Robert Heimburger, had a long,
distinguished career in neurosurgery at Indiana
University School of Medicine and frequently engaged
with surgeons from south and east Asian countries. He
also pioneered surgical procedures for infants born with
spina bifida. He was credited with operating on one
such patient in 1951, who would grow up to become a
celebrity. In 2014 that patient, singer John Mellencamp,
was reunited with the ninety-seven-year-old Dr. Robert
Heimburger in Indianapolis, just nine months before
Dr. Heimburger passed away. Doug and his brother,
Corbett (HCS 1969, who is a pastor in Birmingham,
Alabama) accompanied their father for the reunion that
became a national news story.
“My Heritage Christian High School education had a
monumental impact on my life, at the core,” Heimburger
notes. “Heritage played a major role in introducing me to
a life of Christian discipleship, which I see as absolutely
foundational for the work I do every day now. All of
life is sacred, and I pray that my ‘secular’ work will be
true kingdom ministry, with impacts felt both now and
through eternity.”
T
DR. DOUG HEIMBURGERALL OF LIFE IS SACRED
“Heritage played a major role in introducing
me to a life of Christian discipleship, which
I see as absolutely foundational for the
work I do every day now.”
29. 22 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
H
is visage has graced the cover
of Time. He and other Ebola
fighters were named the
magazine’s “Person of the Year.”
His story made the front page of USA Today
and he has appeared in countless media outlets
across the globe. He made history when he
became the first person to be treated for Ebola
Virus Disease in the United States.
But Dr. Kent Brantly (HCS 1999) would
rather focus on the thousands in West Africa
whose nameless faces portray the horrors of
the Ebola virus and the healthcare workers
who selflessly treat them. He gives voice to
their suffering with a deep sense of knowing,
because he understands the disease intimately.
He has both cared for its victims and faced
near-death at its hand. Here is the remarkable
story of this Heritage alumnus, whom God
continues to use in unforeseen ways.
THE MISSION
Brantly, his wife, Amber, and their two
small children moved to Monrovia, Liberia
in October of 2013, working as medical
missionaries on a two-year assignment with
Samaritan’s Purse. Ebola wasn’t on their radar.
They didn’t even hear about the outbreak in
Guinea until the end of March.
The epidemic spread to Liberia and Brantly
and the medical team at the ELWA (Eternal
Love Winning Africa) Hospital were ready
when the first Ebola patient arrived in June.
Brantly treated patients in the general clinic
and in the Ebola treatment center, where he
and the team followed strict international
codes to avoid contamination. As the number
of Ebola patients increased steadily over the
next two months, Brantly took on the role
of medical director for the Samaritan’s Purse
Ebola Consolidated Case Management Center.
Each patient received medical care and
compassion, says Brantly. “Through our
protective gear, we spoke to each patient,
calling them by name and touching them.
We wanted them to know they were valuable,
that they were loved, and that we were there
to serve them,” he told Time. “I was able to
sit with patients and hold their hand, sing to
them, pray with them,” he told the Indy Star,
“and give them some respect and dignity amid
the tragedy they were experiencing. I was able
to show them compassion, and that was why
we were there.”
THE DIAGNOSIS
On July 20, Brantly took Amber and their
children to the airport to return to the States
DR. KENT BRANTLY
PRESERVED FOR A PURPOSE: THE REMARKABLE, UNFOLDING
STORY OF EBOLA SURVIVOR AND HERITAGE ALUMNUS
(continued on page 24)
30. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 23
Photo courtesy of Samaritan’s
Purse International Relief
31. Photo courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse International Relief
24 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
for a family wedding in Texas. He poured himself into his work. On July 23,
he woke up feeling under the weather. His condition declined rapidly. He was
diagnosed with Ebola Virus Disease. “Even with the bad news, I felt calm,” he
told Time. “I never shed a tear when I called my wife and said, ‘Amber, my test
is positive. I have Ebola.’ Though the rest of my family wept, I felt strangely
at peace. God blessed me with that peace that surpasses understanding.” In
the nine days that followed his grim diagnosis, he grew sicker and weaker
from the disease that claims ninety percent of its victims. He and his family
prepared for the worst.
“It was the words of scripture set to music that brought me the greatest
comfort in the darkest times of my illness,” Brantly remembers. “Those
songs reminded me that nothing can separate me from the love of God that
is in Christ Jesus. They reminded me that like Job, even if this is my last
breath, I ought to cry out ‘Hallelujah.’ They reminded me that God has
done great things in my life and I ought to give Him thanks. I identified
with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and with Job, and I just wanted to
be faithful so that God might be glorified in my life or in my death.” He had
no idea then that people around
the world were praying for him,
including the Heritage Christian
School family of which he had
once been a part.
Through the care of the
missionary team, a plasma
donation from a fourteen-year-
old survivor whom Brantly
had treated, and a dose of the
experimental drug, ZMapp, his
condition improved. He was
airlifted to Emory University
Hospital, where he made a
complete and miraculous
recovery. The world watched
intently as Brantly left the hospital with a
clean bill of health and reunited with his family.
THE SPOTLIGHT
Almost immediately, he stepped into a global media spotlight. Interview
requests poured in. He seized the opportunities to share Christ and build
awareness about the horrible disease from which God had healed him. In an
interview with National Public Radio, he shared, “When we can get to that
point where we feel the same sense of empathy and compassion for people
who are suffering, even though we don’t know them; I think that’s what
Jesus is talking about when He says ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” He told
Time, “I chose a career in medicine because I wanted a tangible skill with
which to serve people, and so my role as a physician is my attempt to do that.”
Brantly has met privately with the President of the United States and testified
on Capitol Hill about the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. He has urged the
United States and the international community to intervene with supplies
and personnel to treat those still suffering. When other fellow Americans
contracted Ebola Virus Disease, Brantly voluntarily donated his plasma,
hoping to aid their recovery.
32. Photo courtesy of the Brantly family
“When we can get to that point where we feel the
same sense of empathy and compassion
for people who are suffering, even though we
don’t know them; I think that’s what Jesus
is talking about when He says
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
THE CALLING
To understand the back story of Brantly’s narrative,
one needn’t look far to discover that his sense
of compassion and his interest in medicine were
nurtured from an early age. His Christian family,
his close-knit community at Southeastern Church
of Christ in Indy, and the Heritage family played
big roles. “I had many spiritual mentors in my
family, my church community, and at Heritage,” he
says. “I grew up in a Christian home with parents
who taught me to love the Lord. My parents were
faithful Christians who set an example for me of
always trying to live as a disciple of Jesus, wherever
you are. I grew up with an expectation that I would
serve God with my life. I gave my life to Christ and
was baptized by my grandfather when I was nine
years old. I continued to learn to walk with the Lord
as I grew up; and hopefully am continuing to grow
even today.”
Brantly’s family was focused on missions in many
forms. “I had two sets of uncles and aunts who
were missionaries in Africa during my childhood.
Bob and Joan Dixon worked in Nigeria and Frank
and Lou Ann Black were medical missionaries in
Tanzania,” he says. “Many other family members
served as mentors, as I saw them live out the life
of a disciple in many different life circumstances;
teachers, nurses, stay-at-home moms, school
administrators, accountants, etc.”
His church family nurtured Brantly’s faith from
the time he was very young. As a high school
student at Heritage Christian School, Brantly’s
faith flourished. “Coming to Heritage as a junior in
high school was a time of great growth for me,” he
(continued on page 26)
A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 25
33. 26 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
Dr. Kent Brantly visited
the Heritage campus on
April 9, 2015 and spoke
to our middle and high
school students at their
chapel service. “I am very
much a person who grew
up in the shoes you’re
wearing,” he told them.
He shared his personal
story and encouraged
them to pursue God’s
calling on their lives.
He’s pictured below
with his former Heritage
teachers (left to right):
Erik Smith, Dave Watt,
and Dan Ambrose.
says. “I was challenged by teachers like
Mr. Terry, Mr. Smith, Mrs. Birkel, Mrs.
Board, and others who challenged me to
excel in what I did, for the glory of God.”
Erik Smith, former Heritage high school
teacher, remembers Brantly well, having
taught him in the classroom, coached
him on the soccer field, and spent a week
with him on a Canadianwilderness trip.
“In every arena, he struck me as a both
a very hard worker and a person of
integrity. Kent was highly respected by
others for his character, maturity and
positive attitude,” Smith says. “Even back
in high school, his humility and servant’s
heart were evident. He genuinely cared
for others and put their needs before
his own, so it was not surprising to me
that he was willing to sacrifice so much
to travel to Africa and work with Ebola
patients. That’s just the kind of person
he is.”
Heritage teacher Dan Ambrose adds,
“Kent was one of the most mature high
school students I have ever worked with.
He was friendly to all other students
around him, and while able to relax and
be fun-loving, he was also a serious deep
thinker. He seemed to have a deep love
and respect for the Bible and, even more,
his Lord.”
Teacher Dave Watt recalls, “He came
into class smiling every day and was
friendly with everyone in the class. I
remember him talking about his desire to
be a doctor during his senior year of high
school. He was not shy about talking
about his faith in Christ back then, as
well.” Brantly was honored with the
distinguished Spiritual Leader Award
during his senior year at Heritage.
After graduation, Brantly headed for
Abilene Christian University. “I earned a
degree in Biblical Text,” he says. “During
that process, through short-term mission
trips and summer internship programs,
I began to sense God’s calling on my life,
to be a missionary. For me, medicine was
a tool I would be able to use in service
to others as I followed God’s call on my
life.” On a church-sponsored medical
mission trip to Central America, he
met his future wife, Amber, then a pre-
nursing student. The couple married in
2008 and began to pursue their mutual
calling to full-time medical missions.
It’s a calling that Brantly says he’ll never
regret following. Even while facing the
disease, he told Kent Smith, an elder at
the Southside Church of Christ in Fort
Worth, Texas, “God’s going to deliver
me from this, but even if he doesn’t, I Photos by Studio Thirteen Photography
34. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 27
have lived my life for him and I have no
regrets.”
His experience has deepened and
strengthened his walk with Christ.
“I’ve seen the power of intercessory
prayer and the importance of praying
for others in those times when they
probably can’t pray for themselves. I
hope this will help me to pray better for
others,” Brantly says.
“Through my experience with Ebola,
both as a physician and as a patient, I
was faced with the mortality of man
over and over; and I learned in a new way
what it means, that God will provide
what we need to be faithful to Him in all
circumstances,” Brantly explains. “When
you are facing death, your own death, the
idea that nothing can separate us from
the love of God; neither death nor life
nor nothing in heaven or earth, that idea
takes on new meaning and you recognize
that nothing else matters when you are
safe in the love of God.”
THE FUTURE
In the end, Brantly’s incredible account
is not solely about his experience with
Ebola Virus Disease, nor even his
miraculous treatment and recovery from
it. His story ultimately is one of the God
he knows and serves. “This is not about
me,” he told an audience at Abilene
Christian University. “This is about our
great, loving, compassionate God who
has called us to love our neighbors. This
is about the more than 3,800 people
who have died from Ebola disease in
West Africa.”
It’s for the growing number of Ebola
victims that Brantly continues to
advocate.“I think every day about going
back, but I feel like I’ve been given a
platform through my experiences, to be
a voice here in this country for people in
West Africa,” he shared in an interview
with National Public Radio. “If I were
in West Africa right now, I’d be treating
twenty-five or fifty patients a day.
Hopefully through my activities here,
I can have an impact that will benefit
thousands of people.”
So, will the Brantlys ever return to the
mission field? “I’ll probably get tired of
talking about my experience some day,
but I went to Liberia because I long felt
it was my vocation to spend my career as
medical missionary,” he told Time. “Deep
in the core of my heart, I still think that’s
my calling. I don’t want to go on with life
and forget this.”
“I learned in a new way
what it means, that God
will provide what we need
to be faithful to Him in all
circumstances.”
Photo courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse International Relief
35. 28 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
magine a colorful, spacious classroom
at Heritage Christian School, where
sun spills through big windows.
Conga drums, xylophones,
keyboards, and a well used guitar adorn the
room. No need here for desks and chairs that
typify other elementary school rooms. Fourth
graders cluster in circles on the floor, creating
and clapping out rhythms and rhymes. Third
graders crouch and jump, slink and glide around
the room to the sounds of Mussorgsky’s concerto.
Throughout the week, Heritage prep-K through
sixth grade students experience exceptional music
instruction here, all wrapped up in big fun.
Welcome to the wonderful, musical world of
Heritage elementary music teacher and music
department head, Cathy Bartemus. For over
thirty-five years, she has carefully orchestrated
each component of her music classes to make
learning experiential and meaningful for her
young students. Don’t be surprised to find
her seated on the floor with the kids, singing,
clapping, and moving right along with them. Her
hands-on approach resonates with her students.
Assheputsit,Godhasgivenherthegiftof“kidspeak.”
She prays that music becomes a conduit for
spiritual truth. “When kids come into my
classroom,” she says, “I want them to see God; to
see His hand in the creativity, order and beauty of
music. It’s all for His glory.” She often references
Habakkuk 2:14: “The earth will be filled with the
knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea.”
Bartemus credits long-time former Heritage
principal, Mary Jane English, for helping to shape
her perspective on teaching. “She always wanted
us to keep Jesus in front of the kids,” she shares.
Bartemus keeps a photograph of her and English
thumb-tacked to her bulletin board, in memory
of her mentor and friend. “Mary Jane emphasized
that the uniqueness of our faith rests in Jesus.”
For Bartemus, her love for Jesus and her love for
music make a great combination. “I love teaching
at Heritage,” she concludes. “I’m convinced that
this is exactly what God wants me to do.”
I
CATHY BARTEMUS
MAKES MUSIC MAGICAL FOR
ELEMENTARY STUDENTS
“I love teaching at
Heritage. I’m convinced
that this is exactly what
God wants me to do.”
37. 30 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
f you looked only at his career
as an international professional
basketball player and collegiate
assistant coach; or at his awards
and impressive statistics, you might be tempted
to think that life for Heritage alumnus Todd
Abernethy (2003) is all about basketball.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
“Being a Christian is an everyday thing,” he
says. “It changes everything I do.”
He says that his faith grew while he was a
Heritage student. “Heritage played a huge role
in my life. It helped to build the foundation
for my faith,” he says. “I learned that you don’t
have to be in Bible class to talk about how to
apply it to your life.”
In both middle and high school, Abernethy
led chapel worship as a member of the worship
band. Al Leinbach, then principal, remembers,
“Todd’s influence on the student body was
huge and in the right and godly direction.
He has a real passion for anything he gets
involved in.”
Abernethy played all four years on the
Heritage varsity team and became the school’s
all-time leading scorer, averaging twenty-eight
points per game during his senior year. His
scoring averages during his junior and senior
years were among the top five in the state.
He was named City Co-Player of the Year and
was selected for the Indianapolis Star Super
Team in 2002-2003.
In the off-seasons, Abernethy played tennis
for then-Heritage tennis coach, Ron Young.
“Todd’s presence at practice and matches
greatly contributed to one of the most
successful seasons for the boys’ tennis team,”
recalls Young. “I measured this success not
by wins, but by the players’ maturity as
individuals, athletes, and Christians. Todd
made a difference in the lives that he touched.”
An unfortunate and serious shoulder injury
kept Abernethy off the basketball court during
part of his senior year at Heritage. It was a
tough time. But, he says, “God is sovereign.
I
TODD ABERNETHY
LIVES FOR MORE THAN
THE GAME HE LOVES
38. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 31
“Heritage played a huge role in my
life. It helped to build the foundation
for my faith. I learned that you don’t
have to be in Bible class to talk
about how to apply it to your life.”
Being a Christian helps you put everything in perspective.
God’s still good even if things don’t go your way.”
He signed on with the University of Mississippi and started
every game during his freshman season. He finished his Ole
Miss basketball career with over one thousand points. Abernethy
married Micah, a fellow Ole Miss athlete, in 2007.
He immediately began a six-year international professional career
that included stops in the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, Poland,
and the Ukraine. “Micah and I realized just how big the world is,”
he says. “It was during this time that we developed a real heart and
love for Eastern Europe.”
Upon returning to the U.S., Abernethy became director of
basketball operations at IUPUI in 2013. He and his young
family (Micah and their daughters, Ruthie and Maria) returned
to Ole Miss in 2014, when Abernethy accepted his current
role as assistant coach for his alma mater. Looking at all of his
life experiences, Abernethy says he’s grateful for each one. “I’ve
definitely experienced God’s favor and His hand,” he concludes.
39. 32 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
his is my passion,” says long-time
Heritage U.S. history teacher, Len
Somers. “I love what I teach.” It
shows. Somers exudes an infectious
enthusiasm for his subject, his ministry, and his
middle school students that can only come from
the inside out.
To understand Somers’ zeal, you must go
back in history. Literally. Back to the days of
the Civil War and his favorite U.S. president,
Abraham Lincoln. In Somers’ classroom, it’s
easy to imagine. Lincoln’s likeness is everywhere.
Over the years, Somers has built an impressive
collection of Lincoln artwork, textiles, statues,
busts, and even bobble heads. There are so many
of them that he leads incoming eighth graders
on a classroom scavenger hunt to find as many
Lincoln reproductions as they can. There are
ninety-seven.
Somers never tires of teaching the nine-week
elective course about Lincoln that he developed
over twelve years ago. Lincoln’s life has become
a springboard for Somers to draw spiritual
applications from the pages of history. The
legendary president’s life changed in 1863, when
he came to know Christ. “Lincoln became a
new creation,” he explains. “His viewpoint on
humanity changed. How can you not get excited
about that?” The historical parallels don’t end
there. “I want to help students see that God is
always in control; that there are no accidents
or coincidences; that history is the progressive
unfolding of God’s plan for mankind,” he says.
Each spring, Somers and fellow history teachers,
Dave Watt and Dan Ambrose, lead a large
group of Heritage eighth graders and families
on a guided tour of the nation’s capitol. “We
try to make history come alive for them; to
make it as real as possible,” he explains. The trip
is so popular that it takes three charter buses
accommodate the annual trek.
Somers also coaches Heritage’s middle school
football and basketball teams. There, too, he
seizes teachable moments. “We talk a lot about
the fact that life is not about what happens to
you. It’s how you handle it,” he says.
As a teenager, Somers never dreamed he’d teach
one day. As a sophomore in college, the Lord
clearly directed him to his vocational calling.
“God knows me better than I know myself,”
he reflects. He shares this life lesson with his
students, too. “When you know that the Lord
wants you to do something,” he says, “ it’s safe
to trust Him.” After twenty-four years in his
profession, the rest of Somers’ own story, you
might say, is history. “I’m doing exactly what
He created me to do,” he concludes.
T
LEN SOMERS
TEACHES HISTORY AS
GOD’S PLAN FOR MANKIND
40. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 33
“I want to help students see that
God is always in control; that there
are no accidents or coincidences;
that history is the progressive unfolding
of God’s plan for mankind.”
Photo by Studio Thirteen Photography
41. DR. JAMES BECK served as Heritage Christian
School’s first high school principal. In addition to his
administrative roles, Beck taught high school ethics,
Bible and German classes.
DEVERN FROMKE, Heritage’s first elementary school headmaster.
WILLIAM VIMONT was Heritage Christian
School’s first principal, when the school first opened
its doors at Victory Baptist Church in 1965. He
established the school’s academic program and
provided leadership for the first year of its operation.
He also was instrumental in the founding of
numerous other Christian schools across the country.
D
eVern Fromke holds a special place in the
fifty-year history of Heritage Christian
School, having served as the school’s first
elementary school headmaster, from 1965-
1967. He saw the school move from church basements
to a new facility. He spoke at the 1967 commencement
ceremony for the first graduating class. He even directed
the school’s first band.
Fromke also is an author, speaker, and teacher in his
own right. He has written nearly a dozen books on
Christian living and is known for his Hive of Busy Bees
collection of children’s stories. After serving at Heritage,
he traveled for more than fifty years and ministered
in Canada, Brazil, New Zealand, Europe, and Japan.
He is the president of Sure Foundation Publishers and
Ministry of Life literature outreach.
Long-time Heritage principal, Mary Jane English, said,
“He used to lead the kids in a song about the books of
the Bible. He learned it when he was a child and taught
the kids this unique song. It is a great tool. He was such a
kind and gentle man.”
HERITAGE’S FIRST
HEADMASTER AND PRINCIPALS
34 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
42. JAMES WEAVER
LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
ames Weaver holds the honored distinction as the
longest-serving headmaster at Heritage Christian School,
having served from 1967-1982. He is credited with many
contributions to the life of the school over the fifteen years of
his work and ministry with Heritage faculty, students, and families.
“My primary job,” he once said, “was to help build the spiritual lives of my
teachers. I knew that if their lives were strong, the classrooms would be,
too.” Daily morning devotions with faculty and staff were one of his favorite
parts of his role.
Weaver brought passion, enthusiasm, and a love for education to his position
as headmaster. We’re grateful for his strong leadership and faithful service
over many years of the school’s history.
J
“My primary job was to help build the
spiritual lives of my teachers. I knew that
if their lives were strong, the classrooms
would be, too.”
A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 35
43. 36 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
bronze statue in front of the
Elementary Building honors the
memory and ministry of former
Heritage elementary principal,
Mary Jane English. It reads, “In honor of Mrs.
Mary Jane English, for thirty-seven years of
faithful service to the Lord at Heritage Christian
School. She was a joyful servant, friend, leader,
teacher, mentor, and shepherd. We will miss her
laughter, her stories, and her presence with us. To
God be the glory! She is home.”
English had a burden for children who had
the intellectual capacity to advance but had
been identified with learning differences that
caused them to struggle in the classroom. In
2010, the HOPE (Helping Others Pursue
Excellence) Fund was inspired by English and
was established to honor the memory of those
who have either supported our students or who
received services through the academic support
of a tutor or Heritage Educational Support
Services teacher.
English’s colleagues and the teachers whom she
supervised remember her with fondness and
respect. “Mary Jane had great understanding
and empathy for struggling students and
students who march to the beat of a different
drummer, because as she told us many times,
she was one of those students, too,” says Teresa
Stroop. “Mary Jane was real. She was direct,
she was honest, she was funny and she loved
to laugh. She had a heart for Jesus, a heart for
her family, a heart for children, a heart for her
friends. She had a heart for truth, a heart for
nature, and a heart for knowledge,” recalls
Julie Hiatt. Heritage academic director and
elementary/intermediate school principal,
Brenda Klingerman, says, “She mentored me
and invested time in me. She taught me so
much spiritually, about depending on the Lord
in making decisions and looking for what He
has next. She really enjoyed life.”
A
MARY JANE ENGLISH
HER EDUCATIONAL
AND SPIRITUAL LEGACY
44. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 37
“Mary Jane had great understanding
and empathy for struggling students
and students who march to the beat
of a different drummer, because
as she told us many times, she was
one of those students, too.”
–Teresa Stroop
45. 38 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
f Heritage Christian School’s
history had a face, it surely would
be that of the sole individual
who has been part of that history
from nearly its very beginning. If the school’s
history were personified, one man would
represent the school’s spiritual, academic, and
athletic impact over many generations.
But if you ask Al Leinbach, his role in the
Heritage narrative simply has been one of a
participant and a witness to God’s provision and
blessing over the past fifty years. For forty-nine
of those years, his life’s work has been pouring
into the lives of more than three thousand
students who have graduated from here.
Interestingly, education was not a path that
Leinbach would have chosen. The son of a
pastor/street preacher, he initially pursued
his interest in medical missions. But in his
sophomore year at Indiana University, he
left his pre-medical studies and transferred
to Columbia Bible College. It was a life-
changing experience. On a summer mission
trip to Colombia, South America, Leinbach
established a relationship with Wycliffe
Bible Translators and discovered a latent
interest in linguistics. He planned to work
as a missionary for the organization after his
college graduation in 1966. He and his fiancée,
Donna, made preparations for summer
linguistics training and future missionary
work with Wycliffe.
In the meantime, Leinbach sought income
through temporary work. A friend told him
about a new Christian school that had just
formed on Indianapolis’ northeast side.
Leinbach applied for a teaching job at Heritage
in April of 1966.
On a day in late May, he and his bride-to-
be had their bags packed, ready to leave for
Oklahoma for linguistics training with
Wycliffe. That very morning, Kye Harris, the
school’s first administrator, called to set up a
job interview. The men met that afternoon at a
location in the then-remote Castleton area, on
Indianapolis’ northeast side. The Leinbachs
left for Oklahoma immediately following the
interview.
On July 7 (which just so happens to be
Leinbach’s birthday), Harris called to extend
Leinbach an offer for a teaching position.
He needed an immediate answer. The
couple talked it over and decided to return
to Indianapolis in August to take the job.
“Coming to Heritage was not by my design,”
explains Leinbach. “It was specifically by
God’s design. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, I
knew that God had led me here.”
I
AL LEINBACH
THE TREASURED FACE OF
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL HISTORY
(continued on page 40)
46. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 39
“Coming to Heritage
was not by my design.
It was specifically by
God’s design. Beyond
the shadow of a doubt, I
knew that God had led
me here.”
47. 40 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
Leinbach attended in-service teacher
training at Heritage at the end of August
1966. The training concluded on a Friday.
The couple married the following day
and Leinbach began teaching when
school opened its doors at Victory Baptist
Church on the following Wednesday.
He taught seventh-grade geography,
eighth-grade American history,
world history, physical education,
and health. In the absence of a sports
program, Leinbach pioneered and
coached the school’s basketball team
that same year. It was a crazy, busy
time of transition for the newlywed
couple. But, says Leinbach, “by the
end of that first year, I knew that
God had changed my mission field,
my direction, and my heart toward
teens.”
Leinbach was himself surprised
by the joy he discovered in teaching. “I
thoroughly enjoyed working with the middle
school and high school students,” he says. “I
loved engaging the students spiritually, and
even socially. We were learning to have a lot of
fun while we were trying to learn.”
In the years that followed, Leinbach coached
the boys’ basketball and soccer teams.
He taught in the classroom. He took the senior
classes on their annual trips. He spoke in
chapel. He served at various times as
high school guidance counselor, athletic
director, and principal. He was the school’s
headmaster/principal from 1970 to 2007. Over
more than four decades, he has mentored and
trained students in the faith and in preparation
for their vocations of every sort.
Leinbach has attended every commencement,
except one, due to extenuating circumstances.
He has seen his own children graduate from
the school (Ed in 1990; Jodi in 1992; and
Lori in 1994). One of his six grandchildren is
a current Heritage fourth grader. This year,
Leinbach will be part of graduation ceremonies
for Heritage’s fiftieth graduating class.
(continued on page 42)
49. 42 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
He takes great pride in Heritage alumni
because, he says, “they are a great part of what
we want to accomplish here. In the years after
their graduation from high school, it’s exciting
to see the outgrowth of their commitment to
Christ.” Leinbach says that he felt privileged
to assume his current role as alumni relations
coordinator in 2007. He attends class
reunions, weddings, funerals, and other big
events in the lives of graduates. Facebook has
given him a venue for regular communication
with alumni. On each graduate’s birthday, he
sends each of them a greeting and devotional
thought via social media or email. Remarkably,
he remembers details and graduation years for
many of these former students, just off the top
of his head.
Sure, some things have changed since those
early days of the school’s beginnings. Buildings
have been constructed, programs have been
established and grown, the student body has
grown in size. But the fundamental values
upon which the school was created, says
Leinbach, have never wavered. “We stand
on the shoulders of the men and families
who founded Heritage Christian School,”
he explains. “Even though it wasn’t written
down at first, our mission always has been,
and always will be, to glorify God through the
discipleship of our students and the pursuit
of excellence in education, with Bible as our
foundation and Jesus Christ as our focus.”
In 2009, Heritage honored Al Leinbach for his long-time
service to the school, by initiating the Leinbach Servant
Leadership Award. Both a male and female student are
selected for the award each year. Candidates are nominated
at the end of their senior year by a Heritage teacher or coach
who has been involved in the student’s life during high school.
The award is intended to recognize students who reflect the
spirit of servant leadership by qualifying in four out of six
criteria categories: student government activities; academic
activities and achievements; athletic achievements; fine arts
achievements; or other Heritage ministries, clubs, or outside
ministry involvement. Pictured here, with Leinbach (center),
are the 2015 Leinbach Servant Leadership Award recipients,
Sam Lyons (left) and Katherine Yeager (right).
LEINBACH SERVANT LEADERSHIP
AWARD HONORS GRADUATES
50. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 43
MATT WARELIVES A LIFE OF FAITH AND ABUNDANCE
DESPITE PERSONAL TRAGEDY
W
hat’s perhaps most amazing about
Heritage alumnus Matt Ware is his
unwavering insistence that even in
the midst of great tragedy, God is
good and sovereign. By personal experience, Ware
knows of what he speaks.
It was a Heritage after-school basketball team
practice, the same as any other. At about 5:00
p.m. on Feb. 28, 1998, Ware, then a Heritage
sophomore, dove for a loose ball that was headed
out of bounds. He slid into the protective padding
that covered the Elementary Gym walls. The
back of his head hit at an angle that shattered and
severed his fourth vertebrae. He was paralyzed
from the neck down.
In the days, weeks, and months that followed the
terrible accident, strangers, professional athletes,
churches, and the Heritage community reached
out to support Ware and his family. Mail and
email poured in from across the world. Media
picked up the story of the remarkable teen whose
faith sustained him.
“The only thing you can do in a situation like
this is to totally trust God,” Ware told the
Indianapolis Star. “None of the doctors really
know what will happen, and they can’t, because
God is in control. I just have to be patient and
remember it’s His time, not mine.”
As Ware embarked on months of intense
rehabilitation, his Heritage family came
alongside. Al Leinbach, then high school
principal, met with him weekly. His best buddies
and fellow classmates made sure that he didn’t
lose his sense of humor. His teachers went to
any length to help him continue his studies.
Remarkably, Ware graduated at commencement,
right along with his classmates, in 2000.
Fast-forward to the fall of 2014, when Ware
returned to campus during homecoming week
to address high school students during chapel
services. Sure, he talked a little bit about his
accident. “I’m glad that God has brought me this
far. I have a great life,” he shared with them. But
in relatable terms and his no-nonsense style, Ware
spoke mostly of the importance of Christian
friends; of what it means to be a “real” Christian;
of the danger of complacency and stagnation.
He challenged them with the question, “Will
you be on the winning team when it’s your
homecoming?”
Afterwards, Ware’s former teachers, his friends,
and family gathered around him for photos. On
either side of his wheelchair stood his wife, Erika
(a Heritage employee) and daughter, Aubree (a
Heritage third grader). Heritage science teacher,
Stephen Terry, approached Ware, laid his hand on
his shoulder, and whispered, “You’re my hero.”
51. 44 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
hen the front doors to the
elementary school building
swing open each morning,
you’ll find Brenda Klingerman
serving in one of her many roles at Heritage
Christian School. To parents, faculty,
and staff, Klingerman is well respected as
academic director and elementary school
principal. But to the kids who flood
through these doors every day, she is one
of the very first faces they see when they
enter the building. Sometimes with a coffee
mug in hand, always with a smile on her
face, Klingerman takes seriously her role as
greeter and unofficial hugger.
Klingerman says she treasures these early
morning minutes, when she interacts directly
with students. It’s a reminiscent taste of the
connection she enjoyed for many years, as
an elementary school classroom teacher. She
cherishes the now thirteen years she has spent
in an administrative role at Heritage, but
“I’ll always miss the classroom,” she says.
To that end, she finds ways to stay in touch
at a grassroots level, by reading in classrooms
at any given opportunity, teaching the
fourth-grade Peacemakers study, speaking
in elementary school chapel services, and
even creating and hanging bulletin boards
in the elementary school hallways. On her
own initiative, she keeps her teaching license
current.
For the role of principal, Klingerman says
she was well prepared, thanks to the time
and spiritual investments of her mentor,
close friend, and former Heritage elementary
school principal, Mary Jane English. “Not
a day passes, when I don’t think of her,”
says Klingerman. The memorial statue
that’s visible from her office window serves
as a visual reminder of the kinship she
enjoyed with English, during the years
when Klingerman taught fourth grade and
then, at English’s encouragement, assumed
responsibilities as assistant principal and,
eventually, principal.
Mary Lou Cooper, elementary school
assistant principal, says of Klingerman, “One
of her favorite roles is teacher of teachers.
She’s a faithful mentor to our staff and our
parents…a good listener, dependable, and
a special friend to all. Her staff loves and
respects her.”
As they worked together in the early 2000s,
Klingerman, English, and Cooper supported
one another and invested in each other’s lives,
both professionally and spiritually. At one
W
BRENDA KLINGERMAN
A TEACHER OF TEACHERS
52. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 45
“We’ve created an environment where
they want to stay. I’m so proud of our
faculty and staff and how they respond to
the demands on them.”
point, Klingerman juggled part-time classroom
teaching and assistant principal duties, while also
commuting to Ball State each week, to complete
her master’s degree in education. Cooper supported
her friend’s efforts by preparing a weekly meal for
Klingerman’s young family on her travel days.
These kinds of gestures are part of what makes
Heritage a privileged place for work and ministry,
says Klingerman. She points to the tenure of
Heritage faculty as one measure of the school’s
strength. “We’ve created an environment where
they want to stay,” she explains. “I’m so proud of
our faculty and staff and how they respond to the
demands on them.”
But for this teacher-at-heart, Heritage students are
one of the greatest sources of her inspiration.
Part of the school’s uniqueness lies in the fact
that many students spend up to thirteen years
on the same campus. It’s a rare privilege, says,
Klingerman, for elementary teachers to participate
in their students’ commencement ceremony. She
has, in fact, seen all three of her own children
graduate from Heritage. These days, two of her
grandchildren are students in the elementary
school.
On the wall of Klingerman’s office is a hand-
painted mural of children at play, and the words of
one of her favorite promises: “’For I know the plans
I have for you,’ declares the Lord. ‘Plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope
and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV) It’s a fitting
image, says Klingerman. “The Lord had plans for
me at Heritage. He has so prospered me here.”
Photo by Studio Thirteen Photography
53. 46 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
or Heritage alumna Jennifer Nutter
(1988), her grade school and high
school alma mater is more than
just a memory. In fact, she revisits
the hallways and classrooms of the elementary
building every day, as one of Heritage Christian
School’s most beloved teachers. She’s right at
home. “It’s like my family, here,” she says.
Nutter says she’s continuing the legacy her parents
began when they sent her and her sister (Laurie
Griffin, HCS 1980) to Heritage, beginning in
kindergarten and continuing on through high
school graduation. “Mom and dad loved the Lord
and loved Heritage. They sacrificed for us to be
able to go to school here,” she shares. Her parents
believed wholeheartedly in the value of Christian
education. They viewed their daughters’ schooling
as part of a three-legged foundational stool, says
Nutter. Each “leg” represented an important facet
of raising their children: home, church, and school.
Nutter has always known that she wanted a life
filled with children. As a mere second grader, she
decided that she wanted to become a teacher. She
never changed her mind. During the summers,
while she studied education at Grace College,
Nutter travelled to Europe and worked as a nanny.
It was an incredible experience, she says, working
for a family in the beauty of the Alps.
Upon her college graduation in 1992, Nutter
taught third grade at Heritage for five years,
under the leadership of long-time principal, Mary
Jane English, who also had been her first-grade
teacher. She returned to teaching at Heritage in
2008, after spending several years at home with
her children. Today, she’s part of the third-grade
teaching team in a role she relishes. “Third grade
is my passion,” she says.
Gratitude is a consistent theme in Nutter’s life and
even in her conversation. Working at Heritage is,
for her, a form of giving back; of reinvesting her
talents and energy in a ministry that means so
much to her. “I absolutely love what I do, and I
look forward to going to ‘work’ every day,” she says.
“I continually thank the Lord for allowing me to
serve and give back to the school that, without a
doubt, gave me a solid foundation based on
Jesus Christ.”
JENNIFER NUTTER
GIVES BACK
“I absolutely love what I do, and I look forward to going to ‘work’ every day...
I continually thank the Lord for allowing me to serve and give back to the school that,
without a doubt, gave me a solid foundation based on Jesus Christ.”
F
54. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 47
n the Heritage Christian School parking lot,
in spot number 431, sits an inconspicuous gold
2006 Honda Odyssey minivan. Unbeknownst
to many, it’s an informal donation place for a
global outreach on Indy’s west side. Its doors are always left
unlocked so that anyone can drop off gently used clothing and
household goods inside. The unassuming van just happens to
belong to third grade teacher, Jennifer Nutter.
By day, the van is a vehicle for transportation. But on many
weekends, it transforms into an answered prayer on wheels,
when it pulls up to the Stratford apartment complex, where
numerous refugees and their families live. They come to
Indy from around the globe; from Kenya, Somalia, Iraq,
Iran, Thailand, Burma and beyond. When they receive their
American paperwork and arrive in the States, they come with
little more than the clothes they’re wearing. Virtually none of
them are prepared for cold Indiana winters.
So when Nutter, her family and a few other volunteers
begin to unload the van’s contents, it’s like Christmas
morning. A floor lamp here, a baby blanket there…what
seems like a random collection of goods consistently and
specifically meets the needs of this appreciative international
community. Nutter says that over and over, God delivers
exactly what each family needs. Recently, two families
struggled to provide required uniforms for their children in
urban schools. Nutter was delighted to find nineteen pairs
of uniform pants at a garage sale the exact week that they
needed them. When an elderly family member desperately
needed a wheelchair to get around, it was no coincidence
that one was donated that very week.
The items do more than meet a physical need for the
recipients, says Nutter. “It’s a way for us to share Jesus’ love and
develop relationships with them,” she explains. For five years,
Nutter and her family have worked with friends to reach this
little-known population in our city’s borders.
It all began as a one-time family project to provide Christmas
gifts for a refugee family. When the Nutters met and delivered
their gifts to the family, God sparked a desire to do more.
The ministry burgeoned through word of mouth within the
Heritage and church community. Within a short period of
time, the Nutters had accumulated so many donations that
they outgrew the confines of their garage and rented a 10 x 20-
foot storage unit. Even still, the
weekend runs today find the van
packed to the gills with items for
waiting families.
“You just never know what the
Lord is going to do when you
focus on someone else,” says
Nutter. “This is a ministry
we never dreamed we’d have.
Through it, God has brought
the world to us. We’ve seen
God supply over and over.
We get to share the love of
Jesus right here in Indy.”
I
REACHING THE WORLD,
RIGHT HERE IN INDIANAPOLIS
55. 48 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
n a window ledge in Teresa Stroop’s
first-grade classroom sits a black,
three-ring binder whose contents this
Heritage teacher cherishes. In cutout
letters and shapes, it’s labeled “The Stroop Troops.”
Inside its covers are slipcovered pages with class
photographs of every student she has taught during
her twenty-seven years at Heritage Christian School.
Over the years, the pictures have migrated from
black-and-white to color. The hairstyles and clothing
have changed. The classroom and grade levels have
varied. Yet, says Stroop, one thing never has. She
firmly believes that every student comes to school
with a need to feel loved and accepted. “At the end
of the day,” she explains, “the most important thing
is that students know God’s love. Education is really
important, but they need to feel the love of Christ
here, too.”
And love them she does. As soon as she receives her
classroom list during the summer, Stroop begins to
pray by name for each of her incoming students. “It’s
such a privilege to be their teacher. I have the best job
in the whole world,” she says. Sometimes, love finds
its expressions in the smallest of ways; a hug, a smile.
Other times, it’s in helping and comforting students
when they face tough circumstances. “I want to be a
cheerleader for my kids,” she explains. “In whatever
they’re dealing with, I want to be able to point
everything to Jesus. It’s so exciting to see what God
can do; how He can work in a life in ways you don’t
even expect.”
Stroop says she sees her students grow over the
course of the school year, especially as they learn to
pray for and serve others. Every morning, her class
prays specifically for orphaned children at a school
in Mexico. Twice each year, they write letters to
U.S. soldiers. Exercises like these, she says, cultivate
compassion and set an example for a faith that serves.
Her teacher’s heart may come in part from a family
dedicated to education. Her mother taught in the
Westfield school system for thirty years. At one point
in her Heritage career, Stroop served alongside her
brother, Gary Walker, who was the elementary school
principal during the 1980s. Her son, Chris (HCS
1999) is a senior lecturer at the Russian Presidential
Academy of National Economy and Public
Administration in Moscow.
Outside the classroom, Stroop shares her skill and
love for writing with eager elementary students who
join the after-school Creative Writing Club. One
day, she’d like to write children’s books, maybe even
co-write a children’s musical with her husband. But
for now, her life is full of all the things she loves best;
school, church, and family.
Every now and then, Stroop receives a visit from one
of her former students, whose picture she keeps in her
homemade scrapbook. “I’ll never forget any of them,”
says Stroop. “They’ll always have a piece of my heart.”
O
TERESA STROOP
CHERISHES EVERY ONE OF
HER “STROOP TROOPS”
56. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 49
“At the end of the day, the most
important thing is that students
know God’s love. Education is really
important, but they need to feel the
love of Christ here, too.”
Photo by Studio Thirteen Photography
57. 50 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
aul and Timothy. Moses and Joshua.
Naomi and Ruth. The Bible is full of
examples of the unique relationship
between an older, seasoned mentor and
a younger, less experienced mentee. The experience
can be powerful and life changing. Just ask Heritage
alumnus Dave Neff (2003), executive director of EDGE
Mentoring. He’s passionate about EDGE Mentoring’s
mission of equipping the next generation of godly
leadership and about his role in connecting mature
leaders with younger, emerging ones.
Neff knows firsthand just how important these
purposeful relationships can be. After graduating with
a BS in sports administration from Ball State in 2007,
he began a successful business career in influential
roles with the Indiana Pacers. He frequently interacted
with executives and community leaders. In the course
of business, he met Elanco president, Jeff Simmons,
and discovered that they had much in common. They
attended the same church on Indy’s north side. They
were equally passionate about business. They shared a
similar world view. (And, incidentally, they both have a
Heritage connection; Neff as a grad and Simmons as a
parent of 2015 alum, Madison.)
Over Saturday morning breakfast at the Roost in
Fishers, the two men met informally to talk about faith,
career, and life. They struck up a friendship that grew
into a unique relationship, akin to that of a mentor
and mentee. Simmons invited Neff to join an “EDGE”
group of three twenty-something men from across the
nation, whom he’d been mentoring through hour-long
conference calls. Neff accepted the invitation and began
to look forward to their bi-monthly conversations
about faith, career and biblical leadership. When he
moved from the Pacers into marketing management at
ExactTarget, the group supported and encouraged him
in the transition to his new role.
Over time, the closely knit unit burgeoned to seven, then
nine. The virtual group occasionally met in person and
even took mission trips together. It became a model for
what later would develop into the structured, turn-key
EDGE Mentoring program.
Meanwhile, Simmons enlisted the help of the non-profit,
Truth@Work, to launch the fledgling organization
and provide operations and marketing support. In
2012, Truth@Work developed the “America’s Best
Hope” national leadership conference that featured
noted business figures and leadership experts. It became
a strategic conduit for greater exposure and growth
potential for EDGE Mentoring. Neff attended the
second-annual conference in 2013. Soon thereafter,
Simmons approached him with a surprising offer;
to help propel EDGE Mentoring to the next level by
becoming the organization’s executive director.
Neff was in the midst of an exciting career at
ExactTarget and had just married his wife, Joelle, two
weeks prior to Simmons’ phone call. It was a big decision
to contemplate, says Neff. He and Joelle began to pray
for God’s direction. The answer came with inexplicable
peace for both of them and through affirming
circumstances that seemed far from coincidental.
Two months later, Neff stepped out in faith and
accepted the offer.
“It took so much faith, so much courage to step up and
take this role,” says Simmons. “This new venture has
built Dave’s dependency on God. He has a ‘kingdom
lens’ on life.”
P
DAVE NEFFON THE LEADING EDGE
58. n Heritage teacher and orchestra director,
Laura Payne, students receive the caliber
of instruction that has earned the school
accolades from the music community.
But when students first set foot in her classroom, they
acquire more than an education. They receive from
Payne access to a teacher who sees them as individuals as
much as, and maybe even more, than musical protégés.
Makenomistake;herexpertiseandexperienceare
exceptional.PriortojoiningtheHeritagefaculty,
shetaughtinschoolsfromTucsontoBloomington.
Shepioneeredanddirectedtheorchestralprogramat
NoblesvilleHighSchoolforthirteenyears.Thisyear
marksherfifteenthatHeritageandthethirty-first
anniversaryofteachingthesubjectsheholdsdear.
MusicoccupiesPayne’slifeinsideandoutsideofthe
classroom.Fortwenty-sixyears,shehaslentherabilities
totheCarmelSymphonyOrchestra,asastringbass
player.“Performingiswhatkeepsmusicfreshforme,”she
explains.“It’smypointofexpression.”
It’sexactlythatkindofexpressionthatshehopesto
inspireinherstudents.“Theyhavetohavethebasicskills
toturnmusicintoexpression.Myjobistodeconstruct
musicinawaythat’saccessibletothekids,”shesays.“Asa
teacher,Iwanttohelpthemtounderstandthebigpicture,
thenbeabletotakeittoanewpieceofmusic.”Oncethe
fundamentalsareinplace,shesays,studentscanlearnto
taptheemotionalresourcesthatconnectamusiciantothe
audience.“Thefactthatitcomesoutoftheheartiswhat
makesmusicunique,”sheexplains.“It’saprivilegetofind
thatemotionalconnectionwiththeaudience.”
Perhapsit’sthiswelltunedabilitytoestablishemotional
connectionthroughmusicthatenablesPaynetorelate
withherstudentsandtheirfamilies,too.Shenurtures
students’musicability,butalsotheirpersonhood.“This
ismyministry,”shesays.“Godhasputmeheretohavean
impactonthem.”
AbovePayne’sdeskaretackedmyriad3”x5”seniorphotos
offormerstudentsfromthepastthreedecades.Shestores
anotherhugestackofthephotosinadeskdrawer.“Once
theygraduate,Ihopetheyconsidermeafriendinsteadofa
teacher.Theyhavebecomeanextensionofmyfamily,”she
says.Paynestaysintouchwithmanyformerstudentsand
oftenmakesstopstovisitthemduringhersummertravels.
TwoHeritagegraduates’imagesareherfavorites,though;
daughtersStephanie(2010)andRachel(2012).“Ilove
beingateacher,butbeingtheirmomisthebestthinginmy
life.TheyarethereasonGodledmetoteachatHeritage,”
shesays.
“Whenstudentsleavehere,”sheconcludes,“Iwantthem
tohaveanappreciationfortherolemusichasintheir
life.Theycandomusictheirentirelives.It’salifelong
opportunity.”
I
LAURA PAYNESHOWS STUDENTS THE HEART OF MUSIC
“The fact that it
comes out of the
heart is what makes
music unique. It’s
a privilege to find
that emotional
connection with the
audience.”
A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 51
59. ost recently, professional athlete
and Heritage alumna (2009) Kelly
Faris played for the Euro League’s
Adelaide Lightning in Australia.
But if you follow her basketball journey to its
beginnings, you’ll find the makings of her career
in the school’s gymnasium, where today her
jersey is proudly displayed.
“My decision to attend
Heritage Christian was
a decision I would make
time and time again. I
had an incredible four
years there and would
not trade it for anything.
As an athlete, I look
back and realize how
blessed I was to be a part
of the teams I was on,”
says Faris.
Faris helped lead
Heritage to four
consecutive IHSAA state
championships, with
an incredible combined
team record of 108-8.
This accomplishment
earned the team a
congratulatory resolution from the General
Assembly of the State of Indiana.
She remains Heritage’s all-time leader in
rebounds, assists, and steals. She earned two gold
medals with USA Basketball. As a senior, she
competed for the East team in the McDonald’s
All-America game and also was named
Indianapolis Star Super Team Player of the Year.
Somehow, Faris found the time and energy to
compete for the Eagles’ volleyball and track
teams, as well. She earned all-state honors in
volleyball, in both 2007 and 2008, and also
won national honors in 2007, being named
to the 2007 AAU Junior National Volleyball
Championships All-American team.
She also was an excellent student, earning high
academic honors as a senior, and being a member
of the National Honor Society. “As a student, I
look back and realize how blessed I was to have
teachers who were so invested in my wellbeing, in
and out of the classroom,” says Faris.
She then went to the University of Connecticut,
where she reached four Final Fours and won two
national championships with the Huskies. As
a senior, she was named the Big East Defensive
Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, and
played for the All-Big East Second Team.
M
KELLY FARIS
LIVES A LIFE FULL
OF BASKETBALL AND FAITH
52 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
60. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 53
“I am so thankful I had the opportunity
to attend Heritage and I can only hope
many others will be impacted in the
same ways as I was.”
During UConn’s final regular-
season game, she sustained an
unfortunate and serious foot injury.
Faris made the news when she was
selected by the Connecticut Sun in
the first round of the 2013 WNBA
draft. Unfortunately, another foot
injury sidelined her for the last ten
games of the Suns’ schedule. Faris
turned her sights overseas and
moved to Sopron, Hungary in 2013,
to play for UNIQA Euroleasing
Sopron. In 2014, she moved to “The
Land Down Under” to play for the
Adelaide Lightning.
Of her Heritage experience, she
says, “I made so many memories
and lifelong friendships that I
never thought I’d have. Not only
that, but I really grew in my faith.
I don’t think I really realized the
type of spiritual impact it would
have on me at the time. But I know
now, I would not be where I am
spiritually today, if it weren’t for the
individuals I was surrounded by at
school,” Faris concludes. “I am so
thankful I had the opportunity to
attend Heritage and I can only hope
many others will be impacted in the
same ways as I was.”
61. 54 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
t was a full thirty-minute drive, just to get to the bus
stop. The daily bus ride from there to the doorstep
of Heritage Christian School took another full hour.
For then-seventh-grade student Julie Hiatt and her
family, it seemed a small price to pay for an education that they
valued so highly. They perhaps never would have guessed that one
day, the 1979 graduate would later return to the school she loved as
a talented and valued member of the faculty.
Heritage has been the workplace for teacher Julie Hiatt for twenty-
eight years, but it’s not merely the longevity of her service that
makes this place so endearing. Her heartfelt love for and loyalty
to this educational institution is firmly rooted in what she has
received here, both as an educator and as a Heritage student herself.
Today, Hiatt lavishes her students with the same spirit
and excellence she herself experienced firsthand. She’s the
quintessential kindergarten teacher, with an ability to make a
song out of just about anything; from the day’s weather, to letter
sounds, to anything else that makes learning fun for a room full
of squirmy, energetic five year-olds. To learn about the letter “K”
on a designated week, she has dubbed each of her male students a
king. They sport crowns made of yellow construction paper and
she consistently refers to them as “king,” inserting their individual
name after the title.
Judging by the excited inflections in her voice and her dramatic
reading of The Hungry Caterpillar, you get the sense that she’s
enjoying the story of the insect’s metamorphosis almost as much as
the kids are. In fact, she is, because she sees it as a fresh opportunity
to remind this group of young students that the God of the
universe is the sole architect of this scientific wonder. Never mind
that it’s probably the umpteenth time she has flipped through the
book’s well worn pages.
After shaking out their wiggles, Hiatt’s students find their
assigned places at squeaky, small human-sized wooden chairs
and tables. You’d never know that they are about to embark on
some impressively difficult word problems involving standard
configurations, cleverly disguised as a story about Fredrika the
frog and her friends at Willow Pond. Remarkably, the students
stay engaged, pencils in hand, for the full twenty minutes of the
exercise, because Hiatt has enraptured them with a tale that elicits
gasps and giggles at various points in the plot. Every so often, they
pause to fill in the blanks of the accompanying math worksheet.
Delivering this kind of energy every day of the school year requires
stamina and a deep-seated love for kids and education. Hiatt
possesses both in large measure. It comes from a place of gratitude,
she says. “I just wanted to give back,” she explains. “It was at
Heritage that as a student, I solidified my faith and my walk with
Christ. I saw what’s important; what matters in life. I saw how fun
education can be.”
She’s replicating her own experience exponentially with each year’s
new group of students and families. Who knows? These youngest
of Heritage students may one day recall the seeds of academic
interest or lifelong passion that were planted in their formative
years, when a gifted teacher made learning seem like play.
I
JULIE HIATT
TURNS LEARNING INTO FUN FOR
KINDERGARTENERS
63. 56 A FAITHFUL JOURNEY
am living every little girl’s dream,” says
Heritage alumna, Kristin Young (2007).
She’s right. As a ballerina with the
Nashville Ballet, she’s living the dream
that God planted in her heart when she was just five years
old and a student at Heritage Christian School.
By the time she was in third grade, Young realized that
ballet was her passion and began serious training with
Ballet Internationale’s Academy. After practice one day,
she remembers telling her mom, “Have you ever done
something that you don’t want to end?”
Young’s parents and the Heritage family supported her
from the beginning. When she played the lead role of
Clara in a modern adaptation of The Nutcracker with the
Gregory Hancock Dance Theater, her teachers planned a
field trip so that her entire sixth-grade class would be able
to see her performance.
By the time she reached high school, Young practiced
for five hours, six days each week. It wouldn’t have been
possible, she says, without the support and flexibility
that Heritage provided. Her teachers understood her
commitment to dance and flexed with her rigorous
practice schedule.
Young spent her summers as a student at the Kirov
Academy of Ballet, the School of American Ballet,
the Harid Conservatory and Boston Ballet. Before
her sophomore year of high school, she was one of five
student dancers chosen to tour in Taipei, Taiwan with
Ballet Internationale, performing The Sleeping Beauty.
After high school graduation, Young received her degree
in ballet performance from The University of Oklahoma
(OU). She performed lead roles in The Sleeping Beauty,
The Nutcracker, Firebird, Carmina Burana, and
Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15. After graduating from
OU, she was a guest artist with the Tulsa Ballet.
Young joined the Nashville Ballet in 2011. She has
performed in Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Billy the Kid,
The Sleeping Beauty, Carmina Burana, Romeo & Juliet,
Peter Pan, George Balanchine’s Serenade and more.
Her parents are her biggest fans and haven’t missed one
performance. (Her father, Ron Young, is a long-time
Heritage employee.)
Young says that hers is a blessed life. Whatever sacrifices
she has made along the way have been minor in comparison
to the joy she finds in her career. She has yet to lose her
wonder for the dance that first captivated her heart as a
child. She loves it all; the makeup, the hair, the stretching.
Even today, she says, “it makes me feel like I’m flying.”
I
KRISTIN YOUNGBRINGS GRACE
AND TALENT TO THE STAGE
Photo courtesy of Anthony Matula
“As a ballerina with the Nashville Ballet, she’s living the dream
that God planted in her heart when she was just five years old
and a student at Heritage Christian School.”
64. A FAITHFUL JOURNEY 57
aybe it’s his easygoing, laid-back nature.
Perhaps it’s his obvious enthusiasm for the
subjects he teaches. It could be the way that
he approaches high school students with
a perfect balance of light-hearted humor and genuine
personal interest. Whatever the case, students in Heritage
teacher Dave Watt’s classroom quickly pick up on the
very real fact that he enjoys their company and takes each
of them at face value. Who wouldn’t want to learn about
history or government, or frankly any subject, from a
teacher like that?
It’s no wonder that his current and former students sing his
praises. Heritage alumni, Austin and Blake Puckett (2012),
fondly remember their experience in Watt’s Advanced
Placement (AP) class in U.S. history. His approach to the
heavy course content and demanding workload prepared
them well, they say, for the rigors of collegiate study.
Anyone who has ever taken an AP course knows that
the final exam is all-important, because it determines
whether or not it will count for college credit. Watt wants
to build students’ confidence and resolve as they head
in to the test. He builds momentum for the exam in the
days preceding it. He often recites the inspiring pre-battle
speech from the movie, Braveheart. He has even made the
event memorable by recruiting former AP U.S. history
students to form a human tunnel in the hallway, outside
the classroom. Current students run through the center
of it, amidst cheers of encouragement from the graduates
who have walked in their shoes in years past.
“He’s a teacher who reveals his heart to his students,”
shares Blake. “He very real. Very authentic.” His twin
sibling, Austin, agrees. “He has a genuine respect for his
students. He treats you like an adult. That eye-to-eye
relationship manifests itself in the way that he invests in
you as a student in his classroom.”
After twenty-seven years of teaching at Heritage, Watt
says his hands still perspire with excited anticipation of
teaching U.S. history and government to his teenaged
students. His Socratic approach challenges them to
imagine themselves in the pages of history. “I want them
to envision what they would do if they were in that same
situation,” he explains.
This week, as he has done each summer for the past
fifteen years, Watt will help lead Heritage eighth grade
students and families on a tour of the nation’s capital. It’s
a great opportunity, he says, to get to know the students
before they begin their high school experience, and to
spark their interest in American history and government
from the outset.
Watt’s love for teaching ranks right up there with his
penchant for snow skiing and baseball. A collection of
well worn, colored baseball hats decorate an entire wall
of Watt’s classroom; a tip-off to his love for the sport.
He pioneered the current baseball program at Heritage
in 1991.
To know Watt is to know both a gifted teacher and a
dedicated dad. He and his wife, Shelly, have five children,
four of whom are current Heritage students: Andrew,
Hollyn, Jessa, and George Mason.
Watt says he’s living proof to his students that with hard
work, anyone can make it. He graduated from Crown
College in Minnesota. Prior to becoming a teacher, he
worked at twenty-one different jobs, everywhere from a
steel mill in Gary, to a pipeline in Wyoming, and a grocery
store in south Chicago. “I want them to understand that
God has a plan for their lives; that He is a good God; that
He equips each of us with gifts and talents,” he explains.
“If you give them back to Him, He has a wonderful plan.”
M
DAVE WATTBRINGS HEART TO HISTORY
Photo by Studio Thirteen Photography
