Young Covenanters Make Headlines

CENTRAL

• Palatine, Illinois: Paul Burger of Deergrove Covenant Church was among those performing in the Prospect High School marching band for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City. The band was scheduled to rehearse the day before Thanksgiving aboard the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier. Burger, who plays saxophone, is a freshman. His band recently won the Illinois State Governor’s Trophy in a competition held at the University of Illinois in Champaign. He also plays with the church’s worship band.
• Oak Lawn, Illinois: Trinity Covenant Church’s Peter Olson is playing his second season for the Northwest (Wisconsin) Knights of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MJHL). The 6-foot-3-inch, 225-pound defenseman, played junior hockey while finishing high school before joining the Spooner, Wisconsin, team. Junior hockey is considered a stepping-stone for United States and Canada professional hockey. Hopefuls and numerous MJHL players earn Division I hockey scholarships or pro contracts. Olson turned 20 on November 6.
• Iron River, Michigan: Marla Franzene of Grace Covenant Church was the West Iron County High School Homecoming Queen this fall.

GREAT LAKES

• Jamestown, New York: First Covenant Church students Kristin Baldwin, Caitlin Blackman, Meredith Bolling, Joanna Grundstrom, Neal Johnson, Matt Kindberg and David Meger were part of the Jamestown High School marching band. The school took first place in the large schools division at a recent state field band competition in Syracuse.
• Rochester, New York: Trinity Covenant Church’s Joe Braband recently was awarded a Star Award by his local Boy Scout troop.

MIDSOUTH

• Tulsa, Oklahoma: Redeemer Church student Christy Clark, a junior at Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa, was named Most Valuable Player of the Class 4A state girls volleyball championship tournament in October. Cascia Hall defeated Heritage Hall in the finals at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond as Clark won her third straight state title as a varsity player for the Lady Commandos. Clark, an honor student, is a 6-foot-2-inch middle blocker who helped her club volleyball team win a national tourney this summer in Utah.

MIDWEST

• Omaha, Nebraska: First Covenant Church high school student Charlotte Lenser of Westside High is a co-drum major for her marching band, which was recently given high marks at a regional competition. Meanwhile, Andrew George finished third in his division at a World Tae Kwon Do Association tournament in Omaha.

NORTH PACIFIC

• Sammamish, Washington: Pine Lake Covenant Church students Rachel and Nate Leavitt recently finished their soccer seasons at Whitworth College in Spokane. Rachel was among her team leaders in goal scoring, winning a match against Pacific Lutheran University with a goal on October 6. Nate was a defender for the men’s team.

NORTHWEST

• Duluth, Minnesota: First Covenant Church students Stephen Bjorlin, Sara Borndal and Adam Johnson recently performed in the Hermantown School’s rendition of Jane Eyre.
• Little Falls, Minnesota: Will Enns of Grace Covenant Church competed for the University of Minnesota men’s cross country team this fall after competing at Long Prairie High School. His team placed 17th in the recent NCAA men’s cross country championships in Terre Haute, Indiana. Enns, a freshman, came to the program after a highly successful high school career. He placed first, in the 3,200-meter race, at the Class A track and field meet last June, his second state title at that distance during his prep career. Enns also placed seventh in the 1,600. In the fall of 2001, Enns won the Class A state cross country title in Minnesota.
• Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethlehem Covenant Church students Lindsay Hefferan, Ani Johnson, Lauren Peterson and Dan Williams were runners in the Minnehaha Academy cross country program this fall as both the boys and girls teams made it to the state cross country meet. The girls team won sectionals as Johnson placed 14th and Hefferan finished 42nd. Williams was 19th in sectionals as the boys team placed second as a team. The coach was another parishioner, Lance Johnson. Another high school girl from the church, Lindsay Johnson, is a performer in the school’s fall play, “East of the Sun, West of the Moon.”

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST

• San Diego, California: Brian Paff, a junior at Calvin College, placed 78th individually of 215 runners as his team finished second in the NCAA Division III men’s cross country meet November 23 in Northfield, Minnesota. Paff, who grew up at College Center Covenant Church and had attended youth group at nearby Clairemont Covenant, was seventh in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association meet and placed 14th in the Great Lakes Regional as his squad won both team titles.
• Walnut Creek, California: Hillside Covenant Church’s Allison Rowe was invited to participate in the U.S. Open Swimming Meet in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from December 5-7, although a shoulder injury will keep her from participating in the competition. She specializes in the butterfly event. Rowe, who competes for the Concord Terrapins Swim Club, had placed second in the 100-and 200-meter butterfly event and the 100 and 200 freestyle race during the Far Western Long Course Championships in Concord last summer. The Concord High School senior is also an honor student at Concord High School. She is being pursued for a Division I scholarship by a number of schools.

For more information about news and events throughout the Evangelical Covenant Church, regularly visit the Covenant website at www.covchurch.org. To have headline news sent to your email address, subscribe to the free Covenant Newswire service on the Covenant home page. To have your church newsletter reviewed each month, send information to the Department of Communication by email at newsdesk@covchurch.org or by regular mail to 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625.

Copyright © 2011 The Evangelical Covenant Church.