REFLECTIONS
High school is a necessary evil. I just so happened to spend my four years of test writing and procrastination
at Kingsway College. After four years of making this school my home, I’ve become the equivalent to an expert
on the “ins and outs” of KC. My old friends would ask me what it was like going to a Christian school. I couldn’t
give them an honest answer because I wasn’t “experiencing” the school for what it was. In my experience there,
from freshman to graduation, Kingsway is honestly what you make it. However cliché that sounds, it is wholeheartedly true. My first two years were horrible because I wanted nothing to do with KC. Having moved from
Toronto to this little city of Oshawa, I felt out of place and judged. My junior and senior years were much, much different however.
I made it my own and refused to be a slave of the never ending cycle of: wake up (insanely early), go to class, go to work, go
home, and pass out. Time management is an essential part of being a Kingsway student and I say that as one who had no time
management skill whatsoever. My student life changed once I began getting involved. Going to school thus stopped being work
and became more of an interest. Mission trips, touring groups, student events and much more became my life. I stopped pushing
it away and embraced it. My high school experience became greater after that decision. My attitude completely changed and I
began to make lasting friendships. Becoming involved makes any necessary task less strenuous to complete. The same is very
true for Kingsway, considering its all-encompassing nature. Looking back at the time I spent there, I realize more and more that
it was the best decision my parents could have made for me. The staff changed my view on what it is to be a follower of Christ
and I am so thankful to have gone to Kingsway College for my high school years. There is truly no place like it.
BY CANDICE JUODELE, ‘14
I can’t believe I am old enough to say that it has been over 2 decades since I graduated from this school. In
my head, the annual corn boil down in the valley feels like yesterday, but indeed time is a thief. There is something that really does appear to be timeless: the Kingsway legacy. It is very rare that you will meet a person
who has attended this school and has not had an overall positive experience. Maybe when struggling with the
question of where you fit in the world, life doesn’t seem so grand. But believe me, there is always sweet justice
on the KC rant. Maybe it was the school spirit that was instilled from day one when everyone you met was so unbelievably happy
and inclusive. It made you feel like you lived there, even before your daddy signed the form. I never gave thought to the teachers
and staff, and the countless hours they committed to all of the activities planned for us. I loved every minute of it! Something
was always ignited and ready to go! Speaking of teachers, these were the ones that went the extra mile. Who invited you to their
house for ice cream or gave you a job that an adult could do much better at just so you could pay for your singing lessons. These
people taught you.. coached you.. mentored you… loved you.
Fact: You will never have friends like you had at Kingsway. Maybe it is the fact that you all lived together in one big (sometimes
smelly) sweet dorm home. Maybe it is because those were the people who were there to see the good, the bad and the very
ugly, 24-7, for better or for worse. Through tests and trials, break-ups and break downs, that kind of solidarity sticks with you and
often you will find yourself craving it as the years go by. The jobs you had? Those were the jobs that you will make your kids one
day feel guilty with. “Do you know how many floors I had to mop and life size pots I had to clean when I was your age?” The truth
is you actually had more moments of fun than you are willing to admit, because at the end of the day it gave you a sense of accomplishment that you were giving back. Especially to your parents who worked so hard to just give you a shot at a school like
this. A school in some circles not so recognized and yet in Heavenly realms, the TOP of the list. What about the worships? Where
even if you went in rolling your eyes, within just a few minutes you forgot all your stresses and all of a sudden your heart was filled
with a peace that transcends understanding and somehow the words and Spirit just stuck. Maybe not every time, but enough
to leave a spiritual imprint that is worth a lifetime. When being a grown-up gets stormy – and it does - somehow, something
always comes back to soothe you and sail you through the tempest. God is REAL and He wants to be a part of your life! Believe
me when I tell you that you are at a blessed time in your life. Whether you realize it or not, life is full of wonderful possibilities and
Kingsway is the springboard to getting you there. Embrace it. Enjoy it. Be ENTHUSIASTIC about it. And know that you are living
the legacy. And legacies live forever.
BY PATRICIA FERREIRA LOPEZ, ‘92
If you have any reflections you would like to share with
your fellow Alumni, please email them to Alumni Relations at
[email protected]
KC Contact Fall 2014
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