Jane Bond
Eastern Christian Class of 2016
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts & University of Pennsylvania (Dual Degree Program)
What do you love about Eastern Christian School?
I love the sense of community at EC. Personally, I’ve always preferred a smaller, more structured learning environment. Eastern Christian has very dedicated and supportive faculty who are willing to work with you until you fully grasp the concepts being taught. The faculty are also very genuine and honest about their faith which opens us up to conversations beyond the classroom.
Describe one of your favorite teachers and tell why he/she is a favorite.
One of my favorite teachers would have to be Mr. Wright. He has taught me everything I know about the graphic design world and I consider him to be one of the most influential people in my life. He is calm and peaceful whenever he interacts with other people, even during extremely stressful times. He never seems to hold grudges and has such a positive attitude. I hope to fully develop these traits one day because they are so important personally and professionally.
In what ways have you grown in your faith as a result of your experience at Eastern Christian School?
Before attending Eastern Christian, I struggled with my spirituality. I went to church every Sunday, observed Christian holidays, but I felt God was absent from my life. After being bullied every day at my previous high school, I had a difficult time believing that God existed. It was not until I saw religious significance in my academic subjects and extracurricular activities at EC that I realized how God works in my life. Last summer I volunteered as the assistant art director at the American Experience Camp, a Christian based camp EC hosts for over 200 international students ages 6 to 16. The majority of our campers were from China and absolutely none of these kids had any prior religious instruction. Due to the language barrier, teaching biblical lessons was challenging. Thankfully, I was able to communicate with them through art. This was such a meaningful experience because it showed me how art is truly a universal language. Understanding the power behind art made me more aware of my voice as an artist. I view my artistic ability as a God given talent that I must use to share my moral principles and knowledge of God to the world. Now I understand that God’s love is so much greater than the suffering I endured from the bullying. God knew that I could overcome this pain and persevere against future forms of adversity. One positive thing I have taken away from this experience is that I can use my art to represent the oppressed. This is why I’ve chosen to have my concentration for AP Art focus on how the media’s sexual exploitation of young women and girls has negatively impacted society. My intent is to bring attention to the the media’s emphasis on corrupt values and why this must stop.
The Eastern Christian tagline is “Engaging. Nurturing. Transforming.” How did you experience an education that is engaging, nurturing and transforming at EC?
Eastern Christian engages its students with lessons and discussions that go beyond the classroom. The teachers and faculty are nurturing because they are very supportive and encouraging of their students. Eastern Christian transforms their students into compassionate, understanding thinkers who know how to apply their morals to everyday life.
How do you feel that EC prepared you for graduation, college and life?
Eastern Christian has prepared me academically, socially, and spiritually for life by providing me with such a loving community of faculty and students who are eager to learn.
What would you say to a high school student considering joining Eastern Christian School?
I would tell them to definitely check it out! Come “shadow” a current student to see what a typical day is like at EC.
What opportunities did you experience at EC that you don’t think you would have gotten to experience anywhere else?
One thing that really sets Eastern Christian apart from other schools in our area is its diverse student body. International students from China, Korea, Nigeria, and even Kenya make up 20% of EC’s student population. I love learning about other cultures which is why I became an international student ambassador. Being an international student ambassador is a ton of fun. We go on so many cool field trips to places like Chinatown and Sixflags. I’ve made a lot of meaningful friendships through this experience so I am really grateful to EC for creating this program.