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Message IN THIS ISSUEDEC 2024VOLUME XLV, ISSUE I6488 TOWNLINE RD.P.O. BOX 40,SMITHVILLE, ONL0R 2A0PH. 905.957.3255FAX 905.957.3431smithvillechristian.caCONTACT:MARLENE BERGSMAmbergsma@smithvillechristian.caPAGE 1 A FOUNDATION OF KINDNESS AND RESPECTPAGE 4 GRADE 12 RETREATPAGE 6 WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY?PAGE 8 CLASS OF 2028PAGE 10 GRADE 9 BIKE TRIPPAGE 12 GRADE 9 BLASTPAGE 14 CHRISTIAN SCHOOL FOUNDATIONcontinued on page 2 . . .A foundation of kindness and respectBY LISA DOYLE, INTERIM PRINCIPALI am so thankful to the Lord for leading me to this school. From my very rst day it became clear that there is something very special here that sets it apart. What struck me immediately was the vibrant sense of community, born out of genuine care. The atmosphere at Smithville Christian is welcoming in every sense of the word.
2ECHOES DECEMBER 2024It’s not just the polite greetings in the hallway or the friendly smiles as you pass each other in the hall. It’s the deeper sense of belonging and care that extends beyond the classroom. Here, relationships are not just encouraged, they are intentionally fostered. The school’s core values of Belonging, Believing and Succeeding are evident throughout. Developing students’ potential academically and spiritually is evident in the way teachers and staff take time to truly know and care for each student’s well-being. And this care isn’t just within the walls of the school or during the school day; it spills into our surrounding community, where students and staff demonstrate their compassion through service and outreach. This September, I returned to our school, this time the interim administrator. I felt blessed to have had the opportunity to walk alongside Fred Breukelman last year to learn more about the day-to-day operations of the school, and felt encouraged and supported in learning this new role. Staff, students and board members all extended such a warm welcome, and their kindness and support made me realize that the sense of belonging that I feel is genuine. It is our hope and prayer that this deep sense of belonging is experienced by every student and staff member who walks these halls. Each day, I am reminded of what makes Smithville Christian High School special. The examples are small, but they add up to a foundation of kindness and respect which embodies the gifts of the spirit, and which, in turn, foster academic and spiritual growth in students. I witness warm greetings, with smiles and friendly hellos from students and staff. The student-run athletics council runs lunchtime intramural sports, and staff and students play together, creating opportunities for connection beyond the classroom. Student council organizes activities to encourage acts of kindness and belonging. A teacher organizes lunchtime coffee Belong. Believe. Succeed.
3www.smithvillechristian.cahouses, offering students opportunities to share their passions and gifts on stage in front of their peers, feeling supported as they play and sing. I have seen a group of students huddle and pray together before an exam, offering each other encouragement and the presence of the God in a stressful situation. Parents also play a signicant role in shaping the positive environment at our school, encouraging students to embrace kindness and inclusivity. This fall at the Grade 9 Blast, I overheard a parent encouraging her child to “be that kid,” the one who reaches out to welcome others, to notice who is not enfolded, and to make sure no one feels left out. It’s clear that Smithville Christian High School is more than just a place for education; it is a community rooted in faith and care for one another. It is a place where students are not only challenged academically, but also encouraged to grow their relationships with God and each other. Whether through a simple morning greeting, a prayer shared before an exam, the joy of playing an intramural sport together, or singing a favourite song in front of a crowd, the sense of belonging and connection here is remarkable. As I continue my journey here this year, I am lled with gratitude for the opportunity to lead such an amazing school. I look forward to seeing how we continue to grow and deepen those relationships among our student community. At Smithville, it is clear that we are not just a school; we are a ourishing community, united in our commitment to faith, learning, and caring for one another. See pages 12 and 13 for more photos of the Grade 9 Blast.
ECHOES DECEMBER 2024RETREATGRADE 124
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6ECHOES DECEMBER 2024What are you thankful for? This is a question I believe should be considered more often. The Student Council received a generous donation of T-shirts from parent Peter Van den Bos, who started his gratitude campaign a couple of years ago in the Niagara region. Because of this donation, we were able to hand out T-shirts to all students and staff at our school just after our Thanksgiving food drive to West Lincoln Community Care. We are adopting his plan to develop an attitude of gratitude at Smithville Christian. We are hoping that the chain of gratitude continues on past the walls of Smithville Christian and into your everyday lives. The staff and students were encouraged to wear their shirts on a Friday in November and the whole school shared what they are grateful for.We have also planned random acts of kindness for each grade. Every month, we will zero in on a different grade where each student will be given a Bible verse and a treat. We want to do this to intentionally make the students feel encouraged, and to grow kindness by spreading it!What are you thankful for today? This is living!BY HANNAH ROBINS STUDENT COUNCIL 2024-2025 MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONSThe ribbon cutting to ofcially open the new greenspace/courtyard.
www.smithvillechristian.ca7After careful consideration, the student council has selected “This is Living” as our theme for this year and our theme verse is Galatians 2:20. We introduced this theme at a chapel, where Student Council president, Eli Gerryts, shared how Jesus lives in us, and how we should live through him. We hope that students are able to reect on Jesus and how he lives in us and fully grasp the concept of what that means. We hope to use this theme to fulll our mandate: “To serve the student body of Smithville Christian High School, to encourage community, to represent the student voice of the school, and to be stewards of student resources, in particular the funding of all extra-curricular activities and athletics at Smithville Christian High.”Finally, our greenspace/courtyard had its grand opening at the community barbecue! This project has been in the works since 2017 and we’d like to thank the student council of 2017-2018 for giving us the opportunity to bring life to this beautiful idea! So far, we have a foosball table, an air hockey table and a ping pong table, and we hope to add some outdoor furniture so students can fully enjoy the space. Thank you to all who donated time and services to get this project up and running. Donations are still being accepted to help furnish the space and we are hoping that you come by sometime for a tour! Student council hopes you all have a great year! Look to Jesus, spread gratitude and kindness, and live how Christians should!Student council president Eli Gerryts speaks at chapel. Hannah Robins speaks at chapel.Messages of thanks from a student council led whole-school gratitude activity.
8ECHOES DECEMBER 2024Hendrik Byker Emily Bylsma Lauren Cline Eliana Corrales Gavin De Blieck Hannah De Boer Colton De HaanLuke Demik Dean Devries Brookelyn Eggink Jos Fluit Gabriella Froese Pete FroeseTamas Gilfillan-HunterAlanna Gritter Ashley Hauser Lilian HeinenMarleigh HerringtonArien Hoiting Wilona Huinink Kahne HummelGavin Kikkert Avery Koole Cara Kralt Hunter Lane Jayden Lang Macy Lang Fengwen (Wade) LiAva Beldman Joshua Bezuyen Reid Boverhof Briar Brown Ella Bulk Carson Burke Autumn BuswaCLASS OF 2028
www.smithvillechristian.ca9Wyatt Loranger Kaitlyn May Brady McNamara Nathan Melo Noah MoesNoellie NyakabasaElla NyweningEmily NyweningJuan Ortiz CoronadoErin Phillpott Sophia Postma Jakob Prins Chase Schilstra Jack SchilstraJaime Sinke Aeris Smith Ashton Snip Lucas Snippe Jack Stieva Alexza TimperioMikayla VahymeyerJohn Van Der BeekBrock Van Der WierAlivia Van Lochem Logan Van LochemBrooklyn Van StaalduinenJonah Vandenberg Tyler VandersluisEthan Vanderwier Trenton VanderwierNaydine VanmarrumMateo Vedder Wesley Veldhuizen Andrew Warden Alexis Zantingh
10ECHOES DECEMBER 2024GRADE 9 BIKE TRIPCYCLING, HIKING AND FUN: KINGSBRIDGE PARK TO NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, 30KM
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12ECHOES DECEMBER 2024GRADE 9BLAST
13www.smithvillechristian.caGRADE 9BLAST
14ECHOES DECEMBER 2024God is using his people – let’s celebrateKEVIN TEBRAKE | CLASS OF 1986DIRECTOR OF PLANNED GIFTS & INVESTMENTS AT THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL FOUNDATION “God is using His people – let’s celebrate!” This quote was from a speaker at a Donor Development Boot Camp where 100 leaders from Christian Schools across Canada attended. Your school was in attendance along with your Christian School Foundation. This boot camp was 2 ½ days of learning how to serve the many generous people who faithfully contribute to the work of Christian schools. The school leaders and the Foundation have an awesome privilege and calling to journey alongside people. This journey includes listening to stories where God is at work in your lives and connecting your passions and goals to Kingdom causes such as Christian education. People like you are giving to support Christian education and making an impact in Smithville, across Canada and around the world. You are supporting local schools like Smithville Christian High School where graduates are discipled and prepared to go into God’s world being equipped for what is next in their lives. They are becoming Christian volunteers, workers, and leaders in our society making an impact in the lives of many people. God is using his people – let’s celebrate!As a group of Christian school leaders, we celebrated that God is on the move at Christian schools across Canada. Christian schools are seeing the opportunities and challenges of growth, and your leaders are responding. It was amazing to hear the stories of God’s faithfulness and to witness the leadership in the schools who are making a difference. God is using His people – let’s celebrate!Those who support Christian education prayerfully and nancially are making an impact in the lives of these students. People who are faithfully giving are being obedient to the call that God has placed upon their hearts. People are responding to our God who Himself is a Giver, having given his one and only son, Jesus. Giving to Christian education means you are giving opportunities to children and young adults. Giving makes such a tremendous impact on the lives of students. There is transformation happening and God is using you, his people, to make an inuence in the lives of students and thousands of people each day. God is using you, his people - let’s celebrate!If you desire to continue to make an impact on the lives of current and future students, please contact Kevin teBrake or Tony Kamphuis at ofce@christianschoolfoundation.ca.
15www.smithvillechristian.ca*Mutual fund business is done with your advisor through Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc. Advisors and their corporations conduct insurance business through Sun Life Financial Distributors (Canada) Inc. Sun Life Assurance Companyof Canada is the insurer and is a member of the Sun Life group of companies. © Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, 2023.Advice from someone you trust.Matt Dam* Hons BA, CLU®Financial Planner, Sun Life Jingwei Raina Sun* CLU®, RRC®, CFP® Financial Planner, Sun Life Matt Dam Financial Services Inc. Tel: 905-892-5993 30%is printed on 30%post-consumer recycled paper.30%Head Office36 Killaloe CrescentGeorgetown, ONL7G 5N2TICO #500195091.888.BAYVIEW ext 344P.O. Box 2, 3764 Jordan Road, Jordan Station, Ontario, Canada L0R 1S0phone 905.562.7321fax 905.562.7851www.Bayviewflowers.comServing all of Haldimand, Norfolk, Hamilton & NiagaraRIJUS HOME DESIGNJason Schilstra I 905-701-1110 I www.rijus.comNew Custom Homes/Cottages • Additions • Stock Plans Garages/Pole Barns • HVAC Designs • 3D RenderingsCUSTOM HOUSE PLANS“Run the race in such a way as to win the prize” 1 Cor 9:24905.701.7900www.sticker -it.caWe print stationery, business cards, interior & exterior signs, banners, flags and vehicle wraps. MORE THAN JUST STICKERS!Haldimand County’s#1 Print Shop!Grantham Plaza, 400 Scott St., St. Catharines, ON L2M 3W4Phone: 905-937-8833 • Fax 905-937-7196website: www.vandendooljewellers.com
We draw Christian schools and donors together toexpand the influence of Christ in our culture.www.christianschoolfoundation.caThe Echoes is a periodical published ve times a year by Smithville Christian High School. Editor: M. Bergsma1051 Broad St. E., Dunnville, ON905-774-61152400 Highway 56, Binbrook, ON905-692-44151380 Fourth Ave., St. Catharines, ON905-688-5520Claudia AlvesMarketing ManagerHorticultural | Agricultural | Residential | Industrial | CommercialSamuel Dekker Master Electricianfeederelectricinc@gmail.com1-905-932-6975Wainfleet, OntECRA/ESA Licence #701591Blinds. Shutters. DrapesGRIMSBY, ONWilliam and Christina Bezemer905.945.800880100120140601604020180Dekkers Auto SalesService Automotive Sales • Repairs • A/C • Tires • Alignments • Diagnostics 905.386.6253Lorem ipsumFred & Adrian KoornneefSuppliers of Greenhouse Vegetables and Tender Fruitwww.koornneefproduce.comPVC Interlocking Liner PanelsCOMMERCIALAGRICULTURALRESIDENTIALadam@easybuildingproducts.cawww.easybuildingproducts.caAdam Bylsma (Outside Sales)289-686-9477EASY BUILDING PRODUCTSMetal Rooing,Wall CladdingPVC LinerProductsWindows, Doors,AccessoriesPeter Dieleman CFP®Insurance Financial Advisor/OwnerPeter Dieleman & Associates Inc.345 Argyle St. S.Caledonia ON N3W 1L8(905) 765-5788Cell (905) 929-6783peter_dieleman@cooperators.cacooperators.caInvestments. Insurance. Advice.