Senior Story-Hannah Mathews
My name is Hannah Mathews and I have been going to New Covenant for five years. I started attending the school in 8th grade where I was a part time student and in 9th grade I began going full time. I am extremely thankful to have spent many years at New Covenant because it has taught me how to persevere and given me a tenacity I never had before. This has already benefited me in so many ways and I know I will carry this virtue throughout my whole walk of life.
Before New Covenant I had experienced being in public school and being homeschooled. With public schooling and homeschooling, I learned that it was very easy to not put in my best effort and get by with not doing as much as I knew I was capable of. But what I love about New Covenant is that they show you how putting in your best efforts produces good fruit. The school has challenged me to grow mentally, socially, and academically. The teachers at New Covenant have taught me how to think critically and be able to not only know but truly comprehend and reason through deep and challenging subjects and topics. I would have never thought that I would be able to apply a book like Frankenstein or Calvin’s Institutes to my life but here we are.
The school has helped me to step out of my comfort zone, which has always been something I have had a hard time doing. I used to never want to speak up in class about what I truly believe or even raise my hand to answer a question because I was afraid of being wrong. New Covenant has not only pushed me to get out of my comfort zone, but has given me the encouraging and supportive environment where I can and want to participate. I now enjoy writing speeches in Mr. VanFossen’s class about topics I am passionate about and presenting the things I have worked hard on. I also enjoy participating in house activities and competitions, which I never thought I would ever say being a non-competitive person. The community and teachers have really challenged me, but it has been so rewarding to say the least.
The school has given me a resilience that I had never had before. There have been many nights where I have been doing homework, writing an essay, or studying for a test in the late hours of the night because I refused to not give up on something that I had put my mind to. While I would like to say this is because of my own personal fortitude, in reality, it is because of the way I have been taught at New Covenant. Through the challenging and rigurous curriculum and the grace and understanding from the teachers and staff I have learned that I am capable of more than I think I am. They also helped me understand that focusing on the Lord will give me the strength to do anything that I put my mind to. I am so blessed that the school has instilled in me a spirit of steadfastness and a focus driven mindset that I can carry throughout my life.
After graduating from New Covenant I plan to attend Anderson University and hopefully pursue Nursing. I intend to continue to build on the lessons and qualities instilled in me at New Covenant and will keep on putting Christ at the center of my education and all aspects of my life. While leaving New Covenant and stepping into a new stage in my life seems daunting at times, I know I am well equipped for what is to come because of the way that the school has brought me up in the mindset of “I can do this” instead of “I can’t do this.”
You may listen to Hannah read her Senior Story here.