Alumni Spotlight - John Ary
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What is your favorite memory of High School here at Cornerstone?
A couple come to mind...I think back to playing basketball for Cornerstone. We had a team of maybe 7 or 8 and had moments of success and moments of great, EMBARRASSING, defeat. But at the end of each game, we'd ride back on the bus (driven by Mr. Mike), laugh, crack jokes, and do it all again the next time. Truly felt like a family! I was so blessed to have an interesting and charismatic core of teachers each year.
How did Cornerstone help prepare you for college/life in general?
I was taught the truth of scripture during my 4 years at Cornerstone. The teachers I learned from taught me to excel and strive for the best. I remember when we would have conversations about deep truths about scripture during math and instead of being told, "Hey this is math, we don't talk about that here", as a class we would actually be able to have healthy conversation about biblical topics and still manage to cover what we needed to scholastically. The teachers here were great encouragers!
How did the relationship you made here at Cornerstone with your friends impact your life?
When I graduated in '08, my class was about the size of 12 students. We were pretty close...I mean literally and figuratively! We all took the same classes and even shared lunch together. We offended each other many times and also laughed together twice as much. Attending a school that has the values that you actually agree with and try to live out in your life helps tremendously! We were all able to hold each other accountable and truly call each other up to their best. These classmates taught me how to do life with others and how to do it well.
How did the relationships you mad here at Cornerstone with your teachers/admin/office staff/ etc impact your life?
Well, the staff at Cornerstone really made it easy for me. They were kind, loving, affirming...the list goes on. I never once felt like they were out to get me. So it was easy to thrive in that atmosphere. I learned how to have mature relationships with adults. I would often think, "What did I do to earn the trust and respect of these teachers?" The answer was in the atmosphere that was cultivated there...and it's truly helped me to excel in life!!
