Eastern Christian Celebrates 100th High School Graduation Class!

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Eastern Christian High School’s 100^th graduation ceremony occurred on Wednesday, June 14. While the class of 1923 only listed 9 graduates, the gymnasium in 2023 was filled with nearly 70 graduates, as well as faculty, family and friends.

          This year’s commencement speaker, Ian Zacharias, challenged students on the definition of Christian love, sharing a story from his younger days where he received the kindness and mercy of another without deserving it. 

“Christian love is not a feeling but an action,” he stated. “It’s goodness towards another, by your own volition, which relies on your hope and faith in God.”

Anneke Kuperus, the 2023 valedictorian, shared a similar message, walking her class through the lessons learned from going to high school in a pandemic. She discussed how the unusual high school experience gave her class an intense gratefulness for community and the ability to love others well, even when they disagreed. Her challenge—to look for the ones who needed an invitation to the table—was rooted in Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” 

The beautiful night concluded with a faculty benediction: A song arranged by Nick Beverly, titled “Trust in the Lord.”

PHOTO GALLERY (photos courtesy of Eastern Christian):