Prairie
Lately it seems that the topic of many conversations around here have to do with the hurt and anger that the local Bible college has caused for many people. I myself grew up inside the bubble and after attending kindergarten through grade 12 and spending 3 years on staff at Prairie( a whole nother blog in itself) I have plenty of things I would love to vent about. It seems like every person who has attended there, has stories of how they were wronged. Although I am usually right in on the bitter rants I felt the need to write about some people at Prairie who were instramental in my survival there. These are people who made me believe that there was more to God and Christianity than rules and fear. Although these are not all of them I wanted to mention a few.
Mr Redifer-My science teacher for grade 7-9 was an example of patience love and forgiveness.
Don and Pam Richards-provided a home to hang out where I always felt safe and unjudged.
Pat Massey-my supervisor for three years who defended and protected me from attacks by some very judgemental bitter people.
Shelley Ekstein-my CALM teacher and school counsellor who broke the rules by letting us call her by her first name and said "shit" in class.
Jake Penner-taught me bible10. He was the first person that I ever heard pray and realized that he was actually having a conversation with God. He made me want to experience a God that was real and present and alive.
These are just afew that stand out in my mind. There may have been others but these are the ones that stuck with me. Although they lived on the meager Prairie salaries and were surrounded by legalistic religion, their lights shone and so I
thank them.
Mr Redifer-My science teacher for grade 7-9 was an example of patience love and forgiveness.
Don and Pam Richards-provided a home to hang out where I always felt safe and unjudged.
Pat Massey-my supervisor for three years who defended and protected me from attacks by some very judgemental bitter people.
Shelley Ekstein-my CALM teacher and school counsellor who broke the rules by letting us call her by her first name and said "shit" in class.
Jake Penner-taught me bible10. He was the first person that I ever heard pray and realized that he was actually having a conversation with God. He made me want to experience a God that was real and present and alive.
These are just afew that stand out in my mind. There may have been others but these are the ones that stuck with me. Although they lived on the meager Prairie salaries and were surrounded by legalistic religion, their lights shone and so I
thank them.
posted by Stahled at
4:32 PM
8 Comments:
I have a few that I can think of too.
John Hyrniw - Teacher and friend. Wouldn't let me slack off even though all the other teachers did. I had to work for every mark in his classes.
Cliff and Helga Spence - Cliff was my english teacher and they both ran the college and career group for awhile. I know a lot of people thought they were weird, but they were more genuine than many other Christians I've known.
Val Moline - She's not there anymore but my years on His Singers with her will be treasured forever. To this day I would love to drop everything and go back on tour with her.
Jim Potter - When someone mentions ADHD I think of Jim. Just being around him tired me out but he put his whole heart into everything he did. I wish I had his enthusiasm and passion.
Jake Petkau - Another teacher that made me work to my potential and showed me that it was worth it. He's the only teacher to ever give me a six hour detention!
Finally, the person who probably had the most dramatic effect on my life without even knowing it was Glenn Steves. He taught me Math and Bible in Junior high and he ran the college and career group at Mt. Olive when I was there. Where he had the most effect on me though was in the computer lab. He saw my potential and customized the curriculum to challenge me and keep me moving forward. Today I make my living based on skills I learned in his classes.
Like everybody from Prarie, I had my share of negative encounters and I'm not sure I would send my kids there (if I ever have any). However I cherish what I learned at Prairie knowing that a large part of who I am today is due to those people I mentioned and many others who took time to invest in me.
I have my share of unpleasant memories of Prairie from the 1980's, but I too have some memorable teachers that I would have been totally lost without.
James Enns: He was the most amazing soc teacher. He made it alive and relevant, he made each person in his class feel important. You could tell he loved teaching high school. I had to work hard for every single grade he gave me, but what a sense of pride and accomplishment in that.
Robert Hill: The world's most patient math teacher. I am a terrible math student, nearly every day he would spend hours with me on the campus phone line going over that day's lesson all over again until I got it. Once he even opened up the school so I could see him go through it on the black board. I'm not a math-person but he never not even once made me feel like a total failure.
Monte Couse: school counsellor, he made sure I wasn't over-exerting and losing focus, always encouraging, always patient. I wouldn't have survived Grade 12 without him, I know that for sure.
Don Scott: he had memorized several entire books of the Bible, not for pride but because he loved them so much. Grade 10 Bible was the first time I had met someone who took the Bible literally to heart. God was so real to him, I sometimes felt we were eavesdropping when he prayed - he really talked to God. How bizarre, I thought, but I want that too. His daily quizzes in soc 30 were dreaded, but good gosh we learned our stuff cold!
(Then of course, I met my future husband at Prairie, and there's no way I could see my life without him! All the negativity of Prairie was removed with that fact.)
There were others, these men just stand out right now. Thanks Lynette for choosing such a positive outlook on this. {hugs}
Thanx Lynette, I knew there had to be a few positives about the place. I found it difficult to swallow the thought that all is warped up there.
Yes!! Thanks Lynette. This is TRUE, we have many people we can think of too> Those that have taught me about prayer and serving others by simply being a believer and living their beliefs. I am so tired of the praire bashing!! No I didn't go to school there, but I know the school I grew up in had huge problems. If you have issues, deal with them, go talk to Jon Olhauser, he would make time and listen. This was so absolutely "REFRESHING".......... there are people who have been mentioned that are friends and have moved I miss them. One been Val for sure, and others. I can say that my spouse and I had experienced community at Prairie. This is my experience. There are alot of places and people that sin against others and cause pain, its not just this institution. I know others know that. But, why should people who are going to this school now have their time there be so colored, they have their own journey and time there, let it be their's. I just know when I read your blog I wanted to do a happy dance for sure!!
Enjoy that sun today!! JM.
Well, I went spent half of my school 'career' at Praire as well. Switched back and forth from public to praire and have heard my fare share of critisism towards praire from classmates and friends from other schools and towns. I was labelled as a "peeb," & it sickened me to think that they wouldn't have fully accepted me as a person, had I been a "pure-blood peeb!"
Ummmm... excuse me! You haven't even went to the school! You don't know the half of it...
Not gunna lie! I too have had some issues with praire. But I've also had issues with the public school, and in my workplaces. "Issues arise" anywhere you go.
In my years that I went to praire I was able to build strong lasting relationships with quality teachers and fellow students. I had teachers, who weren't just teachers, but role-models and friends. They were able to support me in my emotional and spiritual life along-side a "proper education." That's something that's hard to come by in a public school system...
Several people that I recognize for having had an impact on my life (from Praire) include: Bill Redifer (science teacher), Glenn Steeves (math teacher, & basketball coach), Anne Enns (art teacher/volleyball coach), Jenny Durance, Grace Listoe, Phil Bonk... I could go on.. now that I think about it....
I too went to Prairie & the "Town". I'm actually glad that I went to both. I made some real good friends at Prairie and had some excellent godly rolemodels. One man I'd like to mention is Dave Amendt: (www.madamendt.blogspot.com) - he was our "teacher" during class... but was always our friend - and metor who took the time to invest in our lives (us highschool guys). Thanks Dave.
Going back to the public school for grade 12 revealed that I was merely going with the crowd at Prairie. If you're going with the crowd, or just "being good" to please teachers and other people, you're missing the point. Its not about what other people think, its about what's real with you and God. It was a tougher year and I made mistakes... but that's how you learn.
Lynette,
I love this blog!!! You are focussing on the good that came out of Prairie not just the bad. Well done my dear lady.
Yah we can all focus on the wrongs but let's face it, it involves more than Prairie and most likely individuals who were at Prairie.
That is awesome there were so many inflential people in your life. What a gift from God to you.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Lynette....lately I have felt I needed to crawl into a hole for being associated with such an awful and corrupt place. No place is perfect, just like no one is perfect. I It has been difficult to see a school where my family has spent 15 years of sacrifice to contributr to slammed so vehemently and consistantly.
I have had great relationships with students; if I thought the place was so evil, I would not have stuck it out.
Don Richards
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