Lumen Christi grads thankful for school that built character, morality

CatholicAnchor.org
Lumen Christi Catholic High School, a grades 7-12 ministry of St. Benedict Church in Anchorage, will graduate 13 seniors on May 12. They’ve excelled academically, being offered, collectively, over $1 million in scholarships. But they’ve also achieved out-of-school successes. Whether dancing with a local troupe, running the Iron Dog or obtaining a pilot’s license, they’re actively pursuing their dreams. Along the way faith has played a large role in their development.

“I’m very proud of the Lumen Christi Catholic High School graduating class of 2016,” said Principal John Harmon. “Over the past few years I’ve seen these students grow in faith and academic excellence, as well as become active, lifelong learners with compassionate hearts.”

Harmon said the students have “performed hundreds of hours of community service — from helping out at Brother Francis Shelter, Clare House and the food pantry to supporting their local parishes. They truly exhibit the ‘light of Christ’ in their personal lives and in the community.”

Each of the 13 is unique, said Harmon, and he believes they will make “a lasting impact on the lives they touch.”

Although Lumen Christi’s enrollment is about 40 percent non-Catholic students, this year’s graduates are all Catholic, including one who joined the church this year.

Here’s a snapshot of the graduating class and their plans for the future:

Riley Jones

Jones hopes to make Alaska his permanent home, but is also open to the travel that his chosen career in the oil industry may entail. He plans to study at UAA next fall to be an instrumentation technician. Jones has attended Lumen since 7th grade and is a member of St. Benedict Church. He says Lumen is “a great school” and his Catholic faith is “here to stay.” Like all seniors, Jones participated in his senior duty of leading an all-school retreat this year and said it gave him the opportunity to talk with younger students about Christ and their shared faith. He enjoyed playing soccer and basketball during his years at Lumen.

Joseph Pepe-Phelps

Pepe-Phelps is the founder and president of the Lumen Christi Amateur Radio Club, and received a scholarship from the Anchorage Spirit of Youth for this achievement. He said his grandfather inspired his interest in ham radios. He plans to pursue a degree in criminal justice at Sacramento State in California next year. Beginning Lumen Christi as a freshman, Pepe-Phelps recommends Catholic schooling where “you can learn about your faith” in an environment where it’s comfortable to be Catholic. His community service includes volunteering with Youth Vote, a program that allows teens to participate in mock elections throughout Anchorage and conducts candidate forums and education on issues. Pepe-Phelps played basketball for three years, served as captain for two, and played soccer his sophomore year. He won the Lumen award for sportsmanship.

Maggie Benton

Benton moved to Alaska from Massachusetts two summers ago, and plans to choose a state university there for her college education. Her dream is to be a pediatric oncology nurse and hopes to “care for the less fortunate and put a smile on those children’s faces.” A violin player with four younger siblings, Benton loves people and animals. She said Catholic school “builds character and teaches about morality.” She describes herself as “a little shy” and says Lumen’s small school environment fits her personality. Big schools, with cliques and popularity contests, don’t attract her. “At this school, you’re all the popular kids.” She serves as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist at Lumen and at her parish, St. Benedict. Lumen does not have a National Honor Society chapter, but Benton was a nominee at her previous high school.

Claire Patterson

Patterson is heading to Grand Canyon University in Arizona with dreams of eventually obtaining a doctorate in psychology. She plans to major in counseling with an emphasis on drug and alcohol rehabilitation and hopes to work in adolescent therapy. “I chose Lumen Christi because I wanted to deepen my faith,” Patterson said. “If you want close friends you’ll keep for a lifetime, come here.” An avid reader, she also plays the clarinet, runs track and competes in volleyball. She was an altar server at St. Andrew Church in Eagle River for 11 years and has been at Lumen since her freshman year.

Mary Lottridge

Lottridge has been dancing since she was three years old. This life-long interest has led her to join the Alaska Dance Theatre. Next year she hopes to attend BalletMet, a professional dance company and academy in Columbus, Ohio, where she will pursue professional dancing. This 4.0 student has won the Lumen Alaska Scholarship, giving her free tuition to the University of Alaska, which is her back-up plan. Lottridge has served as a lector and extraordinary minister of the Eucharist at her parish, Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral. She describes Lumen as being “like a second family” to her and said it has “allowed me the opportunity to explore my faith.”

Lexi Adams

Adams joined the Catholic Church this year, being baptized and confirmed at St. Benedict Church this Easter. When she came to Lumen as a freshman, she said “I didn’t belong to any religion.” But, she said the influence of Lumen, and the theology classes she has taken there, introduced her to questions of faith she had never asked before. “I went to my best friend’s confirmation, and I knew I wanted that too. I wanted to receive Christ and do the things Catholics do.” Adams hopes to eventually pursue a career in physical therapy, and will enroll in Washington State or Idaho State next fall, her major undecided at this point. She was a varsity starter for soccer and volleyball for three years and made the all-tournament and all-conference team in volleyball her junior year.

Amber Lopez

When people describe Lopez, one of their first words is “creative.” She’s the creator of senior posters, and the 1st place winner in school declamation for an artistic rendering of Nelson Mandela, using quotations and images of different races. She developed a Fourth of July parade float which won her father’s VFW a third place award. Entering Lumen in 7th grade, she moved on but returned to the school in her sophomore year. A student of Spanish and Latin, Lopez plans to turn her creative skills to studying marketing next year at UAA. She loves Lumen because “the service hours help you go out to the community. And you can question your faith without getting into trouble” and receive answers that make sense. “It’s a great place to learn and express your faith.” She also believes Lumen teaches one how to respect people.

Meghan Childs

Childs has her eye on law school, but first plans to study applied math at the University of Portland, a school run by the Holy Cross Fathers. A 4.0 graduate, Childs has been offered $88,000 in merit scholarships at Portland. Active in student government for all four years of high school, she began attending Lumen in 7th grade and is a sports enthusiast who traveled the state from Seldovia to Point Hope to compete. An extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, she describes Lumen as having a “family feel with kids who really care about me.” The faith exposure has deepened her interest in looking into the church, she said.

Joseph Brown

Brown is one of three Lumen graduates heading for the University of Portland, and another 4.0 graduate. He has been accepted into the honors college at Portland where he plans to study mechanical or biomedical engineering. His engineering bent has already manifested itself in the creation of an engine that can run on gasoline or diesel. Working on cars is a favorite occupation as is playing basketball, which he did all four years of high school. Brown entered Lumen five years ago after moving to Anchorage from Michigan. “The teachers at Lumen care about you,” he said, “and want you to be the best you can be.”

Randel Malijan

Malijan is also aiming for a mechanical engineering degree. He and Joseph Brown enjoy working on cars together. Malijan loves playing drums and studying math, and he is plans to attend UAA for the first two years before moving to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He has attended Lumen since 7th grade and said that after spending his grade school years in public school, he finds “a huge difference” at Lumen. Students are more involved, it’s a smaller, tighter community and there’s no bullying, he said. He enjoys working on bikes as well as cars and occasionally helps friends with theirs.

Johanna Estes

Estes is the president of student government at Lumen this year and has been active in student government since 7th grade. She is also a sports enthusiast who plays soccer, volleyball and basketball and was the varsity basketball captain for two years. Surgery for a torn ACL slowed her down a bit, but helped motivate her towards a possible career in physical therapy. “Another idea is being a sonogram technician,” she said. Estes will have plenty of time to consider both as she pursues a biology/life sciences undergraduate degree at the University of Portland. All of the schools to which she applied offered her scholarships, ranging from $9,000 to $20,000. Like many of her classmates, she lauded the community feel of Lumen Christi.

Brandon Maes

Maes, 17, has already obtained his private pilot’s license. He is a member of the Civil Air Patrol and is joining the Air National Guard. Needless to say, his career path involves flying and hopefully becoming a professional pilot. He plans to pursue this at UAA and his heart is set on traveling to at least 50 countries. He’s already visited 26, including a litany of European countries as well as places in the Caribbean. The faith-based community of Lumen provided Maes with “a lot of guidance,” he said, adding that he is particularly indebted to Father Leo Walsh, the pastor of St. Benedict, who is also a pilot and has become a mentor.

Ryan Heilala

When Heilala arrives at Northern Arizona University next year, his extracurricular exploits will probably mark him as a true Alaskan. He has spent summers commercial fishing in Bristol Bay, and with his father he has participated in the recreational version of the 2016 Iron Dog, traveling from Big Lake to Nome. A lifelong Catholic, Ryan has attended Lumen since 7th grade. He was the varsity soccer captain, and enjoyed service projects like competing to collect food for the indigent and helping with auctions and other fundraisers to assist his school. He hasn’t solidified a career choice yet but said his confirmation brought a sense of responsibility as a Catholic and he sees himself continuing to pursue his faith at Northern Arizona.