Gratitude from the students at the end of Year 8 (2015-2016)
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Gavin Frager from St. Louis, Missouri. These are my final moments as a student at The Link School, and here I am writing a letter to those who made these many years possible. Throughout the three years I have spent here I have become a completely different person. There’s the normal academic growth that everyone experiences as a student in any environment, and there’s the deep personal growth that only people that have been lucky enough to spend the time in such a unique environment that I have. I have done things that I never would have dreamed of doing. I have made mistakes (more than my fair share) and have learned from them, mainly due to the forgiveness that I have been given. In any other place I would have been chewed up and spit out as a student that no one can help, but here all the mistakes have been evaluated and forgiven, which has really helped me learn from my mistakes instead of resenting the punishment. Thank you so much for helping me to attend Link and grow in this way.
Sincerely,
Gavin Frager
Dear Sponsor,
Thank you for enabling me to attend The Link School this year! I am a sophomore from the Chicago area and I have greatly enjoyed my two years as a Link student.
At Link, I have had the privilege of spending a lot of time outdoors, during trips and school days. Most of my favorite things to do now are things that require me to be outside. Most people will say that their favorite part of school is the trips. I am one of those people, but I like trips for different reasons: they are a nice break from standard academics, people spend time with each other outside of their normal friend groups, and, personally, I find the spiritual aspect of school a lot more present in the backcountry, away from the distractions of everyday life.
Link has helped me prepare for life and grow as a person by forcing me to try new things and like them, and work with people I don’t like. While those two things kind of stink, due to my slightly prickly nature, I am sure that the world is full of people I probably won’t like, so I feel better prepared to deal with them because of Link.
Thank you,
Sarah
Dear Sponsor
My name is Kelvin Elrick. I am 15 years old. I live in Michigan.
Some of the awesome stuff I’ve done here has been really fun! I have grown in lots of my abilities and I am still learning. I have grown in my kayaking skills, because I have learned to roll a kayak upright, but I still need to work on it. I have also improved on my rock climbing skills. I can climb harder routs than I could before. During English class, I learned about dialogue and my class wrote a story. I also learned more math.
All of this stuff I learn here at link is really meaningful to me, because I enjoy doing it and I always learn from it; like kayaking, I enjoy doing it so much and the more I practice rolling, bracing, leaning into things, and strokes. Doing all of these thing keeps me on my growing edge.
–Kelvin =)
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Brian Burr. I’m from New Jersey, but I was born in Colombia. I enjoy many things like mountain biking climbing and many others. I’m really grateful for being at The Link School. It has offered me many things I thought I would never try. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to come here.
Brian
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Kiersty Sheehan and I’m from New York. I’d like to take this time to personally thank you for your kindness in sponsoring me this year. It was truly an exceptional experience to have had the opportunity to attend The Link School for my senior year. I thought after high school I would like to major in Outdoor Education while in college and when the suggestion of attending The Link School presented itself, it could not have been a better opportunity to see whether or not I truly wanted to explore that major in college.
While at Link I got to challenge myself not only physically but also mentally. At my old school I had no academic drive to apply myself and once I got to Link, I finally found my motivation to get the work completed with satisfaction. For example, my first semester GPA was a 3.8! I have never had so high of grades in my entire high school career.
Some of the other ways that I challenged myself outside of academics was through horseback riding. I have ridden for most of my life and when I got to Link, I had the opportunity to not only improve my riding abilities but to also help improve the horse’s abilities as well. As a senior, I got to complete a senior project where I got to focus in on training a horse named Kip. As well as physically training Kip I got to better understand him as a creature of God. What I learned is that Kip wants to learn but doesn’t understand how sometimes; this makes him hesitant and unsure. When I got to work one on one with him, I was able to break through those hesitations and improve his confidence. When it comes to working with horses, it’s not a one sided action, it’s a team effort between yourself and the horse. Through this project I learned to become a more calming, encouraging partner with my relationship with horses.
If it weren’t for your generosity, I would not have had this once in a lifetime chance to learn as much as I did! With sincerity, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done for students like me and enriching their lives for the better. I look forward to take what I’ve learned from The Link School and apply it to the rest of my life.
Thank you again so much,
Kiersty Sheehan
Dear Sponsor
Hello I’m Eli Abbott and I am 18 years old from Worcester, MA and this is my second year at The Link School. I’m at Link because I have seen myself grow in different ways and I am still growing. It has been such a blessing being able to come here. Also I can’t wait to start my senior year here next year.
One thing that has been meaningful to me are all the things that I have done. Academically I have raised my grades which is great. I have been talking and working with a practitioner and she gave me some thoughts to work with in regard to my expression of intelligence. With my academics I have improved so much that I have an A, 3 B’s and just one lower grade.
This year I have experienced so much that has changed the way that I look at the world.
Sincerely,
Eli Abbott
Thank you for all the support
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Summer Herout, I am from Portland Oregon. This weekend I will be graduating; I cannot believe how quickly this year went by! Talking with friends from home they would always tell me how slowly their days went by and how they were so done with school. Being at Link I never felt this way. Each day was filled with meaningful work, challenges, and lots of laughter.
I am really grateful that I had the opportunity to take calculus in a class with one other student. I had two teachers and there were two students. This ratio made my learning experience way better, and I feel that I learned more than I thought possible. Had I not been in this environment, there is no way that I would have completed the course. Taking calculus has taught me a lot about hard work and prioritizing my time.
This year I have grown more than I thought I ever would metaphysically. I was faced with situations that required lots of spiritual work. I am now way more comfortable and reliant on Christian Science. A few weeks ago I biked a hundred mile mountain bike trail called White Rim. Working metaphysically beforehand made it possible for me to complete the ride. I felt that I was not the one biking, but that it was God through me.
Thank you so much.
Your generosity means so much to me,
Summer Herout
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Kaelyn Colizzo, and I am a currently Sophomore attending The Link School. I live in Denver, Colorado with my exceedingly large extended family, my dog, Missy, and two horses, Chika Marie and Red. When I’m not spending time with my family, I can usually be found reading, writing, spending inordinate amounts of time on Netflix, or spending time with my friends.
This has been my first year at Link, and it saddens me to say it’s coming to a close. The few months that I have spent at this amazing school have been some of the hardest, most gratifying, exceptional times in my entire life, and I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to experience them. My classes were challenging and encouraged me to grow, both academically and as a person, and I loved every second of them. The time I was given to individually pursue my interests increased my understanding of so many things- time management, horse-related skills, and how to have fun and do the things I love. Most importantly, over the course of the year I was able to be a part of an indescribably amazing community, and I am nothing short of blessed to have gotten to know these wonderful people, and I am happy to say I now consider them my family.
I don’t think I possess the words to convey how meaningful this year has been for me. I have done so many things I never would have ever been able to do, had I not attended this school, and I am undoubtedly a better person because of it. The people here, students and staff alike, are unbelievably selfless and supportive, and I don’t think I could ask for anything other than that, nor would I want to. For this, my year at Link, I will always treasure the memories and friendships I cultivated, and I will forever be unspeakably grateful.
Kaelyn
Dear Sponsor,
I am Zac Green, I am from Douglasville, Georgia and I have have gone to The Link School for 2 years and have really enjoyed it. In Georgia I didn’t care about school or where I was going, but when I came to Link I found a new way to learn and experience school and life.
This year at Link has been amazing. We have done a lot of things this year but I think that the most meaningful part was the exploration of healthy community and what it means to be a healthy community. I really enjoyed going to Ecuador and exploring this idea because it made me think differently about those people because even though they don’t have a lot they all have a great outlook on life. I also really enjoyed getting to ride the White Rim Trail in one day because it showed me that I can push myself beyond my perceived limits.
All of this was meaningful to me because it showed me that just because people don’t have a lot of possessions doesn’t mean that they can’t be happy with what they have. Riding White Rim was meaningful to me because it showed me that there are amazing things in this world and that we don’t have to just sit around and dream about them.
Sincerely, Zac Green
Dear Sponsor,
Hi! My name is India Morrison. I am from Santa Fe, New Mexico, and I’m a new student of Christian Science! I came to The Link School looking for a unique and adventurous educational experience and I really think that I found that here at school.
We have done many amazing things this year, we backpacked the Sangre De Cristos, we rafted down the Colorado River, mountain biked in Utah, spent 3 weeks biking in Ecuador, rock climbed in New Mexico, backpacked in Utah, and kayaked down the Dolores River. This was an amazing year and I will never forget any of it!
I feel as though I learned a lot this year. I finished my academics without stressing out and becoming entirely disorganized as I had in the past. I learned how to climb a 5.9, kayak through class three rapids without flipping, and finally figured out how to light a dragon fly stove. I know I will be using these skills long after I graduate high school. This year I truly experienced a healthy community, I found a family, I met my best friend, and I spent the entire year laughing. It was a really amazing experience this year and I want to thank you so much for helping me do this, I would never of had these experiences without your help and I thank you for that!
Sincerely,
India Morrison
Dear Sponsor,
Hi, my name’s Lois. This is my second year here at Link, and I’m a sophomore. I make a point to push myself and be positive. I’m technically from Illinois, but I consider myself from several different places including Colorado and the Midwest. I’ve been going to Cedars Camps since I was six, and consider Lebanon a home away from home. I love to read, watch anime, and talk – meaning unless I’m reading, watching anime, or sleeping I’m probably talking, so if you ever meet me in person and I seem shy at first, don’t be fooled.
Some of my fondest memories of the past fifteen years have been those spent here at Link. I’ve learned a lot about myself this year as well as the curriculum being taught in classes. Being with so many people all the time has made me realize how much I appreciate my alone time, but when I am with people I can still enjoy myself. During the mountain biking season, I pushed myself to the limits racing twelve miles every other weekend. Those months proved to me how persistent I can be when I set my mind to something.
Looking back on this semester I know I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons that will help me throughout my life. I’ve been able to do things this year I’ve dreamed of and others things I’ve never imagined. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to tell anyone how much this opportunity has meant to me, but I hope this letter helps you see how truly grateful I am.
With infinite gratitude,
Lois McClintick
Gratitude from the students in the middle of Year 8 (2015-2016)
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Summer Herout, and I am a senior from Portland, Oregon. I went to a large public high school and enjoyed my time there, but I was ready for a change and more of a challenge.
This year I am taking AP Spanish and AP calculus as well as Collapse, English and Ecology. These classes have been both difficult and very interesting.
Being a part of such a small, tight community has taught me a lot about myself and how to interact with others. From my experience living with fourteen students, I now feel more prepared going to college where I will be living with a roommate.
This year I have grown lots spiritually. Issues that come up with academics and college I now face with metaphysics. Taking the SAT had been very stressful and scary for me, but with the support from staff members and their sharing of ideas, I went into the SAT this last time feeling open to God and knowing that it was not me taking the test. This experience really helped and I hope to continue to make progress overcoming my fear of test taking.
Already this year I have had so many meaningful experiences. One that really stands out for me though is my experience in Calculus. It has been very challenging for me, and at times super frustrating. The support I receive from the staff has been so helpful. Frequently I find myself in a state of confusion and feel that calc is impossible, but with their help I have made it through the semester. I cannot imagine being at my old high school and taking calc. There is no way that I would have made it through without their support and willingness to help.
Thank you so much, I truly appreciate all that you are giving,
Summer Herout
Dear Sponsor,
My name is India! I’m originally from Santa Fe New Mexico. Here at Link we’ve been doing so much! It’s been really amazing. I didn’t grow up a Christian Scientist but I’m so thankful for the opportunity to learn and study it. Lesson study every morning is always such a great way to start the day. It gives me a sense of calm and empowerment. This week our lesson is: “Is The Universe Including Man Evolved by Atomic Force?” It’s a great one. My favorite line in the lesson so far is, “Love, the divine Principle, is the Father and Mother of the universe, including man.” It just reminds us to love and that everything around us was created by love, including man. It’s a great line to remember in times of worry.
The academics at Link are pretty great. My favorite subjects at the moment are a tie between History and English class, but in all honesty I enjoy all of them pretty much equally. In English class we just ended on the topic of the Renaissance and Romanticism, which were really interesting. My friend Kiersty and I made a video starring 3 Romanticist writers and it was so fun to film! In history we just ended on the topic of the beginnings of Christianity, Greece, and Rome, which was also really interesting as we also studied current events. I wrote a research paper on the movement “Black Lives Matter” and it was really nice to finally get to write about something I’ve been following in the news for a while. In Math we’ve been using the program ALEKS, which at the moment, I am currently behind in due to a family vacation, but believe it or not, this program actually makes me enjoy catching up.
Link School is really valuable to me in so many ways. The academics have me learning more than any other school I’ve been to. For once in my life, I’m honestly enjoying every class I have. I love our outdoor programs. My favorite so far was the backpacking trip in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The scenery was breathtaking and it added to my appreciation of the wild. Spiritually speaking, I’m more in touch with God than any other place or time in my life.
I’m so thankful to you for helping me experience this place. I wouldn’t be here without you so thank you.
India
Dear Sponsor,
I am writing to you because of the opportunity you have given me by donating money so that I can be a part of the Link community. My name is Mathias Fanta, and I am a freshman.
Here at Link, we are participating in a number of programs that incorporate teaching subjects like Science and English. It has been a year of growth for me because of the Christian Science approach to life. Being able to be in a community of spiritual thinkers has boosted my understanding, and relationship to God. I have done things I could not have dreamed of if I had not come to Link. Climbing a huge stone, traveling to Ecuador, the list could go on and on.
I have grown this year more than any other. The idea of freedom has established many good life lessons. For example, I am far better when it comes to financial ideals and saving. I also have been given the chance to work on time management. While I may have been able to work on material goals, I have learned so much about myself as God’s child and his reflection.
This letter is to simply give thanks for all of the opportunities that I have been given because of your kind and generous donation to my education, and growth as a person.
Sincerely,
Mathias Fanta
Dear Sponsors
My name is Kelvin, and I am 15 years old. I really like outdoor education. Before I came to The Link school I was home-schooled. At Link, I’ve been doing lots of academics. My favorite class is science. I’ve had a lot of fun in science class, especially on trips. I’ve grown in academics and in my ability with all of the fun things I’ve done hear at Link. My favorite field program that Link did was the mountain biking trip in Fruita, Co. I really like the community hear at Link. I think it is an awesome place. Everyone is nice, respectful, and helpful. I’ve had a lot of spiritual guidance and healing here; more than any other place I’ve been.
This school is meaningful to me because it’s a place where you can learn, grow, and have fun. I value Link because I’ve learned so much and it’s the best school to go to. One of the many things I value is how much one can learn. I am learning how to ice climb and I am really enjoying it. I value all of the staff hear at Link. They provide neat projects, challenging tasks, lots of enjoyment, and they want us to succeed in our tasks, and they are just loads fun.
–Kelvin Elrick
Hello I’m Eli Abbott and I am 17 years old from Worcester, MA and this is my second year at the Link school. I am a Junior. I’m at Link because I want to see myself grow in different ways, and I want to try new things that I have not tried. I love Link School, it has been such a blessing being able to come here.
At Link I have challenged myself with wanting to do more with climbing, like practicing lead climbing and belaying. I have also started to ice climb, which is really fun. These new activities are really enjoyable. The trips that we get to go on are challenging to me and I love them, they bring out the best in us. I love the close-knit group and how loving and supportive we are here at school. The spiritual focus here is really important because everyday we study so what we read can help us though the day with the challenges that are out in front of us.
Academically I have been having trouble keeping up with the classes and doing well. I have been talking about it with a practitioner and she supports me with some good thoughts to use.
Thank you for all the support
Have a great day. Eli
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Zac Green, and I’m from Douglasville, Georgia. I started going to The Link School two years ago when I was a junior. I used to go to a public high school in Georgia where I didn’t do a lot and was just trying to get by. Since I have been coming to Link, I have started to strive to not just pass but really do things well. I also never did anything fun like climb, bike, and all of the other things we get to do at Link.
At Link we do lots of things like climb, bike, backpack, ski and snowboard. I think the best thing about Link is the academics. The teachers really try to push you to do your best and not just get by. I also appreciate how individualized it is; you really get all that you need to succeed without it being handed to you. One of the other things I really like is the community and how close we all are. For example, we all have a choice on how things work and what we want it to be like. I really like that because you don’t always have a choice on how things are done in a community. We also have spiritual prep in the morning, I like that because it really sets up the day to be a good one and prepares you for what you need.
The time I have been at Link has been very meaningful to me because it has changed how I think about things and how I react. I have learned so much from being here in the past two years and am so grateful that I’ve had this opportunity. It has been so valuable to me to be here.
Thank you, Zac
Dear Sponsor,
Hi, my name’s Lois. This is my second year here at Link, and I’m a sophomore. I make a point to push myself and be positive. I’m technically from Illinois, but I consider myself from several different places including Colorado and the Midwest. I love to read and talk – meaning unless I’m reading or sleeping I’m probably talking, so if you ever meet me in person and I seem shy at first, don’t be fooled.
Some of my fondest memories of the past fifteen years have been here at Link. I’ve learned a lot about myself this year as well as the curriculum being taught in classes. Being with so many people all the time has made me realize how much I appreciate my alone time, but when I am with people I can still enjoy myself. During the mountain biking season, I pushed myself to the limits racing twelve miles every other weekend. Those months proved to me how persistent I can be when I set my mind to something.
Looking back on this semester I know I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons that will help me throughout my life. I’ve been able to do things this year I’ve dreamed of and others things I’ve never imagined. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to tell anyone how much this opportunity has meant to me, but I hope this letter helps you see how truly grateful I am.
With infinite gratitude,
Lois McClintick
Dear Sponsor,
Hi, my name is Cassie, I am 17 years old and I am a returning Link School student. Over the past four years I have been to six different schools and have bounced between many of them. I went to the Link School my freshman year for a semester and loved it but couldn’t afford to come back because I have so many siblings. Between leaving The Link School and coming back to Link for my senior year, I had many traumatic experiences including a school shooting, and I could not be happier to be back here. This environment is something that means so much to me and I am so grateful for the opportunity to finish my high school career here.
While here I have been able to immerse myself in several languages and excel in many other areas of study including science and math. I firmly believe that the things we learn in high school are the building blocks for whatever comes next whether it is college, military, or just going straight in to the work force. While here at Link, I have been able to really invest in the things that I want to learn and care about. I really love being here and I am so humbled by the opportunity to learn in this amazing atmosphere once again.
There are many things aside from the academics that inspire me here. Over this short semester, I have gained the truest sense of self I have yet experienced. I feel like this school has truly shaped who I am in the best ways possible and I expect will continue to do so. One of the main reasons I decided and applied to come back here is because I feel like I am the best version of myself when I am in this atmosphere.
Thanks so much for sponsoring my classmates and me in going/returning to this wonderful blessing of a school.
Sincerely,
Cassie
Hi! My name is Kaelyn Colizzo, and I’m currently a sophomore attending, as I’m sure you’re well aware, The Link School. My extended family and I live in Denver, Colorado, with our dog, Missy, and horses, Chicka Marie and Red. I was adopted into a family of six. We are an amalgamation of people of all ages, making for a very interesting life, to say the very least. I have a younger brother, Isaac, who just turned four, two younger sisters, Annalise and Hannah, nine and fourteen respectively, one older sister, Cassie, seventeen, and two older brothers that are both in college. When I’m not in class or doing homework, I love to ride my horse, Chicka Marie. We’ve done rodeo events, Polocrosse, mediocre (at best) jumping, cattle working, and trail rides. I also devote a fair amount of my free time to reading and writing; both pass times inherited from my father and developed when I was younger. On the other, less productive hand, I also have an innate propensity towards procrastination and bad TV crime shows (obviously unrelated), and love to spend time with my friends and family.
This is my first year at Link, and to say it’s just different from my public high school, with its overwhelming student body of 3,000, would be the understatement of the century. In my classes I am learning basic Spanish, Algebra II, Community Ecosystems and Dynamics, World Cultures, and English. My favorite of these is English. I’m a voracious reader, and love to write short stories, news-like articles, and informative essays, the latter of which is not a popular activity among my peers. Shocking, I know! For project time you can usually find me getting ahead in homework (or catching up, more likely, but that’s beside the point) or spending time with the aforementioned Chicka Marie. This time allotted specifically for projects allows me to develop my own passions and interests and pursue them in a scholastic manner, which is, in my opinion, a remarkable liberty that I am extremely privileged to experience. Another favorable aspect at Link I’m grateful to experience is the community. The sense of camaraderie and trust that just pours forth from every member of our small society is incredibly meaningful to me. I love the people I have met here, and consider myself blessed to call them my family.
My entire Link experience so far has been so incredibly meaningful to me it’s hard to put into words. The people I’ve been able to surround myself with here give me so much support and selfless love, and for that, I will always be unspeakably grateful.
– Kaelyn
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Kiersten Sheehan and I’m a senior at the Link School this year. I’m originally from New York but my parents are currently living in Jersey City, New Jersey in order for my dad to have a shorter commute to the city everyday; cutting a 2-hour commute to a 20-minute commute, makes a big difference. This is the second boarding school that I’ve attended as a high school student. The first one was the Principia Upper School in St. Louis, Missouri. I’ve been a staff member at Adventure Unlimited Ranches in their Horsemanship program this past summer and I have also been a horsemanship and Polocrosse camper for the past five years. I will be graduating from Discovery Bound’s National Leadership Council program this February.
Since this is my final year in high school, I know the areas that I need to work on in order to be successful academically. Attending Link has helped me focus on improving those areas; I feel more supported and encouraged to push myself in order to achieve the grades I desire. As a senior, not only do I have to work on schoolwork, but I also have to find time to apply to colleges. Thanks to the senior college prep class, I felt capable to accomplish all the requirements needed in order to apply. What really surprised me was when I found out I was accepted to all the colleges I applied to and was even offered scholarships. Not only are the academics wonderful, the way the school applies its academics to worldly activities is amazing. Every trip has had a bigger meaning; I have been able to get out of the classroom in order to understand first hand why Romantic poets write about nature or what makes a forest at lower elevation have more biodiversity than a forest at higher elevation.
There are 26 letters that can create many thousands of words, but I cannot fathom a way to sincerely express how grateful I am for your unselfishness to help teens like me to experience this unique form of education. What means the most to me is that outdoor experiential education is the field I am most interested in focusing on in college, so to come to a school and get the opportunity to explore the field is very beneficial in my decision making. I love that I get the chance to practice all that I’ve learned in the classroom through various activities during the year and in the future. Again, thank you for all that you’ve provided for not only me but also the whole Link community.
Sincerely,
Kiersten Sheehan
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Gavin Frager from St. Louis, MO, and I’m a senior at The Link School. This year is my third and final year here, and although I’m excited to graduate, I am also sad to be leaving. Link has given me so many opportunities to grow, and even though I haven’t taken advantage of all of them, the ones I have taken advantage of have completely changed who I am as a person.
Lots of the things that have changed about me have been what I enjoy doing. In the past, my personal entertainment was always selfish, and I found it very hard to enjoy doing anything meaningful for others. But as the years have gone by, I have found ways to make helping others fun, and I often find the end result significantly more satisfying.
Overall, I am just so grateful for the opportunities that I have been given here at Link, and am extremely grateful to you for making it possible for me to progress so much as an individual. I am a better person because of the opportunities I have been presented with, and am looking forward to being able to help others with the things I have learned here.
Thank you so much,
Gavin Frager
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Sarah, and this is my second year at the Link School. I am a sophomore, and I am really grateful that I could come back this year. All through last year, my family and I were not sure if I would be able to, so I spent a lot of the summer praying about my right place (which I felt was here).
The public school at home is okay, but they have tended to mess up my placement in classes and the district is enormous, making it easy to get lost in the shuffle. When I first heard about Link, it sounded like the perfect place to take part in my education and be more than a face in the crowd. I also love the outdoors, and Link has given me the opportunity to ride horses, boat whitewater, hike and peak mountains, live in the most beautiful (and my favorite) place, mountain bike, and ski. I have had so many opportunities that I never would have had at home.
One of my favorite things to do here is run, and I have had several healings while running. These were significant to me because they were the first healings that I had totally on my own, and they were instantaneous. The first was a healing of a knee injury I got while skiing late in the season last year. It made walking difficult and running impossible for weeks, and it interrupted my training for a race at the end of May.
It eventually stopped regularly bothering me, but would come back randomly while I was working out. I got to race day, and two hundred meters out from the start, the same knee in the same spot began to bother me. I knew that it had to stop, because I had thirteen miles ahead of me, and a Bible verse my summer track team had emailed out several months earlier came to thought. It is from I Peter 5:6, 7 and I suddenly knew that if I was to have a healing, I couldn’t be fearful or partially focused on whether or not my knee still hurt: I had to totally focus on God and this verse. I repeated it once through in my head and the pain was instantly gone (this whole process really took ten to fifteen seconds but much longer to explain) and I have never had it come back to bother me.
This healing prepared me for one I had this summer while running in the Junior Olympics. I was running the 1500 meter race, and was on personal record pace when I started to feel like throwing up. I spent the second and third laps of my race running but dry heaving every ten steps and asking God to please help me. I was running in front of thousands of people, which is not a very supportive atmosphere for healing. A few months before, I had re-watched a popular movie called Divergent. In it, there is a scene where the main character realizes that she is in a simulation she is supposed to think is real. She sees it for what it is, says to herself “This isn’t real”, and then breaks some glass and wakes herself up. While I was running this race, I suddenly heard the actress’s voice in my ear like she was right next to me saying “This isn’t real.” I realized that I could choose my reality, and that feeling ill was only real as long as I chose to accept it. I thought to myself “I can choose my reality, and I refuse to accept this.” I instantly stopped retching and was able to finish the last lap.
It was a really humbling experience for me, because I could have won my heat of thirty girls (instead I came in last), and I can never explain to all the spectators why I was running so slowly. This healing was also a really powerful experience because it proved to me that God is everywhere and always with me, and it also showed me that I can have healings anytime and anywhere, even without help from anyone else. Link has helped me become an active, capable Christian Scientist, and it still shows me how to use it every day. I am always grateful for Link and how much it has helped me grow.
Thank you,
Sarah
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Tyler Lent. I’m 16 years old and a sophomore in high school. I love the outdoors and all winter sports. I come from a small town in Colorado called New Castle that not many people know about even though many people pass through it on their way to Grand Junction or Glenwood Springs. About 6 years ago I moved to Texas with my mom and step-dad, which brings me to why I’m here. My life at home was pretty good except my step-dad didn’t provide the best environment to grow up in, so when my uncle told me about this school when I was visiting Colorado, we began to take steps for me to come here.
At Link we have many academic activities that are interactive and push us to think harder. All the trips and expeditions we go on revolve around an academic subject such as science or English. Our first trip we went on a 6-day hike in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This expedition was focused on science, and asked questions like, how the altitude affects the atmospheric pressure and how certain animals affect each other. Our third trip was focused on English, poets and poems. We learned about several different poets and wrote our own poems. Our next trip, Ecuador, is going to be focused on Spanish and on healthy community. We are going to help a small village and we are also going to donate several mountain bikes to another village.
I really can’t say how grateful I am to be here. It has really changed my life being in an environment that makes me feel important and that cares about me. I love living in Colorado again, and to be able to do all the things I love such as snowboarding, mountain biking, rafting, and climbing. In Texas I couldn’t do any of these things and it (among other things) really brought me down. Now that I’m back in Colorado, I’m happy, and enjoying life and the outdoors again. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Sincerely,
Tyler
