Hey everyone! Sorry it has been a while since I last posted, but we have had a pretty busy couple of weeks here at GLAA. With Alumni Weekend, Faculty Family Parties, and the Juniors’ trip to Boston, it’s been a whirlwind!
The Juniors left for Boston at the end of September, which is a little earlier than past years. They spend almost an entire week visiting various historical sites and landmarks as well as aquariums, museums, and, a student favorite, shopping malls with food courts. When they returned, the rest of the GLAA students greeted them with posters we had made. The senior class, per tradition, got them donuts and were the first to welcome them back. It was nice to have everyone back together on campus.
The Sunday after the Juniors returned from Boston, we had Faculty Family Parties. For those of you who don’t know, all of us students are divided up into 22 groups, one group for each staff family. Those staff members and their spouses become our “dad” and “mom” for the year and become our special support. So if we need something from the store, or run out of deodorant, or if we just need someone to talk to, we know we can go to them. Twice a year we have Faculty Family Parties, where the whole family, which is about 10 kids, gets together and has worship, plays games and hangs out. I had lots of fun and I am definitely excited for our next party, which is around Christmas.
After Faculty Family Parties, we began preparations for Alumni Weekend. I never realized how much work it took to put Alumni Weekend together! Just about everyone on campus helped with the preparations somehow, whether it was hanging up class banners in the gym, setting up the stage and chairs, cleaning up buildings, decorating center campus, making display cases in the fitness center, making posters for the Fireside Cafe, blowing the leaves off the sidewalk, or even just practicing their routines and songs during Aeros or Music, everyone did something to help out. At the same time, the Warriors and Lady Warriors basketball teams were also training hard and preparing for their games against the Alumni on Saturday night.
As Alumni Weekend drew near, I could feel the excitement mounting. Lots of the students were eager to see their friends or family who had graduated in the past. Finally, Alumni Weekend arrived. On Friday, many former classmates came a little early so they could visit their friends during meals or even just give them a quick hug between classes.
Alumni Weekend officially started Friday night with vespers, which was a huge blessing. Heather Moore, a graduate from the class of 2013 shared with us a message about David and how, even when things happen to us that we never would have expected, we can trust God to work it out for our good. On Sabbath, Elena Rodriguez from the class of 1998 taught Sabbath School which was all about praying persistently. Then for church, Elder Ken Denslow, our Lake Union Conference President from the class of 1973 shared with us that we are called to share a simple message, a message that we cannot save ourselves, Jesus is the only way to the Father, and that Jesus loves us so much that He was crucified to save us from our sins.
Sabbath afternoon, we had a musical performance, during which former students performed many wonderful songs, some vocal, some instrumental. It ended with a quartet that had everyone cheering. After dinner, our Warriors and Lady Warriors basketball teams led out in vespers for us, after which we all headed over to the fitness center to watch the games. If you don’t know, every year the girls and boys here at GLAA try out for our Warriors and Lady Warriors basketball teams and practice multiple times each week leading up to Alumni Weekend, where they face off against our alumni teams. This year, our Lady Warriors team lost to the Alumni. However, for the first time in quite a while, the Warriors beat the guy’s Alumni team, with the score ending at 47-36.
Although Alumni Weekend was crazy busy, I can’t wait for it to come again next year. It was so fun to see all the former and current students come together for a few days and worship. It was amazing to see old friends reunite and it is awesome to know that even once I graduate, I will have a whole community of people who will support me for the rest of my life.
The next few weeks have plenty in store for us, so check back to read more soon!
Love,
Elena
Great Lakes Adventist Academy 