Alumni Spotlight: Ella Whitehouse ’20
Alumni Spotlight: Ella Whitehouse ’20
I would unquestioningly be an entirely different person without the mental and spiritual sharpening and training that Woodcrest Christian instilled in me.
The single, most valuable skill that Woodcrest Christian has helped me develop is the ability to think critically about life and Christianity. When I first signed up for AP classes, I soon realized that the teachers at Woodcrest Christian had much more in mind than just passing the AP test. AP Language and Literature both taught me that even strong arguments need to be carefully analyzed and debunked.
In my freshman and sophomore years, my Bible classes laid the foundation for the insights I would gain in later years. My junior year, I learned to very closely analyze and interpret the Bible for myself, as I will not always have wonderful Bible teachers to ask!
In addition to this broadening and expanding of my perspective and understanding, there was one class in particular, Biblical Faith in the Modern World, I know I will carry with me for the rest of my life. In this class, I learned to critically engage with culture to better shine a light for Christ. With one word, this class revolutionized how I approach all other subjects and areas of life: “Why?” This simple question showed me that it is not enough to know something, you must carefully examine it because ideas have consequences. You must be able to articulate “why” you believe something to be true. Why do Christians speak out against certain issues? Why has society become increasingly hostile to Christianity? Why are some people completely unwilling to acknowledge the existence of a God? One by one, my Biblical Faith class tackled humanity’s toughest questions head on and emerged victorious.
Although the AP tests have come and gone, these classes trained me to view all events—past or present—in perspective, and have enabled me to better analyze current events and the state of our nation and our world today.
As I now embark on a new journey at one of the nation’s most secular universities, I know that I will not falter in my faith. Equipped with the fundamentals of Christianity from my Bible IV class, armed with my apologetical skills from Biblical Faith, and well trained in the area of critical thought, I know that not only will I continue to grow in Christ, but that I will be able to lead others to Him as well.
Ella Whitehouse was named a 2020 National Merit Scholar.
