FORTY SENIORS RECEIVE DIPLOMAS ON MAY 31
ACADEMIC RIGOR. FAITH. SERVICE.

The Class of 2019 gained acceptance in over 50 colleges and universities and was offered $1,186,700 in scholarships .

The class average score on SAT exams was above state and national averages; two graduates scored a perfect 800 on the math portion, and six students scored above 1400 which is in the 94th percentile.

In addition, these students completed more than 3,100 community service hours.

The Class of 2019 has worked hard and they are equipped to embrace their God-directed future.

Congratulations to each student in the Class of 2019!
EDEN ALUMNA DELIVERS COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS

In a meaningful commencement address, Ms. Aubrey Smith, Lawyer and Eden Alumna, recounted the story behind the stone wall at the Mt. Nebo Campus and challenged the graduates with Proverbs 22:28 "Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors."

As they move into a new chapter of their lives, Ms. Smith urged them to:
  • keep the stones in place that mark their inheritance in the kingdom of God
  • refuse to compromise
  • go out and enjoy the world God created
Ms. Smith told the graduates, "You were created for a greater purpose than only your degree or career. You were created to serve Him, to love Him, to love His people, to honor Him and it is in Him that all things hold together. It is not in your accomplishments that you will find success; it is in Him. It is not in your grades that you will find happiness; it is in Him. It is not in your popularity that you will find joy; it is in Him. It is not in your “tolerance” of things contrary to the Bible that you will find acceptance; it is in Him.

Colossians 1:17 tell us, 'He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.'

In Him you will find no greater joy. In Him you will find grace, salvation and hope. In Him, you will find your purpose ."
Graduates were also addressed by classmates Emma Steele, Mark Williams, Gideon Manges, and Paige Balla .

 These students were selected based on an essay explaining Eden’s impact on them, their impact on the school - spiritually, intellectually, academically, and in the areas of personal character development and leadership, as well as the student’s representation of Eden’s mission and values.
EMMA STEELE
"I've learned that relationships are what make the difference in achieving success at all. It's the people you meet along the way, whether you are helping them or they are helping you, that can teach and enhance your goals and what you are striving for. Hebrews 10: 24-25 says this, 'And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds , not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching.'"
MARK WILLIAMS
"As we leave Eden, we will all will be heading into new environments. This is where our priorities come into play, where we must decide what is truly first in our lives. Eden has prepared us academically for the next phase of our lives, but our main choice now is whether we will keep God as our main priority, or first in all we do. This is where [my previous reference to Ricky Bobby] comes back into play; if God isn't first in our lives, it doesn't matter where we place Him, we are setting ourselves up for failure."
GIDEON MANGES
"The founding purpose of any educational system is to prepare students for life by equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful. Often however, in the academic world, success is narrowly defined, so education results in transferring material knowledge and facts in order to achieve academic success. Eden, however, is a school that dares to take the name of Christ, approaches education in an integrated manner, preparing students both academically and spiritually. Because if God is the Creator of all, then all truth lies in the knowledge of Him, which is gained through a personal relationship with Him. Therefore, Christ is preeminent in education at Eden as it unites rigorous training in academics with discipleship in sound living according to the Word of God."
PAIGE BALLA
"Our plans may not always unfold how we wish. My letter [written in eighth grade] entailed all of the hopes, dreams, and goals that I had set for myself. Some of them went according to plan, while others did not. But isn't that life? High school, and life for that matter, is full of ups and downs. Times where we accomplish and times where we fail. Moments that we earned and moments that we did not plan for. Yet each experience, good or bad, makes us who we are, as each trial teaches us how to gain strength and maturity. Regardless of the plan you might have had long ago, God had an even better one. Though we may not always be able to fully see or understand God's plan, we can trust it. Setbacks and challenges teach us how to persevere, equip us to do what brings glory to God, and leads us to where He wants us."