Elijah Newbern, left, Ellimarie Bravo-Moe and Shelby Noel sing “I Have Been Blessed” at their graduation ceremony on Friday, May 19, 2017 at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Kenai, Alaska. Newbern and Bravo-Moe are graduates of the Wings Christian Academy. Noel is a home school graduate. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Elijah Newbern, left, Ellimarie Bravo-Moe and Shelby Noel sing “I Have Been Blessed” at their graduation ceremony on Friday, May 19, 2017 at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Kenai, Alaska. Newbern and Bravo-Moe are graduates of the Wings Christian Academy. Noel is a home school graduate. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Wings Christian Academy graduates 3 students

Each of the three graduates at Wings Christian Academy’s graduation and awards program spoke to three points as they celebrated the end of their schooling — thanks, advice and future plans.

Wings Christian Academy graduates Ellimarie Bravo-Moe and Elijah Newbern and home school graduate Shelby Noel were presented their diplomas at Immanuel Baptist Church in Kenai on Friday by Pastor Caleb Cinereski and their parents.

The graduates each also presented a slideshow of their life throughout photographs and took a moment during their individual speeches to thank their teachers, family and God.

“Thank you to my parents and teachers,” Newburn said. “They would encourage me, give me a bible verse and then some more math problems.”

They also were tasked with giving advice, imparting tidbits of wisdom onto Wings Christian Academy’s younger students.

“Reading really is one of the best ways you can grow and teach your brain,” Noel said. “But remember, you are what you read and keep learning as much as you can now.”

Each graduate also spoke of their plans now that they’ve graduated.

“I think my future goals include college,” Bravo-Moe said. “It’s whatever God wants really, but my goal is to go to college.

“If I go to college, I will be doing flight nursing,” Newbern said during his graduation speech. “If y’all ever get hurt in the wilderness, I’ll be the one to rescue you and get you out.”

“I place my future in God’s hands,” Newbern said. “For now, I’ll stay under the care of my father and mother. I will be getting a job soon and grow as an adult under their care.”

The ceremony was marked with different hymns and an enthusiastic crowd, singing along and encouraging the graduates throughout their speeches, and filled with the excitment of the three graduates.

“We made it,” Bravo-Moe said. “Yay!”

Wings Christian Academy is a private Christian school within the Immanuel Baptist Church in Kenai. The goal of Wings Christian Avademy is to train Christian youth of every ability in the highest principles of Christian leadership, self-discipline, individual responsibility, personal integrity and good citizenship.

Reach Kat Sorensen at kat.sorensen@peninsulaclarion.com.

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