Students Begin the 2022-2023 School Year

Beginning the 2022-2023 School Year: 

These students associated with Faith Temple Church, Taylors, SC, share thoughts about the new school year: 

  Thomas Robertson, 15, a 10th-grader at Blue Ridge High School (BR), is the son of Mr. Jimmy and Mrs. Sherri Robertson. Thomas helps at Faith Temple (FT) with Facebook-Live videoing of services. Kaity, his sister, and their dad help with FT visual aids; Mother Sherri sings on the FT praise team.

“My favorite school subject is band,” says Thomas, who began band classes in 6th grade. He plays the tuba, but during marching band season, plays a large bass drum. “Carrying it is a bit of a problem,” he says. “I can’t see over it.”

His band plans to march in parades this year at Travelers Rest and Greer. His best friend is Brock, a 9th-grade1 drummer. Their band teacher is Ms. Keylee Ray. During autumn, the band practices after school until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “To get better, that’s what you gotta do,” Thomas says.

Thomas takes AFJROTC (Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) at BR. He videos football practices by operating a $1500 drone as a project for JROTC. Coaches use his videos to advertise the football team, he says. For every five “drone missions” he gets a ribbon to wear on his JROTC uniform. He has six ribbons (one is for good conduct). His instructors are Major Chad R. Wright and Chief Master Sergeant Mark R. Ippolito. There are 105 AFJFOTC students at BR; 14 of those are in Thomas’s class. He says he may want to join the Air Force. 

“Wednesday is uniform day at school,” Thomas says, adding that his full AFJROTC uniform involves a hat, blue shirt, pants, belt, shoes, tie, service coat, ranks, and ribbons.  

Thomas says about computers: “I’m good at games.” He sings, too. “I like to sing,” he says. “I sing a lot at home. I sing ‘Fear Is a Liar.’” That song, by Zach Williams, contains these words: “Fear, he is a liar / He will take your breath / Stop you in your steps / Fear he is a liar / He will rob your rest / Steal your happiness / Cast your fear in the fire / ‘Cause Fear, he is a liar.”

“Overall, there’s a lot of Christians at school,” Thomas says. “I think almost everyone in marching band is a Christian. It’s fine to pray over your lunch if you keep it to yourself. You can talk about Jesus, as long as people are comfortable with it. If there’s something I don’t agree with, I say, ‘To each, their own.’”

  Bethany Saunders, 9, is the biological daughter of Mr. Spencer Saunders and Ms. Emily Campbell and is the adopted daughter of Mr. Michael Campbell and Mrs. Amanda Campbell. Michael, also Bethany’s grandfather, is a Faith Temple (FT) deacon; Amanda was present in the delivery room with Bethany’s biological parents when Bethany was born. Amanda sings solos, helps with FT hospitality, and is Bethany’s homeschool teacher.

Bethany says, “My favorite subject is writing.” Her favorite song is “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” Her favorite program is “Dateline.”

“Bethany is very helpful and smart,” Amanda says. “She loves to help other people. She holds doors open and is very compassionate. Cleaning the bathroom might be punishment to some people, but she loves to do that. She takes pictures and sends them on her iPad. She plays with baby dolls. She loves to dress up and go to church.” 

Bethany has been homeschooled “from the beginning,” Amanda says. “She’s on the Autism Spectrum, so we tailor her lessons.”

“I probably should have been the teacher I wanted to be when I graduated from high school,” Amanda says. “One of the benefits of homeschooling is “enjoying the little things, enjoying the little accomplishments.” 

The Campbells live in Campobello on a 5.5-acre wooded lot. Bethany can play outside and knows her boundaries. She has a trampoline and a swing set. Her good friend, Matthew, visits sometimes to play. Hide-and-seek is her favorite game, she says, and she likes the family dog, Gabby who weighs 50-55 pounds. He’s a German Shepherd-Bulldog mix with a touch of Great Pyrenees.

Amanda has two children: Justin, 33, and Eric, 30, and has four grandchildren. She attended USC and lacks only 4 or 5 NGU classes to earn a business degree. She completed many classes online.
 

  Mr. Devan Shay Clint Robertson, 16, an 11th-grader and an outside linebacker (No. 19), attends Travelers Rest High School (TR). Mr. Bryson Robertson, Devan’s 10th-grade brother, plays on TR’s JV football team. Both are sons of Mr. Anthony Robertson and Mrs. Kayla Cross. Devan’s grandfather was the late Tony Robertson.

  Devan and Bryson have a half-brother, Cole Cross, age 6. Their step-siblings are Kaylee Cross and Chase Cross; their step-dad is Brandon Cross.  

“My favorite subject is science,” Devan says. He takes welding classes at Enoree Career Center, part of Greenville County’s school system. “I want to be a welder,” he says.  

Around 270 students make up his TR junior class. Devan’s mother drives them to school at TR (where their roots and friends are), though the family lives in Easley. Devan’s girlfriend is Ms. AnnaMarie Gwinn, a TR student. Devan worked at the TR Ingles (grocery) for 6 weeks and thinks he will apply at Walmart.  

Devan’s mother’s mom, Ms. Debbie Gosset, 60, inspired Devan and Bryson to play football. “She showed us how to play,” Devan says. “Nana had brothers. She was rough. I’m in football because of her. She comes to our games.” 

“Dad [Anthony Robertson] takes me fishing and to the races,” Devan says. “We’re always playing 8-ball pool on our phones.” 

Devan visits his great-grandparents, Mr. Millard (Papa) and Mrs. Thelma Few (Granny) Robertson, Faith Temple members. “When I have a chance, I visit and stay every two weeks on Sat. night,” Devan says. “They are nice, caring, always there when I need them. They have big hearts. They take me fishing. Papa taught me to cut grass and to play golf.” 

Devan on prayer: “I feel like when I need to pray, I pray. I’m glad I can look up to Him. I can’t wait to be with Him. I’m tired of this world … there’s lots of drama. When I pray, I feel a release. I feel like I’m in good relationship with Jesus. I pray before my games and before tests. I pray every morning and every night.”

  Miss Sage Cowan, 11, daughter of Mr. David Cowan and Mrs. Rebecca Cowan, is in fifth grade at Mountain View Elementary School (MV).  

The Cowans, including Morgan, Sage’s new baby sister, attend Faith Temple (FT), Taylors, SC. Ms. Teran Bagwell, Rebecca’s mother, also attends FT. Rebecca says Sage loves her little sister and helps care for her.

Sage says her new school year is “going good.” Ms. Holli Powell is her teacher, and 29 students are in her room (one of four fifth-grades at MV). The school principal is Ms. Jennifer Gibson; the assistant principal is Mr. Jason Staggs.

Sage’s father, David, participated in track at Blue Ridge High School and still runs. Sage runs, too, as a member of the “Upstate Running Club” (ages 6-12). Their longest race has been 400 meters. “I think it’s cool,” Sage says of the track club. 

Asked how Sage will fare at MV this year, Rebecca says, “I think she’ll do great.” 

  KENDALL HILTON, 17, says,  “I’m looking forward to all the things seniors get to do.” A Blue Ridge High School (BR) senior, she plays flute and piccolo in the marching band.

Kendall and her twin brother, Justin, are children of Mrs. Lisa Miller and Mr. Jesse Hilton. Lisa’s husband, John Miller, has been part of the twins’ lives since 2011. Kendall and Justin are grandchildren of the late Mr. Roy Chasten and Mrs. Jeanette Bodie Chasteen (Lisa’s parents) who attended Faith Temple.

A favorite teacher has been Ms. Melissa Champion (chemistry), Kendall says. Blue Ridge’s principal is Ms. Ashley Wardlaw; Ms. ShaKeria McCullough is “graduation interventionist” (12th grade). 

Kendall likes math. Pre-calculus may prove to be her hardest class this year, she says. She plans to attend Clemson Univ., major in accounting, and play in the Clemson marching band. 

  JUSTIN HILTON, 17, says, “I’m looking forward to this year.” He says the last 3 high school years “have been pretty fun and blew by real fast.”

Justin plays center on offense for Coach John Boggs’ BR football team. He played flag-football in first grade, then tackle-football for the rest of his school years. He looks forward to pep rallies. He lifts weights and participates in discus, shot put, and javelin on the track team. About the school atmosphere, he says, “Everybody I know believes in God and talks about him a lot.”  

During the summer, Justin worked 15-28 hours per week at Swafford Transport and Warehouse of Greer. His job: packaging and labeling BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen rims, he says. He drives a 1999 Ford F-150 truck.

After BR, Justin plans to study software development, computer programming, “or something to do with computers” and hopes to attend the Univ. of SC or Coastal Carolina Univ. 

  JACOB MILLER, 9, is in third grade at Mountain View Elementary School (MVES), Taylors, SC. He is the son of Mr. John and Mrs. Lisa Miller and rides the bus to school. His brother is Justin Hilton; his sister is Kendall Hilton. 

The MVES principal is Ms. Jennifer Gibson. The assistant principal is Mr. Jason Staggs. Jacob’s teacher is Ms. Tammy Cannada.

Jacob says his favorite class is physical education and that he had “a normal first day” of school.” Asked what kind of year he will have, he said, “Probably a good year. About the middle, it’ll go downhill.” He says, “The lunches are better than ‘all right’ but not amazing.” Asked about his favorite subject, he said, “I do like reading.”  

PRAYER: Father, give our teachers wisdom, compassion, and love for our loved ones. Remind them they are not forgotten as they teach children. Bless them for their faithfulness that will impact generations … in Jesus’ name, amen (Prayer adapted from the internet). 

  EMEREE FEW, 14, a ninth-grader at Blue Ridge High School (BR), is the daughter of Mr. Russell and Mrs. Angie Cantrell-Few of Greer, SC. Ryland Few is her brother and only sibling. Faith Temple’s Ms. Louise Few is her grandmother, the late Benny Few was her grandfather.

“There’s over 300 in our freshman class,” says Emeree. “Freshman make up 41% of the school.” BR has four grades. She says Sarah Dorris, a fellow schoolmate, has been a good friend since elementary school. 

Mr. Jon Reid is Emeree’s homeroom teacher. She rides to school with her brother, Ryland, a BR senior. Her parents pick up Emeree. Her favorite subject this year may be health science; Algebra II (honors class) may be challenging, she says. After high school, she may pursue forensic science, chemistry, or biology, she says.

She began playing tennis last year and takes private lessons from Mr. Gresham Dickerson. She ranks number 5 on the BR tennis team, and she is the only freshman among BR’s five top players! 

“I like to win,” Emeree says.

  RYLAND FEW, 17, a senior at Blue Ridge High School (BR), is the son of Mr. Russell and Mrs. Angie Cantrell-Few. Emeree Few is his sister and only sibling. Ms. Louise Few is his paternal grandmother; the late Benny Few was his grandfather. 

Ryland’s favorite class is weight-lifting, taught by Mr. Harley Smith. Asked about BR’s 42-37 football win (first game of the season) over Chesnee High School, Ryland says, “I was impressed.”

He says he enjoyed dressing “Hawaiian” for the school pep rally and for the game. “I wore a pink, flowered shirt, a straw hat, and a pink lei,” he says. He says the seniors — over 100 seniors — won the cheering contest at the pep rally. 

His good friend is Chandler Gooch, a buddy since middle school.

“We have a new principal. She was a Blue Ridge student,” Ryland says. The new BR principal is Ms. Ashley Wardlaw. 

Ryland likes shooting basketball at home. Asked about future plans, he says, “I might go to Greenville Tech.” 

  KAITY ROBERTSON, 19, attends North Greenville Univ. (NGU), a Southern Baptist school in Tigerville, SC. Her parents are Mr. Jimmy and Mrs. Sherri Robertson of Greer, SC. Her brother and only sibling is Thomas Robertson. Faith Temple’s Barbara Roberson Crain is her grandmother; the late Toy Richard Robertson was her grandfather.   

A BR graduate, Kaity is a second-year student at NGU and works at Della Ventura's Ristorante and Pizzeria in Greer.

“My goal is to become an elementary school teacher for any grade from k5 to 2nd grade,” she says. “I look forward to this new school year!” 

She likes NGU’s Christian influence, she says.    

“Most every teacher prays before starting class,” she says. “It is amazing to have teachers in college who are able to pray over their students verbally and knowingly! I have chapel on Monday and Wednesday from 10 to 10:50 a.m. The only requirement is to attend a minimum of 16 to 17 services in order to make a D. If the student attends 22 or more services, then they receive an A.”

According to NGU’s website, 18% of incoming NGU students are not Christian. “We believe our environment and shared spiritual journeys are invigorating for all,” the site says.

“I believe church is very important for young people,” Kaity says. “Choosing to follow Christ in a world of non-believers can be hard, but it is one of the most rewarding choices! Christ is one friend that will never leave you behind because you are broken. Being broken makes you even more desirable to Christ.”