This year's valedictorian, Holt Merkle, wrote a letter to Upper School parents, expressing his gratitude for Whitefield and sharing what the school has meant to him:
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Dear US Parents,
My name is Holt Merkle and I have had the privilege of being a part of Whitefield Academy for the past four years. The first time I visited Whitefield I knew immediately that it was the perfect place for me. I had no idea what the next four years would be like but the school has come to mean a lot to me as I have seen the mission statement lived out.
When I came to Whitefield in ninth grade, I already knew some of the students in my class through church. Nevertheless, I was a little worried coming from a class of five students in middle school. My classmates’ kind and outgoing attitudes made what could have been an awkward situation of being the “new kid” a seamless transition into the Upper School. Furthermore, they encouraged me throughout all my years at Whitefield to strive for excellence in academics. My classmates’ actions have taught me the Christ-like attitude of putting others ahead of self, which I hope I have been able to show them as well.
It has been a great joy for me these past four years at Whitefield to participate in cross country, swimming, and track and field. I have had the opportunity to be on these varsity teams all four years, which would most likely have not been possible at another school. The coaches and volunteer coaches have shown immense selflessness in their dedication to the teams and their desire for me as an athlete to succeed. They sacrificed numerous hours, which they could have spent working or with their families, training me and my teammates to achieve the best performances possible. They also took an interest in me not only as an athlete but also as a person.
One of the most striking things, academically, about Whitefield is the teachers’ passion for the subjects they teach. I have had so many fantastic instructors who get genuinely excited about the concept they are teaching—whether it be a comical incident in history or an amazing conclusion in science that we discovered. Their interest has given me a similar desire and love for learning. The faculty at Whitefield tremendously care how each of their students are doing and are always available before and after school and anywhere in-between to help. Throughout my more stressful junior and senior years, teachers would often ask me how I was doing to show their concern and readiness to help in any way they could. The Whitefield faculty has greatly challenged me in my academic work. This has pushed me to work harder in order to understand and succeed in all my classes. I appreciate the fact that they believed in me.
Most importantly, Whitefield has grown my relationship with Christ and given me a desire to pursue Him in all aspects of my life. In every class I have ever taken at Whitefield, the teachers have strived to draw parallels between our studies and our faith or simply marveled at the complexity of God’s created universe. It was especially meaningful to have discussions over certain topics in the Bible which were completely applicable to where I was in life rather than solely studying the Bible from an academic perspective. But more specifically through my Bible classes, I have been challenged to know what I believe, why I believe it, and how I am going to live it out. Whitefield Academy has phenomenally prepared me for my next phase in life at college by giving me “a passion for learning, for others ahead of self, and for the living and active Jesus.”
Holt Merkle
Class of 2013 Valedictorian
Dear US Parents,
My name is Holt Merkle and I have had the privilege of being a part of Whitefield Academy for the past four years. The first time I visited Whitefield I knew immediately that it was the perfect place for me. I had no idea what the next four years would be like but the school has come to mean a lot to me as I have seen the mission statement lived out.
When I came to Whitefield in ninth grade, I already knew some of the students in my class through church. Nevertheless, I was a little worried coming from a class of five students in middle school. My classmates’ kind and outgoing attitudes made what could have been an awkward situation of being the “new kid” a seamless transition into the Upper School. Furthermore, they encouraged me throughout all my years at Whitefield to strive for excellence in academics. My classmates’ actions have taught me the Christ-like attitude of putting others ahead of self, which I hope I have been able to show them as well.
It has been a great joy for me these past four years at Whitefield to participate in cross country, swimming, and track and field. I have had the opportunity to be on these varsity teams all four years, which would most likely have not been possible at another school. The coaches and volunteer coaches have shown immense selflessness in their dedication to the teams and their desire for me as an athlete to succeed. They sacrificed numerous hours, which they could have spent working or with their families, training me and my teammates to achieve the best performances possible. They also took an interest in me not only as an athlete but also as a person.
One of the most striking things, academically, about Whitefield is the teachers’ passion for the subjects they teach. I have had so many fantastic instructors who get genuinely excited about the concept they are teaching—whether it be a comical incident in history or an amazing conclusion in science that we discovered. Their interest has given me a similar desire and love for learning. The faculty at Whitefield tremendously care how each of their students are doing and are always available before and after school and anywhere in-between to help. Throughout my more stressful junior and senior years, teachers would often ask me how I was doing to show their concern and readiness to help in any way they could. The Whitefield faculty has greatly challenged me in my academic work. This has pushed me to work harder in order to understand and succeed in all my classes. I appreciate the fact that they believed in me.
Most importantly, Whitefield has grown my relationship with Christ and given me a desire to pursue Him in all aspects of my life. In every class I have ever taken at Whitefield, the teachers have strived to draw parallels between our studies and our faith or simply marveled at the complexity of God’s created universe. It was especially meaningful to have discussions over certain topics in the Bible which were completely applicable to where I was in life rather than solely studying the Bible from an academic perspective. But more specifically through my Bible classes, I have been challenged to know what I believe, why I believe it, and how I am going to live it out. Whitefield Academy has phenomenally prepared me for my next phase in life at college by giving me “a passion for learning, for others ahead of self, and for the living and active Jesus.”
Holt Merkle
Class of 2013 Valedictorian