13 Years Later…
Posted on April 27, 2023
by Jaden Sheffstall, TCS Senior
For those of you who haven’t met me, my name is Jaden Sheffstall and I am one of the
two seniors left in my class that has been at Trinity since kindergarten. Here are some things
about me that may be helpful in context: I have three siblings that have either gone or still go to
this school and–just like me–have been here since kindergarten. My older brother, Josiah,
graduated last year and is now proudly serving our country in the U.S. Navy, while my other two
siblings are in ninth and sixth grade. My dad is a pastor in town at StoneBridge Baptist Church
(quick promo) and has been very active in the Trinity community over the years. From being a
member of the Spiritual Advisory Board to announcing football games every Friday night, he has
a face that most people recognize up on the hill. Unlike my dad, however, I am slightly less
extroverted and tend to keep to my own circle of people.
That being said, the people that I have had the privilege of meeting while at school here are extraordinary and uniquely beautiful in their own ways. In fact, I just recently learned that one of my classmates is well-versed in chess, and he has taken it upon himself to be the Mr. Myagi to my Daniel-san. He sets up his beautiful hand-carved chess board and I get mated in six moves (in case you’re unaware of the rules of chess, that means I’m really, really bad).
Speaking of teachers, the ones we have here are unlike the teachers at any other school. Over the past thirteen years, I have had the pleasure of learning under these superhero teachers that give their all to us, constantly pouring in the love and support we need to accomplish great things. I’ve seen a lot of teachers come and go from this school, but the one thing I know for sure is that they care deeply about their students. When I was in first grade, my teacher Mrs. Morris shared the gospel with us. I remember sitting at my desk and feeling the conviction of my sins, truly understanding what that meant, and being saved right then and there. Later that year, after I had moved up a grade, I decided to get baptized. So, I
invited my second-grade teacher, Mrs. Zeigler, to come to my baptism. The day I got baptized, I
was so nervous about being in front of everyone, but there sat Mrs. Zeigler right in the front
section, smiling and waiting for the service to start. That kind of thing wouldn’t happen
anywhere else.
There have been so many different opportunities that I have encountered at this school,
and while I’m excited to graduate, I’m really going to miss it. I’ve sat in on countless white day
senior chapels and every time they share a piece of knowledge that they’ve learned. They all say
the same thing, “It goes by way faster than you would expect”. Not to copy or anything, but it
does go by way faster than you would expect. While I still feel like middle school was last year, I
have somehow grown up between this year and the last, because now I’m almost 18, and will be
attending college in the fall.
So, if you’re reading this, wondering how it may have been–daughter of a pastor,
“trapped” in a Christian school all my life, never experiencing the joys of public school—I am
content in telling you that I am fine. In fact, I’m more than fine. I am truly blessed to have been a
student at this school for this long. Current students/families, I would encourage you to cherish
all of the time that you have here. Get to know the teachers and thank them for all that they have done for either you personally or for your children. Most importantly, thank God for blessing
you with a community as beautiful as the Trinity community.
