Spring 2012 - Lancaster Mennonite School

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Kraybill Campus BricklayingSecuring a solid foundation“What we’re building in this place, isa slightly different face, welcomingand making space, for all who wantto learn.”Paul JacobsPaul JacobsPrincipal J. Daniel Martin and students at theKraybill Campus of Lancaster Mennonite Schoollaid commemorative bricks to mark the beginningof work to construct a new front entrance.Front row (l-r): Matthew Simkins, Nathan Eby,Sam Kramer, James Mahala, Ethan Hess, BrentShearer. Back row (l-r): Jacquia Ruhl, Brianna Travis,Caleb Morrison, Carli Costello, Lily Saunders,Alexa Hellein, Elaina Dinse, Greta Bornmann.Check out our YouTube channel,MennoniteBlazers, for videosfrom the bricklaying ceremonyand other campus events.Commemorative bricks can still be obtainedfor a contribution of $100 per namewith up to two names on a brick. Orderforms are available at www.lancastermennonite.org/support/kraybillor by callingHeidi Stoltzfus at (717) 299-0436, ext. 308.While singing the above lyrics,students at the Kraybill Campus of LancasterMennonite School laid the first100 commemorative bricks to mark thebeginning of the construction of a newentrance to the school during a specialceremony on April 18.The project will make the school morewelcoming with a distinctive entrancethat is handicap-friendly. Renovationsincludes a wheelchair-accessible frontentrance, lobby and restrooms alongwith a new office configuration that allowsoffice staff to screen visitors beforethey can enter student areas.The bricks used in the ceremony werepurchased in honor of other students,alumni, staff, board members andcurrent and former teachers since theschool was founded in 1949. The studentslined up to carry bricks to severalmiddle school students, who placedthem along a stretch of sidewalk infront of the current school entrance.Fred Garber, who attended the schoolfrom 1954 to 1964 (grades 1-10) andserved on the board for six years,shared stories of several outstandingteachers, leaders and students whopassed through the entrance over theyears and how he was touched as astudent and later as a parent and grandparentof students. He said the brickssymbolize the long-term impact thatpeople at the school have on each other.John Weber, former Kraybill Campusprincipal, made a special guest appearancewith his wife Janet, dressed ingold and black biking attire. The couplebiked across the U.S. in 2007 and raised$81,000 for the project.Current Kraybill Campus principal J.Daniel Martin stressed the school’s desireto be a caring Christian communitythat provides a nurturing and diverseenvironment for academic excellence.Representatives from the two conferencesof Mennonite Church USA thatsponsor Lancaster Mennonite Schooljoined the celebration. Joanne Dietzelfrom Lancaster Mennonite Conferenceled the invocation and Keith Wilson,coordinator of the Atlantic Coast Conference,gave a prayer of benediction.Representatives from EG Stoltzfus, thecontractor, and Cornerstone architects,the designer, also attended.The bricks used in the ceremony willbe removed during construction thisspring and relaid along a new walkwayand courtyard when the new frontentrance is completed before the startof the 2012-13 school year. The schoolis hoping to have 1,000 bricks to linethese areas. Paul Jacobs1 4 | Bridges S P R I N G 2 0 1 2
a l u m n i featureElizabeth Landis, 1995Returning to her rootsElizabeth Landis never really thought her life’s journey would bring her full circle, but the 1995 alumna’s desireto live out her faith has led her back to the place where it first took flight: Lancaster Mennonite School.Landis, who currently teaches Englishat Octorara High School, will betaking on the role of assistant principalat the Lancaster Campus beginningJuly 1.“I’m excited to jump in and work atboth the student level and staff level,”Landis said. “Sometimes as a teacher, Ifeel like an island.I’m excited tonavigate bothand excited tobe somewherewhere I had agreat experience.”Returning to the LMS halls, however,is a bit surreal for Landis, as she isnow working with some of the peopleshe previously had as educators.“It’s kind of daunting ... with theexpectation of maintaining a certainstandard,” she said. “It’s a great thingand provides a necessary pressure.”After graduating from LMS, Landiswent to Messiah College in Granthamfor two years before finishing up herundergraduate degree in English atMillersville.While at Messiah, Landis spentpart of her time at the Philadelphiacampus, which stretched her in waysshe didn’t expect.“It encouraged me to thinkoutside the box,” Landissaid. “We were directlyconfronting social justiceissues.”When she graduatedfrom Millersville,Landis worked as anassistant manager incharge of advertisingat Ten Thousand Villagesbefore earning a fullscholarship to attend AssociatedMennonite BiblicalSeminary.“I went in thinking I’dpursue a master’s in Divinity,”Landis said. “Butit didn’t feel like a right fit,so I changed to a master’sin Peace Studies.”Landis was sitting in a class aboutwar, peace and resistance on Sept. 11when a man ran into the room andsaid the World Trade Center had beenattacked.At that moment, Landis felt a desireto do more.“It was a turning point for me,” shesaid. “Theology is excellent, to set afoundation, but my theology needs tohave arms and legs.”Landis worked at a mediation centerin York at first before helping to spearheadthe Bully Prevention Program asthe Bullying Prevention Coordinatorfor the Octorara School District.“Part of my realization was, how inthe world can we expect governmentsto work peacefully together if we can’tget our kids to,” she said. “This is thebest place for me to make an impact.”Landis is married to LMS graduateSteve Denlinger, has three childrenand attends Blossom Hill MennoniteChurch in Lancaster.As she steps into the new position,Landis said her goal is to listen andre-acclimate herself to the staff andstudents, absorbing everything that’sgoing on around campus.“I want to be a part of creating a positiveenvironment like the one I experiencedwhen I was here,” she said. “Wehave a lot of learning to do in termsof a multicultural environment andthat’s what Lancaster Mennonite hasbecome – with that great gift comes alot of learning and responsibility. Bridges S P R I N G 2 0 1 2 | 1 5
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Spring 2012 - Lancaster Mennonite School

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