As a freshwoman at SJHS, Bethgeana Coq didn’t know what to expect when she showed up in the chapel one morning for Ms. Prime’s 40 day Prayer Challenge. She was a regular 9th grader, but in retrospect says she was “here but not here” – going through the motions of life, not very enthusiastic about anything.
She knew she was looking for something, however, and as the days of the prayer challenge went by her heart was gradually opened. With Ms. Prime, Bethgeana and a few other students were reading a book of daily reflections called Draw the Circle by Christian author Mark Batterson, and one day a reflection really captivated her. It was called “Put Your Waders On” and four years later she remembers what she took away that day: “If you want God to take big steps for you, you have to get your feet wet.”
The Bethgeana of today, four years older and preparing to head off to college, is among the most remarkable students in her class in terms of her academic and extracurricular achievements. At the top of her class, she also has participated in the Dance Club and been a member of the Step Team since 9th grade. She loves Math, in particular Geometry and Trigonometry, and she enjoys Chemistry as well. She has also been enjoying her Government class, in particular having the opportunity to participate in a mock trial. For years she has aspired to be a dentist, and she plans to travel as a missionary to regions with inadequate dental care to provide services.
Compassionate, sympathetic, graceful and God-fearing are only a few of the adjectives that Bethgeana’s teachers, friends and parents use to describe her, and here at SJHS we look forward to seeing how she lives out her middle name, Caridad, as she heads into the world for the next chapter.