Lustre News
This has been an interesting weather week. Sunday night was clear and cold with Venus sparkling below the moon in the northern sky. Hard to believe someone orbited around there so far away, but we know it happened. Tuesday had northern lights blazing across the sky. Wednesday was beautiful, but windy before a nasty day of snow from Saskatchewan on Thursday. We’ve had snow every day since.
The Lustre Christian High School National Honor Society induction ceremony was held on Sunday, April 19, in the chapel. Nikki Hilkemann welcomed the filled chapel, inviting Wes Young to open in prayer. She emceed the program, informing the audience, “Being a member of NHS is a privilege, not a right or merely earned by grades or honor roll. Students are chosen by a faculty council in accordance with how they have demonstrated leadership, service, character and scholarship. Members of NHS are to have a commitment to learning and continued excellence, because education only ends when life ends.” Lighting a large blue candle, she explained the candle “represents the torch of the eternal light of knowledge that comes ultimately from God. So we can give Him the praise and do everything for His honor.”
The four pillars of NHS, Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character were explained by 2025 NHS member Nathan Fast and teachers Jennifer Zerbe and Melissa Cumpio. Scholarship requires “a commitment to diligence in study.” “Leadership requires self-confidence, and shows growth in a wholesome influence in the school. Resources in a country are squandered without the guidance of a wise leader. God helps us to determine goals, focus on a goal and a leader sacrifices for the interest of others, serving them.” Current NHS member Nathan Fast lit the candle for character. It was represented by a white candle, “because purity is needed to make respectful, responsible choices on a daily basis that leads to solid citizenship with upright morals.” Fast said, “The Rock of Jesus is the source of upright morals. Evil will not produce upright character.”
Beginning his address, Principal Wes Young commended the seniors on their leadership this past year saying “you were leaders in academic, civic and lead in your churches.” He asked the juniors “How will they remember you? What legacy will you leave next year?” He said, “The hardest place to be presentable, courteous and kind, for our character to shine is at home.” He asked how a Christian education di rs from a secular one. He read Philippians 4:8 and said to “put it into practice and the God of peace will be with you.” Charlie Kirk said ‘Freedom is not doing whatever you want. It is the pursuit of whatever is true, right, beautiful, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise’.” Young said, “The fear of man is what stops leaders. I have a commission for you. Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Live that verse out, taking your thoughts captive to the character Philippians 4:8 gives. You can then enjoy the successes of those around you”.
“Leadership in 1828 dictionary is defined as ‘one who goes first, guides, confronts or commands’”. Young used a shoestring on the table as an example of how leadership is best done. Asking Fast to shove it o 2from the back, it was evident it was a tough job. Taking the beginning of the string, Young said “It’s easier to lead someone by being an example of what you want of folks, than to shove from behind. Leadership enables one to follow. ”
Hadden Olfert o red, “the main goal of Christian leadership is to lead others to God.”
Defining ‘service’ as “labor of the body and mind for the benefit of another.” Young asked the inductees where they had seen service this past year. One said “Awana”, another said “watching Nathan Fast teaches me service”. He defined ‘scholarship’ as “academic achievement of a very high level.” “Education is all about order. God put it in order so we could see Him through the universe, the world. You can spend your life studying one subject, and never get bored of it, there’s so much to learn.”
Young defined ‘character’ as “having a distinguishing, di rencing, mark, attribute or feature; that which marks a distinct individual or person.” “Character spills out under pressure, and when alone, not under public eyes. If I’m walking with Jesus, our words will bear truth. We have the manual.” “Literature teaches. It inspires.”
Showing a C.M. Russell painting, Young said, “Art tells a story too. This one is titled “Taking toll”. Notice the details. It tells a story, and may be just the tip of an iceberg.” Education is like art. If you throw paint on a canvas, perhaps you can appreciate it. To me it looks like an accident. It’s not beautiful, it doesn’t have order. Rather it looks like paint spilled by accident on my shoe. Art has to have an appeal.” You will have a story to tell when you leave Lustre. Take a little bit of Lustre with you. We are very proud of you. For sure, take Jesus with you.”
Pastor Wayne Hathaway gave a short talk before closing in prayer. He said “Daniel served faithfully under a secular ungodly king in a foreign country. He purposed in his heart not to defile himself. I ask you to make that purpose yours. Daniel had outstanding character into his late 80’s and 90’s and was invited to serve consecutive kings. Even when he was told not to pray, he prayed. There is a time to take a stand, when God is the one you honor.”
The LCHS students on the track team (Fairview) and the junior high students (Sidney) had track meets on this week, and did very well. Johnslee Pierre came in first in the 300m hurdles, the triple jump and the long jump, a personal record of 22’6”!. Pierre, Prestyn Klatt, Chris Traeholt and Jaycee Hilkemann ran the 4x400 placing first! Prestyn Klatt came in first in the 800 m, second in the 1600m, and fifth in the high jump (PR). Jaycee Hilkemann placed first in the 3200m, third in the 1600 (PR). Chris Traeholt, Cam Reddig, Wheeler Damboise and KJ Brown placed second in the 4x100 Relay (A team). Reddig placed sixth in the 200m. Jacob Rigby, Joel Reddig, Yoseph Lee and Hadden Olfert placed sixth in the 4x100 relay (Team B). KJ Brown plaed fourth in the 100m (PR)! Samantha Neufeld, Lauryn Holzrichter, Justice Byers and Kencia Brown made a school record by running the 4x400 relay in 4:27.11! For each one it was a PR. Holzrichter placed fifth in both triple jump and the 100m hurdles. A total of 15 of our students were ribbon winners. Their coach is Lynn Unrau.
Remember the spring concert is 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 29, for LGS, and 7 p.m. for LCHS (MB Church).
