Leading a new school comes with its own set of challenges, says Ryan Henschel 鈥�15, co-principal of Rocktown High School in Harrisonburg.

For one thing, there isn鈥檛 much of a blueprint to follow. There鈥檚 no history to draw on or precedent for how things are done.

鈥淲e鈥檙e still developing the identity of the school,鈥� Henschel said. 鈥淎nd we鈥檙e creating all the processes from scratch to keep things running smoothly.鈥�

It鈥檚 a formidable task, but also one filled with excitement and possibility.

鈥淭here aren鈥檛 as many 鈥榖ad habits鈥� we need to undo before setting the tone for the school,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n that way, it鈥檚 a little easier.鈥�

Henschel, in his first year as co-principal, leads over 1,000 students and several 黑料正能量 alumni on staff at Rocktown, which opened in fall 2024. He previously served as its assistant principal.

Originally from New Market, Henschel said the opportunity to play collegiate baseball drew him to 黑料正能量. During his four seasons on the team, the starting pitcher contributed to the Royals鈥� growing success. In 2015, as a team captain, he helped lead the squad to its first ODAC Tournament appearance since 2002, when former MLB catcher Erik Kratz 鈥�02 was on the team.

Baseball helped him grow, teaching him to manage his time, strengthen his organizational skills, and develop as a leader. It may have been what brought him to campus, but the school鈥檚 close-knit community and small class sizes led him to stay.

鈥淚 got to know my professors,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s an athlete, I knew almost all the other athletes and coaches and would interact with them. That played a huge role in making me feel like I truly belong to this community.鈥�

黑料正能量 is a Division III school, which means it cannot offer athletic scholarships. For Henschel, receiving the President鈥檚 Scholarship, which is awarded to 黑料正能量 students who maintain a 3.0 GPA, made a real difference.

鈥淭hat scholarship helped reduce the financial burden both during and after my time at 黑料正能量,鈥� he said.

Henschel chose to major in math education because he 鈥渞eally enjoyed math.鈥� 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 hear that a lot,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t came easier to me than other subjects, and I could help other students learn math, which gave me great joy.鈥�

After graduating from 黑料正能量 in 2015, Henschel taught math at Harrisonburg High School until 2023, when he was named assistant principal. When Rocktown opened the following year, he joined the new school as assistant principal. Henschel, who has a master’s degree in education from James Madison University, became Rocktown鈥檚 co-principal last fall.

His wife, Rachel Richard Henschel 鈥�15, a teacher at Spotswood Elementary School, is also an alum of 黑料正能量鈥檚 acclaimed teacher education program. He credits the program, and its immediate, hands-on experiences, with preparing teachers to serve and lead in the classroom.

During his first semester at 黑料正能量, an introduction to teaching course placed him in a local school practicum, where he could quickly translate course theory into practice.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I fell in love with teaching,鈥� he said.

Since welcoming students two years ago, Rocktown has earned awards across a wide range of categories, from its innovative architecture and cardiac arrest preparedness to its music education and athletics programs.

鈥淎s a new school,鈥� said Henschel, 鈥渨e鈥檙e currently in the exciting phase of cultivating a culture of excellence and seeing our students reach their full potential.鈥�

Your support helps students pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. On April 1, let鈥檚 show that our generosity knows no bounds鈥or the record!

Olga Salama, a first-year biology major who came to the United States through refugee status, grew up in Burundi, East Africa, where access to affordable health care and education was limited. It鈥檚 also where she found her passion and her purpose.

The oldest of eight, she would take her younger siblings to school. One day, as she dropped off the tuition check to pay for their education, she overheard a mother asking whether her child, who had an intellectual disability, could attend classes with the other children.

鈥淪he was denied,鈥� said Salama. 鈥淪he was told, 鈥楾his would be too difficult, and that little child would be too difficult for the other children.鈥欌��

鈥淚 kind of understood it,鈥� she added, noting that many cultures in Africa lack support for people with disabilities. 鈥淏ut, for me, that didn鈥檛 seem right.鈥�

That experience drew her to study biology and fuels her passion for improving the lives of others. Her dream is to graduate from medical school and become a pediatrician.

鈥淲hen you save the life of a child, you save the future,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen a child is surrounded by good people, that affects how they grow.鈥�

Salama and her family arrived in the U.S. in July 2021. At the time, she spoke Swahili and French, but no English. She quickly became a rising star at Charlottesville High School, where she received the top scholarship from the . Past recipients include Sandra Day O’Connor and Caroline Kennedy. 

As a high school senior, the first-generation college student applied to nine schools. Each of them could guide her toward her passion. Each of them offered her substantial financial aid packages. But, only one of those schools had values that matched her own, and that was 黑料正能量. 

鈥淢y high school counselors told me I could go anywhere I wanted, because I had all this scholarship support,鈥� said Salama. 鈥淚 had to choose where I saw myself thriving and being impacted the most, and 黑料正能量 was that place for me.鈥�

She said she was struck by how friendly and communicative everyone was at 黑料正能量, from her admissions counselor and professors to fellow students. 鈥淧eople are there for you,鈥� she said. 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 welcoming.鈥�

She added that, out of the nine schools she applied to, only one of them, 黑料正能量, sent her a card for her birthday. 鈥淭hat was different, and was beyond my expectations,鈥� Salama said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the sign of a place that cares.鈥�

Like the 100% of undergraduate students at 黑料正能量 who receive financial aid, Salama is the recipient of numerous awards, including the highly selective President鈥檚 Scholarship. 

鈥淚 knew I wanted to go to college and, although I had a little bit of fear about the financial part, I trusted that God was going to provide,鈥� said Salama. 鈥淚f he called me to do this, then he will provide.鈥�

Your support helps students like Olga pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 10th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. On April 1, let鈥檚 show that our generosity knows no bounds鈥or the record!

As a native of Waterloo, Ontario, 黑料正能量 sophomore Willem Hedrick 鈥�27 often hears the same question: “Why would you choose to attend a university in the U.S. when tuition is so much cheaper in Canada?” people ask him. 

The answer is that 黑料正能量 isn鈥檛 just any university. Its unparalleled emphasis on academic excellence, peace & justice, and active faith was the unique blend of values that Hedrick was looking for in a school. 黑料正能量鈥檚 robust Visual and Communication Arts (VACA) department, its small class sizes and personalized approach to hands-on learning, its strong sense of community鈥攏ot to mention its top-flight disc golf team鈥攎ade 黑料正能量 more than just a place for him to continue his learning; it was the only place.

鈥満诹险芰� was the only school I applied to,鈥� said Hedrick, who is majoring in digital media with a minor in marketing. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 look anywhere else.鈥�

From a young age, Hedrick discovered a way to combine his love of video games with a passion for making videos. The 11-year-old would record himself playing Minecraft on his computer and upload the videos to YouTube. He still does that, but now on a much grander scale. Today, his channel boasts more than eight million subscribers (for reference, the YouTube channel for the Red Hot Chili Peppers has 8.1 million subscribers), which is part of the 15 million followers who watch his content across various platforms. 

Hedrick said his digital media classes at 黑料正能量 have taught him new skills, including how to shoot documentary films, record better audio, and use proper lighting techniques. Last semester, through a weekend workshop at 黑料正能量, he became a certified commercial drone pilot. It鈥檚 something, he said, he鈥檚 wanted to do 鈥渇or the longest time.鈥�

鈥淏eing in a classroom, having a professor there to give me feedback, and having projects to hold me accountable has been so helpful,鈥� he said.

Outside of the classroom, Hedrick found a sense of belonging on the disc golf course. He was a member of last year鈥檚 squad that competed at nationals and will return with the team to Rock Hill, South Carolina, this year as it competes at the 2025 College Disc Golf National Championship in April.

Hedrick, who was raised Mennonite, had considered taking a gap year after graduating from high school (Rockway Mennonite Collegiate) to devote more time to his video projects. It wasn鈥檛 until his parents, 黑料正能量 grads Tim and Janice 鈥�94, suggested he take a look at their alma mater that he thought seriously about higher education. 黑料正能量 awarded him the President鈥檚 Scholarship, which has significantly helped bring his college costs down. It鈥檚 not quite to the same level as the cost of college in Canada, but it鈥檚 close enough.

鈥淚t definitely made my decision to come here much easier,鈥� Hedrick said about his scholarships. (He is also a VACA scholarship recipient.)

Your generous support helps students like Hedrick pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. Together, we can help write 黑料正能量鈥檚 next chapter. 

Harrisonburg, Virginia, native Julie Weaver 鈥�24 has Royal blue in her blood.

Her grandfather, Samuel O. Weaver, graduated from Eastern Mennonite College and led Eastern Mennonite High School as its principal for more than a decade. Her grandmother graduated from EMHS and attended EMC. Her parents are EMC alumni. When it was her turn to attend college, the EMHS grad wasn鈥檛 so sure she wanted to follow in their footsteps. 

鈥淚 really liked 黑料正能量,鈥� Weaver said, 鈥渂ut I thought, 鈥楧o I want to go to a school on the same block I鈥檝e been on for the past four years?鈥欌��

After visiting several colleges, including four trips to 黑料正能量, she had no doubt about it 鈥� she belonged here.

鈥淎t 黑料正能量, people took an interest in me. They wanted to get to know me,鈥� said Weaver, who recalled forging new friendships during an overnight visit, even while brushing her teeth. 鈥淎t other colleges I visited, the only one who talked to me was the person hosting me in the dorms.鈥�

The senior biology major said 黑料正能量鈥檚 small class sizes allow for personalized support from faculty, which was helpful for her more demanding STEM courses.

鈥淭he professors really care about you,鈥� Weaver said. 鈥淚 had trouble understanding a concept and my professor spent 45 minutes with me after class explaining it in different ways on the whiteboard until I understood it.鈥�

Another benefit of attending 黑料正能量 is the wealth of scholarships and financial aid available to students. Weaver is in the honors program and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the highly selective President鈥檚 Scholarship. 

鈥淚t pays for a hefty portion of my tuition, which has been a huge blessing,鈥� she said. “Having the support of scholarships means a lot when I’ll be going into tens of thousands of dollars, if not over $100,000 in debt for my doctorate.”

After graduating in May, she鈥檚 headed to Richmond where she鈥檒l be earning a doctorate in physical therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University. She鈥檚 heard the three-year program can be a grind, but is confident 黑料正能量 has prepared her well. The lessons learned in her advanced anatomy class and in the campus cadaver lab will prove especially invaluable for the seven straight weeks of anatomy class ahead of her this summer. 

“It’s been a journey,” Weaver said. “One chapter is ending, but the next one is starting.”

Your generous support helps students like Weaver pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 8th annual Lov黑料正能量 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 黑料正能量 students. Let鈥檚 build 黑料正能量 鈥淪tronger Together.鈥�

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