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The last day of school for the three Fairhill Christian School seniors was spent preparing for their graduation ceremony Friday evening in league with teachers, students and parents.

The close-knit school body support is the norm, say the graduating trio.

“It’s a great Christian atmosphere. It’s so encouraging,” said Will Watkins, whose speedy academic progress has him graduating a year early.

Bethany Flynn describes the Fairhill teachers as “amazing.”

“They’re not just teachers, but also friends,” she added.

Entering Fairhill as a ninth grader was a big change for Kate Snodgress. “It was a lot smaller,” she said. “The teachers care about you here. You’re not just a number.”

Academically, all three students shine.

Each received the Association of Christian Schools International Distinguished Christian High School Student award for outstanding achievement in academics.

And all plan to continue their education this fall.

Watkins will go on to Pensacola Christian College in September. His favorite high school subjects were algebra and grammar, and he would like to become a teacher in higher education.

In the past four years, Flynn has participated in two mission trips to Thailand working in orphanages and a refugee camp near the Myanmar border. She also has volunteered at Camp Li-Wa as a wrangler and counselor.

Although the mission visits were brief, Flynn maintains a prayer link with a refugee girl there, which brings a gleaming smile to her eyes and lips as she describes their unusual friendship.

The mission experiences deeply impacted Flynn. She earned a nurses assistant certification at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Although she enjoys working in the medical field, Flynn is planning to pursue veterinary training after earning an undergraduate degree at UAF.

Mission trips to Thailand and Papua in Indonesia also influenced Snodgress’ career plan. Experience working in a medical clinic in Papua focused her educational ambitions. She plans to pursue a science degree at UAF before going on medical school.

“My goal is to do medical mission work,” Snodgress said, recounting the moving experience of “doctoring” people in Papua. She told of helping out a skinny, 8-year old dressed in rags.

“Just the look in her eye that someone cared,” left a lasting impression on Snodgress.

Snodgress also volunteered summers at Camp Li-Wa, as a helper and counselor.

In addition to being named class valedictorian, Snodgress received a UA Scholars Award (four years tuition); completed the AWANA program, earning the Timothy Award for memorizing more than 1000 Scriptures, and received the Distinguished Christian High School Student Award for outstanding achievement in fine arts.