What Calvary Means to Me

5/11/2018

Michael Bland - Class of 2018

My name is Michael Bland, and I am a part of the 2018 graduating class. I have grown up in a family that bleeds purple and gold, but, when the time came for me to walk into Mrs. Cannady’s Can-Do Bears kindergarten class, I was fear-struck. I saw kids crying, not wanting to leave their parents for the first time and, for a second, I remember doing the same. That all changed when Mrs. Cannady walked up to me, gave me a warm, love-filled hug and told me everything was going to be okay. Calvary is not just my school; it is my extended family.

Calvary is a school, a school that not only offers academic classes of rigor, but also offers young men and women like myself the ability to learn, receive loving discipline from great mentors, find life long friends, and offer a shoulder to lean on when you need help. Calvary is not just about academics. One of my favorite events is our homecoming week when all of the classes are put on hold, and we get to come together as a class to show a common love towards the school we attend. Though the competition between classes during class games may become heated, when all is over, we still love each other as a family.

Academically, as a graduating senior, Calvary has set me up with all of the tools, resources, and contacts I need to pursue a professional career. One of the most impactful exercises that takes place during a student’s senior year is a mandatory senior intern week. This is a week when seniors choose a career path they would like to pursue and shadow someone who is currently employed in that position. 1998 Calvary graduate Dr. Neil Odom graciously opened his practice to me. This opportunity allowed me to fully understand the OB/GYN profession which I plan to pursue.

Throughout the chapters of this story, Calvary Day School has given me a place to seek counseling and guidance. In 8th grade, I was struggling with the death of my beloved grandparents. I felt like I was at my wits end, and I could not even function properly. My teachers all noticed that I was struggling and on multiple occasions, they pulled me out of class and gave me a hug and told me everything was going to be okay. I remember specifically running to the bathroom because I was crying, and my Bible teacher Derwood Poole followed me. He took me to a separate room where he spoke with me for a whole class period. After we finished talking, he prayed for me and told me that if I ever needed anything, he was there.

Calvary is my family, a place of comfort, and a place I know that I can always return back to if I am ever in need of counseling. This campus is not just where a school takes place, but it is a place where lives are changed for the better. Calvary Day School and all of the people within it have a special place in my heart that I will never forget. Now as I turn the page, I feel prepared for whatever will come my way. Georgia Southern University, here I come!

Michael Bland

A reminiscing senior and class of 2018

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