Tag Archive for: Student Life

Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 2 min.

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Living Education hosted the second annual Disc Golf Tournament, featuring fantastic food and lots of fun. 

This year, Church families and young adults came out bright and early on a sunny Sunday morning. The Living Education students led the disc golf tournament by organizing teams, helping people to navigate the course, and tallying the final scores. After the tournament, everyone enjoyed a lunch of potato salad, coleslaw, freshly grilled corn on the cob, and chicken legs and thighs.

Disc Golf: A Team Sport?

The disc golf tournament was a team-based event, and the teams were selected in an interesting way. Two Living Education students led each team, making six teams altogether, and then the participants chose which students’ team to join. Thus, the students were encouraged to come up with a fun team name and theme to draw as many people as possible. 

As the game progressed, students tallied their score by recording the number of throws it took each person to get the disc into the basket. Like in regular golf, a low score is a good score. To help their team members navigate the sometimes-confusing disc-golf trail, the students arrived an hour early and walked through the trails. Also, rather than use all 18 holes, the tournament was limited to the first six holes. Each team would start on a hole, and then rotate around, allowing for continuous play. 

All the teams were done after about two hours, and the Director—Mr. Jonathan McNair—announced the winners. The first award was actually a surprise—the award for the team that hit the most trees. That award was won by team 2—Ellie and Kezia’s team—who managed to hit a tree-mendous 60 trees (for context, my team hit 15 trees total). The team with the lowest average score was team 6—Nathan’s team—which scored 28. Par for the six holes was 20, so this team was only eight points over (for context, my team scored 31, and the highest scored 45). Team 6 received their spectacular award of free Living Education pens for all and a single Living Education mug—to be divided amongst the winners, of course. 

An Impeckable Lunch

After announcing the awards, Mr. McNair unveiled the food. During the tournament, he had been was grilling on his charcoal smoker, preparing some egg-straordinary chicken and a-maizing corn on the cob. All of the guests and students flocked through the food line and corn-sumed the provisions. Then, the activity wrapped up, kindly giving the students a free afternoon to do homework. The second annual disc golf tournament was a fantastic event, a total hole-in-one! We look forward to hosting the third annual disc golf tournament next year. 

Just before this, the Living Education students adventured the trails for an exciting mountain biking activity. Read about that here: The Wheel Deal.

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 1 min.

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Read about this year’s music recital for the Living Education students!

Music recitals are a staple of the Living Education program, but for several of the students, this was a totally new experience. Adding to the excitement, this year’s recital was held at a senior care center for the first time since 2019. Most of the students played a piano piece or sang a song, and all first-year students performed in the Living Ed Vocal Ensemble for two songs, which had been practiced as part of the music class. 

The Recital

The senior care center had a nice piano for the students to use, and the LivingEd students brought speakers and microphones for the singing performances. Following a few minutes of set up, the recital began at 6:30 pm and was well-attended by families, faculty, and, of course, residents. It began with individual pieces performed by Living Education students and some additional students from the music teacher’s private studio. 

After these exciting renditions, the first-year Living Ed students performed the two choir songs they had been practicing in class. The recital concluded with America the Beautiful and an open invitation for all guests to sing along. 

The previous events the Living Education program arranged were the men’s and women’s trips. The ladies went to Charleston and the men went hiking!

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Author: Sabrielle McNair | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

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On a Friday afternoon, the girls of Living Education left the headquarters building, destined for Charleston. 

The Living Education girls were accompanied by Mrs. Carol Weston and Mrs. Dawn Rothenbacher and were led by Ms. Rebekah Ross. In total, ten women set off for this ladies’ weekend in South Carolina. 

Arriving at Charleston

Within a few hours, we arrived at the rental house on the outskirts of Charleston, settled in, and prepared the Friday night dinner meal. As the sun went down, the gorgeous view from the dock overlooking the river was enjoyed by all. Observing the beauty of God’s creation made our Friday night dinner feel like a meal with a show. We enjoyed spending time together as women of all ages. 

The Sabbath in Charleston

We headed off on Saturday mid-morning to attend the follow-up TWP that was taking place at the local church location in Walterboro, South Carolina. Mr. Alex Celan spoke about the Holy Days and their importance in God’s plan, then welcomed everyone to enjoy fellowship and snacks. The church service ensued shortly after for the members, with the sermon provided by Mr. Dexter Wakefield, a familiar face for the Living Education students. In addition to his regular duties at Headquarters, Mr. Wakefield is also a faculty member for Living Education, teaching public speaking. Once at our rental home again we enjoyed our dinner followed by an evening activity, “The Art of Letter Writing,” in which each girl wrote a letter to a loved one or friend. 

A Busy Sunday

Sunday kicked off our first activity day in the city of Charleston. Starting with a ferry ride to the historic Fort Sumter, we got the opportunity to glimpse the renowned harbor dolphins and watch them play with the boat along our trip. 

Once we arrived at the fort, we learned it was the location of the first deaths of the American Civil War and a primary flashpoint triggering that war. Fortunately, because we attended the first tour of the day, we were able to witness the raising of the flag and even participate in the patriotic ritual. 

After returning to the mainland, there was a quick lunch before we proceeded to the historic district of the city to complete a “treasure hunt” and see the notable houses and landmarks that depict the vestiges of a historic city. We went from the renowned Rainbow Row, a street of pastel-colored townhouses, through alleys draped in greenery and paved with cobblestone, and ended at the city market, one of the oldest in the country—completed around the 1830s. This market is a four-block-long section of covered open aisleways and open-air sheds housing various local vendors distributing Charleston-themed wares. To finish the day in the city, we stopped at a vintage ice cream parlor for an icy treat on the stairs of the grand customs house, which was constructed in 1879. On the way home, some girls headed to the dock to paddleboard on the river, while the rest relaxed for the last evening spent in the area.

Monday Departure

Monday morning began with a quick packing-up of the cars, and we headed off to the Charleston Tea Garden, the producer of “American Classic” tea. It was the first tea to be made with produce grown wholly in America. This tea garden is a lovely estate with ancient oak trees covered with Spanish moss, which creates an enchanting southern picture. After heading out from the tea plantation, we proceeded down the road to another notable feature of the Charleston experience: the Angel Oak Tree. Massive in size, this living piece of history has been around for hundreds of years, and we had the opportunity to view its magnificence while enjoying our lunch. All this concluded the enjoyable and educational experience of the ladies’ Charleston trip!

The prior activity the Living Education students had experienced was the BMW Tour, and the guys were included in that one. Read about that here: How the Ultimate Driving Machine Is Made! (BMW Tour).

Sabrielle McNair is currently one of the student leaders at Living Education. For the majority of her life, Sabrielle lived in Albany, New York. Having grown up in the church, she has been involved in church programs since she was a young girl. Presently, she works as the women’s Resident Assistant, assists in LivingEd event preparations, works in the finance department, and writes for the website.

Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 4 min.

The Living Education students toured the BMW plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, glimpsing a high-quality modern industrial process. 

The BMW plant is a marvel of modern manufacturing. The plant produces around 1,500 cars per day—models X3, X4, X5, X6, and X7—making it the highest production BMW plant in the world. The Living Education students had the privilege to tour this plant, and its attached Museum, and see how the “ultimate driving machine” is made. 

The Zentrum Museum 

The BMW campus has a modern-looking building called the Zentrum Museum that houses several BMW cars that are important to both the brand and this particular plant. For instance, the first ever BMW produced in this plant—also the first ever produced in America—is on display, covered in the signatures of all the employees that worked for BMW at the time!

This museum is also the starting point for the plant tours, so the Living Education students thoroughly explored the cars on display while waiting for the tour to begin. The two most popular cars among the students were two BMWs on display that starred in James Bond films, the z8 and the z3. 

Making the Ultimate Driving Machine

After perusing the Museum, the Living Education students set off on a tour of the plant. On this tour, no phones or cameras were allowed to be used, and the students, with their tour guide, walked right through the actual manufacturing lines. 

The first stop on the tour was the body shop. This massive building—over a million square-feet—welded together the body of the BMWs. The students walked around the shop, watching massive robot arms lift whole undersides of cars weighing thousands of pounds, and seeing precise and methodical welding all along the assembly line. In went metal parts, seemingly insignificant, and out came the body of a precisely engineered vehicle, all from an unceasing assembly line of robotics and personnel. 

The second area of the tour was the assembly hall. Here, the body of the car, after it had gone to the paint shop, entered and had its inner components added, and its doors, windshield, and sunroof put in. By the time it left, the car was fully functional. This assembly line relied on people more than robotics, but it still used robotics widely to assist the assemblers with moving heavy objects or improving the ergonomics of their working condition. For instance, part of the assembly line had all the cars rotated on their side so that people could more comfortably add parts to the bottom of the vehicle. 

The final stage for these BMWs consisted of a step called “spanking the baby.” Once the car has passed all inspections and tests, the iconic BMW logo is placed on the nose of the car and tapped in with a rubber mallet. At this point, the car is complete and ready to be delivered to its owner.

Overall, the BMW plant produces 1500 cars per day—all of which are already purchased orders and built to a specification with intense quality checks. The Living Education students got a glimpse into how excellence is achieved in the automotive industry. They also saw how a premiere company manages employees, ensures quality, and encourages continuous improvement. The Living Education students saw how the “Ultimate Driving Machine” really is made. 

Everyone’s Favorite Car

When the students returned to the museum, they were impressed, and a little bit tired (the tour involves around 2 miles of walking over about 2 hours). But they decided to do one last thing. They all picked a favorite BMW in the museum, and also bought some stuff at the gift shop (why not, right?). Here are all the students with their favorite BMW.

The previous activity the Living Educations students had was a fun adventure to the JAARS facility in Waxhaw. Read all about that here: Come Fly with Me (JAARS Trip).

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.

Author: Kaleb Johnson | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2022-23

Estimated reading time: 3 min.

Here’s a look at the students who work in the Mail Processing Department for the Living Education work/study program. 

The Mail Processing Department (MPD) forms a critical part of the Work. MPD sends out booklets, semi-annual letters, Bible Study Course lessons, and Tomorrow’s World magazines to thousands of people worldwide. The department ensures that everyone receives their literature in a timely manner and reduces cost wherever possible to help God’s Work be efficient and effective. This year, two students work in the MPD: Dawn Rude and Jontavius Mincey.

Jontavius Mincey works as a Mail Clerk Assistant, assisting the Mail Processing Department to meet their daily goals. 

Jon’s tasks include stuffing envelopes by hand, operating a mail-inserter machine, and delivering mail to employees in the office. Recently, the MPD worked tirelessly on the project of sending out as many semi-annual letters themselves as possible to defray costs. While he had experience in similar events already, Jon has learned some unique skills, like how to operate a mail-inserter, which apparently involves a lot of unjamming. 

Jontavius’ Main Roles in the Mail Processing Department:

• Insert certain mail by hand
• Organize pallets of outgoing mail
• Operate Mail-Inserter
• Sort and deliver incoming mail
• Assist with loading/unloading deliveries

Most fun part of the job? “Probably being around Mr. Bonjour (the MPD director). He makes everything a lot more funny and enjoyable to be around.”

Most challenging part of the job? “If you make a mistake with the mail, you have to go back and redo them all. That is a lot of extra-work and irritating.”

Dawn Rude works as a Mail Assistant in the Mail Processing Department, helping to perform labor-intensive tasks. 

Dawn also works at stuffing envelopes and packaging literature. At the beginning of the year, she worked two days a week doing landscaping at the dorms. However, the MPD decided they could use her all five days a week to help out. She takes care of many labor-intensive tasks like wrapping books and sorting literature requests, which allows the department to run smoothly. She briefly operated the mail-inserter but “didn’t like the fact that it jammed so much.” 

Dawn Rude’s Main Roles in the Mail Processing Department:

• Insert certain mail by hand
• Sort literature requests 
• Burn DVDs for delivery
• Assist with the labeling machine

Most fun part of the job? “Oh, definitely getting to talk to people during work. Sometimes, you’ll just be sitting there, stuffing envelopes with booklets or DVDs with someone next to you, and we’ll just have some pretty crazy conversations. It’s nice.”

Most challenging part of the job? “Probably staying focused when you don’t have anyone to talk to or headphones to listen to something. It can be a little repetitive and that can get to you.” 

Opportunities in the Mail Processing Department

The Mail Processing Department defrays costs of sending literature by handling as much of the printing, inserting, and labeling process as they can. This department operates just like a high-functioning business: it is about getting results in a cost-effective and fast way. Students get experience working in a fast-paced environment, operating machinery, meeting deadlines, and just manual labor like inserting envelopes. All of this experience can directly translate into countless warehouse and production-related jobs. More importantly, the Mail Processing Department saves the Church money by handling much of the necessary printing and mailing. There is, essentially, an endless amount of work they could do, and every bit of it would be valuable. The more students help and contribute, the more God’s Work can do!

We have done two other work/study related Student Life posts before. One is about working in the Maintenance Department. The other is about working in the Living Education department. Check them out if you are interested!

Kaleb Johnson is a student in the Living Education-Charlotte Program. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the spring of 2022. In addition, Kaleb enjoys writing, video-making, trying new activities (anything and everything), playing chess, and debating (it’s not arguing!) with people. He currently works in the Living Education department producing written content & videos and helping with a variety of other projects.