We reached out to some of our recent alumni and asked how their time at FPD impacted and enriched their lives. Their answers provide a wonderful snapshot of the influence FPD has on its graduates. Here is the second of these snapshots, from Class of 2014 alumna Katie O’Quinn. Katie is second year student at Mercer University.
How have the foundations of faith laid during your time at FPD helped you? The foundations of faith have helped me know where I stand on certain issues and what it is I actually believe. One of the hardest things I see for most Christians is the ability to speak and convey to others what it is they believe and how it has made an impact on their lives. This may be a result of fear, but it also may be a result of lacking the knowledge to do so. My encouragement is to think about these things, go to teachers, mentors , or even your friends and talk things through. It will only help as you enter the world beyond FPD and begin a new chapter in your life.
Which teacher had the greatest impact on you and why?
Mr. Andrew Berndt has left the greatest impact on me since my time at FPD. Not only did Mr. Berndt help me make my way through Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus patiently and a little less painfully that it otherwise could have been, but Mr. Berndt demonstrated daily what it means to devote yourself and walk daily with the Lord. I remember several encouraging conversations we had about living a life of faith and about God’s direction for my life. God used Mr. Berndt to show me that God’s will sometimes calls us to unexpected and perhaps uncomfortable situations, but that God is ultimately glorified and we are most satisfied.
What is your favorite memory of FPD?
My experience at FPD provided me with many wonderful memories, but one that stands out in the forefront of my mind is when the Mercer Bears basketball team beat Duke in the 2014 NCAA tournament my senior year. Keeping the student body from the excitement and engaged in learning was almost impossible. Nearly every class had the game playing on Smart Boards, and periodically Mrs. Liz would announce the score. The intensity of the game did not keep screams and shouts from echoing down the hallways. When Mercer won the game, everyone flooded the halls with hoots and hollers for the Bears, and I remember a sense of unity and pride from the student body. As a Mercer Bear myself, I take great pride in this moment of joy and exaltation.