Chris Williams is making the most of his Grade 12 year at Caronport High School (CHS).

Although this is only the first year at CHS for the Glenavon resident, he’s wasted no time participating in student leadership and playing for several sports teams at the school.

“Football was great,” he said. “It was my second year playing football. I played for the Indian Head Broncs last year. It was cool to see the contrast between a non-Christian team and a Christian team. In football, you’re always together as brothers, but this team seemed even more connected in that way – just really emotionally invested in each other as well. We played for one another and it took our skill level and increased its potential a lot.”

CHS football coach Ken Guenter says Williams’ enthusiasm added a key element to this year’s team.

“Chris was a real spark plug on our team,” he explained. “Besides being a great defensive back, he twice scored offensive touchdowns on our first play from scrimmage, he returned kicks and punts, was a backup quarterback and led the team cheer for the opposition after every game. And he would have played more if we needed him. Another great thing about Chris was how he was openly thankful for the chance to play with Christian players and coaches who cared about him. We won’t replace Chris, just miss him a lot.”

Williams’ favourite extra-curricular activity is working on the student leadership council (SLC).

“It’s really fun,” he exclaimed. “You get to get other people involved and through that avenue you feel as if you’re really a part of what’s going on here.”

Living in the high school dorms keeps Williams close to the centre of much of the activity on campus.

“I love it here,” he said. “It’s really great. The community is really tight. The dorm is really fun – we get to interact with people 24/7 basically. You get opportunities to be attached to the college with people who are much smarter than you. They get to rub off on you and vice versa.”

Small group interaction between dormmates has been especially helpful for the Grade 12 student.

“We have five of us that meet every second Tuesday,” he said. “That’s really fun because I get to learn from them and we get to talk through things or just do life.”

Williams says it was this kind of interaction with friends at Kenosee Lake Bible Camp that helped to put his life back on track.

“I was born in a Christian home with really great parents,” he explained. “But I didn’t really take my faith seriously until a couple years ago. I just got caught up in things that my friends were doing. Through working at camp and meeting friends there I decided that the life I was living just gratifying my sinful desires wasn’t satisfactory. I really recommitted my life to Jesus and I owe that a lot to my friends from Kenosee. They really helped me to fight through some tough times and keep going when I didn’t think a relationship with Jesus was worth it.”

Williams wants to provide this kind of help for other young people. To prepare for that he plans to come to college at Briercrest.

“I’m going to be coming here most likely – probably taking something to do with youth ministry,” he said. “Being able to pour into the lives of students my age and younger and seeing new leaders cultivated through staying in the Word.”

The CHS student has a piece of advice for other high schoolers who might be considering coming to CHS.

“I would tell them, ‘Don’t think about it anymore. Just do it,’” he exclaimed. “It’s a great place. It’s really going to stretch you in a way that you never would have thought.”