Discover
Changed Lives
Class 2021
Meet Isabella
Isabella Gomes says that she was shy and quiet, but that all changed one day in seventh grade, when her choir teacher, Mr. Fraiser, made her sing in front of the entire middle school in the food court. “It was terrifying, but I came out of my shell,” Gomes recalls. “Mr. Fraiser could see that I just needed that push.”
Isabella is in the Class of 2021 and has grown up in the school, beginning King’s Way PreK class in 2005. Since then, she’s been in middle school drama, played the flute in band, been a rep in the ABS, played high school soccer until a knee injury forced her out, and was a cheerleader her sophomore year. Currently, Isabella is in choir, National Honor Society, and Chapel Leadership. When not at school or church, Isabella can be found as a model for local clothing boutique Willows, and volunteers her vocal and piano talents to local venues and charities, including “100 Women Who Care.”
What’s in the future for Isabella? She’s narrowing down her options and knows that she wants to go into design, marketing, or work in worship music in some capacity. She’s praying and asking the Lord the right road to take for her next steps, and feels like King’s Way is a safe place for her to explore those options and take a few small steps at a time until the Lord open doors. Isabella hopes to pursue the passions and talents that God has given her and is content that until then, she can continue to learn more about person that God created her to be.
Isabella’s ultimate dream? “Hillsong in Sydney, Australia. That’s the dream.”
Class 2020
Meet Mason
You could describe senior Mason Bertrand as a self-starter, but that would be an understatement.
Mason has been at King’s Way since he was in preschool and he’ll be in the first “virtual” graduating class, thanks to world events. Around the same time that he began King’s Way, Mason began taking karate. He is a two-time black belt, having earned the kids version and the adult blackbelt over the years. Mason’s parents own East West Martial Arts and Mason has worked for them for four years.
Seeing a need on campus, Mason created a coffee shop/cafe called “The Klatch” that served students and teachers with their daily dose of caffeine, all while giving Mason some experience running a business. School comes first, however, and he had to close the cafe for a couple of weeks to take a break and catch up with the stressors of senior year.
Mason has taken classes beginning in Middle School at King’s Way that made an impression on him, enough so that he started a side business of photography and videography. He also took Graphic Design 1 & 2 in High School, which he uses in the final edits of his work. He’s been published in Vancouver Magazine, and continues to look at the world through his camera lens.
Looking back, Mason’s favorite teachers were the ones who who were considered the hardest, the ones who had a reputation of being “strict.” He was nervous to be in their classes, but soon realized that they were just expecting more from him – and he was proud to see what he could accomplish. “I’ll never forget how I learned the lesson to do it right the first time. It’s now engrained in me.” Chemistry with a side of discipline and integrity? Mason is an example of King’s Way living out their mission to partner with families to provide a Christ-centered education for the whole child, leading to life change in each student.
How did King’s Way help Mason prepare for the future? “It helped to grow my personal faith. Going here kept me on track and pushed me to be a better ‘me.'”
In the fall of 2020, Mason will attend George Fox and major in Business & Marketing.
