Order & Joy: Worth the Drive
THE KERN FAMILY
The Kerns knew what kind of education they were looking for from the beginning. Jenn remembers touring Covenant when her eldest daughter was still a toddler on her hip. Today, the Kerns have four children at Covenant, between 1st and 7th grade.
“Early on, I read Doug Wilson’s book, Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning,” Dan recalls. “Up until that point I had never even heard of classical, let alone Christian classical, education. I thought, ‘This is what I want to do with my kids.’ Then I realized there was a school like this in Harrisburg!”
When they visited, the Kerns found more than just a school that sounded good on paper. For them, Covenant is a dependable ally as they seek to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. “We knew about other Christian schools that had a Bible class, but we wanted an all-pervasive worldview education,” Dan explains. “As a parent, don’t you want to swim the same direction as the people who are educating your children?”
Most days, Jenn drives their kids to school from their home in Mechanicsburg. They’ve made use of school district busing, especially for half-day kindergarten, and they often carpool with other families for sports practices. But the Kerns appreciate the opportunity that school pickup and dropoff provides as a touchpoint with teachers and administrators. The car time with their kids is valuable, too: “It’s helpful because you get to talk to your kids about their day,” says Jenn.
The 20-minute drive across the Susquehanna River is no barrier for the Kerns. “Just go on a tour. When you see it and you hear it, it’s a done deal,” Jenn says. “You see the order. You see the joy. Covenant speaks for itself.”
Growth & Rigor: Worth the Drive
THE GRINNEN FAMILY
Jamen and Tracy Grinnen never thought they’d enroll their boys in private school. After all, they had intentionally moved into the Northern York School District so that their boys could go to school there. But in 2020, it became clear that their family needed a new educational setting. Initially attracted by Covenant’s dedication to in-person education while many schools were shut down, the Grinnens scheduled a Covenant tour just to rule it out. After all, there were other options that were much closer to home.
“As we pulled into Covenant for our tour, it felt different,” remembers Jamen. “After the tour, we got into our van, looked at each other, and declared, ‘this is the place.’”
Jamen and Tracy’s three boys, now in grades 5-10, have been enrolled at Covenant ever since. They participate enthusiastically in the school’s opportunities for athletics and music. “Our children have grown so far beyond the trajectory they were on when they went to public school,” Jamen says.
Commuting from Dillsburg is not always easy, but carpooling has relieved some pressure. Most days, Tracy drops off her boys at the home of another family, who transports them the rest of the way to school. In the afternoon, Tracy returns the favor by bringing their son home from school.
Back in 2020, the Grinnens would never have predicted they would be crossing the river for school, but five years later, they see it as a blessing and an answer to prayer. “The classical education and rigorous study set Covenant apart. While our boys sometimes grumble about how ‘easy’ their peers have it compared to their curriculum, I gladly accept it, knowing the quality of education they are receiving will set them apart in their life,” Jamen reflects. “All sacrifices we have made to go to Covenant are worth it.”
Covenant Christian Academy
1982 Locust Lane
Harrisburg, PA 17109
Office Phone: 717-540-9885
Office Fax: 717-540-7176
