Alumni Snapshots

Sharing alumni snapshots and stories is important because they allow our former students to shine, giving us reasons to celebrate their continued growth since leaving ECS. Our alumni are inspiring examples of what can be achieved with an ECS education as the foundation. In the stories below you’ll read about the skills our alumni went on to develop, connections they made, lessons they learned, or life experiences they’ve had. Each alum attributes these outcomes or achievements at least in part to their education and connections at ECS.

I started at Eastside Christian School in Kindergarten and graduated with my 8th-grade class in 2013. ECS prepared me very well for high school at Seattle Christian and laid the groundwork for the calling I have pursued since my high school graduation in 2017.

My years at ECS laid the foundation for so much of who I am today. The strong emphasis on servant leadership, faith-centered learning, and character development helped shape my approach to education and to life. ECS nurtured my confidence and gave me the leadership skills that I continue to carry forward—skills that have been crucial throughout my journey to becoming an optometric physician (Doctor of Optometry). Whether it was through class projects or various positions in leadership, I learned how to lead with integrity, collaborate with others, and stay grounded in my values. Those lessons are now guiding me as I take the next step: opening my own private optometry practice, where I hope to serve my community with compassion and excellence.

Since graduating from ECS, I’ve pursued my mission to serve others through healthcare by earning my Bachelor’s degree in Public Health from the University of Washington and my Doctor of Optometry degree from UC Berkeley. Through this path, I’ve remained committed to serving with purpose, building meaningful relationships, and stewarding the gifts God has given me. Returning to my hometown of Newcastle/Bellevue, I’m excited to give back by offering personalized eye care and building a practice that reflects the values I first learned at ECS—faith, integrity, and a heart for service.

Whether in the exam room or in everyday relationships, the impact of my ECS education continues to shape my decisions and guide my steps.

I attended Eastside Christian School during my middle school years and graduated with the class of 2015. My 8th grade classmates still talk and get together. It is nice to know that we are all still friends. I think those relationships are what ECS is all about.

After ECS, I attended Hazen High School in Renton, and was extremely well prepared for my high school academics.  I took AP English, Science and Social Studies classes, and found that I excelled in classes that required speaking and writing skills. I am very thankful that Mr. Brown (my History and English teacher at ECS) taught me amazing communication skills, helping me get to where I am in life today.

At ECS we were given plenty of opportunities to learn leadership skills and to serve others in school and in our community.  After I left ECS, I continued to seek out leadership roles and service to others.  I was named Newcastle Youth of the Year in 2019, and it was honestly because of the service value that ECS installed in me.

I believe that my successful graduation from Washington State University in 2022, with degrees in Broadcast News, Political Science, and Global Politics, is directly attributable to my attendance at ECS. While attending college, I also wrote for my school’s newspaper and worked at my school’s TV station. I always loved to write, and I built good foundations in English and writing while at ECS that really helped launch me into the career I have now as a news anchor.

I hope my story will inspire other ECS students to pursue a career in journalism and to appreciate all of the learning experiences an ECS education provides.

I only attended Eastside Christian School from 6th – 8th grade, but those years were impactful and prepared me well for my subsequent studies at Bellevue High School, including one of my favorite classes: AP Physics.

After graduating from high school in 2014, I went on to attend Oregon State University where I received my Bachelor’s in Physics. I recently earned my Master’s degree in Astrophysics at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. Continuing in Rochester, I am currently a NASA funded graduate research scientist working towards completing my Doctorate degree in Astrophysics. I thoroughly enjoy my research at the Institute and had the honor of presenting my work during conferences held in Washington, D.C., Seattle and internationally in France.

My family and I are grateful for the amazing and safe environment at ECS, that helps put students on the path to having a successful life, both professionally and in our relationships.

As my story attests, even if you wait until middle school to join the ECS community, your time at ECS will have a great impact on your future.

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“ECS is an amazing place that prepares and mentors children not just academically and spiritually, but in who they are as well.”  ~Andrea L, Class of 2019

“My knowledge of Christ has developed at ECS, and I know how to observe, interpret, and apply God’s word now.”  ~Ryo I, Class of 2021

“Friends from ECS share an intimate bond that many public school students cannot claim to have.”  ~Andrea L, Class of 2019

“In order to genuinely be able to point people to Christ, I am aware how important it is to live my life with courage, truthfulness, and integrity.”  ~Philip L, Class of 2021

“My friends agree that having to interact in a smaller class improved our teamwork and communication skills.”  ~Andrea L, Class of 2019

“I intend to put my God-given gifts of knowledge, leadership and service to good use as I explore what He wants for me in the future. As a new chapter of my life opens, I should go further than simply advancing academically.”  ~Charis T, Class of 2020

“With smaller class sizes, ECS teachers can support you academically and emotionally, and work with you one-on-one if necessary. This helped me to be independent in high school and manage classes, stress, and homework more effectively.”  ~Andrea L, Class of 2019

“With the gifts that God has given me, I will continue to lead others under God’s direction and reflect the heart of God towards those in need.”  ~Jasmine H, Class of 2019

“I am able to go into high school without fear because I know that ECS has prepared me both academically and spiritually for a great high school experience.”  ~Gabby S, Class of 2018

Eastside Christian School, Voted Best Private School, Bellevue WA: serving Preschool, Elementary, Middle School | Washington State
Eastside Christian School, Voted Best Private School, Bellevue WA: serving Preschool, Elementary, Middle School | Washington State
Eastside Christian School, Voted Best Private School, Bellevue WA: serving Preschool, Elementary, Middle School | Washington State
Eastside Christian School, Voted Best Private School, Bellevue WA: serving Preschool, Elementary, Middle School | Washington State

We’d Love To Hear From You

We love our alumni and are always filled with joy when we hear updates in the years after they leave the halls of Eastside Christian School. Please let us know where God led you after ECS; we celebrate your successes with you! If you’re ever in the neighborhood, you’re always welcome to stop by in person and catch us up, too!

Alumni students or parents of alumni: we invite you to complete this short survey. Please complete a separate survey for each alum. Thank you!