Grandparents’ Day 2010: Photogallery
A record breaking crowd of over 300, including more than 200 grandparents and 100 students, attended Grandparents Day on April 14. Families enjoyed an opening program, chapel, lunch, and tours of campus.
The opening program featured students Adam Perez ’12 of Racine, Wisconsin; Velvet Woods ’11 of Chicago; Kayla Brink ’10 of Holland, Michigan; and J.R. Wydra ’11 of Tinley Park, Illinois. Each shared memories of their grandparents and the important influence they’ve had on shaping the students’ Christian world view. The program also incorporated performances from Trinity groups, including the Woodwind Ensemble, Flute Choir, Brass Quintet, and a selection from Elvert Williams ’12 of Freeport, Illinois, who performed his arrangement of “Amazing Grace,” the song his grandmother used to sing to him.
Perez spoke about the life lessons he learned from his grandparents and concluded by explaining the significance of telling his story to those gathered: “One, so that my story can be a testament to the fact that the lessons you tried to teach us as kids are finally making sense, and two, so that I can use this as way to say thank you.”
Giving credit to her grandparents for their unconditional love and support, Brink explained the ways she has been blessed during her college experience. “Trinity is a place that has nurtured my cultural, spiritual, academic, professional, and psychological development over the last four years in countless ways,” she said. “I am so thankful God led me here and blessed my time here through the support of my grandparents. And I thank you all for doing the same for your grandchildren.”
Tony and Lynn TenKate, grandparents of Jennifer TenKate ’10 of Wyoming, Michigan, have attended the event every year. Mr. TenKate, a former faculty member of Trinity who taught physics for 20 years as a part-time professor, was the guest speaker at Grandparents’ Day 2007 when Jennifer was a freshman. Jennifer was unable to join her grandparents this year due to her internship with Elim Christian School, but Mrs. TenKate expressed great pride in her granddaughter’s work and commitment to it.