Academics at BCS
BCS is fully accredited by the Indiana Department of Education, North Central Association, and Mennonite Education Agency.
Bethany provides an education that prepares graduates for life skills beyond high school. Following graduation 80% go to college, 1% to technical schools, 10% directly into employment, and 10% to a voluntary service program.
BCS Academic Excellence
All 48 members of Bethany's class of 2009 met the state-mandated ISTEP+ requirements in order to graduate. In the first round of testing, 86% of Bethany's class of 2010 have passed both portions of the test, compared to less than 60% statewide. See Bethany Profile.
Over 90% of juniors and seniors take the SAT (compared to approximately 60-65% statwide and less than 50% nationally). Despite this high participation rate Bethany's overall mean score significantly exceeds those of area schools and state and national average. See 2009 SAT comparisons.
During the last ten years Bethany has had 14 National Merit finalists while the national average is less than 3 per school.
Click here for Indiana Department of Education info on Bethany.
Course Information
Course Offerings Booklet, which includes course offerings, graduation requirements and course registration information, may be viewed in Acrobat Reader (download Acrobat Reader)
Middle School Curriculum
Core Curriculum for grades 6-8 consists of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Grade 6 core courses are taught by one teacher in a self-contained classroom; grade 7 and 8 core courses are taught by teachers specializing in each subject.
Enrichment Curriculum for all three grades consists of Bible, Phys Ed, and Music--students may choose choir or instrumental options or both. Students just beginning an instrument receive small goup instrumental instruction while those with previous experience participate in orchestra. Grade-specific courses include Family and Consumer Science and Digital Communication (grade 6), art (grade 7), and woodworking (grade 8).
Interdisiplinary Curriculum: Additional enrichment topics are taught in an interdisciplinary approach in the above core and enrichment courses. These include health, technology, world language, community service, current events, getting to know the local community, games of the world, and mind, body, spirit.
A middle school curriculum chart may be viewed in Acrobat Reader.
J-Term
Description: During the first two weeks of January, students in grades 6-11 participate in hands-on, experiential-learning focused courses (receive 1 credit). All courses are on campus (possible short day trips) during the first week with high school courses having the option to travel during the second week (some courses may opt to run their second week in June instead of January). Seniors will participate one week each in job shadowing and a class trip.
Courses: Frosh through juniors select from a wide range of learning experiences including the arts, recreation, cultural studies, and voluntary community services. Seniors take part in Senior Trip. See January 2010 offerings.
History: Prior to 2010, high school students in grades 9-11 participated in one-week spring interterm courses without credit. The links below share photos and highlights from those years.
See Spring 2009 photos and story on Private Pilot Ground School
See Spring 2008 photos and student reflections on the Underground Railroad.
See Spring 2007 photos and story on Appalachia group.
See Spring 2006 photos.
See Spring 2005 photos.
See Spring 2004 photos.
J-Term 2010
Click on the links below to jump to course descriptions.
| High School | Teacher | Cost |
| Brazilian Culture | Marcelo Warkentin | $95 |
| Human Behavior | Jennifer Lucas-Germeyan | $50 |
| Winter Sports | Krysten Parson | $200-400 |
| Creative Writing | Michael Yeakey | $50 |
| Civil Rights | Brent Reinhardt | $400-500 |
| Ceramics I | Eric Kaufmann | $100 |
| Comparative Mythology | Eileen Becker-Hoover | $60 |
| Forensic Science | Calvin Swartzendruber | $65 |
| Watercolor Painting | Hannah Gerig Meyer | $75 |
| Mennonite Quilting | Renae Yoder | $160 |
| Biking and Camping | John Mast | $200 |
| New Testament | Matt Miller | $100 |
| Middle School | Teacher | Cost |
| Cooking | Mrs. Stutzman | $30 |
| Batik and Fabric Art | Mrs. Mast | $20 |
| Mystery Behind the Game | Mrs. Grieser | $20 |
| Legoland | Mr. Willems | $35 |
| Creating Drama | Nafziger/Yoder Rupp | $35 |
| Life on the Frontier | Hershberger/Lehman | $60 |
| Cars | Mr. Smucker | $65 |
High School Courses
Brazilian Culture: Samba, Carnaval, and Soccer
Students will explore Brazilian culture through movies, music, food, sports, history, and other elements. The class will also learn about current Brazilian immigration in the United States and research different religious faiths present in the country, racial diversity, and environmental issues. We will have many Brazilian guest speakers, cook Brazilian dishes, and visit the Brazilian community in Chicago with a stop at Fogo de Chão (an authentic Brazilian Steak House).
How often have you wondered why people do the crazy things they do? In this course, students will explore social psychology to discover how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals are influenced by others. Using the classic book on social psychology, The Human Animal, students will investigate topics such as conformity, obedience, and social influence. Students will learn to recognize examples of the topics discussed in class as we view television shows and movies and test theories on a field trip to University Park Mall.
Students will learn the history, rules, and concepts of winter sports such as curling, downhill skiing, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, ice-skating, hockey, and tobogganing. During the second week students will travel to Michigan to experience these sports and attend a professional hockey game in Detroit.
Students will engage in creative writing by the workshop model. Based on numbers of students interested in particular genres, subgroups will work on poetry, essays, and short stories. The emphasis will be on the development of “the writing habit” and the production of finished literary works (number dependent on genre). Students will be expected to complete some assigned reading prior to the beginning of J-term. Prerequisites: English 9, written recommendation of former teacher(s), and samples of work (three poems or a short story or a creative essay).
Students will study the relationship among Mennonites, African-Americans, and Choctaw Indians in Noxubee County Mississippi, which will include a week of travel to Noxubee County to experience these relationships first hand.
During the first week, students will work with different types of clay, learn to throw clay on the wheel, and hand-build multiple projects. During the second week students will glaze and fire pieces in a raku firing, an electric kiln, and load and help fire the school's wood kiln, which will be a nice source of heat in January! Students will also try naked raku--don’t worry, everyone has their clothes on, it’s just the name potters use for a specific decoration used in raku firing. Students will also visit the Art Institute of Chicago, at least one other gallery, and either the local studios of Marvin Bartel or Lehman-Goertzen Pottery.
Mythology functions as a window into the human experience of the supernatural across cultures. Students will read accounts of Greek and Roman mythology and compare common stories of creation, a flood, evil, good, and heroes from other world cultures. Students will also explore mythological origins and current symbolism of plants, animals, and other elements of the natural world. The course will include literature, film, storytelling, mime performance, working with desktop clay as well as canvas to portray myth as art. A day trip to the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis will be included. Prerequisite: English 9.
Students will gain an understanding of the use of science and technology in forensic testing and analysis. Students will learn the value of forensic analysis in criminal, civil, and environmental investigations. Activities will include fingerprint collection and matching, DNA analysis, testing of arson samples, tours of a crime lab and a medical examiner’s office, and guest speakers.
This course is a studio-based and hands-on introduction to watercolor painting. Through daily practice and experimentation, a range of subject matter and techniques will be explored. Students will learn control of the medium, various techniques, color theory, and composition. Day trips to working artists’ studios, the Art Institute of Chicago and other galleries will be included.
Students will examine the history of quilting, and explore designs, colors, and textiles typical of various time periods or regions of America. Students will learn the steps and skills necessary to create, from start to finish, a comforter for Fun Fest. Each student will also select patterns, purchase material, and complete their own sampler quilt during the two weeks. A quilting bee, research projects, readings from How to Make an American Quilt and Quilters along with field trips to fabric and quilt shops both locally and out of state will be included in the course.
Northern Indiana is a beautiful place in the springtime. This course includes one week of class time in January and one week of self-contained biking and camping in June. Class time will focus on bicycle safety/maintenance, camping plans, trip mapping, and the history and geography of northern Indiana state parks. The June week culminates with a 250-mile bike trip to the 3 northern Indiana state parks.
Students will discover the depths of the New Testament in classroom setting and in an exciting simulation. The first week will cover the centrality of the Jesus story, and the second week will be a simulation of living in Christian community, while under the threat of persecution. In this way, we will explore the stories of Jesus and the early church through both the text and experience.
Middle School Courses
Students will learn the fundamentals of shopping, preparing, and serving nutritional dishes. We will discuss the importance of nutrients and the role they play in our eating habits. All students will learn the importance of label reading, kitchen safety, and kitchen equipment. All students prepare foods in a lab setting to develop kitchen management, food preparation skills, and be a better educated consumer about nutritional needs.
Students will explore batik and other fabric dying techniques including tie-dye and painting. After creating designs on the fabrics, students will fabricate art pieces both functional and decorative using sewing and adhesion techniques.
Students will investigate the history and strategies of many games they currently play, such as board games, mancala, card games, word and number puzzles, jacks, marbles, four-square, and hopscotch. All students will research and present the background information of at least one game. Students will plan, design and create an original game of their choosing. All will spend time playing and critiquing current games being played as well as each other’s original games.
Students will investigate the history of Lego’s from their creation to the world phenomenon they have become. All students will then plan, design, and build a one-of-a-kind creation using the online Lego CAD program. The culminating project will include step-by-step instructions for their unique creation that they get to keep.
We will explore the creation of drama, from analyzing stories for possible use, to writing scripts and staging small plays. Students will learn basic theater terminology while developing their reading and writing skills. We will also visit a local theater to see what happens behind the scenes.
Students will explore life during the frontier period of American history and examine the cultures and conflict between Native Americans and Anglo-European settlers from first contact through modern times. Activities include frontier arts, games & leisure activities, hunting and trapping demonstrations, and a field trip.
Students will investigate the history, design, and inner workings of cars from the early days of electric and gas to today’s fossil fuel, electric, hydrogen, and hybrid cars. All students will help take apart a car to discover how it works and build a model. We will also visit a car museum.
Interterm 2006
- Alpine Climbing
- Auto Mechanics
- Baseball: Exploring the National Pastime
- Canoe Camping
- Chicago: Arts, Culture and Service
- Dig This! Archaeology in Virginia
- Film, Philosophy, and Food
- Giddy-Up
- MDS Service to Louisiana
- Naturalism
Alpine Climbing |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Students learned to rappel and snowshoe in the mountains of Colorado.. |
|
Auto Mechanics |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Students dismantled three cars, learned how to cook on an engine, visited a car museum in Auburn, put together a model car, and learned what to look for when buying a car and how to take care of a car. |
|
Exploring the National Pastime |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Students attended major league baseball games in St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Cleveland, to explore and appreciate America's national past time. |
|
TOP
|
|
Canoe Camping |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Students canoed the Green River in central Kentucky and camped next to the river in primitive camp sites. |
|
Chicago: Arts, Culture, and Service |
|
Students explored Chicago, and maybe ethnic districts, watched a couple shows, ate in ethnic restaurants, worked in a daycare center and homeless shelter. |
Dig This! Archaeology in Viriginia |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
Students sent two days at Ferry Farm, the boyhood home of George Washington, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, working with archaeologists on an actual dig and an archictectural archaeology tour of Kenmore Plantation, home of Washington's sister. Students also visited Washington, D.C. and Pope's Creek, site of Washington's birthplace. Students then visited the original Jamestown Fort built in 1607, original glassworks of 1608, and living history sites of the glassworks, Jamestown fort and Powhatan village, and Colonial Williamsburg. Students toured the homes of U.S. Presidents Jefferson, Monroe, and Madison. |
|
Film, Philosophy, and Food |
|
| Students critically examined the basic philosophies that are present in film as they watched 2-3 films each day from different time periods and styles. | |
TOP
Giddy-Up |
|
|
Students rode some 75 miles through the Big South Fork Back County, the largest "True Wilderness" area east of the Mississippi River. |
|
TOP
MDS Service Trip to Louisiana |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Students worked with Mennonite Disaster Service helping repair homes in Louisiana that were damaged from the 2005 Hurricane Rita. |
|
TOP
Naturalism |
|
|
|
|
|
| Students hiked and camped along the River to Rivertrail in southern Illinois. In addition to hiking and camping, activities included sketching and photography, using field guides, scripture reading, and personal writing and reflection. | |
Interterm 2007
Photos from 2007 Interterm and Senior Trip:
Appalachia: Students working on home service project. 
Automechanics: Group with dismantled car. 
Exploring Our National Pastime: At Pittsburgh.
Gidddy Up: Riding Trail in mountains of Tennessee.
Interterm 2008
2008 Interterm Photos
Click on the links below to jump to course photos.
Faith, Film, Philosophy and Food
Stained Glass: "On the Cutting Edge"
La Casa: Making Your Mark
International Cuisine
Urban Faith Works
Amigo Adventure and Service
Traveling the Underground Railroad
Exploring the National Past Time
Cape Lookout National Seashore
MCC Appalachia: Community, Culture, and Coal
Philadelphia Service and Culture
Faith, Film, Philosophy and Food
Students critically examined the basic philosophies and approaches to faith that are present in film. Students identified key reflective questions, viewed 6-8 movies, and filmed a scene from one of the movies. After each movie, students wrote an evaluation and discussed key themes over a meal or dessert.
Stained Glass: "On the Cutting Edge"
Students learned the art of stained glass construction, creation, and maintenance. Building small projects and a major project, including clocks, wall hangings, ornaments, windows, or a jewelry box.
Stained Glass: Display individual projects and their group project of the school name and logo.
La Casa: Making Your Mark
Students served with LaCasa of Goshen, which provide safe, attractive and affordable housing for Elkhart and Goshen residents.
International Cuisine
With the help of guest chefs, students prepared foods from three countries: Kenya, Egypt, and Laos. The chefs also shared with students about customs and hospitality related to food and guests. They also explored Italian food at Il Forno restaurant and made foods on their own from India and South America.
Urban Faith Works
Students worked with inner city kids in Gary, Ind., at Urban Faith Works, an after school and summer program aimed at improving their academic and social skills and their understanding of scripture and God's love. Bethany students helped in tutoring and building relationships, as well as helping with small work projects at their facilities.
Amigo Adventure and Service
Students stayed in the beautiful environment of Amigo Centre and participated in activities such as an overnight camping trip, hiking, canoeing, high ropes course, and other camp-type activities. They also gave one day of their time and talents in service back to Amigo.
Traveling the Underground Railroad
Students explord the African experience of slavery in the United States and the quest for freedom through the Underground Railroad. Students spent the first three days watching Roots (the miniseries which dramatizes author Alex Haley's family line from his ancestor Kunta Kinte's enslavement to his descendents' liberation), researching the Underground Railroad, preparing a readers' theater, and learning about local underground railroad activity in Elkhart and LaGrange counties. On the fourth day students visited the national Undergound Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati and stayed overnight there. On Friday the group visited two underground railroad historic sites in nearby Ripley, Ohio, and the home of the president of the Underground Railroad (Levi Coffin) in Fountain City, Ind. In the evening the group participated in an intense underground railroad simulation at Connor Prairie that also helped students think about modern day slavery and other forms of injustice in our society. Read student reflections.
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center: Group poses inside an actual slave pen. Below left students act out a readers theater vignette and below right students listen to a Quaker talk about helping freedom seekers at a safe house on the underground railroad simulation.
Exploring Our National Pasttime
Students attended major league baseball games in Cincinnati, Chicago, and Cleveland.
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Students took a boat trip three miles offshore of North Carolina to the islands of Cape Lookout National Seashore, where they enjoyed 56 miles of remote beaches, the Atlantic Ocean, incredible shells, and wildlife (wild horses). The islands are undeveloped and wild: there are no paved roads, stores, bathhouses, or bridges connected to the mainland. They camped on the beach in tents in the primitive style, hiked, learned to shell, and be amazed by the ocean.
MCC Appalachia: Community, Culture, and Coal
Students explored an old-growth forest and hiked to a waterfall tucked in the hills of Appalachia. They traced the origins of their daily electricity consumption as they toured a strip mine and learned about mountaintop removal practices, which are quickly obliterating the life of the region. They visited remote communities that have been flooded and contaminated due to the extraction of coal and listened to their stories and dreams to preserve their land and culture. They enjoy an evening of live music, rooted in the history of Appalachia. They also spent a day and a half giving back to the Whitesburg community by cleaning up a river and doing a building project. Leaders from Mennonite Central Committee will guided them through the week's activities and daily discussions. They slept in tents at a campground on top of Pine Mountain and spent evenings boating, hiking, and participating in group games.
Philadelphia Service and Culture
Students traveled to Philadelphia for meaningful service and a taste of the city's historic and cultural life. They stayed at Crossroads Community Center, an inner-city community center in the low-income North Philly neighborhood, where they served in hands-on projects and worked with kids. They also explored the culinary delights of Philadelphia: dinner in Chinatown, Southern food accompanied by live blues at "Warmdaddy's" restaurant, and an authentic greasy Philly cheesesteak. They saw some of Philadelphia's history via horse-drawn carriage, a comedy at Temple University, and re-enacted Rocky Balboa's famous run up the art museum steps.
Interterm 2009
Click on the links below to jump to course descriptions.
Guitar: Strike a Chord with Dale
Funk, Fine Art, Furniture
Making Memories
Gobble-Gobble, Oink, Moo
Private Pilot Ground School and the Intrigue of Flight
International Cuisine
Get Your Motor Running
Film, Food, and Philosophy
Canoe Camping
Alternative Energy
Exploring the National Pasttime
Pittsburgh Service and Culture
National Treasure 3: The Bruin Scroll
Guitar: Strike a Chord with Dale
Each student will learn to play the guitar. Beginners will learn the basic chords needed for accompanying singing. More experienced players will learn in other ways. The week will include an introduction to different styles such as blues, rock, classical and folk. We will learn the history of the guitar, visit a guitar maker, and "go shopping" for our dream guitar. We will attempt to build a guitar and perhaps do some recording. Students will need to bring their own instruments. We will meet from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. each day. The fee will cover some expenses for trips, supplies and snacks.
Funky, Fun, Fine Art Furniture
Students will create a new look for a piece of furniture. Think wood and not too big and be ready to provide an item such as a stool, bench, bookshelf, headboard, or largish jewelry box. Focus will be on designing a pattern, trying out application techniques, and choosing a color scheme rather than a straightforward one-color application. Plan to work with a variety of tools including sponges, brushes, glaze, and rags for an application of paint colors that you will choose or mix yourself. Learn skills for a lifetime of creativity. Depending on time, enrollment, and creativity, we may add a larger group project (such as a dresser) that could be auctioned at the next Fun Fest
Making Memories
Don't know what to do with all those photos you've taken and memorabilia you've stuffed into a shoebox? Get your pictures printed out, or onto a CD, and learn how to make a memory book using traditional scrapbook supplies or digital scrapbook pages.
Gobble-Gobble, Oink, Moo
Be ready to get your hands dirty during this Interterm. You might find yourself milking cows, feeding chickens, planting potatoes, transplanting tomatoes, building a fence, or yes, even shoveling some "farmer's gold." You will work with a group of 4-6 students divided among various local farms each day. Monday and Tuesday will be spent working at farms in the Goshen area. Wednesday we will visit the Shipshewana livestock auction and other area attractions on our way north towards several farms in southern Michigan. We will stay two nights at a cabin on a lake, with opportunities for boating, swimming, campfires, etc. This is a great opportunity to learn about farming, develop new friendships, and eat fresh local food!
Private Pilot Ground School and the Intrigue of Flight
Participants will learn about aerodynamics, flight controls, navigation, air traffic control, aeromedical aspects of flight, and Federal Aviation Regulations from an FAA-certified ground instructor. Students may earn a recommendation to take the written exam for their private pilot certificate. Some evening classtime may be required, but we may also have a movie night and watch aviation-related movies on the big screen. The group will also visit the AirZoo aircraft museum in Kalamazoo, tour local airports, and visit the Terminal Radar Approach Control facility in South Bend. The week will end with each student flying with a flight instructor from the New Horizons Flight Academy at the Goshen Airport and logging their first pilot time in their logbooks. See story on Private Pilot Ground School.
International Cuisine
Not only do you get to use knives (safely!), but you'll also be encouraged to eat-a lot! Knowing your way around a kitchen is a valuable life skill. You'll have control over what you eat. You can dazzle friends and family with your culinary prowess. And you can engage in one of the most authentic ways to learn about other countries. We will prepare our own international cuisines from scratch, with the help of some visiting chefs. We may also dine out at some of Michiana's internationally-flavored restaurants. At the end of the week, students will work in groups to prepare the recipe of their choice-for a multicultural dinner party. Bon appetit!
Get Your Motor Running
Everyone knows what a car is, but can they tell you how it works? Have you ever wanted to take apart a car? Now is your chance. We will take apart two or three cars, learn how to cook on an engine, learn routine maintenance, see how long an engine can run without lubrication, visit car museums, build a model car, learn how to buy a car, and get an inside look at the auto industry, including electric cars, hybrids, fuel cell vehicles, and hydraulic vehicles. Before signing up for this interterm, ask your parents if they would like some car seat furniture in your house! (car parts will be divided among students)Film, Food, and Philosophy
This interterm will teach students how to critically examine and discuss the basic philosophies and approaches to life and faith present in popular Hollywood and independent films. Each afternoon we will meet from 2:00 until 9 or 10 p.m. Our time together will consist of identifying some key reflective questions, viewing 10 movies, and discussing relevant themes and motifs present in the films we watch. Each viewing will be followed by the completion of a written evaluation, as well as critical discussion over a meal or dessert. Active participation in the discussions is a minimum requirement of this interterm. Please do not sign up for this interterm if you naturally resist the urge to think and voice your opinions! The cost includes a small fee for rentals, meal expenses, transportation expenses, and theater ticket costs.Canoe Camping
The group will travel to south central Kentucky where students will canoe about fifty miles on the Greene River by day and camp next to the river in primitive camp sites by night. Te cost of the experience includes rental for canoes, travel expenses, and some evening snacks. The above cost does not include food for regular meals. These meals will be the responsibility of the students to work out in cooking groups of five or six. Students will also provide their own personal camping equipment. This experience is not for someone who doesn't like to "rough it" a little.
Alternative Energy
Learn about energy options both local and beyond our community. We will learn about and tour facilities for bio-diesel, solar-electric and hot water, geothermal, and wind energy. Students will tour the Crescent ridge wind farm in Illinois located near Camp Menno Haven and meet with owners of Stewardship Energy who built four of the 350-foot tall windmills. We will also check out smaller low-budget alternative energy options. While at the camp the group will traverse sections of the high ropes course and take a ride on the 470-foot zip line. The rainy day back up plan for the high ropes course is to climb on the indoor climbing wall. The interterm costs are cut slightly by planning to work a ½ day on a service project for the camp. We will travel Tuesday morning to Illinois and return Thursday evening. Monday and Friday will have local activities.
Exploring the National Past Time
Students attended four major league baseball games to explore and appreciate America's national past time--the culture and pace of baseball.
Pittsburgh Service and Culture
This interterm will expose you to the many sides of Pittsburgh, Pa., a once-dirty, industrial city that is now a thriving arts and cultural center. On three mornings, we will take part in local service opportunities. In addition to eating great food, we will see a couple shows, go to the zoo, visit the Carnegie Science museum, travel outside the city to visit Frank Lloyd's Wright's famous house, Fallingwater, and much more!
National Treasure 3: The Bruin Scroll
In the deep dark recesses of Bethany's archives, Jennifer and Kevin have discovered "The Bruin Scroll." Join us on a journey back in time as we use the scroll to explore national treasures in colonial Virginia. Our journey will take us to Washington, D.C., Fredericksburg, Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Charlottesville (via modern transportation) as we visit living history museums, presidential homes, and archaeological sites. We will board replicas of the ships that brought people to the first permanent English settlement in America at Jamestown, visit with people portraying Native Americans and colonists, participate in demonstrations of colonial life, and walk the paths trod by presidents and slaves from over 200 years ago. Note that this is a Sunday through Saturday trip.
Quilling
Interterm 2005
- Bradford Woods
- Canoe Camping
- Chicago Art and Culture
- Baseball: Exploring the National Pasttime
- Film, Philosophy, and Food
- Giddy-Up
- International Cuisine
- School of Rock
- Blackfeet Indian Reservation
- Service at Camp Menno Haven
- Stained Glass
- Things to Do, Places to Go, People to Meet
- Senior Trip to New York/Washington, D.C.
| Bradford Woods | |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Canoe Camping |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Students canoed about fifty miles on south central Kentucky's Greene River by day and camped next to the river in primitive campsites by night.. |
|
Chicago Art and Culture |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
TOP
|
|
Baseball: Exploring the National Pasttime |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
Film, Philosphy, and Food |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
International Cuisinse |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
TOPP
TOP
TOP
TOP
Interterm 2004
- Amateur/Ham Radio
- Appalachia Habitat for Humanity
- Bradford Woods
- Canoe Camping
- Chicago Art and Culture
- Dig This! Archaeology in Virginia
- Film, Philosophy, and Food
- Kentucky Backpacking Adventure
- LaCasa of Goshen
- Lifetime Sports and Recreation
- Panama
- Stained Glass Creations
Appalachia Habitat for Humanity | |
  |
|
Bradford Woods
| |
| Students were involved in various activities such as caving, canoeing, service projects, leadership workshops, journaling, backpacking, challenge course activities, high elements, and climbing.
|
|
TOP | |
Canoe Camping |
| The group canoed about fifty miles on the Greene River in Kentucky by day and camped next to the river in primitive camp sites by night. (Photos not available). |
Chicago Art and Culture | |
The group explored the artistic and cultural life of Chicago through drama, music, food, visual art, architecture, and more.
|  |
 |  |
Dig This! Archaeology in Virginia | |
   |  |
| The group spent two days at Ferry Farm, the boyhood home of George Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., working with archaeologists on an actual dig. In addition to this hands-on introduction to archaeology, they toured the archaeological site of the original Jamestown Fort built in 1607. They also visited reconstructed living history sites at Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg: boarding replicas of the ships that brought people to the first permanent English settlement in America at Jamestown, visiting with people portraying Native Americans and colonists, and participating in demonstrations of colonial life. | |
Film, Philosophy, and Food |
| Students viewed and critically examined the basic philosophies that are present in film. (photos not available). |
TOP Kentucky Backpacking Adventure | |
| The
group backpacked in Kentucky's Red River Valley. |  |
TOP LaCasa of Goshen | |
The
group worked at LaCasa of Goshen, helping rehabilitate homes and general clean
up. |  |
TOP Lifetime Sports and Recreation | |
| Students were introduced to various recreational activities that can be practiced for a lifetime: golf, swimming, volleyball, Frisbee golf, racquetball, tennis, and others. | |
 |  |
TOP Panama | |
Students explored tropical rainforests and coral reefs, observing plant and animal life unique to those ecosystems. The group snorkeled a couple of different coral reefs and a grassy flat by the San Blas Islands in the Caribbean. Students visited with two different indigenous groups in their villages.
|   |
TOP Stained Glass Creations | |
Students
created various stained glass projects including a Christmas ornament and a larger
project such as kaleidoscopes, window hangings, jewelry boxes, and glass mosaics
on patio bricks. Each student learned to cut and grind glass and prepared the
glass for soldering. | 
TOP |
Media and Technology
Resource Categories
Media Center Resources
Both middle school and high school students have access to our new media center and library resources which include periodicals, reference materials, fiction, non-fiction, educational videos, and Internet access. Students can search online for media center resources in the student section.
Computer Resources
Student Accounts
All Bethany students have individual, password protected network accounts and their own disk space for storing computer work and projects. All data is backed up nightly. Broadband internet access is available throughout the school with active pornography filters in place.
Computer Labs
BCS has three computer labs: a main teaching lab with 25 workstations, a second lab with 24 workstation, and a multipurpose room that includes 12 workstations. Both high school and middle school classes can use these labs for classes or projects.
Media Center Workstations
The library has 12 student workstations-classes may use these for Internet research or students may use them during study halls. If the library computers are full and there are no classes in the computer labs, the labs may also be used by students during study hall.
Special Services
The special services room has 4 student workstations running for students to use during structured study time. These machines include assistive software for a variety of learning styles.
High School Classrooms
Several classrooms have student workstations for assignments in the room. The Chemistry/Physics lab is equiped with 10 wireless laptops with specialized software and interfaces for student use in laboratory assignments.
Middle School Classrooms
Each middle school classroom has at least 2 student workstations. In addition all middle school students have access to the Media Center and all computer labs.
Multimedia
The school currently has 5 fully functional multimedia carts that can be used in classrooms to project computer, DVD, VHS, or cable TV multimedia content. In addition the computer labs, multi-purpose room, and both middle school and high school geography classrooms have perminantly mounted projectors and screens for media presentation.
Information Technology Curriculum
Bethany strives to equip students with technology tools needed for success in the 21st century, but also teaches students how to use them appropriately. Students will learn to use both Mac and PC platforms. In conversation with college professors and high school teachers, Bethany has developed a scope and sequence for intregrating technology skills into the curriculum at each grade level. Below is an example of some of the the technology skills identified:
| Word processing | typing, editing, saving files, research formatting |
| Spreadsheets | data entering, charts and graphs, formulas |
| Database | how, when, and why databases are used |
| Presentations | fundamentals of effective visual layout |
| Internet use | appropriate search engines, ethical use, plagiarism, social networking |
| Image capturing | capture/produce images, cameras, scanners, downloads, editing sofware |
| Audio capturing | see above plus incorporating into presentations |
| Video capture | see above plus incorporating int presentations; DVD/podcast use |
| Digital mapping | geo-visualization tools in google earth; creating thematic maps; GIS; GPS |
| Journalism/layout | industry standard layout; content for print-web-podcast |
| Music composition | create and edit original music composition |
| Personal information management | calendar, financial software for personal money management |
Additionally the following technology courses are offered:
Digital Communication
This basic class is required of all grade 6 students. Students learn keyboarding skills, how to use common software programs, and discuss appropriate internet use.
Computer Applications
A high school elective, students learn more in-depth uses of tools to create presentations, databases, and spreadsheets.
Graduation Requirements
We offer 3 types of diplomas for Bethany High School graduates. All of them are endorsed by the Indiana Department of Education.
BETHANY DIPLOMA
42 credits required
BETHANY
HONORS DIPLOMA
47 credits required/3.0 GPA or higher/no grade lower than
C
INDIANA
ACADEMIC HONORS DIPLOMA
47 credits in specified areas set by the state/3.0
GPA or higher/no grade lower than C
View detailed graduation requirements in Acrobat Reader (download Acrobat Reader).
Special
requirements for graduation from Bethany include:
For each year of
attendance, passing one semester of Bible class and successful completion of Interterm
Spanish Language Trip
In odd-numbered years, students who have completed at least two years of Spanish have the opportunity to participate in a school-led summer language trip to Paraguay and Brazil.
The purpose of this trip is for students to cultivate a deeper appreciation of languages and cultures of various peoples in Paraguay and Brazil and to foster better understanding of the worldwide Christian community.
During the trip students visit Paraguay's capital, Asunción, and nearby cities and travel north into the Paraguayan Chaco to visit three of the major Mennonite colonies. In Asunción students live with Christian families and attend afternoon classes at the Alberto Schweitzer School. Students also raise money to assist Sotero Colmán School, which is located in one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the city. The 2005 group assisted with creating a library and the 2007 group donated money to renovate badly-needed restroom facilities.
For the second week the group travels to Brazil to see the Iguaçu Falls and Brazil's ecological capital, the city of Curitiba. The group stays one night at a beach resort on Ilha do Mel.
Trips:
Summer 2009: student article and photos.
Summer 2007: see photos and read several students' highlights.
Spanish Language Trip 2007
During the trip students visited Paraguay's capital, Asunción, and nearby cities and travel north into the Paraguayan Chaco to visit three of the major Mennonite colonies. In Asunción students live with Christian families and attend afternoon classes at the Alberto Schweitzer School. Students also raised money to assist Sotero Colmán School, which is located in one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the city. The 2007 group donated money to renovate badly-needed restroom facilities.
For the second week the group traveled to Brazil to see the Iguaçu Falls and Brazil's ecological capital, the city of Curitiba. The group stayed one night at a beach resort on Ilha do Mel.
See photos below and read several students' highlights.
Summer 2007 Group at Nature Preserve
Relating to Children at Sotero Colman
Donation for Sotero Colman: Students raised $4,000 for Sotero Colmán School, which is located in one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the city.
Riding a zipline at the Nature Preserve
Spanish Language Trip 2009
Students visit Paraguay and Brazil
by Mattie Lehman (’11)
This summer, eight girls (including me), one boy, two teachers, a mother, and a young toddler took a 12-hour flight to South America, where we were immersed in a language and culture foreign to us. We laughed, we learned, and we made mistakes, all of which were part of the cultural experience.
Upon our arrival in Asunción, Paraguay, we met our host families. Some were rich, some poor, but all were willing to open their homes to us. And despite the fact that it was finals week for their students, they were gracious hosts. They fed us delicious food, took time to entertain us, and sent us off with generous gifts.
We participated in all our hosts’ activities. Some of us were lucky to attend a Quinceñera—a girl’s fifteenth birthday party, which is an important rite of passage in Paraguay. Heather Schwartz (’11), who attended one such party, said, “We had a dance and sang karaoke in Spanish.” Every night felt like a party. New experiences filled our time.
On a day trip to an impoverished neighborhood, our group witnessed another side of Asunción. We visited an elementary school, Sotero Colmán, where we were greeted by excited chatter in each classroom we visited. The students were especially excited when they learned that we were from the United States. Our group donated $6,000 to the school, which we had raised over a period of six months through coat-checks at school basketball games, a sloppy joe supper, and donations.
After spending time in the “big city,” we headed to the Chaco, a rural region where we drove for hours seeing only desert scrub. However, upon closer examination, the area is home to unique plants, animals, and groups of people. Indigenous tribes reside in the Chaco alongside German Mennonite colonies. While staying in one of these colonies, Filadelfia, we experienced a culture unlike that of Asunción.
Hearing Spanish day in and day out may have been challenging and disorienting at times but easy in comparison to listening to Portuguese. At one point during our stay in Brazil we went shopping in a local mall without Marcelo (our Portuguese-speaking teacher), which made communicating next to impossible. We learned the art of pointing and arm motions that day.
We learned a great deal from our cross-cultural experience, including not to mix up the Spanish word for embarrassed (embarrados) with the word for pregnant (embarazadas) and not to wear shorts in the Mennonite colonies. However, the most significant thing we learned is that Paraguayan people were willing to understand and forgive our ignorance of their culture.
2009 Spanish Language Trip Group: Marcelo Warkentin (leader), Juanita Hershberger (co-leader), and students (in alphabetical order) Corine Alvarez, Hannah Grieser, Karsten Hess, Leanne Hochstetler, Mattie Lehman, Ellie Schertz, Heather Schwartz, Emily Shenk, Marla zumFelde
Career Counseling
Each spring when students register for classes, information is provided about Bethany's site license to Bridges.com, an excellent site for exploring career possibilities that matches student interests and aptitudes with possible career choices, majors in college, and much more. See the guidance counselor for the login ID and password to gain access to this.College
Over two dozen colleges visit our campus each year to recruit students and to provide information regarding their areas of specialty. We advertise and promote college fairs in our area including Goshen High School College Fair and the Christian College Fair sponsored by Bethel College.
Elkhart Career Center
Each spring we invite the Elkhart Area Career Center to our campus for a presentation to all sophomores about vocational occupations that includes an invitation to consider attending part-time for study in areas that Bethany does not offer. Typically Bethany has 4-8 students a year participating in that program.
Mentorship
Mentorship is a program designed for 2nd semester seniors to explore specific occupations by career shadowing in their field of interest. They can receive credit for this experience and has helped them learn about what the field of interest entails on a daily basis. Mentorship placements have included optometry, teaching assistant, dietetics, day care, photography for newspaper, and running a golf pro shop.
Academic Superbowl
Bethany has competed in the Hoosier Academic Superbowl since its inception in 1987. Bethany competes in class IV (based on school size) and has qualified at least one team for the state competition every year but one. To advance to the state competition, a team must place in the top five scores from around the state at an area competition.
| Year | Team | Rank |
| 1987 | Fine Arts | 1st |
| Science | 1st | |
| Math | 1st | |
| Social Studies | 3rd | |
| 1988 | Math | 1st |
| 1989 | English | 2nd |
| English | 4th | |
| 1990 | All-Around | 4th |
| 1991 | Fine Arts | 4th |
| 1992 | Fine Arts | 1st |
| Interdisciplinary | 1st | |
| 1993 | Math | 3rd |
| English | 5th | |
| 1994 | Math | 4th |
| Social Studies | 4th | |
| 1995 | Fine Arts | 2nd |
| Social Studies | 5th | |
| 1996 | ||
| 1997 | Fine Arts | 1st |
| English | 2nd | |
| 1998 | Interdisciplinary | 1st |
| Science | Finalist | |
| 1999 | Fine Arts | 1st |
| 2000 | Fine Arts | 1st |
| Social Studies | 1st | |
| 2001 | Social Studies | 1st |
| Fine Arts | Finalist | |
| Math | Finalist | |
| 2002 | Fine Arts | 1st |
| Science | 1st | |
| Language Arts | 2nd | |
| Social Studies | 2nd | |
| Interdisciplinary | 2nd | |
| 2003 | Interdisciplinary | 1st |
| Science | 2nd | |
| 2004 | English | 3rd |
| Math | 4th | |
| 2005 | Social Studies | 3rd |
| Math | 3rd | |
| English | 4th | |
| 2006 | Social Studies | 2nd |
| 2007 | Mathematics | 5th |
| 2008 | Fine Arts | Finalist |
| 2009 | Math | 3rd |
| Fine Arts | 4th | |
| Interdisciplinary | 4th |
Art Purchase Award
Every year Bethany Christian Schools selects a piece of art created by a student for purchase and display. The winning works are on display throughout the school. Listed below are the winners of the award since its inception in 1978.Past Award Recipients
| 1978 | Watercolor | Terri Anne Stern | Senior |
| 1979 | Copper Tooling | Peggy Schrock | Sophomore |
| 1980 | Eggshell Mosaic | Peggy Schrock | Junior |
| 1981 | Acrylic Painting | Roz Brenneman | Senior |
| 1982 | Sand Painting | Troy Risser | Freshman |
| 1983 | Acrylic Painting | Jerrol Shaum | Junior |
| 1984 | Airbrush | Jerrol Shaum | Senior |
| 1985 | Copper Tooling | Colleen Schleining | Freshman |
| 1986 | Ink Drawing | Sheila McElmurry | Junior |
| 1987 | Acrylic Painting | Dawn Hochstetler | Senior |
| 1988 | Batik | Gretchen Nyce | Junior |
| 1989 | Ink Drawing | Nina Bailey | Freshman |
| 1990 | Linocut | Cheryl Hochstetler | Senior |
| 1991 | Copper Tooling | Darryl Eichorn | Senior |
| 1993 | Ceramic Vase | Tammy Sawatzky | Junior |
| 1994 | Acrylic Painting | Sarah Kingsley | Senior |
| 1995 | Midnight Flight | Crystal Rogers | Senior |
| 1996 | 3-D Sculpture: Jesus on the Cross | Ben Hartman | Junior |
| 1997 | Steel Sculpture | Greg Stahly | Senior |
| 1998 | Charcoal Drawings | Rachel Paulovich | Senior |
| 1999 | Painting: Anne Frank | Brenda Harley | Senior |
| 2000 | Photography: Photos of Hands | Renee Glick | Senior |
| 2001 | Drawing | Tony Ganger | Senior |
| 2002 | Photograph | Zac Albrecht | Senior |
| 2003 | Study of Picasso's "Old Man with a Guitar" | Sarah Roth | Senior |
| 2004 | Drawing and Transfer | Hannah Gerig | Senior |
| 2005 | Pastel Drawing | Adie Gerig | Junior |
| 2006 | Adie Gerig | Senior | |
| 2007 | Maggie Baldridge | Senior | |
| 2008 | Courtland Jones | Sophomore |