Mayflower Christian School celebrates 20 years

May 2—Like the old saying goes, "one man's trash is another man's treasure."

Creston's Mayflower Heritage Christian School can relate to that as it celebrates its 20th anniversary with a reception Tuesday.

"We actually took desks from a school in Ankeny they didn't want," said Mayflower Administrator Karla Powers about the days of organizing the school.

In December 2000, Powers, Tom and Cindy Young, Terry and Susan Amann and Tracy and Cindy Edwards all shared their ideas and vision of having a Christian school in Creston

"We all wanted an option with education in Creston," Powers said. She had her own young children at the time and desired them to be in a setting with a Christian worldview.

Powers was willing to use her own experience as a Christian school teacher in California to start something in Creston.

"It wasn't a church-run school," she said about her time in San Bernandino. "Here, Crest Baptist is just a place to put it." Mayflower made arrangements with the church on East Townline to host the school, but the church is not part of the school's operation.

Mayflower Heritage opened its doors in fall 2002 with 11 students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Powers' oldest, Michelle, was in kindergarten and had three younger siblings. Tammy Dillinger and Julia Ibbotson were the two teachers that first year. Dillinger is a Creston High graduate who had taught in Idaho and Maryland Christian schools.

Ibbotson is an East Union graduate who also had teaching experience before returning. Both had experience in teaching multi-grades.

"I wanted other families. I wanted multi-generation for the school," Powers said.

In 2003, the seventh grade was added. Today, classes extend through eighth grade. Enrollment has fluctuated since year one. Powers said enrollment has ranged from 11 to 45 and as many as 70.

The late, and former Creston City Council member, Ken Hudson provided funds for student scholarships and his donation have since been converted into an endowment for the school.

Using a portable building as it classroom, the school's enrollment grew to the point where Mayflower had to consider something else.

"We couldn't grow anymore," Powers said about efficiently using the building.

Through a Dekko Foundation grant, the school opened its new, bigger facilities in October 2010.

Karla's daughter, Michelle Eblen, 25, said the school made her grow personally. She attended the school from first grade through eighth.

As one of two fifth-grade students during that school year, those two were incorporated with the sixth and seventh grade students.

"I had a chance to mature earlier because I had friends who were older," she said from her Des Moines home.

Eblen said she remembers the fun parts of grade school, when teacher Tammy Dillinger would change the theme of the classroom each month.

"We went from bubble gum to monkeys," Eblen laughed. "That girl did not mess around."

The years of chapel, a time when students would have an abbreviated church service, and exposure to Biblical scripture would develop into Eblen having the tools to know how to talk about her Christian faith.

During seventh and eighth grades, she remembers talking to public school students.

"A few guy friends and I would have thorough discussions about faith. That gave me the confidence to welcome the questions we had talked about, and the answers, at Mayflower. I felt secure in my identity," she said.

Eblen graduated from Creston High in 2014. She leads college and young adult ministry classes at Hope Elim church in Des Moines. Her husband, Levi, is also from Creston.

"It has been my strength," she said about Mayflower.

With the exception of one year of ministry work in South Africa, Mayflower teacher Tammy Dillinger has been at the school since the first year.

"I was teaching in Maryland when 9/11 happened," she said, giving her a sense of uneasiness knowing the proximity between Maryland and the targets at Washington D.C. and New York City.

"I came home for Christmas and someone contacted me about the Christian school. I even interviewed for the school during Christmas break and I have loved it ever since," she said.

Dillinger said the mission of the school is not just for the students in the classes.

"We stay in God's word and the Christian values. We are there to support the Christian home. We hope the students are getting the same at home and at church. We are there to supported the family," she said.

Eblen noting how she changed the classroom's theme is evidence for Dillinger and her strategy.

"I love what I do. I love making school fun. I want them to enjoy coming to school," she said. "Through prayer and Christian values, that is what has made us last."

She hopes the influence the staff has on the students makes a difference as they enter a world of violence, fear and moral dilemmas after the school years.

"As society gets away from the Christian worldview, we are needed more. We are there to help the whole family, not just the child."

One child that appreciated her time at Mayflower was Creston High senior Josie Travis. She attended Mayflower from kindergarten through eighth grade.

"We went on a lot of field trips which gave us amazing opportunities to see fun things from Des Moines to here in Creston," she said. "I remember we toured Adams Street Coffee and that is when I started having coffee," she laughed.

With the fun set aside, Travis said it didn't take her long to embrace the school's environment.

"Mayflower is such a family. Everyone around was so kind and the teachers care so much about you," she said.

That emotion was emphasized during the funeral of Mayflower teacher Sue Maitlen, who died earlier this year.

"At her funeral, it was said they (Mayflower) teach curriculum but they teach to reach the heart," Travis said. "They really want to make an impact to the students and make them better people."

Travis said during those school years she got to know public-school students through sports and other organizations, which helped her establish high school friendships.

"When I got to high school, I knew people," she said. There were times when she was asked about her attending Mayflower.

"Mayflower helps us grow closer to faith. We are not to be shy about it," she said.

After graduation, Travis plans to attend Southwestern Community College and transfer to Buena Vista. She wants to be a teacher and hopes to teach at Mayflower.

"They have all impacted me so much," she said about those school days. "I want to be that for students some day."

Mayflower provided an inspiration for Travis and her future.

"God continually and faithfully provides for your needs," Powers said.

Even with someone else's unwanted desks.

An anniversary reception will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the school at 604 E. Townline. A hamburger lunch will be served until 1 p.m. School tours will be from noon to 1 p.m. A program will be held from 1 to 1:30 p.m. The public and all former students are invited.