Covenant School

Congratulations to rising ninth grader Emma Buchanan for being knighted into the 95th Class of Golden Horseshoe winners!

The Golden Horseshoe is one of West Virginia’s most prestigious academic honors, recognizing eighth-grade students who demonstrate exceptional knowledge of our state’s history, geography, government, and culture. Established in 1931, the program has celebrated generations of young West Virginians who excel in their study of the Mountain State.

We are proud of Emma’s hard work, dedication, and achievement, and we celebrate this well-deserved recognition. Congratulations, Emma!

Congratulations to Covenant senior Aubree Ottaviano for being featured on WSAZ as Miss Teen Huntington, WV USA!

As she prepares to represent Huntington this weekend at the Miss West Virginia Teen USA pageant, she is using her platform to promote opportunities and awareness for individuals with special needs.

Through her work, Aubree advocates for girls with disabilities and helps create opportunities for confidence, leadership, and family connection.

We are proud of the way Aubree uses her gifts and influence to make a difference in our community. Join us in cheering her on as she competes for the title of Miss West Virginia Teen USA this weekend!

Miss Teen Huntington WV USA Miss Teen Huntington joins Susan and Marlee on the blue couch to talk about her initiative.

🚨 ONE WEEK AWAY! 🚨

The application deadline to receive full-funding for the Hope Scholarship Program is coming up on June 15!

So far, 25,675 students have started applications for the 2026-2027 school year. Applications are available at www.HopeScholarshipWV.gov

Read more: https://bit.ly/4g4LwfR

We love seeing our alumni faithfully serve wherever God calls them!

Congratulations to Covenant Class of 2023 alumna Laura Gatewood, who is spending her summer interning with Fifth Avenue Baptist Church through the West Virginia Baptist Convention, serving in children’s and youth ministry. We are grateful to see Laura using her gifts to invest in the next generation and advance Christ’s Kingdom.

Join us in praying for a fruitful summer of ministry and growth!

Meet Laura Gatewood!

Laura is serving this summer as one of our WVBC Ministry Interns. She is serving in the children's ministry department at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church.

Be sure to leave Laura a word of encouragement!

Each summer, it's become a fun tradition to welcome one of our alumni back to campus as an intern with our Executive Administration team. It's a tradition we love not only because it reconnects us with former students, but because it gives them opportunities to sharpen their skills while helping us complete meaningful projects through the lens of a Covenant graduate.

We're excited to welcome Ella Bumgardner (Class of 2023) this summer!

Ella is currently studying Advertising and Public Relations at Marshall University, where she is also pursuing minors in Journalism and Marketing. Set to graduate in 2027, she has already built an impressive résumé, serving as a Marketing and Communications Intern for Marshall University and an Account Manager for Collective 37, where she contributes to campaign strategy, client communication, and brand development. On campus, Ella serves as Press Secretary for the Student Body President’s Cabinet and is President of PRSSA.

Throughout her college career, she has led successful social media campaigns, conducted audience research, planned and promoted events, and developed strategic messaging across a variety of platforms.

Passionate about human-centered branding and strategic storytelling, Ella is committed to creating thoughtful, insight-driven work that builds authentic connections between organizations and their audiences.

We're grateful to have her back at Covenant this summer and look forward to the impact she'll make on our school community!

Our faculty and staff received their summer reading assignments today!

This summer, Covenant faculty will read The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, a fitting book for a school reflecting on what progress means for us.

We must see progress not simply in newness, but in growth rooted in truth, goodness, and permanence.

Written in 1678, The Pilgrim’s Progress follows Christian’s journey toward the Celestial City through trials, temptations, and grace. For centuries, it shaped the moral imagination of Christians around the world.

For classical Christian educators, the story reminds us that education is not just about achievement or innovation, but becoming people of wisdom, courage, humility, and faithfulness.

At Covenant, we hope to progress as pilgrims do: guided by enduring truths toward lasting things.

Want to read along?
https://a.co/d/03bDbZT9

Want to read along with your kids? Check out the beautifully illustrated and retold Little Pilgrim’s Progress:
https://a.co/d/08WfA7bE

At Covenant School, every book read, every class taught, every program experienced, and every conversation shared is aimed toward one vision: the Portrait of the Graduate.

Our mission has always been to form students who love learning, pursue wisdom and virtue, delight in beauty and truth, think deeply and charitably, communicate with clarity and conviction, and live lives ordered by the Gospel.

This weekend we celebrated the Covenant School Class of 2026 and rejoice in seeing that vision come to life. We are so proud of this class and deeply grateful to have played a role in the many stories God is continuing to write through their lives.

Congratulations, Class of 2026! Onward!

Every year in First Grade, our students spend the school year learning to love their neighbors in West Virginia by learning all about the Mountain State through field trips, history lessons, story books, songs, and memory chants.

One of the sweetest Covenant traditions is our First Grade West Virginia Day, where students dress as famous West Virginians and present what they’ve learned in front of hundreds of people.

This year, one student’s presentation on actress Jennifer Garner made its way back to her and she responded with a video message!

“It made me so proud to see you talk about me with so much grace and poise and elegance,” Garner said in the video. “I’m very proud of you and all your classmates for doing such a big project at the end of the school year…and I love that you wore overalls just like ‘Farmer Jen!’”

We’re so proud of the courage, preparation, and joy our students bring to moments like these.

Watch the story on WSAZ here:

Studio 3 - Jennifer Garner responds to student's presentation Studio 3

Join us in welcoming Mr. Zachary Smith to the Covenant Upper School faculty next year!

Mr. Zachary Smith will teach Upper School Math and Science at Covenant School. A South Point, Ohio native, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Science Education from Liberty University and a master’s degree in Geography from the National University of Singapore. He is licensed in Ohio in Social Studies, Integrated Science, and Computer Science, and has completed advanced training in engineering and Industry 4.0 systems through Project Lead the Way and SACA certifications.

Mr. Smith brings more than 15 years of experience in education, including work in public, private, international, and STEM schools. He has taught a wide range of courses, including Environmental Science, Chemistry, Engineering Design, and advanced STEM programming, and was recognized in 2023 as the Ohio Runner-Up for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. In addition to his work in education, he has several years of experience in renewable energy, infrastructure, and sustainability projects across Asia and Africa.

Passionate about helping students connect their learning to the wider world, Mr. Smith has led global student travel experiences and helped develop innovative hands-on learning environments such as engineering labs and makerspaces. A lifelong member of the Church of the Nazarene, he and his wife were part of the first Nazarene church planted in Singapore. He is deeply committed to equipping students to serve Christ faithfully in every area of life and brings to Covenant a unique blend of scientific expertise, global experience, and love for the humanities.