Featured Alumna - September 2022

Hello CCHS family! It is an honor to be spotlighted as an alumna from CCHS Class of 2004. Some of you from high school might remember me by the nickname "Faith," but I am now Dr. Barbara R. Mayden. My four year journey at CCHS is part of my daily life now as an educator. The teachers who impacted me the most during my journey were Dr. Kuipers, Mrs. Potter, Madame Vander Woude, and Coach Engbers. Each of them played a role in challenging me beyond the limits I placed on myself. Mrs. Potter allowing me to do an independent study and design the initial HTML coding class of CCHS is something I’ll never forget. Dr. Kuipers challenging me and placing me in Honors Chemistry 2 when I took regular Chemistry is another moment I’ll never forget. Having a teacher not allow mediocracy from a student is permanently a part of my belief as an educator. If a student is not willing to challenge themselves, I will advocate for it for them because they need it. Lastly, the class of 2004 was a family, all within the CCHS community. We did not have many students come and go during our four years together, which allowed great bonds to form. As a minority, I did not feel excluded, but included, and that was absolutely important in a time when integrated schools were not yet normal.

Since graduating from CCHS, education has been a major portion of my life. For undergraduate, I attended Illinois State University for a BS in Accounting and competed on the college bowling team. I continued on to Concordia University for my MA in Elementary Education. From there I continued to the Illinois Institute of Technology for an MS in Mathematics Education. In May of 2022, I completed my Doctorate of Educational Leadership from Gonzaga University. Beyond being a student, I self-published my first book, Reflections Daily Devotional, in 2016. Continuing on the spiritual side, I am a minister in a nondenominational church today and have spoken at various commencement ceremonies. Professionally I have been teaching middle school mathematics for 12 years, 10 of those years being in Chicago on the south and west side. Currently, I teach in the private school sector in Houston, Texas. Outside the classroom, I have a business called BRM Coaching, which stands for Boundaries Redefining Mathematics. I stand firm on a quote by Maya Angelou, “Don't teach because that's all you can do. Teach because it's your calling. And once you realize that, you have a responsibility to the young people." With this as a motto, I am doing my part to help close the achievement gap of minorities in mathematics through tutoring for middle school through adults, instructional coaching for teachers, and presently designing a 3-week summer math camp. 

The passion I lead with today was built upon my experiences at CCHS. Teachers believing in students while teaching because it is their purpose and not for a paycheck was evident in everyone I encountered during my four years. Chicago Christian's block scheduling allowed for a smooth transition into college and lengthy lecture-type classes. The higher-level grading system embedded a different level of work ethic that was not noticeable until I transitioned to a traditional 90/80/70 scale as most of us in high school did not want an A- even though it was a 93. 

If I had to do high school all over again, I would absolutely go back to CCHS. My only regret, if I even call it a regret, is not pushing myself academically from freshman year. As the Word tells us, “all things work together,” and my not pushing myself allowed me to experience a part of my teachers that I would not have encountered otherwise, which shifted my perspective and belief as an educator in my life. I am proud to be a part of the CCHS family, and I pray that others will continue to experience what I did and more through the faculty and staff.