Senior Model Profile–Bethany

Bethany VanOeffelen is a senior at Holland Christian this year. She joins our team with a desire to be a great role model as she models for Embolden. She hopes that she can offer a message that girls can do whatever they put their minds to, and that the choices they make directly impact their future and their ability to make a difference in their communities.

As a volunteer for Girls on the Run since her freshman year, Bethany loves the chance to encourage girls to accomplish anything they dream. She hopes that the girls she coaches learn to be strong and courageous in pursuing their passions and talents. Bethany also volunteers for Step Up, a mentoring program for middle school students who are at risk of dropping out of school. In this role, Bethany hopes to demonstrate a different path for students–to show them that the negative influences around them do not have to dictate their future.

Bethany’s mom told us this about Bethany in her letter of recommendation for her: “…Bethany is lovely, but also on the inside, where it really matters.  She is more than just a pretty face.  She has a deep and abiding faith in God.  She has had some serious health concerns but her struggles have made her stronger and more compassionate.  She is especially caring of children and she coaches Girls on the Run and works in daycare.  Her favorites are always the underdogs—the girls who aren’t athletic but still try, the kids who are homesick and just want to be held.  She has a real heart for those who suffer.  She loves animals and her best friend in the whole world is her dog, Teegan.  She’s also bright and ambitious and looking forward to college and life after high school.  She is ready for the challenge.”

Bethany, you are light to the students you care for, and certainly a light on our 2017 model team. Keep shining!