UMEI Christian High School

Anita Woods (Wall)

“Hold on as I take this call!“ We’ve all had to deal with this statement before! You’ll never have this experience when dealing with Omega Services. You’re our most important customer when we’re on your site.”My years at UMEI gave me confidence in my ability to excel in my academics. It was amazing to know that my teachers knew who I was and encouraged me to pursue what I enjoyed but also challenged me to work harder on the courses that I didn’t enjoy as much. I attribute much of my later success in academics on the time I spent at UMEI. As a teaching intensive faculty member, I try to incorporate the feeling of a smaller classroom to help encourage my students to learn. Although many of my classes contain 500 -600 students, I try to learn their names and connect with as many students as I can during my office hours. I am so thankful that four years of my training came from UMEI. It is an outstanding school with amazing teachers, who care about their students and have made a big difference my life.”

– Graduated UMEI in 1997
– Bachelor of Science Honours University of Western Ontario
– Ph.D. Physiology University of Western Ontario
– Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology
– Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry Teaching Award of Excellence, Leader Award (2014)
– Western Award for Innovations in Technology Enhanced Teaching (2017)

John Bartel

“The largest point of influence for me at UMEI was music. Paul Dueck was a hugely influential part of my becoming who I am today. Specifically, he sort of gave me permission to love the things I loved, and pursue the things that I thought were exciting/interesting. I have a distinct memory of being struck by how unabashedly passionate he was about the arts… specifically choral music. I think I marvelled at that. At that age, obviously, public perception was massively important to me. Paul had a way, just through his energy, of saying, “be yourself and get after it!”, The foundation I built in my years at UMEI has been absolutely instrumental in how I approach what I do on a day-to-day basis now.”

– Graduated UMEI in 2002
– Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology (OIART)
– Owner at Bartel Audio specializing in sound-design/mixing where clients include CBC/Rogers Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada, Blue Jays Baseball, MLSE, Vice, Discovery Channel, Food Network and OLN.

Brenna Epp

“UMEI wasn’t just a building where I went to earn a high school diploma. UMEI is the place where I learned how to live, how to think critically, and how to be different. As I start the next chapter of my life at law school, I will treasure the impact UMEI has had on not only my academic life, but my spiritual and personal life as well.”

– Graduated UMEI in 2012
– Bachelor of Music with a specialization in Music Cognition, Minor in Psychology, and Diploma in Piano Performance from McMaster University.
– First year law school at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University

Mike Wiens

“Like most high school students, my Grade 9 classmates and I began our post-elementary lives together as nervous, mostly-unacquainted teenagers. What I believe makes UMEI wonderfully unique, though, is that I knew everybody in my grade, by name, by the end of our first day, and the entire student body by the end of our first week. Moreover, through school-wide events like orientation week retreat, barn party and campfire night; class-wide parties where all were invited; trips across North America; and more, my fellow students and I formed friendships so strong that many of us are still best of friends today. In retrospect, developing my character and values in a close-knit community environment where I was free to be myself, and didn’t feel the kind of peer pressure that I might have at a different school, made all the difference in becoming who I am today. To me, that supportive, familial atmosphere is the greatest UMEI difference – but only one of many reasons why I cannot wait for my own children to have the incredible privilege of attending there.”

– Graduated UMEI in 2006
– Bachelor of Arts, University of Waterloo
– Juris Doctor, University of Windsor Faculty of Law
– Lawyer at SawatzkyBalzer Barristers & Solicitors, Leamington

James Cook

“What I remember most fondly about UMEI was the strong culture of community support. As a student we were required to volunteer on community service days. UMEI taught me how important and fulfilling it is to serve other people. I remember planting trees and helping local seniors with tasks they were unable to do anymore at home. I have continued this serving philosophy into my career, which has been very rewarding working with seniors to make their lives and those within the community better.”

– Graduated UMEI in 2006
– B. Com. University of Windsor
– General Manager for Chartwell Kingsville Retirement Residence

Noah Chacko

“I attended UMEI for all four years of high school and the time that I spent there definitely prepared me for the transition to university. At UMEI, I played on every sports team that was available and I was involved with several clubs, including student parliament and Faith in Action. The classes I took, the teachers at UMEI and the clubs and teams, have all helped me achieve many things, like grow in my faith and expand my abilities as a leader. I have already been able to apply these things here at university and I know I will be able to continue using what I have learned from UMEI for the years to come.”

– Graduated UMEI in 2015
– Second year at the University of Guelph for Biomedical Engineering