Laurie Allington Wertenberger
Laurie Allington Wertenberger
West Side Christian School Graduate: Class of 1989
What is your favorite memory?
My most favorite memory was my senior trip. We earned enough money to go to “Grad Night” at Disneyland! Going to a small school had many benefits which resulted in great memories. We had fall and winter retreats, ski days once or twice a year at White Pass, choir trips to Tacoma for Musicale, and many bus rides for volleyball and basketball games.
How did WSCS prepare you for your future?
West Side had tough classes, but it helped make the transition to college pretty smooth.
What do you appreciate about Riverside Christian now that you have graduated?
I appreciate more now how much the teachers cared about the students. I loved the family like feel of a small school. I loved how whoever wanted to participate in sports was accepted and encouraged to be part of the team. The Christian service was great at giving us first hand experience in helping others. I remember feeling horrible when the Union Gospel Mission’s Holtzinger Building burned down. Had I not helped there with West Side Christian, I would not have felt such a loss with that tragic event and it helped me become more aware of needs in my own community.
What are you doing now? Family? Career?
I am a single mom to Ryan, a 2015 graduate of RCS, and to Jacob, a freshman at RCS. In 1996 I completed my AA in Radiologic Technology. I am a CT and MRI Technologist at Memorial’s Valley Imaging where I have been employed since 2003.
Anything else you would like to share about your experience?
I was the first student to complete K-12 at West Side Christian School. There was a time at the start of high school when I wanted to leave because many of my friends were leaving, but my mom wouldn’t let me. I got more involved with sports, choir, yearbook and other activities and made new friends. Completing school at WSCS was the best thing for me. Once I had children our plan was for me to work part time until both boys were in school full time and that would be how we would pay tuition for Riverside. Well, I unexpectedly became a single mom about 6 weeks before Ryan started Pre-K in 2001. My family helped with tuition for the first 3 years. By 2003 I was employed full time at Valley Imaging and once Jacob started Pre-School at Riverside in 2004 God had provided for me to pay tuition myself. I know God wanted my boys to be at RCS as he has continued to provide the means to keep them there. Ryan graduated last year and he became the first second generation student to go all the way through WSCS/RCS. I appreciate the solid Christian foundation my sons have gotten from RCS as well as the quality education. RCS has been a blessing to my family.
