Unique and Amazing

MaryAnn Chittenden may seem like a typical busy student. But this FCHS junior is working hard to combine school work and sports with a desire to improve even her global community.  

To start with, Chittenden is one of this year’s In the Know anchors. “I enjoy being behind the camera. I like talking about the events happening at the school,” she said. Chittenden has a huge interest in news anchoring and wants to become an intern for NBC 29 news after going to UVA and getting degrees in both Broadcasting and Journalism.  Chittenden has been doing In The Know since last semester and plans on continue to do so until she graduates.

Chittenden is on the varsity soccer team and also coaches a U8 team for Fluvanna Youth Soccer Association. “The coaches are pushing us hard and I enjoy the team bonding. It’s going to be a good season. We have good talent and have a great team,” she said. Chittenden and the varsity team recently got their first win against Waynesboro, beating them 4-1.

Chittenden is also a student-leader at Lake Christian Church and loves to serve by organizing games and events for church youth. During services, you’ll find her behind the scenes at a computer putting the verses on the projector to help people follow along during the sermon. “I want to be a good role model for the [youth] girls and want to lead by example,” she said.

Chittenden enjoys short term mission work, and especially enjoyed her trip to Guatemala where she and her team provided medical treatment for ill children and prayed for their healing. They also led a Vacation Bible Study class for the kids and gave them items like candy, toothbrushes, and toys. “Showing the love of Christ to the kids was amazing and just the feeling of knowing that you made a difference in their lives was amazing. It wasn’t just that we made a difference in their lives, it was the kids that also made a difference in our lives by touching our hearts,” she said.

Chittenden has a busy summer planned, with no less than three separate missions trips. She will go back to Guatemala with her church to evangelize to people, to pray for them, and to share her testimony with the people. She and her team will also dispense vitamins and help provide medical treatment for scabies. Chittenden and Lake Christian Church have a Vacation Bible School planned for the kids where they will do art crafts, play sport games, and do skits. Next, she will travel to Puerto Rico to repair roofs and to reach out to families there. Finally, she and her youth group will travel to North Carolina to attend a Christian conference at Wake Forest University.