From Past to Purpose

At Cornerstone, senior year culminates in more than graduation, it culminates in purpose. Through the Senior Leaving a Legacy Project, each student prayerfully considers their God-given gifts, talents, interests, and passions, then uses them to meet a real need through meaningful service. More than completing volunteer hours, this senior legacy capstone experience calls students to become the hands and feet of Jesus while building a Christ-honoring legacy that extends beyond their time at Cornerstone.

This year’s senior class embraced that challenge in powerful ways, stepping into places of pain, hardship, and need to bring hope, healing, and compassion to others. While we are only able to highlight a few projects here, every member of the senior class approached their Legacy Project with thoughtfulness and a heart for service. Across the class, students stepped into a variety of needs, beautifying community spaces, serving homeless and refugee populations, supporting foster teens in meaningful ways, and so much more. These projects represent just a glimpse of the many themes woven throughout this year’s class, each one reflecting a desire to serve others and honor Christ.

The Past: Healing from What Was

For senior Gavin Trollinger, his project, “Cycle Breakers,” was deeply personal. After losing his father to addiction at a young age, Gavin wanted to create something that honored his story while helping others break similar cycles.

He partnered with No Longer Bound, a faith-based addiction recovery center, to help develop a prayer garden meant to offer peace, reflection, and healing. Through fundraising and prayer, he raised $4,209 to support the project, funding features such as a waterfall element, a cross water fountain, benches, flowers, stepping stones, and more.

“My legacy project was never about finishing each detail to perfection. It was actually about acknowledging the difficult parts of life that can sometimes happen, picking up the pieces, and healing; changing stories’ endings and breaking cycles,” he shared.

Gavin spent time with residents through meals, chapel services, conversations, and prayer. “I could see my dad’s eyes in the men there, and I couldn’t help but be reminded of how it felt when he was alive,” he said. He hopes the garden reminds each man that they are “worthy of sobriety, worthy of love, and capable of freedom through Christ,” and added, “No matter what your past holds, God can break those chains holding you captive.”

The Future: Investing in What Lasts

For senior Maleah Carmichael, her project combined her love for art and caring for children. After volunteering through Wellstar’s Volunteen program, Maleah felt drawn to pediatric patients and the fear they often face during hospital stays. She partnered with a Child Life Specialist at Kennestone Hospital to create art-filled care packages for children.

She organized donations through an Amazon registry and collected over 40 bags of supplies. Each package included art materials and a teddy bear craft where children could design the shirt, add a bandage, and give it a hospital bracelet. Maleah spent time bedside with patients, creating alongside them and getting to know their families.

“It was really heartwarming to see a change in each child’s face when they saw a care package for them that could take away their boredom or loneliness during their stay,” she shared. Maleah added, “I am so blessed to see God already moving and guiding my future dream of becoming a pediatric nurse.”

The Legacy They Leave

Senior Julianne Myers also served at Kennestone Hospital through the Child Life department by redesigning a mobile library cart for pediatric patients as part of the “Small Talk” literacy initiative. She recognized that books can offer comfort as well as learning, especially for children in difficult circumstances.

She decorated the cart to match the hospital’s ocean-themed pediatric floor and stocked it with books for a range of ages, bringing it directly to patients throughout the unit.

“Beyond improving reading skills, books can be a form of therapy by reducing anxiety and helping children connect with characters in similar situations,” she said. Julianne added, “Seeing the excitement from both the children and staff reassured me that my project made a meaningful impact, and I hope it continues to benefit patients for years to come.”

While these featured projects each tell unique stories, they all reflect one common truth: true leadership is found in serving others and using one’s gifts to bring hope into hurting places.

As these projects come full circle, our seniors are now preparing to step into one of the most meaningful moments of the journey, their Legacy Project presentations. Next week, each student will stand before a panel of judges to share not only what they’ve done, but why it matters. They’ll tell the stories behind the service, the lessons learned, and the ways they’ve seen God move through their efforts. It’s more than a presentation, it’s a reflection of who they’ve become. We can’t wait to watch them confidently share the impact they’ve made and the legacy they’re leaving behind. 

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If you have been encouraged by our students' testimonies and are looking for a school home for your student, we invite you to attend our upcoming Information Meeting on Tuesday, May 5 at 9 a.m. and learn more about the graduate we aspire to develop.