YOUR STORY MATTERS HERE: Jenna Harrison

By Jenny Monahan

Jenna Harrison is passionate about two things: kids and music.

The sophomore at Pensacola State College in Florida is on track to graduate in May with an associate degree in early childhood education. From there, Jenna plans to enroll at the University of West Florida, where she’ll study for another two years to earn a bachelor’s degree in education.

“I always knew I wanted to be a teacher,” Jenna said.

Her mom, Kristy, a fourth-grade teacher, is one source of inspiration. Another is Jenna’s own learning support teacher, Kelli Kolder, who came into her life in second grade and has been part of it ever since.

“I’ve been lucky to have really great teachers all throughout my life,” Jenna said, “but Mrs. Kolder is the best even in that group.”

Harrison, who as a young adult exudes kindness, compassion, and maturity, didn’t always make it easy on her teachers. She recalls a day in first grade when she decided she did not care for the movie her class was watching. Young Jenna promptly walked out of the room and the school, headed for Route 228.

Happily, an aide caught up with Jenna before she reached the road; adult Jenna is much more appreciative of the role her teachers played in her life than first-grade Jenna was.

“I may not have liked the consequences at the time,” Jenna said, “but it helped me to improve my behavior and I love Mrs. Kolder to this day. She came to my eighth-grade graduation, and we are still in contact. We really have a connection.”

Jenna has grown up in the Dutilh Church family and has been active in Dutilh Children’s Ministry her entire life – first as a participant, and later as a volunteer. For years, Jenna has helped with Vacation Bible School (VBS), where she is a preschool crew leader. She also volunteers as a leader at FISH Camp every summer. She spends most Sundays when she is in town assisting in Dutilh’s nursery. She has helped with Kingdom Kidz, Cookies & Cocoa With Santa, Community Days, and virtually any other event where “Ms. Sarah” (Children’s Ministry Director Sarah Hogue) needs a volunteer who is great with kids.

Jenna is serving as a Confirmation mentor for the first time this year, where she is paired with Confirmand Avery Reckless. Though being a long-distance sponsor has its challenges, Jenna is committed to being present as a mentor. For September’s Confirmation blessing and mentor luncheon, Jenna booked and paid for her own plane ticket home so she could surprise Avery for the event.

“We joke that we are the ‘smiley twins’ because we both smile a lot,” Jenna said. “She was so surprised and gave me a big hug when she saw me!”

Jenna supports Avery’s journey toward Confirmation by sitting together during worship services when Jenna is home. She also has made plans to study some devotionals together over Christmas break, and the two keep in touch while Jenna is at school in Florida.

In her free time Jenna does a lot of babysitting.

“I just love kids!” she explained. Throughout high school, she would get a neighbor’s children off the bus and walk them home. “Their older sister is a good friend of mine, and they call me their ‘other big sister.’ I still pick them up from the bus sometimes when I’m back from college.”

She has also been a cheer coach for younger kids through the Upward Sports program at LifePointe Alliance Church, where she teaches children ages three through fifth grade about sportsmanship. “We cheer for everyone, on both teams,” Jenna explained. She plans to help with the program again this winter, as her schedule allows.

The thing Jenna enjoys most besides children is music. A member of her school choir from sixth through twelfth grade, Jenna has always loved singing. In 2006, she was introduced to a group called Vocal Union when they performed a concert at Dutilh Church. Though she was only six years old, Jenna was hooked.

“We had a connection right from the start,” Jenna said. “There’s a photo of me from that concert, and I had my arm around Stevie [one of the members]. Since then, we’ve all become friends. I know their families and have been to lots of concerts. They’re like family to me.”

In addition to her nuclear family—which includes her dad, Jeff, her mom, Kristy, and her 9th grade brother, Alex—and her Vocal Union family, Jenna has a special place in her heart for her Dutilh family.

“I’ve been part of Dutilh since before I was born. I was baptized here, by Pastor Don [Scandrol], and I was confirmed here. This is truly my church family,” Jenna said.

“The people here fill a unique role, and everyone who walks through the door at Dutilh is part of my church family. They have been there for me, whether it’s for a prayer request, or celebrating major milestones or achievements,” Jenna continued.

A few months after Jenna was born, her parents were informed that their daughter had had a stroke in utero. “The doctors told them I may never walk or talk,” Jenna explained. The church family that supported her family through that time with prayers got to see her learn to do all those things and prayed for her again during a major foot surgery when she was 12.

“They have seen me graduate from high school and get my driver’s license,” Jenna said. “The church has always been there to celebrate with me—they really are my family.”

The love and support Jenna has experienced are part of the reason she is so involved in service at Dutilh. “I know that when my family is helping at church, we’re serving the Lord,” Jenna said. “Whether it’s serving or being a greeter at worship or working with kids, I love doing it. It’s what God calls us to do.”

Jenna’s favorite things about Dutilh Church are the interactions she has with individual people, and she tries to live out Dutilh’s mission to love God, love others, and love to serve outside the church walls.

“I try to listen and understand, to be fully focused and present when I’m talking with someone, as a way to love others,” Jenna explained. “Because I’m so connected with my church and also with these a capella gospel singers, I’m able to share God’s love with people just by sharing my own interests—getting someone to listen to a Vocal Union song, and telling them, ‘This is what I love and choose to listen to.’ That’s where I feel like I show God’s love.”

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If you or someone you know in the Dutilh family has an interesting story or profession, send us your ideas! We would love to help tell the story. Email: communications@dutilhumc.org.