Eastern Christian School Welcomes Carol Eliya

Eastern Christian School welcomes Carol Eliya as a high school digital arts and yearbook teacher. With a professional background in the arts and education, she joins EC excited to use her God-given gifts to help students discover who they are in Christ.

Please tell us about yourself.

I grew up in Ridgewood, NJ, which is also where my mom grew up and where my dad settled in America as an immigrant from overseas. My favorite class in high school was my jewelry and metal design class, which led me to decide on fashion merchandising as my degree program at Marist College (my teacher, alongside my obsession with planning my outfits for school were also major influencers before I had Instagram to influence me). I’ve always been a DIY/crafty/artsy gal, but I didn’t really see creativity as a gift until I became a Christian. When I came to know the Lord, I also got to know myself as created in His image: made to make, and to create with His gifting. My camera has been the tool placed in my hands which the Lord has used to show me different perspectives on everyday life, the world at large, and ultimately to share who He is through the unique lens He has given me.

Tell the story of how you got to EC.

When I was a little kid and people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say “a teacher”. Mostly because I didn’t really know what else to say. Fast forward to getting a degree in fashion merchandising and entering the corporate retail business world, I realized quickly that the cubicle life was not for me. I was craving more social engagement in my work, as well as a change of lifestyle, so I signed up for a TESOL course in Barcelona, Spain. As much as I loved the European lifestyle, teaching British English to misbehaved Spanish students was hard for me to imagine long-term, but I didn’t know what else to do besides start a new life in California. This is ultimately where the Lord met me and redirected my steps and life toward creative arts (especially photography, graphic design and writing), international missions, and teaching. After a decade of living overseas and cross-country, I returned to New Jersey at the prompting of the Lord but with a vague understanding of what exactly for. I figured if I’m going to live in New Jersey, I should start to learn more about wedding photography, and came to find a Christian wedding photography small group Bible study. One day, one of the women posted in our group chat asking if anyone was interested in a photography teacher position at EC. So, here I am today!

What sets EC apart?

What first stood out to me about EC was that the principal was willing to go out of his way to meet with me before I ever even applied for the job. When I came to learn that EC has a “three-legged stool” philosophy on educating students (school – parents – church are all responsible for the building up and educating of the students), I could see that EC is different from any other school system that I have ever heard about before. That philosophy sounds healthy, godly, and wise in comparison to the many teachers I meet who are burned out by all the burdens that are placed on them to be the sole educator of the children in their classrooms. There is an emphasis on excellence, while still championing the uniqueness of the individual students to grow to know who they are in Christ, not just a hyper emphasis on what college they go to after graduation simply to boost the school’s statistics. I can’t say yet how I see God working in the lives of EC students, but from all the people I’ve told so far about getting hired here, there have only been positive responses about the reputation of the school. A family member noted to me that “the students actually encourage each other in the hallways!” as compared to the aggression and bullying that is commonly experienced in a normal high school environment. So I am excited and looking forward to learning and seeing firsthand how God is at work in the lives of the EC students, and am honored to be a part of it!