David Marner ‘03 | #youareims

In one word David Marner (‘03) would describe IMS as COMMUNITY saying, “IMS was a community that was always there for you.” He added, “The life long friends I made there and the closeness I felt with the community are two of the things I love most about IMS.”

An example of how this part of this community banded together on a particular night was one of David’s favorite memories. “One of my favorite memories from IMS was the night that 5 of us (with teacher supervision 😉) spent the night at the school to protect the fields from getting salted. It was a great night with friends and protecting our soccer field!”

Why did David think it was important for him to attend IMS? Not only was it the network of teachers, students, and other parents that created a caring, nurturing community at IMS, but IMS was where he “felt reconnected with God and challenged in my beliefs on certain topics.” David went on to say, “Faith and learning is at the core of IMS and I felt it started with the teachers and then to the students.”

David didn’t grow up close to IMS but he felt there was value in living outside the Kalona area. “The freedom I got from traveling farther from home everyday to go to school encouraged me to figure things out on my own” is what David mentioned as one of the ways IMS prepared him for life beyond high school.

And what would David tell someone to encourage them to attend IMS? “If you want to challenge your child to become the best they can be while being supported academically and spiritual, then IMS is where you want to go.”