The Commons Spring 2017 | Page 22

GRADUATE PROFILE Nikko and Andrea will be moving to the San Francisco Bay area after graduation. It’s an unlikely story: three families from far- flung parts of the globe chance to meet through an online school. Years later, their children attend college in the same small Idaho town. integrated the life of the NSA student was with the surrounding community. To me, dorm life was really strange and kind of creepy. I [was not] just choosing a degree, [but] a lifestyle for the next four years… [M]eeting a lot of really great people and the faculty, and how interesting they were—I thought I’d love to learn from them. The hospitality of both churches [Christ Church and Trinity Reformed] made me want to be here!” At NSA, a high school crush turned into full-blown romance: within a few years, Kate became Mrs. Santiago Pliego. A year later, Andrea became Mrs. Nikko Pliego. And now, Ana Sofia, who is grad- uating on Thursday with her brother and two dear friends and sisters-in-law, will be married to Isaac Waitman (NSA ’18) at the end of May. All the Pliegos, and their spouses, have loved their time at NSA and excelled ac- ademically in their classes. As they ap- proach graduation, each of the Pliegos have turned their thoughts to the future. Nikko and Andrea will be moving to the San Francisco Bay area this summer, where Nikko, who loves working with his hands, will be working for a pipe organ maker. Kate, who has a unique and elegant eye for fashion, currently works at NSA alumn Laura Storm’s children’s clothing store Hansel and Gretel, while Santiago works at Emsi, the successful Moscow-based eco- nomics firm downtown. It’s an unlikely story: three families from far-flung parts of the globe chance to 22 THE COMMONS meet through an online school. Years later, their children attend college in the same small Idaho town. This wasn’t an accident: God moved to bring the Pliego kids and Kate and Andrea to Idaho. New Saint Andrews became a home for the Pliego family because it offers something no other college can: real and rigorous classical Christian education provided by loving teach- ers in a vibrant, close-knit, God-lov- ing community. And that’s why you’ll see not one, not two, but four Pliegos graduate on Thursday along with their class, each raising their cups and say- ing, “Omni cui multum datum est, mul- tum quaeretur ab eo.” To whom much is given, much is required. BRIANNA BRATRUD is a graduating NSA senior from North Carolina. Santiago and Kate (pictured with Dr. McIntosh) will continue to live here in Moscow. Ana Sofia and Isaac Waitman will marry at the end of May.