Believe, Achieve, and Serve
December Alumni Voices
One of my favorite parts of living in a city were the small local coffee shops, a place where you walk in and the barista knows your name and your favorite drink. It was a long time dream of my husband and I to build our own coffee shop, and when we were given the unique opportunity to build in Downtown Bakersfield, we decided to go for it.
Our kids have all gone through Stockdale Christian and I can’t imagine them going anywhere else. It is a blessing to have a Christ-centered school with faculty that really cares about our kids.
Meet Stasie Bitton
SCS Class of 2003
Stasie Bitton graduated from Stockdale Christian in 2003. She majored in Business Administration at Fordham University in New York City. After living in NYC and San Francisco, she returned back to Bakersfield and wanted to bring a piece of the big city with her. After a lot of planning and dreaming, she and her husband created three restaurants: Cafe Smitten, Smitten & The Botanist. Stasie and her husband, Shai, have three children.
Meet Justin Swanson
SCS Class of 1996
Justin Swanson graduated from Stockdale Christian in 1996. He graduated from Whitworth College with a major in History. He and his dad started Swanson Engineering which provides civil engineering services for Kern County and its surrounding areas. Justin and his wife live in Bakersfield and have three children. Connor and Carly attend BCHS and Colt attends Stockdale Christian.
Q&A with Stasie:
What is your favorite memory of SCS
“My friendships are what I loved best. I attended SCS from K-8th grade, so most of my foundational years were spent with the same group of families and teachers. Everyone in the community felt like extended family, people who knew me and cared about me as I grew up from Kindergarten all the way to 8th grade.”
how did the education you received at SCS prepare you for Success?
"SCS prepared me well for high school, especially in Math and English. I loved English class with Mrs. Mayo in 7th and 8th grade. She was so thoughtful with the class topics and instilled a love of reading and writing for me that took me from Jr. High all the way to high school.”
Q&A with justin:
In What ways did your education at SCS equip you for success?
“I appreciate the emphasis that SCS placed on the importance of teaching service in education. Serving is an absolute necessity in this world. For a school to give you the opportunity to serve and learn how to serve in different ways, is something you will carry with you for the rest of your life."
What was your favorite memory from a service project you participated in at SCS?
“One of my favorite service projects while attending SCS was serving the Manor residents. It helped me understand the importance of engaging with the elderly residents and how much they appreciated it.”