Jamie (Bankes) Ridgell '96: 2020 Alumna of the Year

Congratulations to Jamie (Bankes) Ridgell, ‘96, who has been named this year’s FWC Alumna of the Year!

Jamie was chosen by way of a collaborative process from alumni, teachers, and current school leadership. In late August, nominations were sought via email to FWC Alumni, via email to current FWC faculty, and on all FWC social media channels. Several dozen names were submitted. Our Advancement team made recommendations to our Head of School, Dr. Misty Overman, who was able to share this news with Jamie during a meeting with her and her husband Joe Don, a member of the Board of Trust.

Jamie and Joe Don, who celebrated their 20th anniversary this past summer, have three children currently enrolled at Fort Worth Christian.  Anna Claire is a freshman, Andrew is in 7th grade, and Austin is in 4th. Jamie is also the daughter of James and Ann Bankes, both FWC alumni from the Class of 1968. James is a former member of the Board, and uniquely, Jamie is the third person in their family to win this prestigious award. James was recognized for the Alumnus of the Year in 1994 and her mother, Ann, received the honor in 1987.

Jamie attended FWC for 13 years! During her high school years, she participated in basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, and Student Council. Jamie was also voted “Best All-Around” her senior year. One fun fact is that Jamie played all four years of volleyball and basketball with current Girls Athletic Director, Lauren Smeds who was one of the ones who nominated Jamie. In her nomination, Smeds wrote, “Jamie was an outstanding example of what FWC represented 24 years ago. As the years have gone by, she has not changed her mission or vision for a lifetime of faith, service, and leadership for Christ. Everyone who meets her sees what God would want others to see in a Christian.”

Jamie graduated from Abilene Christian University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. During that time at ACU, she served on mission trips to Russia and the Dominican Republic. She also studied abroad in Oxford, England where she fell in love with traveling and experiencing other cultures and seeing the Lord's church and ministry around the world. As an adult, Jamie went to Haiti in 2014 to work in a medical clinic with Live Beyond Ministries. A few years later, Joe Don, Jamie, and all three of their children went to Honduras to work with children through Christian Relief Fund. Jamie added, “My passion is loving the Lord, His church, and loving and serving those that Jesus called us to love - the poor, the sick, the orphan and widow, the hurting, and the disadvantaged in our own community and around the world.”

In 2001 Jamie started her nursing career as an RN in Thousand Oaks, California while Joe Don attended law school at Pepperdine University. While in Thousand Oaks, they were members of Conejo Valley Church of Christ where they worked with the youth group and Jamie was involved in their Women's Ministry.  After moving back to Texas in 2004, Jamie worked for 11 years at Texas Health HEB hospital in the endoscopy unit, most of that part-time while their family grew. 

The Ridgell family has been members of The Hills Church since 2004. For over a decade, Jamie was very involved in Women's Ministry, attending, teaching, and facilitating women's Bible study classes. Joe Don and Jamie now serve in the Student Ministry and love encouraging young marrieds/young families at The Hills.

Since 2017, Jamie has worked as an RN at Pregnancy Help 4 U, a non-profit organization that helps pregnant teens/women and their families who are many times in unplanned or crisis situations.  As the nurse, Jamie performs limited ultrasounds and gets to show life in its very beginning stages in the form of a tiny heartbeat. Jamie educates on pregnancy and options and provides a compassionate space for clients to walk through their often overwhelming life circumstances. “Many times the love and care we provide,” said Jamie, “lead to the Gospel being shared as our deepest hope is for every one of our clients to know the love of the Lord who created them and their babies."

This time of COVID-19 has led to a greater need as many clients come to PH4U in financial crisis after losing jobs and feeling unable to care for a baby. “Over and over again,” remarked Jamie, “we've seen the Lord use the care, services, resources, and support we provide and point our clients in a new direction of hope, peace, and joy in their pregnancy and excitement about their new baby. We follow our clients through the pregnancy, through the birth and many times have the thrill of seeing the baby when the Mom comes back to PH4U for her new baby gift. It is a blessing to be a part of PH4U and to serve these families in our community and I feel honored to be a part of our wonderful team at PH4U.” 

Linda Donnely, a fellow nurse at PH4U, wrote this about Jamie. “I am honored to work with Jamie and am blessed to witness her extraordinary devotion, kindness, and compassion for our patients, and thankful to call her my friend. “ Krystal Gonzalez also works with Jamie at PH4U. “Jamie is always a joy to work with. She pours her heart onto every client that she sees and I am truly blessed to be able to watch it firsthand!” Another co-worker, Leah Gann remarked, “Jamie shines with His beauty in all she does, pursuing Christ whole-heartedly, and bringing as many as she can with her.  Her passion and zeal for our God are contagious, and it is a gift to know and work alongside her. “ 

Jamie’s Nurse Manager, Jill Coan remarked that Jamie is “one of the most caring, thoughtful nurses that I have ever known.”  Finally, when asked about working with Jamie, Shon Williams added that Jamie “brings order and love to everything she does as she seeks to build up those around her. Her humility and heart to serve others impacts our clients, staff, and volunteers.” 

When Jamie was notified of this award, she said this about FWC. “It was a gift and a privilege to grow up at Fort Worth Christian with Christ-centered education and be surrounded by staff, teachers, and coaches who loved me and valued my spiritual development more than my academics or athletic performance. FWC gave me the foundation and springboard to go into young adulthood on mission for the Lord in loving, serving others, and expanding His Kingdom. The Lord has used people from the FWC community in every stage of my life to learn from, be encouraged by, and walk alongside in my faith and Christian walk. I will be forever grateful to be a part of the FWC family. Our children are at FWC because our desire is for them to be equipped to grow into the next generation of Kingdom expanders. As the middle of a three-generation Cardinal family, it is exciting to see how God is using Fort Worth Christian School and its students through the generations to go out into the world and make His name great!"

FWC’s Head of School, Dr. Overman, added how grateful FWC is for her Christian leadership. “Jamie is first a devoted and delighted follower of Jesus. Her attitude of gracious and loving service to our larger Christian community and to our FWC community is exactly why she represents so well the best of our Fort Worth Christian alumni.”

Because she embodies our vision, Fort Worth Christian School proudly recognizes Jamie Ridgell, Class of 1996, as the 2020 Alumna of the Year.

 

PAST RECIPIENTS: 

1986-1987 - Dr. Kelly Felps

1987-1988 - Ann Bankes

1988-1989 - John Michener

1989-1990 - Donna Davis

1990-1991 - Jeanette Cruce

1991-1992 - Jay Bailey

1992-1993 - Lance Barrow

1993-1994 - Suzanne Johnson Fox

1994-1995 - James Bankes

1995-1996 - Bobby Duke

1996-1997 - Peter Setimela

1997-1998 - Mark Barrow

1998-1999 - Mark Samsill

1999-2000 - Mark Woodward

2000-2001 - Peggy Hunt

2001-2002 - Keith Alexander

2002-2003 - Kevin Walters

2003-2004 - Kelli Goodrum

2004-2005 - Jenni New

2005-2006 - Curtis Fuller

2006-2007 - Nika Maples

2007-2008 - Kelly Jeffrey Vaughn

2008-2009 - Roy Deaver, Jr.

2009-2010 - Sue Baldwin

2010-2011 - Stephen Bailey

2011-2012 - Jan Blackburn

2012-2013 - Marva Riddle

2013-2014 - Jimmy Paul

2014-2015 - Gay Walters

2015-2016 - Mark McKinney

2016-2017 - Len Wade

2017-2018 - Becky Jeffrey Brooks

2018-2019 - Brad Leffler

2019-2020 - Eric Freeby

2020-2021 - Jamie Ridgell