Joaquin, Miles Receive Les Schwab Champions of Character Award
CORVALLIS, Ore. –Northwest Christian University’s Britnee Joaquin and Kaleb Miles have been named the recipients of the Cascade Collegiate Conference Les Schwab Champions of Character awards, the league office announced.
The annual awards, recognizing one male and one female, are voted on by the conference athletic directors based on nominations from schools.
Joaquin, a senior soccer player from Simi Valley, California, completed her undergraduate degree this year in Education and has been an active participant in mission trips throughout her four years as a Beacon, as well as, service in Eugene, Oregon.
This past year Joaquin travelled to Kenya as part of a door-to-door ministry mission team. Along with teaching the gospel to villagers, Joaquin was instrumental in the organization of a track meet that attracted over one-hundred men, women and children throughout the villages that participated. Other mission trips during her time at NCU include disaster relief work in Puerto Rico and fighting human trafficking in Nicaragua.
Locally, Joaquin played an instrumental role in the organization of service projects for the women’s soccer program. Last fall, along with her teammates, a forgotten walking path in Hendricks Park was revitalized by clearing overgrown brush and removal of debris in order to make the path usable by the public. This spring Joaquin organized multiple “Little Tykes” soccer clinics for area preschoolers to participate in which the women’s and men’s soccer players served as the instructors.
Academically Joaquin was stellar as well finishing her career with a perfect 4.0 grade point average (GPA). She was named the NCU Student Teacher of the Year and was the recipient of the Presidential Scholar Award. Joaquin became only the fourth student-athlete to earn the prestigious honor in the history of the award.
Miles, a junior from Puyallup, Washington plays soccer for the Beacons and returns for his senior season this fall while working towards his degree in Biology.
Like Joaquin, Miles took part in the NCU mission trip to Kenya as part of a door-to-door ministry mission team. While serving in remote churches, Miles was, without notice, asked to present a session to young children. With little preparation time he created a fifteen-minute message about David and Goliath in which he acted out the various parts in order to keep the children engaged. Miles also assisted in organization of the track meet that attracted over one-hundred men, women and children throughout the villages that participated.
On campus Miles spearheaded the launch of NCU’s chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and served as the men’s soccer Chaplain Captain. He was the men’s soccer representative on the athletic department’s Student- Athlete Advisory Committee and was NCU's Champion of Character Award winner for 2018-2019. Miles also participated in the Hendricks Park walking path cleanup efforts and the “Little Tykes” soccer clinics.
Other female nominees: Jessie Isham, Corban; Tamika Russell, College of Idaho; Bailey Nelson, Oregon Tech; Jillian Albright, Eastern Oregon; Sarah Howell, Providence; Nila Lukens, Southern Oregon; Kaitlyn Whitley, Walla Walla
Other male nominees: Paul Matyas, Southern Oregon; Jonathan Russomano, Corban; Quim Vallve’, Oregon Tech; Kevin Cummings, Walla Walla; Lane Inwards, Eastern Oregon; Travis Vermulm, Providence; Gibson Berryhill, College of Idaho
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