Madison Chapman - Class of 2018

Madison began her journey as a Lion in just Kindergarten. Throughout her time at Heartland, she was actively involved in a variety of extracurricular activities and graduated as valedictorian of her class. Her passion for sports led her to Youngstown State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, graduating summa cum laude. She went on to complete a Master’s in Professional Communication, where her academic work focused on advancing research on gendered communication in sports.

In May 2024, Madison earned a full-time position in the Youngstown State Athletics Department as the inaugural Social Media Coordinator, a newly created role designed to strengthen the digital presence of YSU Athletics. As the first to hold the position, Madison has been instrumental in building the foundation for how YSU tells its teams’ and student-athletes’ success stories on social media. She collaborates closely with Athletics Communications professionals and mentors a student team in producing engaging content that highlights the achievements of all 21 varsity sports and more than 500 student-athletes. During her first year, she has had the opportunity to showcase several historic moments in YSU Athletics and is excited to continue growing the role and her career in sports.

Madison’s time at Heartland helped strengthen her faith in Christ and provided a well-rounded foundation, both academically and through extracurricular involvement, that prepared her to thrive in college and launch a successful professional career.

Daniel Brandenstein - Class of 2016

After graduating from Heartland in 2016, I moved to Chicago and earned a bachelor's degree in communications at the Moody Bible Institute. In 2020, I returned to Ohio and began working at Chick-fil-A in Howland, where Derek Emerson, the owner, was formerly my middle school basketball coach at Heartland. It was a full-circle moment that made the experience even more meaningful. From there, I transitioned to Chick-fil-A Corporate, where I traveled across seven states as an Interim Manager, working in field operations. Recently, I was honored to be selected as the Owner/Operator of a new Chick-fil-A in Alliance, Ohio, opening in late 2025.

In 2023, I married my beautiful wife, Claire. This February, we were blessed with our daughter, Elise. We’re excited to raise her in Northeast Ohio, surrounded by the community we love. We are members of Old North Church in Canfield and are thrilled to come back home and settle here as a family. Additionally, I volunteer with OneRock Ministries, helping develop Christ-like leaders in the United Kingdom. Through it all, I’m continually amazed by God’s faithfulness and provision.

Alisha Brownlee (Avery) - Class of 2007

Hello! My name is Alisha Brownlee.  I am a Heartland mom and also a Heartland alumni! I attended Heartland from 6th grade through my senior year, and graduated in 2007. I have such fond memories of Heartland… it is where I made my best friends, gained confidence through cheerleading, and grew deeper in my faith. Understanding the Times was my favorite class and really helped me to put my worldview into words and to understand what other religions believe. Heartland was (and still is!) like a family to me and was so supportive to my family and I when my brother (also a Heartland student), Nick Avery, passed away right before his sophomore year.

I have been married to my husband, Jay, for the past 15 years and we have four kids, three of which attend Heartland. In the fall, our oldest, Avery, will be in 6th grade, Micah in 4th, and Addy in 2nd, and then we have a four year old, Jack, who will start kindergarten the following year. We have loved being able to send our kids to my alma mater, but also to such a solid Christian school with teachers who truly care about them and their spiritual walks. We live on the South Side of Youngstown, where God has led us to do ministry. Four years ago, Jay and I started a youth group for inner-city teens. We meet weekly, year-round, for dinner, games, and Bible study. We also have been working on life skills with them and walking through the ups and downs of life with them. What started with just six teens in our little backyard has now grown to around twenty teens! God has continued to surprise us by growing, blessing, and providing for us in this ministry, time and time again. God is doing some really awesome things in the youth of the city of Youngstown, and I would absolutely love to share more with anyone if you see me around the school! Growing up, I had a great foundation of Christian parents and a solid church, but Heartland really added to that firm foundation that I would need when walking through the death of my brother and now doing ministry in the city. Yet not I, but through Christ in me!

Lauren Mac - Class of 2018

Lauren graduated from Heartland in 2008. She was involved in volleyball, cheerleading, praise team, choir, theater and the Buddy Program during her time at Heartland.

Following her graduation from Heartland, she attended Liberty University and obtained a B.S. in Graphic Design with a minor in Studio Art. During college, Lauren traveled often with a Christian band and was very involved with music at a local church. She met her husband Ben at Liberty and they were married in 2014.

After graduation, she worked at Harris Corporation as a graphic designer. In March of 2015, Lauren and Ben moved to Virginia Beach so Ben could take a new job. She is currently building her freelance design and photography business.

Danielle Digges - Class of 2010

Danielle began at Heartland in second grade and graduated in 2010. She played volleyball throughout middle and high school, and was co-captain of the varsity team her senior year. Danielle was also on Student Council all four years of high school, being vice-president her senior year and chair of the Buddy Committee her junior and senior years.

​In addition to this, she loved to be involved in school plays, and was a member of the drama club in high school. Danielle was also the editor of the yearbook her senior year and class secretary throughout her high school years. 

Following Heartland, Danielle went to Liberty University and graduated in three years with a B.S. in Business with a specialization in Human Resource Management. Her first day at Liberty, she met Jacob and they were married three years later in 2013. She is currently the Marketing and Human Resources Director at Chick-fil-A Howland Commons, but is taking additional classes to gain her teaching license for the State of Ohio.

She realized her love for English/Language Arts and helping children reach their potential and decided to make a career change. In the future, Danielle would like to teach middle or high school English in either a public or private school. She feels that her time at Heartland helped mold her into the person she is today, and loves going back to visit!

Danielle’s favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Ashley Vogel (Barron) - Class of 2005

While a student at Heartland, Ashley played varsity volleyball, ran varsity track, and held a variety of major roles in school plays. She was awarded the MVP Award for volleyball her junior and senior years and the Player of the Year Award for drama her senior year. She was also class president, president of the Drama Club, and a member of the National Honors Society. 

Ashley graduated as Valedictorian of Heartland in 2005 with a 4.0 GPA. After completing high school, she was awarded the Ohio Board of Regents Scholarship and the Leslie H. Cochran Award at Youngstown State University. The Leslie H. Cochran Award is an academic/service based scholarship that paid her full tuition, room and board, and books for four years of college, and it also gave her the opportunity to participate in the University Honors and Scholars Program. Through this program, Ashley completed over 40 hours of community service each year through tutoring, announcing at sporting events, participating in Phone-a-thons, and sharing in various other service projects. 

She was also a member of YSU Student Government and several honors societies, and she was awarded the Who’s Who of American College Students Award and the YSU Pin Award, which is the highest student honor at Youngstown State, awarded to only 5 students per year. Upon graduating with her B.S. in Education in 2009, Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA, Ashley began working full-time as a teacher. She married John Vogel in 2010 graduated with her M.A. in English in 2013 with a 4.0 GPA from YSU.  

John and Ashley had their first child, Jax, in March of 2015 and Ashley is now working as an Intervention Specialist and an English and Lower Elementary Spanish teacher at Heartland.  In the future, Ashley would like to continue teaching in K-12, and would also like to teach English at the collegiate level. 

Brittany Estep (Richter) - Class of 2009

Brittany is currently an Admissions Counselor at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. She began her schooling at Heartland as a kindergartner the very first year it opened. She was a stand-out volleyball player throughout junior high and high school. She was also involved in as many drama opportunities as possible. Brittany participated in student council, the Buddy's program which mentors to elementary students, and was also the editor of the school newspaper, The Paw Print.

After Heartland, she went on to further her education at Mount Vernon Nazarene University where she became a student tour guide in the Admissions office on campus, and later an intern. She also ran cross country and served as a small group leader to freshmen girls striving to lead and encourage them in their college journey. In 2013, Brittany graduated from MVNU with a degree in public relations and a minor in marketing. In the summer after college, she married fellow MVNU graduate Jeff Estep.

"At my job I have the opportunity to travel and work with students as they explore MVNU as a possible choice of higher education. I have truly fallen in love with working with students and teens," says Brittany.

God has given Brittany a heart to love people and her plans for the future include just that. She's open to whatever that might entail as she seeks to serve her Heavenly Father, a foundation that was formed back when she was a student at Heartland. 

"I trust God's plan for my life, and I am committed to walking every day in faith that He will continue to create a path for me."

Christian Schwartz - Class of 2010

After Heartland, I went to Evangel University in Springfield, MO, for 2 semesters. While I learned some things and met some new friends, I believe that the primary reason the Lord sent me to Evangel was in order to find my wife. I met Allison, the very first day in my very first class. When I quit school after the first year, it was for her that I moved back 9 months later. I had found a love of farming at Lamppost Farm in Columbiana during those months, and used that experience to get an internship at an urban farm in downtown Springfield. 

After a year engagement in Springfield, during which I worked at the farm and Allison finished her Psychology degree, we were married and moved back here to Columbiana. We had already decided to open a coffee shop to provide a place for our community to gather. The process was long, and we did the majority of the work ourselves. After 10 months and the birth of our first baby Aden Rye, we are open and happy to bring people together for coffee at our Generations Cafe.

My current plans for the future include more kids (best things in the world) and more coffee (hopefully with better and better skill).

Aaron Shields - Class of 2008

Following his time as Director of the Youth and Teen Program at the Davis Family YMCA in Boardman, Ohio, Aaron moved across the state border to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Today he serves as Direct Support Professional in the residential housing program with Pressley Ridge Schools, mentoring and providing physical and emotional support to youth diagnosed with mental health and intellectual disabilities.  

When asked about Heartland, Aaron replied, “Heartland Christian School is much more than a place to gather scholastic knowledge. My years there left me with a sense of family and gave me the assurance of unconditional love and respect that helped to form who I am today, and how I view the world.” 

He was a four-year letter winner in both soccer and basketball, and lettered on Heartland's inaugural baseball team during his senior year. He was selected by teammates to serve as team captain three of his seasons, and received a Coaches Award, several Most Valuable Player Awards and was recognized for his Defensive Skills as well as his Spiritual Leadership.

In addition to being a standout athlete, Aaron excelled in academics, receiving the Christian Leadership Award from ACSI, and being elected State Auditor while attending Buckeye Boys State sponsored by the American Legion at Bowling Green University. He was also among only 50 students selected to attend summer Med Camp at NEOUCOM in Rootstown, Ohio. Aaron served as class president for four years. He was chosen to represent his class on the Homecoming Court all four years, and was selected as Homecoming King his senior year. He was active in Student Council, Roaring Lions, the Buddies Program, the Theatrical Society and the Praise & Worship Team. 

After graduating from Heartland in 2008, he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Geneva College in 2012, with a major in Student Ministry, and a minor in Biblical Studies. He is currently pursuing his post-graduate degree in Social Psychology, as he continues to follow one step behind Jesus.

“I am truly blessed to be a product of the collective efforts of many God-fearing men and women at Heartland Christian School. I am truly grateful for my experiences and would encourage anyone, who has been given the opportunity, to take advantage of the resources offered by this life-changing, family oriented school," says Aaron.

Sarah Pupillo (Kusky) - Class of 2007

Sarah began her time at Heartland as a freshman, nervous and excited because she was always home-schooled. She says, "Heartland was a great place for me to make that transition. God used each one of the teachers in my life to help me grow and mature. As a freshman, I was a pretty quiet and shy, but by the time I was a senior I held leadership roles."

Sarah led in her class, student council, National Honor Society, and varsity soccer (which she played all four years). She also participated in the Buddy Program, sang in the choir, acted in several plays, and was honored to graduate as Salutatorian. 

"I look back on my years at Heartland with fond memories - I truly loved my time there!" recalls Sarah.  After graduation, she attended Cedarville University where she majored in nursing and minored in Bible. During those four years, Sarah was a part of Bible studies and choir. She worked in the nursing lab and spent a month in Togo, West Africa, working in a rural hospital. She met husband, Steve Pupillo during her freshman year and they married two weeks after their graduation in May 2011.

They then moved to Virginia where Steve would attend medical school. Sarah worked as a nurse on a Progressive Care Unit. In November 2013, the Lord blessed Sarah & Steve with a beautiful little girl named Lydia. 

"I loved my time in the hospital, my co-workers, the elderly patients I cared for and the chance to serve others - it was so rewarding, but as for right now, my husband and I have decided that being at home with Lydia is the best place for me, and I am so grateful for this special time with her!" says Sarah.

Sarah is very excited to see where God takes them in the future. Steve will graduate in 2015. Although they don't know where they will live or work at that time, they are confident that He will lead them to a place where they can continue to further His Kingdom. The couple hopes to use their medical knowledge together to serve Him!

Jonathan Osborn - Class of 2011

Jonathan is a 2011 graduate of Heartland Christian School. As a student, he was a member of the 2009 State Championship basketball team. He was also heavily involved in numerous school activities including a member of the sound tech team. After graduation, Jonathan followed God's call to join Youth With A Mission (YWAM).

Since joining YWAM, he has travelled extensively across the U.S., Scotland, the Philippines, Singapore, Fiji, Australia and New Zealand. During that time he has served and spoken at numerous churches, helped with large-scale evangelistic campaigns using his skills in live production, led outreach teams to the nations and helped with the discipleship of young people at YWAM Bethlehem in New Zealand. During his time in New Zealand he helped to establish a media ministry at the base which uses video, the web and photography to reach even more people with God's message of hope and salvation. He also helped to pioneer the Leader's Internship program to help in the development of leaders who wish to serve in ministry long term. Jonathan also served on the leadership team at the local church that he was a part of, overseeing the setup teams and the sound teams each Sunday.  

Jonathan married the love of his life, Alisa Tualaulelei in March 2016. Jonathan and Alisa met while serving together in New Zealand and they plan to continue serving the Lord with YWAM long term.

If you would like more information about what God is doing in and through Jonathan and Alisa, and to find out how you can support their work, email them at jonathan.alisa@gmail.com. They send out a monthly newsletter via email you can subscribe to.