Thirty-five years out of college, Roger Burgess and Steve Clum have made it less than 50 feet.

This year the two, who were suitemates at Wheaton College, are observing their 35th anniversary as educators at the neighboring Wheaton Christian Grammar School. Burgess is assistant principal and school counselor; Clum is head of school.

During college both considered other career plans, but they found themselves drawn toward Christian elementary education. Once there, they found a fit in the school community.

“For us the key word is ‘relationships,’” Burgess said.

They estimate that in their tenure, they have seen about 2,000 students graduate — some of whom have returned to enroll their own kids. They also have seen the kindergarten through eighth grade school grow. In March, administrators broke ground on a new building on Taylor Drive in Winfield.

“We love the years we’ve had here, but we’re really excited about what God is going to do in a new building,” Clum said.

“If they’ll have us, we’d sure love to keep serving the Lord here,” Clum said.

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Notable
Both were poised to go to other schools before enrolling at Wheaton College. Burgess was set to go to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and Clum had a scholarship to University of Michigan.

History
Opened in 1942, Wheaton Christian Grammar School has been at 530 E. Harrison Ave. since 1951.

Burgess’ teaching family
Burgess’s wife, Janet, is a fourth-grade teacher at Wheaton Christian. His daughter, Elizabeth, 24, teaches in Grand Rapids, Mich., and his son, Andrew, 27, is in school to become a physical education teacher.

Clum’s teaching family
Clum’s wife, Julie, is a former teacher at Wheaton Christian. Daughter Jennifer, 28, is a Wheaton North High School math teacher and daughter Katie, 25, is a kindergarten teacher in Wheaton.