The class of 2024 participated in the annual Senior Walk allowing students, faculty, staff and parents to honor the senior class as they walked the campus wearing their graduation gowns.
The middle school provides a challenging yet age-appropriate curriculum and fosters a safe and nurturing Christcentered community where every student feels valued and belongs.
Knight Tank 2024 was a resounding success with 30 proposals submitted for the annual program that provides funding for a new event, class, program or curriculum based need that is submitted by a team of teachers.
class of 2024 Valedictorian Salutatorian
Alex joe | Valedictorian
Favorite Classes: • AP Music Theory
• AP Government & Politics
Alex Joe will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and he plans to study economics with the desire to become a corporate lawyer. He is a National Merit Commended Scholar, an AP Scholar with Distinction and a Summa Cum Laude Honor Roll student for his upper school career. He is a member of the National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society. This past summer he participated in the N.C. Governor’s School. He was captain of the varsity swim team and member of CCS’s record-holding 200-yard medley relay team. He plays the trumpet in the wind ensemble and jazz band. Alex volunteers twice a week at a nursing home and plays piano for their residents and has been involved with Habitat for Humanity. Alex started at CCS in the seventh grade.
Charlotte Christian has given me a network of teachers and peers I know I will be able to rely on for years to come. I have met so many people who – even after graduating –will always support me in any way necessary. CCS has also given me a rich education that will sustain my studies in college. All of my teachers have taught me to think critically through my assignments and take pride in my work, skills that will serve me well both in and beyond college.
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emma taylor | Salutatorian
Favorite Classes: • AP Biology
• AP Government & Politics
Emma Taylor will attend Wake Forest University and she plans to study bio and international relations with dreams to be a humanitarian aid/disaster relief coordinator at the United Nations. She is an AP Scholar with Distinction and a Summa Cum Laude Honor Roll student for her upper school career. She served as the Academic Prefect her senior year and earned her Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. She is a member of the National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society. She earned a silver key for her writing in the 2023 Scholastic Awards and the Maximum Cum Laude Silver Award in the National Latin Exam. This past summer she participated in the N.C. Governor’s School and attended a school mission trip to Uganda. She played on both the varsity girls’ basketball and lacrosse teams. Emma volunteers in the preschool ministry at Carmel Baptist Church. Emma started at CCS in the ninth grade.
Charlotte Christian has helped me grow stronger and more secure in my faith, as well as providing me with a great education. The school has helped teach me that you can incorporate your faith and honor God in all that you do, even if it doesn’t seem like something where faith would come into play. I will definitely take this lesson with me after I graduate.
Charlotte Christian celebrated the Class of 2024 with the seventh annual senior walk this spring. This exciting tradition began in 2018 as a way for our community to honor the senior class. On this special day our seniors start in the Early Education Building and weave through campus as students and employees line the halls and sidewalks to cheer and clap for them as they pass. The seniors make their way to the center of the athletic stadium field when the seniors and their parents take a moment to pray over each other as the students anticipate the transition to a new chapter in their lives.
charlottechristianschool2024
It was so wonderful to not only celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of this class, but it was also such a privilege to be able to have some intentional space to laugh together, marvel at their growth over the past four years, and look forward to all that God has in store for them ahead!
- Kaitlin Pleshko, Senior Class Advisor
For the second year, the seniors wrapped up school and traveled to San Diego, California for a week together on their annual senior trip before commencement. The group enjoyed excursions to the USS Midway Museum, Petco Park Tour, San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld San Diego, Disneyland, Grad Nite at California Adventure, hiking at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, playing disc golf, surfing and kayaking in La Jolla and golfing at Balboa Park Golf Course.
The seniors also participated in a half-day service experience during the week. At the San Diego Food Bank students processed food donations in preparation for distribution to those in need. At the San Diego Habitat for Humanity ReStore, students worked in the warehouse organizing furniture, building supplies and home decor. Students cleaned up trash on La Jolla Beach with I Love a Clean San Diego.
Head of School Barry Giller travels with the group and shares a daily session with the seniors that includes advice as they embark on their college journey. In each session, the group seeks the answers to these common questions by examining God’s wordWho am I? Am I normal? What do I believe? Where to next?
Thomas Albee* University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Sofia Alegria University of Mississippi
E.J. Anderson* Rutgers University
Alex Andrews Hampton University
Hannah Arberg University of Tennessee
Cameron Bailey Auburn University
Rachel Baker~* Anderson University
Carsten Banck* Belmont Abbey College
Ansley Battle* Appalachian State University
Drew Beard James Madison University
Sarah Grace Beauchemin~*
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Karsen Betzold~ Auburn University
Ian Black~ North Carolina State University
Chloe Boyd* Clemson University
Drew Boyd* Central Piedmont Community College
Jacob Brown~* Clemson University
Abbey Buzanowski* North Carolina State University
Mackenzie Caldwell North Carolina State University
Graham Cash~ Clemson University
Ruthie Caswell Anderson University
Caroline Catanese~ Clemson University
Gabe Cavalcanti~ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Beza Collins North Carolina State University
Daniel Crocker
Clemson University
Eli Dail University of Mississippi
Eliza Davis~ University of Georgia
Sarah Davis~* University of South Carolina
Olivia Dawson University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Sean Donnelly
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Sophia Fair* Anderson University
Graiden Farmer University of Alabama
Brendan Flanagan University of Alabama
Claire Fulton Clemson University
Micah Gilbert University of Notre Dame
Nic Harris Elon University
Pete Heath
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Ricki Hendrick Palm Beach Atlantic University
Ryan Henley~ Wake Forest University
Dane Howard
Baylor University
Sydney Jackson
Clemson University
Kathryn Jamison* Howard University
Alex Joe~ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Whitney Johnson* Belmont University
Aiden Jones~ Northeastern University
Michael Kabwe* North Carolina A&T State University
Dominique Kay~ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ann Keim#
Samford University
Taylor Kerley University of Alabama
Cross Killen Limestone University
Derrick Layton University of Southern Mississippi
Kayla Lee Roanoke College
Israel Lewis Wheaton College
Thomas Lineberger* Universal Technical Institute
Isabella Long University of Central Florida
Gavin Major Wofford College
Avery Manry North Carolina State University
Thomas McNally* Guilford College
Enzo Melio* Western Carolina University
Kendall Moore Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Leo Munoz University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Connor Natwick
Sewanee: The University of the South
Sophia Oliveto* University of Pittsburgh
Kate Pannell University of Kentucky
Caroline Parrish
Appalachian State University
Luke Reynolds Western Carolina University
Parrish Robinson~* University of Miami
Nick Rosen University of Tennessee
Sydney Rush Auburn University
Anna Sanger North Carolina State University
Evan Santaniello~ University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Gavin Schoen East Carolina University
Avery Sehorn* University of Alabama
Sydney Grace Shamp~ Auburn University
Rashi Singh~ Boston University
Will Slater~
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Alexander Smith University of Pittsburgh
Jayden Stall University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Ryland Tafoya~ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Emma Taylor~ Wake Forest University
Kennedi Thompson Spelman College
Oliver Tobin Hampden-Sydney College
Kate Trimakas East Carolina University
Jackson Turner University of North Carolina at Wilmington
J.D. Urban~ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Luca Vachino~ University of Tennessee
Samuel Valadez Dark Horse Institute
Christian Vann Gardner-Webb University
Ella Voloshko~#
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Henry Wetmore University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Cameron White* University of Mississippi
Tre Wilfong North Carolina State University
Jeffery Wilson~ Elon University
Anna Winstel University of Edinburgh
Tyler Wolff University of Oklahoma
Lara Woodley~ University of Tennessee
Tripp Woody University of Iowa
Noah Wright~ University of South Carolina
Bryce Young University of Notre Dame
Zach Zinger* Wake Forest University *Lifers
~ Honors Graduates * Lifers # Legacy Graduates
MiddleBelonging in the
Creation Vacation was the best time because we were able to visit fun places and continue building friendships over the summer. It was also a great time to meet some of our new teachers and have lots of fun.
- Journey Tall, seventh grader
At Charlotte Christian School, middle school is where students cultivate independence, self-discovery and confidence. This is achieved through a challenging yet age-appropriate curriculum, fostering a safe and nurturing Christ-centered community where every student feels valued and belongs.
“Developing and nurturing strong relationships among peers and teachers is key to a successful middle school experience,” says Middle School Principal Brooke Morgan. “Adolescents are filled with energy and excitement that we harness through
Creation Vacation
Pink Day
House Champions
Luau Day
structured play, fellowship and learning opportunities. This includes advisory groups, engaging chapels, student-led devotions, fun-filled Fellowship Fridays, overnight retreats and field trips, theme days, and a wide range of cocurricular activities and electives. Through these experiences, students are nurtured and challenged to grow academically, spiritually, physically and socially.”
The middle school is intentional about meeting the needs of adolescents and creating a safe space for students to try new things, even when they aren’t successful. By encouraging students to try again, we foster the development of resilience, creativity, and grit; all valuable skills that contribute to their character and future success.
“We want to help make the middle school years the best years of our students’ lives so far,” said Middle School Spiritual Life Director Rian Berger. “We know that middle school can be scary, and it might be the first time students face a big disappointment, get cut from a team or experience failure. We want to give our students opportunities to make lifelong memories and try new things to discover what they are good at in a safe, caring environment. We want to make the middle school years fun where everyone feels they belong.”
Spiritual retreats are a great time to disconnect from school for a few days. We fellowship and do fun activities with our friends like swimming, zip line, color wars, tugof-war, synchronized swimming, and you can grow closer to God with morning devotions and the chapels every night.
- Cameron Edwards, seventh grader
The D.C. trip was a great experience because we learned a lot about American history. My favorite part was hanging out with my friends and making memories.
-
Ariana Wilson, eighth grader
Grade 8 Washington, D.C.
2023 Windy Gap
Grade 6 King Tut Project
Bible Character Day Turkey Tournament
KNIGHTS HEADLINES
CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Knight Tank 2024 was a resounding success with 30 proposals submitted for the annual program that provides funding for a new event, class, program or curriculum based need that is submitted by a team of students and teachers. Eight groups were invited to present to a panel of judges to pitch their ideas and earn part of the $3,000 budget and three groups were named winners to implement their concepts for the 2024-25 school year.
Lower School Media Center Comfortable Seating
Fourth grader Davis Dunn, with faculty sponsor Lower School Media Specialist Molly French, proposed to add comfortable seating, such as unique bean bags, to the Lower School Media Center. “I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but the seating in the media center was flat and not comfortable,” said Davis. His goal was to create a place for students to grab a good book and relax in a cozy seat. The new bean bags recently arrived in the media center and Davis said the seating has been popular. “My friends are already fighting over who gets to sit on them,” said Davis laughingly.
Middle School Student Reset Room
Fifth graders Ashley Zhou, Olivia Friedman, Evangeline Foster and Milania Garcia proposed the school create a “reset room” in the Middle School Building as they look ahead to being middle school students next year. This room will provide a quiet space for those who might need a “reset” in the middle of the day. Evangeline, who initiated the proposal, said the purpose for the room “was to have a place for students to visit when they feel a little overwhelmed or down.” Faculty sponsor and
Middle School Counselor Lauren Duncan said, “Research shows that just a few minutes of deep breathing can reset a person’s flight or fight response system. This space will give students the opportunity to do that in a calm and quiet environment along with age appropriate toys, fidgets and other sensory items. The goal is after a few minutes of spending time in the reset room, the student can go back about their day and feel like they have one more tool in their toolkit to help them when they get stressed.”
KnightBEAT, drumline
Sophomore Evan Eshleman with faculty sponsor Lower School Music Teacher Ed Bender proposed to add an upper school marching drumline that will perform at Charlotte Christian home football games, tailgates and other school events. Evan was excited his proposal will become a reality and said, “the addition of a drumline is going to be great at football games. It will be fun and bring a lot more people together – the fans in the stands and those in the drumline.”
Students who are interested in learning to play drums or who already play percussion are invited to join KnightBEAT. No experience is needed to join in the fun. Please have your student scan the QR code and complete the survey to share their interest and more details will be forthcoming on how to get involved.
The spring Knights Serve project was a sock collection for The ODD Sock ministry, whose mission is to provide socks “to bring love and hope to heart’s, warmth and protection to the feet of the poor, orphaned, widowed and homeless.” As socks arrived, middle and upper school students helped sort the socks into sizes and colors. Junior Corban Hall helped with the collection and sorting of socks and said, “I personally want to
help because I know that there are a lot of things that we can take for granted. At a school like Charlotte Christian, we don’t have to worry about whether or not we have socks, and donating socks can make a massive difference for someone who’s been placed in different circumstances than us.” The CCS community donated 7,028 pairs of socks, a huge blessing for the ODD Sock ministry and those who will receive them.
total pop tabs collected 87 lbs.
(equals about 87,000 pop can tabs)
POP CAN TAB COLLECTION
Lower school students collected pop can tabs to donate to the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte, which supports families with sick or injured children by providing them the comfort and support of home. The pop can tab collection helps raise awareness about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte and the tabs are recycled to be used again.
The total collection was a whopping 87 lbs. of pop can tabs (equals about 87,000 pop can tabs) and Mrs. Ulrich’s second grade class won the competition by collecting 19 lbs. of tabs!
A student in Mrs. Ulrich’s second grade class, Parker Fox, spearheaded the collection. Parker’s late grandfather, Dr. Ed Baum, a pediatric oncologist, was co-founder of the first Ronald McDonald House in Chicago in 1977, and was founder of Charlotte’s Ronald McDonald house in 2011. Parker is continuing the legacy of helping families and said he encouraged others to bring in tabs because he really wanted to help the Ronald McDonald house for the families of the very sick kids that are in the hospital.
LOWER SCHOOL FACULTY MEMBERS EARN ORTON GILLINGHAM CERTIFICATION
Congratulations to 13 lower school teachers who earned Orton Gillingham certification this year. The Orton Gillingham certification process includes a weeklong summer training with an Orton Gillingham Fellow, 50 hours of supervised practicum, including five recorded teaching observations featuring both whole group and small group instruction.
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In addition to these requirements, Lower School Academic Learning Specialist Michelle Tolbert, completed an additional 40 course hours, an additional 50 student hours, and an additional five observations. She will also turn in a detailed portfolio outlining her work as an interventionist to complete the requirements to earn the Associate Level of certification.
READING KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE
A total of 86 fifth grade and fourth grade students were awarded the Reading Knights of the Round Table medal. To be recognized, fifth grade students, as well as fourth grade students, must have completed their Reading Knights requirements every quarter during their time at Charlotte Christian. Lower school students read 18,642 books this school year as part of the Reading Knights program, and 352 students participated all four quarters. Grades 3-5 read a total of 1,031,608 minutes!
LIFE SCIENCE MUSEUM
Seventh grade students each created a 3D model of an animal using recycled and reused materials from home to represent the creativity of God’s creation. The students all did an amazing job and presented their models to lower school students at the annual Life Science Museum.
NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY &
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
INDUCTIONS
Congratulations to the middle school students recently inducted into the NJHS and the upper school students inducted into the NHS.
UPPER SCHOOL LATIN AWARDS
1. Upper school Latin students earned 31 awards at the 2023-24 North Carolina Junior Classical League (NCJCL) State Convention in academic, arts and athletic events.
2. Nine students were awarded medals for their performance on the 2023-24 National Classical Etymology Exam (NCEE).
3. 12 upper school students received awards for their performance on the 2023-24 National Latin Exam (NLE).
SCHOLASTIC WRITING WINNERS
Five middle and upper school students earned recognition in the 202324 Region-at-Large East Writing Competition (the region ranges from Pennsylvania to Florida). The group earned three gold keys, one silver key and two honorable mention writing awards. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is administered by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers and is the longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for student achievement in the visual arts and creative writing in the United States.
• Gianna Gaskins (9), Honorable Mention, Poetry, “Poetry in Motion”
• James Langdon (9), Gold Key, Science Fiction & Fantasy, “The Dungeon”
• Kendyl Meisel (9), Gold Key, Poetry, “The Mirror”’ Honorable Mention, Poetry, “The Cause for Vengeance”
• Charis Scott (8), Gold Key, Science Fiction & Fantasy, “The Forgotten Point”
• Bryce Young (12), Silver Key, Personal Essay & Memoir, “Good”
Pictured (Left to right): James Langdon, Gianna Gaskins, Kendyl Meisel, Charis Scott, Bryce Young (not pictured)
KNIGHTS RECORDS
WINTER & SPRING SEASON MILESTONES
Wrestling: Senior Tre Wilfong finished his high school wrestling career with more than 100 wins, four individual state championships and two NCISAA Most Outstanding Wrestler awards. He helped lead the varsity wrestling team to a fourth place finish at the NCISAA state championship meet.
Track & Field: Both boys’ and girls’ track teams finished third in the state at the NCISAA state championship track meet. Junior Evan Boykin was the first Knight to become a state champ in all three sprint races - the 100m, 200m and 400m. The Knights also had three other individual state champions, junior Nina Dominique (100m, 200m), junior Alesia Sylverain (discus) and junior MadisonRae Noble (high jump).
Boys’ Golf: The varsity golf team finished the regular season as the second ranked team in the state. With a score of 72, senior Oliver Tobin finished as co-champ of the conference tournament this year, making him the individual conference champion in back-to-back years. Junior Stokes Greene also had a hole-in-one during the season!
Boys’ Tennis: The young varsity boys’ tennis team has a bright future ahead, totaling 10 wins this season. This team is the best boys’ tennis team at CCS in more than 20 years with double digit wins and an all-state honoree in sophomore Justin Persinger. The Knights were also led in play by freshman James Langdon.
The following athletes posted school records for CCS this season.
Mayers, 58.31
Wolff, 53.64
22.05
200 Medley Relay, 1:43.98 Alex Joe
Wolff
Caswell, 1:57.22
Grace Shamp, 2:21.62
Krause 4 3
Hurdles Peter Caswell, 1:00.18
SOFTBALL FIELD RIBBON CUTTING
A highlight of the spring sports season kickoff was the ribboncutting ceremony and dedication of the new softball field before the first home game on Feb. 23, 2024. Thanks in part for the generosity and commitment of our donors and school community, the support has made a tremendous impact on the team and coaching staff. The softball field was relocated and received an upfit to provide an improved player and fan experience. The field was expanded to regulation size fast pitch dimensions with a sodbase, a 40-foot separation from the baseball field, enhanced dugouts with additional team and field storage, and better seating areas for spectator viewing.
Boykin
Caswell Ace Clements
400m Evan Boykin, 48.45
Junior Anna Hinde notes, “The new softball field means so much to me, my teammates, and future Charlotte Christian softball players. This field represents an advancement for female athletics and the sport of softball while also offering a physical reminder of the hard work every single CCS softball coach and player has poured into the program. I’m so excited to be a part of the inaugural season as a new chapter begins for a well-deserving program. Go Knights!”
With the facility upgrade, the future for the team looks bright indeed. Head Coach Kevin Hinde recognized the possibilities immediately, adding, “The new softball field represents a belief that softball is a powerful tool for education, teaching important life skills such as leadership, perseverance, and teamwork while instilling values and creating lasting memories. The players have a new sense of belonging and purpose to be able to showcase their talents on a field that reflects their skill, hard work and dedication to the program. We are extremely blessed to have a new field that creates an environment for our student-athletes and fans that compliments the championship play of our program.”
ALL-CONFERENCE & ALL-STATE HONOREES
Congratulations to the following student-athletes on earning CISAA All-Conference and NCISAA All-State recognition for spring sports.
ALL-CONFERENCE *CISAA Player of the Year
Baseball
First Team
Drew Beard
Cohen Bettencourt
Logan Davis
Nic Harris
D.J. Layton*
Grant Nicholson
Second Team
Owen Farrell
Golf
First Team
Alexander Paschall
Oliver Tobin
Second Team
Stokes Greene
Connor Natwick
Girls Lacrosse
Second Team
Sydney Fox
Boys Lacrosse
Second Team
Griffin Fox
Jayden Stall
Softball
First Team
Morgan Banks
Anna Hinde*
Second Team
Sydney Francois
Stella Spang
Boys Tennis
First Team
Justin Persinger
Track First Team
100m
Evan Boykin
Nina Dominique
200m
Evan Boykin
Nina Dominique
400m
Evan Boykin
4x100 Relay
Josiah Amasa
Ace Clements
Henry Hulbert
Christian Vann
ALL-STATE
Baseball
D.J. Layton
Grant Nicholson
Softball
Morgan Banks
Anna Hinde
Tennis
Justin Persinger
Track
100m
Evan Boykin
Nina Dominique
200m
Evan Boykin
Nina Dominique
400m
Evan Boykin
4x100 Relay
Evan Boykin
Ace Clements
Jack Krause
Christian Vann
4x200 Relay
Josiah Amasa
Robert Amasa
Peter Caswell
Jack Krause
High Jump
MadisonRae Noble
Shot Put
Alesia Sylverain
Second Team
100m
Ace Clements
200m
Jack Krause
400m
Nina Dominique
100 Hurdles
MadisonRae Noble
Discus
Alesia Sylverain
Triple Jump
MadisonRae Noble
WINTER & SPRING ATHLETIC SIGNINGS
Ten student-athletes from the Class of 2024 committed in February and April to participate in college athletics in signing day ceremonies. This group joins eight other students who committed earlier this year for a total of 18 students from the Class of 2024.
Sophia Fair, Lacrosse Anderson University
Ryan Henley, Football Wake Forest University
Olivia Dawson, Track University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Cross Killen, Football Limestone University
Kayla Lee, Basketball Roanoke College
Thomas McNally, Golf Guilford College
Connor Natwick, Golf Sewanee: The University of the South
Oliver Tobin, Golf Hampden-Sydney College
Christian Vann, Football Gardner-Webb University
Zach Zinger, Football Wake Forest University
4x200 Relay
Robert Amasa
Ace Clements
Jack Krause
Christian Vann
Discus
Alesia Sylverain
High Jump
MadisonRae Noble
UPPER SCHOOL MUSICAL: TARZAN THE STAGE MUSICAL
Under the direction of Director of Theatre Claire Hilton, upper school students told the compelling story of two worlds coming together to form one family in their performance of Tarzan the Stage Musical. With strong individual and ensemble vocal performances and bold acting choices, Tarzan came alive on stage with colorful costumes and a playful jungle gym set featuring a zip line and aerial silks that were installed in Alkire Auditorium for the show. In preparation for the show, students attended aerial clinics and learned the art of acrobatics and zip lining to create a magical, high-flying experience for the entire family.
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Congratulations to the following students who received Blumey nominations for their role in Tarzan:
• Jayden Stall - Best Actor as Tarzan
• Karsen Betzold - Best Actress as Jane
• Jeffery Wilson - Best Supporting Actor as Kerchak
• Hannah Roddy - Best Supporting Actress as Terk
• Isa Long - Best Featured Performer as the Jaguar
KNIGHT OF THE ARTS
Fine arts in all disciplines and divisions were celebrated at the annual allschool Knight of the Arts event. Families and students visited campus to enjoy nearly 1,000 pieces of visual or digital artwork made by students in grades JK-12 that were on display throughout the campus. Students in the upper school choir, jazz band, orchestra, wind ensemble and UKnight Worship teams performed live outdoor music while visitors enjoyed concessions, face painting, sidewalk chalk and hands-on art projects. The evening ended with the upper school spring concert featuring upper school band, orchestra and choir students and honoring the fine arts seniors at the twilight of their upper school career.
SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS
Congratulations to the following students for earning recognition in the 2024 Mid-Carolina Regional Scholastic Art Competition:
Elyn Aldrich, Cow WondersGold Key for Drawing
Ruthie Caswell, Transparent - Honorable Mention for Digital Photography
Eden Davis, MirrorHonorable Mention for Drawing & Illustration
LOWER SCHOOL MUSICAL: FINDING NEMO KIDS
Under the direction of Faculty Fellow De’Ja McKnabb, lower school students performed the fun-filled story of Nemo exploring the “Big Blue World” in Disney’s Finding Nemo KIDS . Our students discovered their talents and conquered their fears as they told the story of Nemo facing his fears and finding his way back home. When Nemo gets whisked away to Sydney, Australia because of an act of disobedience, Marlin, his dad, crosses the ocean to rescue his child just as our heavenly Father searches to save us. With bright, colorful costumes and vibrant music, our students brought the underwater world to life in a story full of family, friendship and adventure.
REGIONAL AND ALL-STATE MUSIC HONOREES
Congratulations to the following students for their participation at the regional and state level:
• Jewel Simpson (6), Maddie Houck (8) and Emma Huff (8) earned placements in the 2024 North Carolina Music Educators Association Middle School All-State Choir Festival in Greensboro.
• Violinists Cristian Fahami (11) and Sanai Horne (11) earned acceptance into the 2024-25 Youth Orchestra of Charlotte.
• Taylor Lambertson (7) earned placement in the 2024 Junior Western Region Orchestra at Shelby High School.
• Flutist Rebekah Switzer (10) earned placement in the 2024 South Central District Bandmasters Association All-District Honor Band.
• Emma Forrest (alto saxophone), Hayden Norcross (clarinet), Samuel Franklin (trumpet), Thomas McPherson (trombone), Keira Rhodes (clarinet), Sterling Devin (clarinet), Cameron Branner (clarinet), Nico Nieto (trumpet), and Henry Albee (trombone) earned placement in the Ovation Honor Band.
For the fourth time, Charlotte Christian participated in the Japanese Exchange Program with Yamate Gaukin High School, a grade 6-12 private school located in Yokohama, Japan. CCS families welcomed and hosted 38 Japanese students for a two-week homestay where they shadowed upper school classes and learned about American culture on field trips to Reed’s Gold Mine, a Charlotte Knights baseball game, Carowinds, a pickleball clinic and the Mint Museum Uptown. CCS students in all three divisions interacted with the visitors and learned about Japanese culture and history through performances, culture stations, culture talks with questions and answers and personal interaction with the students. In July, 14 upper school students will travel to Japan for a two-week homestay to be immersed in the culture of Japan and continue their learning.
winterim
Japanese Exchange Program
Students celebrated different cultures around the world and learned about different countries at the annual Multicultural Festival. Lower school students were assigned a country to learn about and represent throughout the day, while middle and upper school students prepared a Nation’s Fair for the younger students to visit and learn about different cultures. Students participated in fun opening and closing ceremonies with performances of songs, dances and plays that celebrated different countries around the world. They visited stations throughout the day where they tasted different foods, played games, made crafts, and experienced many different cultures.
The upper school Winterim program provides our students with opportunities to expand their global awareness as they visit and learn about different places around the globe. This year, Winterim offerings included trips to Austria, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Panama and Peru as well as various domestic and local experiences. Whether visiting new places locally or far away, participating in service projects or learning by experiencing new cultures and locations, Winterim experiences allowed upper school students to deepen relationships and broaden their global perspective outside the classroom. “I was amazed at the beauty of God’s creation all around the globe,” said senior Spiritual Life Prefect Graham Cash. “Interacting with the people of Iceland and seeing the enormous glaciers and beautiful country helped expand my global awareness and appreciation for other cultures and perspectives.”
Newly Renovated Dining Hall
Coming August 2024
At the start of the new millennium, Charlotte Christian School opened the 2000-01 school year with a renovated dining hall named in honor of Ken and Joyce Flenniken who faithfully served at Charlotte Christian. Mr. Flenniken retired in 2015 after 40 years with the maintenance team and Mrs. Flenniken retired after 33 years with the business office. This summer the dining hall is being renovated again and modernized in partnership with Flik. The renovated dining hall will provide greater flexibility and space for the flow of traffic flow between stations, an additional serving line, new seating layouts and additional space in the kitchen to support our enrollment growth over the years.
Farewell
to Veteran Employees
We are thankful for the combined 57 years of service and dedication to Charlotte Christian School.
Miss Sharon Humphrey
36 years in education - 12 years at CCS
Mrs. Lynda Collins
27 years in education at CCS
Mrs. Lynda Collins is retiring from her role as the early education administrative assistant after 27 years of joyful service to Charlotte Christian. “Lynda embodies servant leadership,” shared Lower School Principal Brandon Henderson. “She has faithfully served the Early Education students and teachers in a way Christ has love for us - selfless, instantaneous, sincere and passionate. She loves and cares for those under her protection fiercely and has made an eternal impact on hundreds of students who have come through that building!”
Miss Sharon Humphrey is retiring from Charlotte Christian School after serving as the director of Extended Day for the past two years and prior to that 10 years as the lower school principal. During her tenure as principal she led the process of revamping the lower school curriculum, introduced the STEM program to the lower school, oversaw the development of the robotics teams, strengthened the after school clubs program and significantly grew lower school enrollment. Most importantly, she has shepherded the hearts of thousands of students and pointed families to Jesus. “For more than 35 years Sharon has served God by using her gifts and talents to serve lower school families at three Christian schools. I am so grateful for her steadfast leadership, her amazing contributions to our senior staff, and most importantly, her friendship,” shared Head of School Barry Giller.
Mr. Allen Nielsen
46 years in education - 18 years at CCS
After 18 years of faithful service to Charlotte Christian School, Mr. Allen Nielsen retired from his director of facilities and security role at the end of February 2024. Mr. Nielsen served for six years in this role and prior to that, he was our upper school principal for 12 years. “In his 48 year career, including 30 years as a high school principal, Mr. Nielsen has faithfully heeded God’s call on His life to serve in Christian education,” shared Head of School Barry Giller. “When I think of Mr. Nielsen, I am reminded of I Samuel 12:24 which says, ‘Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.’”
Greg Lineberger graduated from Charlotte Christian in 1999 and currently is the executive director of Gethsemane Garden Christian Centre, a locally-led Christian boarding school in western Kenya. Their vision is to rescue orphans and vulnerable children, provide them with hope and equip them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ to empower them to impact Kenya and the world for His kingdom. GGCC was founded in 2003 by local Christian leaders in Kenya who were called by God to serve children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The school now serves more than 700 students in grades K-12 on Mfangano Island and has graduated more than 500 students over the last 20 years. The ministry encourages people to build relationships with those that you serve. They offer a child sponsorship program to cover the needs of one student as well as exchange letters throughout the school year. There are also summer trips available to go meet your sponsored student and help spread the Gospel in their communities.
Upon graduation from CCS, Mr. Lineberger attended Liberty University where he earned a degree in religion/biblical studies. He earned his master’s degree in education also from Liberty University and taught Bible for nine years and was a school counselor for six years at Hickory Grove Christian School. “I felt God’s call for missions and planned to teach Bible in a Christian school for a few years and then follow where God led. During that time I joined the board of a Christian ministry my dad founded and started taking trips to
Greg Lineberger Class of 1999
Kenya again as I did when I was in high school at CCS. In 2019, I began as executive director of GGCC where I had been on the board. I have also been growing my private practice in counseling since 2018.”
Mr. Lineberger cultivated a passion for service during his time at Charlotte Christian participating in service opportunities through the CCS Experience program as well as during Bible classes and the annual Windy Gap spiritual retreat. “In high school at CCS, each spring we would have the CCS Experience when grades 9-11 participated in a variety of service opportunities. I remember doing something locally my freshman year; as a sophomore we served a ministry in the Appalachian mountains; and junior year we traveled to New Mexico to serve. These experiences, along with the biblical teaching at our fall retreat at Windy Gap and in regular chapels, greatly shaped my spiritual growth and heart for serving others.
Greg married Autumn Page Lineberger ‘00 and the couple has six children and live in Indian Trail, N.C.
charlotte christian school
Sporting Clays Tournament
$628,904
‘24
The ninth annual Sporting Clays Tournament took place in May at Meadow Wood. Members of our community enjoyed morning and afternoon flights of shooting clays, lunch and a silent auction where more than $42,000 was raised for the Annual Fund. The silent auction included donations from Quail Hollow Club, Robinson Orthodontists, Drybar, Meadow Wood Farm, ISI Elite Training, GOAT BOXCO Coolers, Carmel Country Club and more.
Special thanks to... Partner Sponsors:
Title Sponsor:
The CCS community has supported Charlotte Christian through the Annual Fund. This critical fund is the foundation of Charlotte Christian and allows us to fulfill our mission and impact our students for a lifetime. We thank you for your selfless giving and heart of service that has worked to advance Charlotte Christian’s mission.
This April, Charlotte Christian hosted a morning Ladies’ Tea with special guest speaker Marcy Gregg. Mrs. Gregg, an abstract oil painter, author and speaker, shared her incredible story of healing, hope and faith in the midst of daunting circumstances. She signed copies of her book, Blank Canvas, that details her amazing journey. Attendee Melanie Howard shared, “It was such a beautiful time of fellowship with CCS ladies and an inspiring testimony from Marcy Gregg! Thank you for a wonderful event!”
Charlotte Christian hosted its sixth annual 24 Hour Giving Day Challenge on March 5. With 188 donors giving, the goal of $75,000 was surpassed, raising more than $108,000! We are grateful for the generosity of our parents, grandparents, alumni, employees and friends who supported this campaign. A major focus of this year’s Giving Day Challenge was raising funds for the new coffee shop being constructed this summer. It will be named the Campus Cup and will sell coffee, smoothies and treats to students, parents, employees and guests. Details are in the works to offer mobile ordering when it opens in August 2024.
CLASS NOTES
Jack Jesso is a junior at Baylor University with plans to graduate in 2025 with a dual honors college degree in supply-chain management and entrepreneurship. This summer he has an internship working for Trane Technologies in Columbia, S.C.
Brett Adams finished his senior year at Wingate University and played baseball for the Bulldogs. This past season he was selected the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Player of the Week three times and the Southeast Region Player of the Week by the NCBWA. He hit .404 with 15 homers and 66 RBI, leading the SAC in RBI and ranked second in homers. He ranked fourth in the nation in RBI, ninth in total bases and 19th in homers.
Jediah Giller married Skylar Bartman on May 26, 2024 in Asheville, N.C. The couple recently graduated from Wheaton College and will reside in Charlotte.
Colin Gallagher deployed to Nowa Deba, Poland from June 2023 to April 2024 with the 1st Armored Division as a Company Fire Support Officer (FSO). During his time overseas he participated in several training opportunities such as a multinational combined arms live fire exercise, which was the first of its kind in Nowa Deba, and mountain training. He was also temporarily stationed
in Hohenfels, Germany working as a Battalion FSO for 1-4 Infantry Battalion, the Opposition Forces during a multinational training rotation.
Hope Giller Keyton and her husband, Will, welcomed a baby boy, William Gilbert Keyton Jr. (Gilbert), on May 21, 2024.
Mason Marcey married Claire Kurc on May 10, 2024 in Charleston, S.C.
Justin Brannock and Sydney Slattery were married on May 11, 2024 in Kiawah Island, S.C. The couple lives in Charlotte.
Aoife Arden Knoth and her husband, George, welcomed a fourth child, a daughter, Nora Jane, in January 2024. She joins proud big siblings: George, Anna and Daniel.
Riley Davis married his wife Natalie in July 2016 and the couple serves on staff with Cru, Campus Crusade for Christ International in the U.S. They have served together at the University of Tennessee, Prague, Czech Republic and are now at UNC-Chapel Hill. Riley is the co-team leader of the UNC Cru team where he helps train staff and does ministry with students.
Taylor Wagener and his wife, Caylee, welcomed a baby boy, Beckham, on May 12, 2024.
Rob Wansker and his wife, Andrea, have relocated to Ashland, Virginia after he accepted a position with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington, D.C. He is an aerospace engineer investigator specializing in aircraft systems.
Emily Motaleb Bellis took over as head coach of the Charlotte Christian varsity girls’ basketball team starting the 2023-24 season. She looks forward to the continued growth and development of the girls’ basketball program at CCS. “It has been an honor and privilege to not only be a parent of a student attending CCS but to be back in the gym as a coach!” She and her husband, Jackson, have two students who attend CCS: Abigail will be in seventh grade and Nolan will be in fifth grade.
Jeff Swicegood was recently named an Eagle Scout mentor. This is a volunteer position that provides close-to-home support and guidance to scouts through their entire Life-to-Eagle rank process.
Randy Garcia recently acquired the TCBY at the Colony/Rea Road location. He welcomes the CCS community to swing by and say hello.
Emily Chance Harrison was recently named an ambassador for the PhoneFree Schools Movement where she continues her advocacy work with Screen Strong to end the phone-based childhood. Emily lives in Roanoke, Va. with her husband, Scott, and their two sons.
Ron Patten was hired as an instructor of mathematics at North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics - Morganton in August 2023. He lives in Casar, N.C. with his wife, Mary Beth, and they just celebrated 28 years of marriage.
Ashley Timmons Galloway is a Christian author and speaker who lives in Greenville, S.C. She has four daughters and three grandchildren.
Legacy Breakfast
Charlotte Christian hosted the third annual legacy breakfast inviting alums with current CCS students to bring their family to campus for a special time to connect and fellowship. In the 2023-34 school year, there were 71 legacy students and 15 alumni on staff.
Charlotte Christian will present the annual Distinguished Alumni Award and Alumni Service Award during the 2024-25 school year. Alumni will be recognized for their extraordinary achievements in their field of work; outstanding contributions to the welfare and advancement of Charlotte Christian; and exceptional acts of service.
Scan the QR code to nominate an outstanding alum. Nominations will run until Aug. 15.
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16 Basketball Poll, the Observer recognized Charlotte’s top coaches, teams and players from the last 40 years. Varsity Boys’ Basketball Head Coach Shonn Brown made the list in addition to five alumni from our boys’ and girls’ basketball teams:
