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THE MAGAZINE OF CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL - 2009-10 ISSUE 3
VOICE class of 2010
leadership Team Chief Operating Officer Terry Efird Lower School Principal Thomas Tuttle Middle School Principal Amanda Poole Upper School Principal Allen Nielsen Director of Admissions Cathie Broocks Director of Athletics Tom Jamerson Director of Communications Laura Goodyear Director of Development George Courtney Director of Facilities Carmine Loiacono Director of Fine Arts Michelle Long Director of Human Resources Shannon Edwards Curriculum Coordinator/ Media Center Director Marcia Craig Director of Technology Mike Brooks
Class of 2010
THE MAGAZINE OF CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
2009-10 ISSUE 3 n
CONTENTS
Features
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celebrating our seniors
Five seniors are highlighted for their accomplishments in academics, athletics, fine arts and spiritual life/service.
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competing beyond the classroom
Engaging students to learn through local academic competitions.
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winning in the middle
The middle school golf and boys’ and girls’ track teams enjoyed success above the competition this year.
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first time festival hosts
Fine arts had the opportunity to host both the NCTC Middle School Play Festival and the Christians in Theatre Arts Secondary Theatre Festival this spring.
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heart of service
Freshman Morgan Yeargan is finding her heart through her volunteer work with the One7 ministry.
5 Academics 7 Athletics 9 Fine Arts 11 Spiritual life & Service 13 Community 15 Campus notables 19
development
Photo Credits Send story ideas to laura.goodyear@charchrist.com Send alumni news to christi.selby@charchrist.com Send address changes to trudy.haseley@charchrist.com
Accolade Staff Communications Staff Eva Crawford Development Staff
Whitney Gray Carol Grubbs St. John Photography Ann Walker
leadership message
A message from Terry Efird
Dear Charlotte Christian Community, There are only a few times in our lives, where you can look back on a full year and say without any regret, “Thank you God, for letting me be in this place.” The 2009 – 10 school year at Charlotte Christian School would be one of those times for me. As I read through this edition of the Voice, there are reminders of wonderful times of service, fellowship, accomplishment and spiritual growth. From our junior kindergarten to our senior class, it was a remarkable year for all of us as we sought to “trust in the Lord with all our hearts” and allow Him to make our paths straight. Our school year is highlighted by our graduation ceremony in May and the true test of a Christ-centered, college preparatory institution is the quality and substance of those graduates. As I watched our seniors at graduation and our eighth and fifth graders at their promotion services, God was truly glorified by the quality and substance of these students. It was an impressive testament to the commitment and partnership of our parents, faculty and staff to effectively prepare our students academically, physically, socially and spiritually to meet the challenges of life and to impact the culture for Christ. While we are sad to see the class of 2010 depart Charlotte Christian, they leave behind an impact that we will remember fondly. This class blessed our campus with students who were great artists, great athletes, great scholars and strong spiritual leaders. Those talents allowed our senior class to set a school record with $4.3 million in scholarships to colleges and universities. They are well prepared and well positioned to succeed in their next level of study. This was a remarkable year for Charlotte Christian School and I would like to thank each member of our school community for your commitment, your time, your prayers as we worked together to make a difference in the lives of our students. We could not have been successful without this cloud of witnesses holding us up in prayer and support. Have a restful summer.
Trusting in Him, Terry Efird Chief Operating Officer
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CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
celebrating our seniors
Celebrating Our Seniors On May 22, 2010, Charlotte Christian School held its 47th commencement ceremony honoring 93 graduating seniors who earned a cumulative total of more than $4.3 million in academic, athletic, and fine arts college scholarships and awards. Fifteen seniors were recognized as honor graduates for earning a cumulative GPA of 4.5 or greater from grades 9-12. In addition to academic honors, the senior class completed a total of 20,428 Knights Service hours in the Charlotte community and around the world. A complete list of this year’s graduating class including additional senior accomplishments is available at www.charlottechristian.com, under Celebrating the Class of 2010.
Head of School Barry Giller addressed the Class of 2010 at this year’s commencement. He shared valuable life lessons for the graduates to remember during their years in college and beyond. He encouraged students to pay special attention to their choices in friends and entertainment as the saying goes, “garbage in will lead to garbage out.” He noted the powerful influence friends and media can make on your decisions. In making those choices, Mr. Giller asked the class to trust in Jesus like Peter did in Matthew 14. “In the next 20 years, Jesus will beckon you out of the boat. And like Peter, if you take that greatest step, you will probably fall at some point on that journey, but Jesus will save you and walk you back to the boat. We need, like Peter, to take our doubts and jump out of the boat and allow Jesus to save us and then we too can walk back with a stronger faith.”
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celebrating our seniors
Celebrating Our Seniors blaydes moore Valedictorian Clemson University The valedictorian of this year’s class is Blaydes Moore, the recipient of multiple scholarships from Clemson University including the Clemson University Class of 1928 Golden Anniversary Scholarship, the Clemson University School of Business & Behavioral Science Scholarship, acceptance into the Clemson University Calhoun Honors College, and an additional academic scholarship. Blaydes is the product of hard work and determination. In sixth grade he made up his mind to be at the top of his class and has sacrificed to get there. “It is a surreal feeling that I set that goal for myself and reached it. It has been a little stressful and I had its ups and downs but like my dad told me, I focused on hitting singles everyday rather than going for that homerun.” Attending Charlotte Christian since junior kindergarten, Blaydes has been involved in a little bit of everything. In athletics he played both varsity football and wrestling. In fine arts he was a member of the band for three years. Academically he took 11 Advanced Placement classes during his high school career, was inducted into both the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society, and earned the Award of Excellence his sophomore year at Harvard Model Congress for passing a bill into law. He served as the sophomore class treasurer, a CELL group leader for both sixth and eighth grade boys, and was a Windy Gap cabin
leader for middle school boys. Blaydes has also volunteered years of service to the Rainbow Express camp for special needs children at his church. Blaydes counts Mr. Angley as his favorite teacher having him for pre-calculus and AP Calculus AB/BC as well as a football coach. “I had heard about ‘how smart’ Blaydes was before I had the opportunity to teach him,” said Mr. Angley. “I realized that he was accorded a great deal of respect by his peers for his intellect and for his character. As I taught him I realized that their respect was deserved on both counts.” Blaydes credits his success with the opportunity Charlotte Christian gave him to take rigorous classes including Bible to prepare him with the spiritual foundation as well as the community-mindedness to leave a positive legacy for those behind him. Already having withdrawals, he will miss the opportunity to play football this fall!
Cameron Clavin Salutatorian University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Salutatorian Cameron Clavin will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was selected as one of only 60 incoming freshmen to receive a Class of 2014 Distinguished Scholarship in addition to his honors as a National Merit Scholarship finalist. Cameron started off at Charlotte Christian in the third grade with Mrs. Koch. Once entering the upper school, he got involved with the football, track and cross country teams as well as joining the jazz and concert bands. He was a member of the Science Club and founded the Four Square Club. Cameron earned leadership positions as the vice president of the Spanish National Honor Society as a junior and then was president his senior year. He volunteered his time to give back to several groups. Cameron was a CELL group leader for sixth and eighth grade boys the past two years. Last summer at the Dowd YMCA he tutored several non-English speaking adults that were studying to receive their GED.
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Cameron says his teachers were instrumental in preparing him for the next level in college and mentions Mr. Angley, for Calculus, and Mrs. Moreau, for Spanish, among his favorites. “Charlotte Christian has a good curriculum along with AP classes that are college level academics. The teachers expect a lot from you.” “Cameron has a great deal of humility,” said Mr. Angley. “He treats others with respect and never acts as if he is the final authority on anything. Cameron is a really good thinker and sees the relationships between different concepts easily. He is so laid back that many people may not realize how smart he truly is. Cameron bleeds Tar Heel blue, but is not obnoxious about it. Twenty years from now, I expect Cameron will still have great character; be a devoted husband; be a good provider; and have season tickets for everything Carolina.”
celebrating our seniors
Meredith Haake Fine Arts North Carolina State University’s School of Design It’s all about hands for Meredith Haake. Hands were the concentration on which she chose to focus for her senior artwork portfolio – close up hands, far away hands, contrasting textures and the touch of black and white painting. She challenged herself to paint with such detail that viewers would think it was a photograph. And for this portfolio entitled “Til Death Do Us Part 2,” she received a National Gold Key as well as one of Charlotte Christian’s first-time senior portfolio Gold Keys at the regional level and a Best of Show in painting. She was inspired by her grandmother who was an artist and who took an interest and encouraged her. Another encourager of Meredith’s was Upper School Art Teacher Eva Crawford. “She made me realize what I could do. She would challenge us to do our best and put us in the position to be successful. If I didn’t have her, I wouldn’t be going to school to be an artist.”
“Meredith is extremely mature in many ways,” said Mrs. Crawford. “She is a godly young lady who freely gives to others using her amazing God-given talents. She has excelled as an artist, a scholar and an example of living a life for Christ. I am so proud of Meredith. She is going to do so well next year in N.C. State’s highly competitive Design School.” Since coming to Charlotte Christian her freshman year, Meredith has been a member of Art in Action, volunteered for Big Brother, Big Sister, played tennis on the varsity team and was inducted into the National Honor Society.
akil mitchell Athletics University of Virginia Earning a basketball scholarship to the University of Virginia, Akil Mitchell joins Seth Curry (’06, Liberty Univ./Duke) as the first men’s basketball players to receive scholarships to an ACC institution since Todd Fuller (’92). But this success wasn’t easily achieved for Akil as interest from college coaches didn’t appear until his senior year. He worked hard last summer and earned all-conference and all-state honors this year. The college coaches noticed as he went from two offers to too many to list. He shared these struggles with his teammates in a devotional with the team, showing that God has an ultimate plan for you. “Since attending Charlotte Christian, I understand now that everything happens for a reason. I see everything from my past, why it happened, leading me to here. It’s easier for me to be excited and be prepared for what’s coming up later on in life.” And this enthusiasm and work ethic carried over to the classroom as well. He earned magna cum laude and cum laude honors and
was a member of the National Honor Society. He mentions Mrs. Symborski’s World Literature class as his favorite enjoying her teaching style as well as the writing and reading. “Earning a scholarship in the ACC is extremely hard to accomplish,” said Shonn Brown, varsity men’s basketball head coach. “You have to possess great talent and ability as well as meet the academic rigors to fulfill the requirements to get in to UVA. Each year he played for me he added a new dimension to his game. He’s a great example for other student-athletes to follow in the way that he carries himself.”
laura price Spiritual Life & Service Samford University Laura Price is no stranger to serving others. Through her involvement in leading CELL groups, participation in service projects with the National Honor Society and on local mission trips with her church, she completed a total of 519 Knights Service hours. The past two years she has enjoyed leading the sixth and seventh grade girls CELL groups, forming lasting relationships with the opportunity to lead the same group for two years in a row. “I know how much of an influence my leaders were on me so I hope I had the same impact on them.” This year she volunteered through the National Honor Society and cooked breakfast and prepared bag lunches for the “Room In The Inn” program that St. Stephen United Methodist Church created for those less fortunate. “Laura is truly a servant at heart,” said Jenni Briggs, NHS advisor. “She does not serve to be recognized, but rather serves to be a servant and to ease the load of others. She has always been a great reminder of what Christ-like service should look like.”
She was also very involved with her church youth group who helped with children’s ministry through the Mission FUGE program hosted by Lifeway. On campus she served as a teacher’s aide for Mrs. Jessica Ramsey for the last two years and was most recently the editor in chief and business editor of the school yearbook, The Accolade, that received the induction into the Gallery of Excellence this year from Walsworth. Laura was a member of volleyball team from grades 8-11 as well as the French Club. She was inducted into both the National Honor Society and French National Honor Society and was named an honors graduate and earned the President’s Education Award. 2009-10 ISSUE 3 n
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ACADEMICS
competing beyond the classroom
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eyond the rigorous classroom curriculum many teachers look for ways to engage their students outside the normal realm of homework, tests and assignments. During the second semester, there have been several local opportunities to push and stretch students academically. Some of these have included: “You Be the Chemist”: On March 27, three sixth grade students, led by science teacher Julie Bartlett, participated in the “You Be the Chemist” competition sponsored by The Chemical Education Foundation and hosted by BASF in Charlotte. The state competition took place at the public library on West Boulevard and was the only site in North Carolina to host this national event. Charlotte Christian students competed against sixth, seventh and eighth graders from different schools around North Carolina and placed as follows: Taylor Burch – fifth place; Chandler Kellogg seventh place; and Natalie Schramm – eighth place.
UNCC Super Competition: This day-long event consisting of academic contests in a variety of subjects took place at UNCC in March. Charlotte Christian participated in the Comprehensive Mathematics contest and took home third place in the county in the Algebra II team results. Eighth grader Evan Ector placed fifth in the county and advanced to the state level competition. North Carolina Junior Classical League:
ACSI Math Olympics:
Thirty six students in grades 3-8 traveled to Greenville, S.C. to participate in the ACSI Math Olympics. Out of the 60 awards possible, Charlotte Christian took close to a 1/3 of them out of the eight participating schools. Students who won awards include:
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Grade 3 Computation: Reasoning:
Matthew Siverling, 1st place Jack Linder, 5th place Dylan Gentner, 3rd place
Grade 4 Computation: Reasoning:
Gabe Reynolds, 3rd place Brandon Hay, 5th place
Grade 5 Computation: Reasoning:
Abby Yoh, 4th place Jack Norris, 2nd place Patrick Girard, 3rd place Ashley Panousis, 5th place
Grade 6 Computation: Reasoning:
Brenna Knight, 2nd place Noelle Cassier, 4th place Kelsey Holloway, 1st place Christi Takac, 3rd place
Grade 7 Computation: Reasoning:
Kelsey Phalen, 1st place Leah Mell, 1st place Aaron Walker, 3rd place Christian Taylor, 4th place
Grade 8 Computation: Reasoning:
Nick Linder, 4th place Evan Ector, 1st place
CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
In April, Jean Robbins’ middle school Latin students participated in the North Carolina Junior Classical League’s state convention Certamen preliminaries and finished fifth in the state in the middle school division. Held at Wake Forest University, students competed for two days in Latin costumes and skits, academic competitions, Latin sight reading and English oratory. Garrett Bradbury won first place in Open Certamen. Garrett Bradbury, Matt Burt, Xander Gum and Andy Saba won points for Charlotte Christian in academic testing. Each student submitted a project for state competition, and Xander Gum won fifth place for his 3D map of Aeneas’ travels. Garrett Bradbury received an honorable mention for his model of the burned hand of Mucius Scaevola, one of Rome’s legendary heroes. Upper school won points for Junior Classical competitions as well with Abby Seelig placing fourth in the state for her Pater Noster (The Lord’s Prayer) greeting card.
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ne of the highlights of the sixth grade academic year is Middle Ages day held each spring. Knights, kings, queens, jesters, monks, bishops, ladies and serfs all gather to celebrate this special day, the culmination of the sixth grade ancient history curriculum. Middle Ages day is a hands-on, interdisciplinary event in which each member of the sixth grade teaching team participates through his/her own individual subjects. The brainchild of social studies teacher Jean Fogle, this event has been held for more than 15 years, and has grown from a tiny celebration in a small section of the dining hall to a daylong festival held in multiple locations across campus. “Through this day one of the things we try to do is to show how God works through the ages,” said Mrs. Fogle. The first middle ages day included only a few decorations, some food and a handful of students dressed in period costumes. Though small in its inaugural year, the day was a success and was brought back the following year. All participants were required to dress up in the costume of their choice the second year. The event continued to evolve over the next few years though still on a small scale. It wasn’t until 1992 when the lower gym was brought in that Middle Ages day really began to transform into more of how it looks today. Each year something has been added to grow the event often in the form of additional decorations, banquet supplies, or entertainment.
ACADEMICS
“Here Ye, Here Ye”
In the days leading up to the event, students spent time in each of their classes studying things related to the era. In science they studied inventions and actually built a mock catapult; in math they studied counting techniques and in language they read a book based on the time period. On the actual event day, students spent part of the morning doing illumination and calligraphy art projects. The culmination of the day was the lunchtime feast served to the students. The Guy Gymnasium was transformed with flags, banners, and knights, to look like the great hall of a castle – a place where, during the middle ages, people would have come to dine and celebrate. Students entered the room through an archway and were met by “heralders,” otherwise known as sixth grade band students. Students made their way to banquet tables set up in a horseshoe shape. A head table was set up for members of the sixth grade faculty. Following an invocation and celebratory toasts, students went through the buffet line where they were served chicken, roasted potatoes, vegetables, fruits, cheese, crackers and an assortment of desserts. All food consumed at the celebratory feast was eaten without utensils much like what would have been done in the middle ages. Students served as the post-meal entertainment through their band and choral performances. A team of parent volunteers worked diligently to put on the event and assisted in every area from event set-up and clean-up to decorating and food service and games and crafts. For Jordyn Bobo the highlight of the day was seeing her friends all dressed up and enjoying the banquet. “The food was really good,” said Jordyn. “I also loved seeing everyone’s costumes.” 2009-10 ISSUE 3 n
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athletics
winning in the middle Golf
After starting off this season with a loss, the middle school golf team wrapped up 2010 with six straight wins and a second place finish in the Greater Charlotte Middle School Athletic Association (GCMSAA). The nine-member roster turned it around from last year’s one win record. “A lot of kids worked really hard since last year,” said Andy Ross, third-year middle school head coach. “They were motivated, and in addition to the new players, the team this year was deep.” The team, consisting of six eighth graders and three seventh graders, was so versatile that every member had their score count at least once this season. Seventh grader Gavin Owen had the best average on the year, twice shooting two under par.
Track
The middle school track team finished strides above the competition this year. Participating in the Greater Charlotte Middle School Athletic Association (GCMSAA), the boys went 18-0 while the girls went 16-2, only losing to the eventual conference champion. This is the second year in a row the boys’ team went undefeated, surpassing the competition this year by an average of 100 points each meet. A fitting season that followed their team Bible verse of Joshua 1:9 to “…Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” “This was our dream team,” said Jeffrey Swicegood, thirdyear middle school track head coach. “They had a lot of school pride and represented the school well. This group was very dedicated. I was proud of how our 13-member girls’ team competed and placed against the competition of 30-member teams.”
Conference Champions Boys 4x100 Meter Relay: Jeb Blazevich, Luke Dexter, Spencer Scott, Neilson Jacobs
Discus Throw: Connor Burnam Long Jump: Neilson Jacobs 400 Meter Dash, High Jump: Trey Phills
4x200 Meter Relay: Connor Burnam, Neilson Jacobs, TreShun Wynn, Spencer Scott 4x400 Meter Relay: Trey Phills, Mark Saleh, TreShun Wynn, Andy Saba 100 Meter Dash, 200 Meter Dash, Shot Put: Jeb Blazevich
Triple Jump: Andy Saba Girls 4x100 Meter Relay: Kalie Compton, Madison Kofoed, Catherine McCreary, Walker Vermillion 4x400 Meter Relay: Madison Kofoed, Emily Seaborn, Walker Vermillion, Claire Parsons
110 Meter Hurdles: Wood Boone 100 Meter Hurdles: Madison Kofoed 300 Meter Hurdles: Josh Broadway Discus Throw: Mary Charles Bryson
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CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
basketball on the national & international level
athletics
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he month of April was a whirlwind tour for Coach Shonn Brown and members of the varsity basketball team. First stop was Baltimore, Md. to participate in a national high school tournament hosted by ESPN. The day after they returned home, Coach Brown along with four Charlotte Christian players, headed to Limoges, France to represent Charlotte in a partner cities tournament. ESPN RISE National High School Invitational The varsity men’s basketball team was honored to be selected as one of eight high school teams to participate in the second annual ESPN RISE National High School Invitational (NHSI). The tournament took place April 1-3 at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Md. The seventhseeded Knights put up a good fight but eventually fell to No. 2 seed Findlay Prep, the 2009 and eventual 2010 champions, 65-50, in the first round of play. “This was a great blessing for our community, school, and basketball program at Charlotte Christian,” said Shonn Brown, varsity men’s basketball coach. “We are thankful for the opportunity to compete on a national stage and at the highest level of high school basketball. Our selection speaks to the work ethic of the kids that all have helped to build a legacy with the Charlotte Christian basketball program in the past as well as this season. Our hope is that our Christ-like approach to basketball and in the lives of our players was evident.” In addition to the opportunity to play nationally ranked teams, the players experienced the national spotlight with the game televised on ESPNU, playing in a top notch facility and participating in media interviews. “It was a blast,” said junior Trent Walker. “We got to experience different things they had set up from the gyms to touring the city to the freebies. You typically just see these teams on TV so it was neat to measure up against them. The opportunity set us up to have a brighter future because we know we can compete at that level.”
Limoges, France Partner Cities Basketball Tournament Trent was also one of four Charlotte Christian basketball players, along with Coach Brown, that had the opportunity to participate in an international tournament in Limoges, France organized by the Charlotte International Cabinet. Coach Brown led the 10-man roster that also included junior Anthony Gill, sophomore Ryan Potocnik and junior Worth Smith. The 10-day trip entailed touring Paris and enjoying cultural sites, including an Easter service at Notre Dame, before traveling to Limoges for the tournament. Both the boys and girls teams, called the Charlotte Cougars, went 5-0 against competition from France, Germany, Hungary, Spain and the Czech Republic. Despite their ease against the foreign teams, the fans were enamored with the teenagers and asked for autographs after each game. Coach Brown even had the opportunity to host a clinic for more than 100 international coaches and run practice for two French teams. “The players gained an appreciation for another culture with this experience,” said Coach Brown. “It was also a great opportunity for us to be a witness to others. Professionally for me it was a great opportunity to connect and build relationships with coaches from all over the world.” The players had to fundraise $500 of their trip cost while the rest was covered by the CIC and other donations. To be considered for the team, players from public and private schools had to be nominated by their schools and have a grade point average of at least 3.5. 2009-10 ISSUE 3 n
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FINE ARTS
mission minded artist
Charlotte Christian Junior Wins Congressional Art Competition
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unior Julia Buwick never saw herself as an artist until she began to develop her talents during art classes with Eva Crawford at Charlotte Christian. She has a beautiful gift and has blossomed into an award winning artist. Earlier this spring, Julia won first place in the 2010 Congressional Art Competition for U.S. Representative Sue Myrick’s 9th Congressional District. The Art Institute of Charlotte and Representative Sue Myrick held a reception in May and presented the competition which was entitled “An Artistic Discovery.” The contest encompassed Myrick’s entire district and featured the area’s high school constituents. Charlotte Christian art students have entered the Congressional Art Competition for the last eight years, winning four of those times. In fact, in this year’s competition, Charlotte Christian students won three of the four places. In addition to Julia’s first place award, Meredith Haake won third place and Alexa Dexter won honorable mention. Julia’s artwork, entitled “Curious Wisdom”, will be on display in the nation’s capitol representing Myrick’s district, and Julia will receive round trip airline tickets to Washington, D.C. Julia, however, will not be able to travel to Washington this summer since she will be on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic at the time of the awards ceremony. While she is extremely honored by her first place award, she is sincerely looking forward to this mission trip where she and 30 other Charlotte Christian students will work with SCORE International. The Charlotte Christian team will travel with faculty members Luke Boythe, George Courtney, Ben Doudt, Jodi Foxx, and Susan Jones. Together they will go into villages where they will present the gospel in a number of ways including sports and theatre to minister and help children in orphanages and group homes in the Dominican Republic. This year, Julia also garnered a Gold Key in the Regional National Scholastic Art Competition for “Curious Wisdom” and a third place award in the Junior Women’s Club Art Competition for a pottery piece. “I never knew I had talent,” Julia shared modestly. “I’ve improved so much and seen a lot of growth in the last three years. Through Mrs. Crawford, I have grown to love art.”
Charlotte Christian Art Students Win National Awards
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harlotte Christian art students continue to excel in the national arena. This year, three art students from Charlotte Christian were honored with four different National Scholastic Awards. Senior Megan Burton won a Gold Medal for her drawing entitled “Hopeless,” senior Meredith Haake won a Gold Medal for her painting “Til Death Do Us Part 2,” and a Silver Medal for her painting, “Venetian Cross,” and eighth grader Allie Seelig won a Silver Medal for her drawing, “The Cliffs of Kap Arkona.” Meredith was also recognized for her piece “Mrs. Crawford,” which was chosen as one of the American Vision Nominees from the MidCarolina Region.
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CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
These award winning artists were invited to join their counterparts for the gala celebration in New York City, which included workshops with artists and the National Awards Ceremony at Carnegie Hall June 9-10, 2010. All Gold Key and American Vision recipients’ art was exhibited in Manhattan at the World Financial Center during the month of June. These students are three of 18 Charlotte Christian artists who accumulated a total of 47 gold, silver and honorable mention awards at the Mid-Carolina Regional Scholastic Arts Competition. Congratulations for exhibiting an amazing year of God-given artistic talent!
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his spring, Charlotte Christian School had the honor of hosting both the North Carolina Theatre Competition (NCTC) Middle School Play Festival and the Christians in Theatre Arts (CITA) Secondary Theatre Festival. This was the first year that the fine arts department had hosted either competition. The NCTC Festival was held in March and featured seven competing schools including local public schools and several from the surrounding piedmont area. “The middle school festival allows students to prepare one or two 45 minute shows and compete as a drama team,” said Michelle Long, director of fine arts. Adjudicators award both individual student honors along with team awards for categories including choreography, costume design, ensemble acting, and prop design. The Charlotte Christian ACT 2 drama students presented Seussical, Jr. and The Canterbury Tales, garnering multiple individual and team honors for their performances. The festival was a success, and Charlotte Christian is slated to be a host site for the NCTC Festival again next March.
FINE ARTS
First Time Hosts for NCTC and CITA Festivals upper school drama students performed exceptionally well, securing seven special adjudicators’ awards along with 50 superior and excellent ratings for individual and group presentations. “Hosting these events allows us to secure firm dates for future competitions and improve our own performances, but it also allows us the opportunity to share our love for the theatre with neighboring schools,” said Mrs. Long. “We look forward to more opportunities to welcome outstanding theatre competitions to Charlotte Christian.”
Later in April, Charlotte Christian welcomed participating schools from North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia for the second annual CITA Secondary Theatre Festival. “This is a forum that allows students to prepare individual or small group performances for competition in addition to participating in workshops hosted by theatre professionals,” said Mrs. Long. CITA is one of only a few Christian theatre organizations worldwide and has a longstanding history of supporting Christian artists in churches, schools, ministry, theatre or as individuals. Students were able to pick and choose practical workshops that interested them like monologue development, production, movement and dance, or how to prepare for colleges that fit their skills and talents. The Charlotte Christian
A Season of Favorites T
he coming year brings a wealth of exciting shows that were favorites during the last 10 years of the theatre program. Buy season tickets now for your family to enjoy this amazing year of favorites! Season tickets are on sale now through Aug. 31 by visiting www.charlottechristian.com/finearts or contacting the Charlotte Christian Box Office at (704) 366-5657, ext. 1605. Tickets are also available after Aug. 31 at www.carolinatix.org and will include a service fee. Plan now to enjoy award winning theatre all year long! Upper School Fall Shows Middle School Fall Show Middle School Spring Musical Upper School Spring Musical Lower School Spring Musical
Into the Woods, Jr. and The Taming of the Shrew Anne of Green Gables The Wizard of Oz Disney’s Beauty & the Beast Annie Jr.
September 30 and October 2 November 11 & 13 March 3-5 April 7-9 May 12-14
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SPIRITUAL LIFE & SERVICE
Helping Hands
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n May 23 Coach Jason Estep and members of the football teams partnered with Team Church to work at the Howell Center, a home in the Mint Hill area for children, teenagers and adults with severe mental and/ or physical handicaps. The team spent the day performing different tasks designed to improve the facilities and vehicles used by the Howell Center. Some of the students broke down and removed old tables, restaurant booths and benches from an outdoor seating area while others assembled, and stained new wooden picnic tables to take their place. The football players also cleaned and detailed the inside and outside of the handicap vans that are used to transport the clients when they leave the center to go to school, the hospital, or on recreational outings. Following their day of service, the players enjoyed pizza together and took time to reflect on what it means to really care about their school, coaches, family and each other. “I’m proud of my kids for volunteering their weekend to help at the Howell Center,” Coach Estep said. “It’s a big facility and some things were run down. I feel like they really made a difference out there in making it look better.”
Baseball + service = success
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he third annual Charlotte Christian Tailgate and Donate was an incredible success. Thanks to the overwhelming support from the school community, members of the PTF board were able to take 17,600 take-out trays, 17,700 food service gloves, 451 jars of peanut butter and jelly and 22,000 wrapped forks and napkins to the Harvest Center. ”This year’s event once again exceeded our expectations,” said PTF Parent Relations Specialist LuAnn Durden. “This year we collected 7,000 more trays than last year and wrapped 5,000 more forks and napkins. It was amazing.” Students in upper school even joined in the celebration and collected money through a coin drop contest. A few upper school teachers willingly volunteered to get in on the fun by allowing their faces to be used on the coin drop jars. The face behind the jar with the most money agreed to dress as a “hot dog” and
mingle with the crowd at the Thursday night baseball game. Bible teacher Brian Henson was the lucky winner and thrilled his students with his game day attire. Charlotte Christian families of all ages enjoyed pulling for the Knights at the family fun event. Complete with inflatable games, pony rides, a performance by the lower school cheerleaders concessions and more – there was something for everyone to enjoy. More than $500 in cash donations was collected for the Harvest Center through the coin drop, and proceeds from Rita’s Italian Ice sales at the baseball game. The event could not have been possible without the volunteer work of the Tailgate and Donate committee including Hope Taylor, Kia Cauthen, Mary Brown, and Nina Pulliam.
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SPIRITUAL LIFE & SERVICE
Heart of Service
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harlotte Christian freshman Morgan Yeargan is finding her heart through her volunteer work with the One7 ministry. This organization is based on the Bible verse Jeremiah 1:7 and works to reach and transform inner city and cross cultural youth and families. There are about 100 pre-teen and teens in the program and many are from refugee camps in Somalia, Vietnam, Burma, Mexico, and El Salvador. Morgan got involved with the One7 ministry through her parents, who are leaders at Elevation Church, and now she spends much of her free time as a tutor and mentor to these kids living in uptown Charlotte. “Every Thursday I go down there and we have a Bible study, eat together and just hang out with these kids – many who are my age,” said Morgan. Morgan was recently honored for her volunteer service with a state-level Certificate of Excellence from the 2010 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. This program honors
young people across America for outstanding community service activities and awards are presented annually by Prudential Financial, in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Juggling her work with One7, while staying on top of her school work and other extracurricular activities, requires Morgan to stay organized. She played on the softball team at school and also is actively involved with her church. Morgan also received a President’s Volunteer Service Award Certificate and letter from President Obama. This program recognizes Americans who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country. Morgan plans on working with the One7 ministry until she graduates. “I like hanging out with them and helping them,” said Morgan. “They are like my second family, plus it is what the Bible says we are supposed to do.”
2009-10 ISSUE 3 n
12
COMMUNITY
exchanging cultures at charlotte christian
H
ave you ever wondered about life in another country, or what the people might be like, or how they dress? Experiencias Interculturales is an exciting exchange program that partners Charlotte Christian families with high school students visiting from Guatemala. The program was originally called Faces and began at Charlotte Christian in 2008. During the first year, four students came to study and learn more about American culture and improve their English by staying with Charlotte Christian host families and attending classes with upper school students. Georgia Moreau, head of the department of modern and classical languages, coordinates the exchange and helps the visiting students and host families during the transition.
“Our students benefit from getting to know students from other cultures and by the opportunity to improve their Spanish skills,” said Mrs. Moreau. The same is true for the visiting students who learn more about American culture, improve their fluency, and gain in-depth experience in the English speaking world. Students explore classes at Charlotte Christian like Bible, English, Art, Painting, Weight Training, and others, and also provide a conversational resource in Mrs. Moreau’s AP Spanish class.
E
voicE
of the students
ach April, campaign signs line the halls and elections are held for rising seniors who are interested in representing their peers through the Student Government Association or SGA. In essence, they truly become the voice of the student body by representing students to the school leadership team and making sure the needs and cares of the student body are expressed. “They accept a standard of being above reproach in all actions and are expected to lead by example,” said Karen Dean, upper school English teacher and SGA advisor. The executive committee of the SGA must be seniors and include the Student Body President, Vice
13 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
In the fall, Pamela Caceres and Grace Becker visited from Guatemala. The Foskey family hosted a student for the first time this year, and welcomed Pamela into their home for the eight week program. “We had a great experience,” said Kim Foskey. “She interacted very well with our family and taught us about her culture, even cooking for us to share the food from her country. We enjoyed opening our home and getting to know her.” Junior Hope Foskey had the opportunity to practice her Spanish and Pamela was interested in improving her English, so it was a good fit for the family. Pamela was also able to investigate interests like soccer, attending football games, and developing a new circle of friends. The program will continue in the fall of 2010 with new students who will visit from Guatemala, eager to immerse themselves in our culture. The fall will also mark the first time that the program will be hosted in the middle school as well as the upper school so that students in both areas can benefit from the cultural experiences. One Charlotte Christian family has already offered their home as a host family and others are needed for both middle and upper school students. If your family is interested in participating in this exciting cultural exchange, please contact Georgia Moreau (US) at georgia.moreau@charchrist.com or Amanda Poole (MS) amanda.poole@charchrist.com.
President, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Coordinator, Chaplain, and two Social Committee Officers, for a total of eight. Students serving in these roles must also maintain a cumulative 3.0 grade point average and meet all Knights Service hour requirements. The SGA officers are the governing body and plan all of the upper school social events including Windy Gap activities, Homecoming Week events, Winter Week, Spirit Week, class competitions, and the annual Talent Show named after the current year’s president. In addition to the SGA officers, each class in grades 9-12 has its own set of six class officers who are also elected by their peers
each spring. Once elected, these students work to implement the events and decisions determined by the SGA and to ensure that their class is involved and properly represented. “I feel like we gained a lot this year,” said Will Readhead, 2009-10 Student Body President. “As a class officer, I started to care more about our school and saw it as a great way to serve and give back. It was fun to have a say and be involved in the way the school is run,” he shared.
tudents dressed in sombreros, ponchos, native African dress, beautiful gowns, and silk butterfly jackets filled the gym on April 30 for the opening ceremony of Charlotte Christian’s Multicultural Day. The event, now in its seventh year, alternates with Lower School Science Day and is held every other year. Traditionally a Spanish Festival, this year students and teachers adopted the theme “Lord of All Nations” and expanded their studies to include many cultures across the world. Señor Fermin Abarca, lower school Spanish teacher, worked with a team of parent volunteers and the lower school teachers to make the day a success. “The Multicultural Festival is a great opportunity for our students to discover the people, lands, and cultures of many nations in the world,” said Señor Abarca. “It is a wonderful hands-on celebration that teaches our students by allowing them to experience life in another country.” Each lower school class chose a Spanish speaking country and one additional country based on the personal interests of the class, for a total of 24 countries represented. Featured countries included Guatemala, Ethiopia, Greece, South Africa, Spain, Ireland, Portugal and El Salvador along with many others. Prior to the festival, students studied the people, animals, food, culture, dress and sports of their countries. Students also made passports that they used to “visit” the different countries at the festival where they tasted traditional foods and “shopped” at the marketplace using sample money from the different foreign countries. The day’s activities also included crafts and sports from various countries along with a Spanish Spelling Bee for students in grades two through five. spanish spelling bee winners
Grade 2 First (Tie): Liesel Brehmer and Matthew Henderson Third: Olivia Busse
Grade 3 First: Obi Oriaku Second: Matthew Buie Third: Maya Cauthen
COMMUNITY
S
Lower School Students celebrate Multicultural day
Pastor Paul Okpokowuruk of Nexus Church in Charlotte spoke during the opening ceremony chapel. Fifth grader Emmery Johnson, who traveled on a mission trip to Guatemala earlier in the year, also shared her testimony. “God had put it on my heart to be there and help with the kids in the orphanage,” she shared. When asked about what she learned on her trip, she humbly answered, “I learned that whatever culture you visit and whatever you do, you need to tell them about Jesus and they will bless you.” The festival closed with a Parade of Nations, French and Spanish songs, and classes from different grades performing native dances from Boliva, Brazil, Guatemala, Ireland, Spain, and the Western Countries. Señor Abarca shared that he wanted students to learn that in spite of all of our cultural differences, we all have the same need of Jesus Christ. “You don’t have to travel to be a missionary,” shared Señor Abarca. “You can impact your culture right where you are.”
Grade 4 First: Lila Hamilton Second: Olivia Palombo Third: Ethan Barnes
Grade 5 First: Katie Saba Second: Matthew Boelkins Third: Melissa Goldstein
What are you doing this summer? Planning a mission trip, having fun at a cool summer camp, or just relaxing at the beach? We would love to know how you will spend your summer! Please share your adventures with us by sending to laura.goodyear@charchrist.com.
2009-10 ISSUE 3 14 n
CAMPUS NOTABLES
Academic Honor Roll
(Grades 6 – 8)
4th Quarter - Middle School
magna LAUDE To be recognized for this distinction, a student must earn at least a 4.0 overall GPA for all subjects with no grade lower than an A.
CUM LAUDE To be recognized for this distinction, a student must earn at least a 3.5 overall GPA for all subjects with no grade lower than a B.
15 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Magna Cum Laude grade 6 Jordyn Bobo John Boone Justin Brannock Peyton Brown Avery Buie Taylor Burch Noelle Cassier Jake Compton Thomas Donnalley Anna Edwards Kelsey Holloway Lindsay Jamerson Chandler Kellogg Grace Ketron Brenna Knight
India Lindsay Arden Norwood Rachel Redmond Sarah Redmond Christi Takac Mack Taylor Jonathan Vines Grade 7 Kalie Compton Colter Corish Hayden Girard Leah Mell Aaron Walker Payton Walker Sydney Weaver
Grade 8 Lillian Austin Miller Barbour Matthew Burt Connor Clavin Kayla Donnalley Evan Ector Amelia Fritsche Mari Jones Nick Linder
Sean Lindsay Catherine McCreary Amaris Norwood Akanima Okpokowuruk Megan Perelli Kristyn Richardson Mark Saleh Emily Seaborn Walker Vermillion Mackenzie Wilson Sarah York
Tanner Norris Jake Payne Kelsey Phalen Emily Saba Mariah Shaw Michael Tan Jeremy Timperio Philip Walton Alex Watkins Alec Yoh Sophia Youmans
Bo Hines David Hogan Landon Kay Alex Kellogg Madison Kofoed Spencer Lackey Gavin Leary Emily Marco Dallas McCorkle Drew Paden Cooper Parsons Trey Phills Nathan Pillmore Andy Saba Spencer Scott Allie Seelig Alex Stubblefield Kyndall Sutherland Ryan Weaver Harris Wilson Nate Woodcock Jonah Wylie
Cum Laude grade 6 Ansley Ball Thomas Barnes Chase Broadway Sarah Burt Macall Collins Michael Crosby Elizabeth Davis Josh Deuink Jonathan Durham Andrew Faris Logan Foster Luke Gentlesk Roman Gray Peyton Hibbard James Horner Michael Humphries Luke Irwin Bishop Jones Cali Kofoed Christie Lee Caroline Lubinsky Connor Maitland Caitlin Mehta Allison Myers Kerstie Phills Heath Pulliam Bryden Reed Kara Richardson Jake Roberts Michael Saleh Natalie Schramm
Andrew Siverling Graham Smith Beau Snuggs Anna Summers Abi U-Edosomwan Addie Vermillion Blake Wagoner Duncan Weller Avery Williams Grade 7 Conor Arden Josh Broadway Shepard Brown Nate Bryson Blair Burkhart Destin Cassier Luke Crawford Caroline Dennehy Britton Edwards Christina Fleischer Sean Gallagher Collin Greig Charisse Haines Catherine Hair Faith Hanegraaff Meredith Harris Thomas Hodges Regan Huneycutt Michael Julliard Madison Killen Jackson Kowar
Grade 8 Christian Allen Anna Ballard Jeb Blazevich Connor Botes Garrett Bradbury Case Brock Mary Bryson Alex Carl Luke Dexter Adam Durden Drew Emerine Sydney Goldstein Will Griffin Xander Gum Grant Hall Hunter Hammond Stephen Hart Erik Haski Jeanette Hasselberg
2nd Semester - Upper School
Summa Cum Laude grade 9 Elena Acampora Adam Burnam Wesley Foskey Michael Good Connor Haines Charles Howard Colin Jarrett Carson Kowar Wesley Medeiros Elizabeth Richardson
grade 10 Daniel Goldstein John Good Laura Hogan Amanda Hudgins Evan Marcey Ellie McAdams William Paden Amanda Panousis Daria Radmanesh Hannah Richards
Abigail Seelig Gloria Taylor Katherine Williams
Kellan Ebert Ian Ebert David Fowler Leah Fuller Monica Galletto Morgan Gray Elizabeth Green Mark Igbinadolor Michael Jones Jenna Landers Shelley Leazer Molly McAdams Molly McGirt Mary Scott McLean Erin McNaughton Molly Nielsen Jongmin Park Meredith Parker Jesse Ruth Parrish John Patterson Alexander Payne Cole Pennell Kristian Perks Mari Pillmore Ryan Potocnik Kevin Ramsey Benjamin Richter Calen Rosenblatt Austin Wansker Kathleen Wiens Ashton Wise
Mekenzie Bazen Matthew Benson Marlena Berling Sarah Brotherton Kyler Brown Julia Buwick Andrew Calhoun Rebecca Cofield James Craft Zachary Daughtry Riley Davis Austyn Durden Victoria Edwards Mary Forrest Rebecca Garrett Haley Gray Christina Hanegraaff Zachary Hart Cheyenne Hensey Kimberly Hilton Polly Hilton Anna Holt Morgan Horner Amy Kemp Kathryn Kirk Nicole Krecicki Michael Lenahan Jonathan McCorkle James McCreary Alexa Owens Matthew Pearson Adam Price Robin Reeves Mark Russell Spencer Sitton Uyi U-Edosomwan Dani von Gnechten Nathan Walker Trenton Walker
Ryan Watkins Maddison Wood Matthew Zitsos
grade 11 Bryce Bradley Griffin Gum Evan Yeargan Lauren York
grade 12 David Durham Trey Laney
grade 11 Christopher Clark Matthew Corish Emily Foskey Matthew Hasselberg John Humphries Catherine Jarrett
John Putnam Grant Wilson Andrew Younts Stephen Zittrouer grade 12 Katherine Dean Stephen Fandel William Green William McAbee Blaydes Moore
CAMPUS NOTABLES
Academic Honor Roll
(Grades 9 – 12)
SummA Cum Laude To be recognized for this distinction, a student must earn at least a 4.0 overall GPA for all subjects with no grade lower than an A.
Magna Cum Laude grade 9 Gisele Bailey Ashton Bobo Cameron Botes Carson Brannock Martha Case Allen Crosby Houston Culpepper Madison Dean Andrew Ferguson Elizabeth Fleischer Mary Hair James Hanebutt Benjamin Hartis William Johnson Aerin Marshall Jared Odenbeck Scott Ortlip Jaqueline Putnam Elizabeth Richter John Robinson Chandler Schramm Madison Selan Mary Sharpe Bailey Thompson Ashley Tiess Zachary Tuttle Alexis Williams Morgan Yeargan Jeffrey Yoh grade 10 Nathan Allen Margaret Blank Michelle Brotherton Hayley Buckner Katey Calhoun Matthew Carpenter Carrie Frances Daniel
grade 11 Sarah Acampora John Ahlert David Andersen Benjamin Anthony Lauren Aspey Elizabeth Barbour
grade 12 Angela Acampora Nicholas Agrawal William Alverson Taylor Bailey Ted Barnes Annie Bartlett Brian Bartlett Danielle Beysolow Margaret Blanton Jason Boyles Kelby Brown Megan Burton Leslie Cameron Cameron Clavin Megan Dennehy Jordan Deuink Alexa Dexter Taylor Drury Brittany Gendron Meredith Haake Mitchell Hargett Bethany Mitchell Rachel Moreau Kelsey O’Connor Taylor Perry Laura Price Zachary Radmanesh Hayley Raines Ian Richardson Errett Roth Erin Sayson Travis Ulrich Joseph Wiens Grayson Wooten
magna LAUDE To be recognized for this distinction, a student must earn at least a 3.75 overall GPA for all subjects with no grade lower than a B.
CUM LAUDE To be recognized for this distinction, a student must earn at least a 3.5 overall GPA for all subjects with no grade lower than a B.
Cum Laude grade 9 Kyle Lubinsky Brittany Tiess Justin Wang
grade 10 Gregory Blevins Caitlin Oruska Mitchell Warner
2009-10 ISSUE 3 16 n
CAMPUS NOTABLES
academics
READING KNIGHTS
Reading Knights is an optional reading incentive program for lower and middle school students designed to build excitement and interest in reading. The program is in its 10th year and encourages students to read books on a variety of topics and to develop a habit and love of reading. Below is a comprehensive listing of Reading Knights for the 2009-10 school year. For more information on how to get your student involved in the Reading Knights program, please contact your child’s teacher or Marcia Craig in the Petty Media Center at (704) 366-5657, ext. 6601 or marcia.craig@charchrist.com.
Reading Pages Ekene Afulukwe • Susan Davis • Kate Eubanks Cole Fuqua • Led Hinton • Jack Jesso Georgia Kushner • Claire Lillie • Brianna McCroskey Noah Montgomery • Justin Orlando • Lily Robinson Christopher Saez • Gracen Strickland • Jacob Suarez Ky Sutherland • Maya Szymborski • Rohin Szymborski Sofie Vachino • John Ward • Abby Warner
Reading squires Ekene Afulukwe • Tavion Breland • Susan Davis Kate Eubanks • Led Hinton • Jack Jesso Georgia Kushner • Claire Lillie • Brianna McCroskey Noah Ong • Justin Orlando • Lily Robinson Gracen Strickland • Jacob Suarez Maya Szymborski • Rohin Szymborski Sofie Vachino • John Ward • Abby Warner
Reading knights Andrew Bovee • Susan Davis • Kate Eubanks Christopher Hay • Led Hinton • Jack Jesso Georgia Kushner • Brianna McCroskey • Noah Ong Gracen Strickland • Jacob Suarez Maya Szymborski • Rohin Szymborski
National Latin Exam Congratulations to the following students who received honors for their performance on the National Latin Exam: Magna Cum Laude: ABBY SEELIG Cum Laude: HOUSTON CULPEPPER KRISTYN RICHARDSON ANDY SABA 2010 National Spanish Exam Charlotte Christian eighth grade students recently received an unprecedented number of awards on the 2010 National Spanish Exam. Twenty-four students scored above national average on the test, with the following students receiving these honors: Gold: Evan Ector; Silver: Alex Kellogg Bronze: Connor Clavin, Rebekah Lee, Catherine McCreary, Trey Phillsm Mark Saleh Honorable Mention: Kayla Donnalley, Sydney Goldstein, David Hogan, Sean Lindsay, Amaris Norwood, Megan Perelli, Emily Seaborn, Kyndall Sutherland, Ryan Weaver, Mackenzie Wilson 2010 TEACHING FELLOW Congratulations to lower school teacher CHRISTINE DOYLE who has been selected to participate in the Teaching Fellows Institute (TFI) in Charlotte this August. Mrs. Doyle was chosen as one of 27 local teachers to participate in the program that will include professional development this summer. NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETYs Thirty-five middle school students and 40 upper school students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society during ceremonies held at the end of April.
Reading knights with a pennant Gabriel Azie • Hannah Brandon • Liesel Brehmer Ethan Eshleman • Kate Eubanks • Christopher Hay Led Hinton • Alex King • Maya Szymborski Katherine Vines
knights of the round table Nkiru Afulukwe • Lucy Cain • Evan Montgomery Nathan Sequeira • Maya Szymborski
Reading Knights 1,000 Book Level Brandon Hay 17 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
2010 National Honor Society inductees.
fine arts
all-ncisaa Baseball: Nick Agrawal, Ty Linton, Jake Watson Soccer: Brittany Gendron Tennis: Kristian Perks Track: Brian Bartlett, Chris Clark, Mathias Farley, Garrett Huneycutt, Simms McElfresh
SUMMER THEATRE HONORS Three Charlotte Christian juniors have been accepted to the Circle in the Square Theatre program in New York City this summer. CORY WAGENER, CLAIRE HILTON and POLLY HILTON have been selected for this highly selective seven week program that will allow them to study masters classes with some of the top New York instructors. CLAIRE and POLLY HILTON were also accepted to the CAP21 Summer Intensive, a musical theatre training studio in New York City.
all-cisaa Baseball: Nick Agrawal, Sam Fulginiti, Trey Laney, Ty Linton, Jake Watson, Greg Williams Golf: Jared Odenbeck Soccer: Brittany Gendron Tennis: Kristian Perks Track: Katelyn Decherd, Austyn Durden, Mathias Farley SPRING ATHLETIC SIGNINGS Three Charlotte Christian student-athletes signed national letters of intent to play at the college level during the spring signing day. NICK AGRAWAL will play baseball at Macalester College, REYNOLDS MAHARAJH signed to play basketball at Guilford College, and ERIN SAYSON signed to join the gymnastics team at the University of California-Davis.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH Congratulations to freshman ladies basketball player GIGI BAILEY who was named March Female Athlete of the Month by the Charlotte Sports Group. Gigi was recognized as one of the top players in Charlotte, and has earned all-conference and all-state honors in her first year on the varsity team, helping the lady Knights to finish an outstanding 20-8 season. INDIVIDUAL WRESTLING HONORS Congratulations to junior Matthew Zitsos who was named to the The South Charlotte Weekly All Area Wrestling first team and to The Charlotte Observer AllMecklenburg County second team at 103 lbs.
CAMPUS NOTABLES
athletics
HONOR BAND SELECTIONS Congratulations to SEAN GALLAGHER, ALEX WATKINS, AMARIS NORWOOD and ARDEN NORWOOD who were all chosen for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke Honor Band. HAYLEY BUCKNER also became the first Charlotte Christian upper school band student to earn selection to the North Carolina All-State Band. 2010 COLLAGE ART SHOW The Collage Art Show is an annual spring event at Charlotte Christian that features artwork from students in all grades from K-12. Three artist judges were invited to view the works and determine this year’s winners. They are: Kindergarten - Grade 2 First Place Second Place Third Place
Katie Gowan Landyn Warr Brock Rissmiller
Grades 3 - 5 First Place Second Place Third Place
Taylor Grigg Andrew Durden Molly Parsons
Middle School First Place Second Place Third Place Honorable Mention
Trey Phills Catherine McCreary Connor Burnam John Boone
Upper School 2-D First Place Second Place Third Place Honorable Mention
Meredith Haake Catherine Vermillion Robin Reeves Nikki Krecicki
Photography First Place Second Place Third Place Honorable Mention
AJ Calhoun Annie Bartlett Mark Igbinadolor Will Green
3-Dimensional First Place Second Place Third Place Honorable Mention
Kate Condon Ellen Shepherd John Good Sarah Drummond
People’s Choice
Erin McNaughton
2009-10 ISSUE 3 18 n
ISTIAN SCHO
CHARLOTT
1950-2010
CE
O
FE
XC EL
LEN CE
E
60 O
L
development
R CH
LEB
RATING 60 YE
AR
S
Charlotte Christian School will celebrate its 60th anniversary during the 2010-11 school year. More details regarding celebrating this milestone to come.
Annual Quality Plus Fund
$469,883 $450,000
$300,000
$200,000
$100,000
$50,000
quality plus fund exceeds goal! giving from the heart!
W
hat is the secret to our community’s success at exceeding the annual Quality Plus Fund (QPF) goal of $450,000 this year? While there are many ingredients that contribute to this, there is one foundational principal that stands out at Charlotte Christian: Our families give from the heart. Each August as the QPF goal is announced, it marks the beginning of a new journey for our entire community. This journey encompasses a tremendous partnership between current families, alumni, families of alumni and many grandparents. This year was no different. In spite of the ongoing changes in our economy, families once again gave generously helping to make a difference that directly impacts each student. Another significant contributor to this success is the number of families who chose to participate at some level. As Jim Edwards, the 2009-10 QPF chair, reminded our Charlotte Christian community at the beginning of the year, many hands working together make meeting our goal much easier. Those who participated this year should find joy in knowing their financial support is making a difference. Participation and volunteerism is a winning combination. Much of the organization and implementation of the QPF campaign is led by a dedicated group of volunteers. These volunteers are mothers and fathers who care deeply about providing resources to equip students to excel in learning. This year more than 40 volunteers gave of their time to help with the success of this campaign.
As of June 10, 2010 $469,883 has been raised for QPF. $438,723 was received in pledges and gifts and $31,160 in proceeds from the 2010 Golf Challenge which benefits QPF.
Lighting The Way Update
A
s the campaign approaches the end of its fifth year, it is wonderful to reflect on all the good that has been accomplished through this campaign. While the school continues to raise money for the next educational facility, this activity will become less public and will continue in the pledge fulfillment phase of the campaign.
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 4 Goal $4,912,034 Goal $3,500,000 Goal Contributions $3,739,030 Contributions $1,150,159 Contributions Pledges $1,173,004 Pledges $1,250,328 Pledges To be raised $1,099,513
19 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
$155,467 $155,467 $0
development
T
his year’s annual Golf Challenge was held on May 10 at Firethorne Country Club in Marvin, N.C. It turned out to be a beautiful day to play golf, hosting 103 players that included parents and alumni as well as parents of alumni. This year’s event raised more than $31,160 to benefit the annual Quality Plus Fund. As an added bonus, players had several ways to earn or purchase mulligans to replay a stroke on the course. There were four opportunities to earn mulligans by answering trivia questions about the school correctly. Players could also “buy a better drive” enlisting the help of Hank Hanegraaff Jr., Charlotte Christian alum and rising Baylor University freshman golfer, to hit their drive. Hank’s donation of his time is appreciated by his alma mater. A special thank you goes to Volunteer Coordinator Carol Bovee (current third grade parent), who along with the 24 volunteers, helped to make the day run smoothly. It was a wonderful representation of our Charlotte Christian community.
1st Place Gross Rich Bucey, Chip Brown, Paul Whitmore, Zach Dickson
Cards created by lower school students for the players.
2010 Golf Challenge sponsors Autobell Balfour Beatty Construction Bank of America Best Impressions Caterers Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC Bojangles Boosterthon Fun Run Buffalo’s Southwest Café Cadillac Golf Ranch Carolina Green Corp. CBIZ Carroll Financial Associates The Coca-Cola Bottling
Company, Consolidated Charlotte Photography Court Creeden Costco Wholesale Dexter Worldwide Insurance Duo-Fast Carolinas Europa Sports Products Flik by Chartwells Franklin & Franklin PA Forms & Supply Hendrick Lexus Insurance Claims Adjusters, Inc. Johnston, Allison & Hord, P.A.
Lark Golf Designs Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Metrolina Financial Services The Morehead Group New South Kitchen Office Depot Outback Steakhouse Pike’s Old Fashioned Soda Shop Planttours Communications Prince-Parker & Assoc. Putnam Personal & Business Planning Red Rock’s Café
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard Signs Now 113 Sports Flooring Group Sprint United Printing Valvoline Instant Oil Change Windstream Communications The Charles Saleh Family The Karl & Carol Bovee Family The Steve Barbour Family The George Courtney Family
2010 Golf Challenge Volunteers Kristi Bobo Carol Bovee Karl Bovee Joy Boyce Lisa Brannock Heather Brannon Mary Beth Bryson Lori Case Shannon Cofield Teresa Davis
Julie Deuink Jim Edwards Kim Foskey Matthew Haneline Michelle Hodges Ken Holbrooks Stephanie Holbrooks Rex Little Beverly Martin Tony Norwood
Tom Palombo Kathy Patterson Retta Poynter Anne Putnam Deb Seelig Jonathan Settle Michelle Stillman Kathy Trotter
2009-10 ISSUE 3 n
20
CLASS NOTES
Class Notes 2008
1998
Danielle Gendron was elected to the “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges” in recognition of outstanding merit and accomplishment as a student at Oklahoma City University.
Dawn Lambeth Johnson and her husband, Michael, welcomed their fifth child, daughter Kennedy Vale, born March 13, 2010. Kennedy joins brothers Declan Connor, 6, Keller Miclaine, 4, McCrea Aidan, 2, and sister, Brynnley Christine, 3. The Johnson’s reside in Dublin, Va., where Dawn is a stay-at-home mom, and Michael is a transportation engineer with Anderson and Associates of Blacksburg, Va.
Jennifer Johnson was initiated into East Carolina University’s chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi April 18, 2010.
2005 Nick Crews married Rebecca White on June 20, 2010 at Saratoga Springs in Mount Pleasant, N.C. The couple will reside in Saint Louis, Mo. Pursuing a career in emergency medicine or orthopedics, Nick recently finished his first year at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Rebecca will be working at a local church in their children’s ministry.
2001 Jaime Alligood Bruckler and her husband, Andrew, welcomed their first child, McKenzie Faith, on Jan. 21, 2009. The family resides in Concord, N.C.
Kara Down Tabler and her husband, Nathan, welcomed their second child, Teagan Elyse, on March 18, 2010 at 1:40 p.m. at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. She weighed 5 lbs, 2 oz, and was 18 inches long and joins big brother Aiden who is now 23 months old.
1996 Allison Berry George and her family relocated to Philadelphia, Pa. this past January.
1991 Rafael McLeod and his wife, Melanie, welcomed their fourth child, Bennett Bain, on Jan. 22, 2010, weighing 8 lbs, 13 oz. Bennett joins older siblings Corinne, 4, Dyer, 3, and Sadie, 2. They are very excited and happy to have him in their family!
1989
HRISTIAN SCHOOL CHARLOTTE C
ALUMNI EST. 1950
Visit our new alumni website at
charlottechristianalumni.com for news and upcoming events.
Help us stay in touch! You can send any changes or updates to your contact info to alumni@ charchrist.com. For any questions, ideas or suggestions, please contact George Courtney at george.courtney@charchrist.com. 21 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Lt. Col. Connor S. Blackwood USAF has been promoted to Director of Operations of the 493D Fighter Squadron at Lakenheath, United Kingdom. He will be the lead pilot in charge of 39 F-15 aircraft to accomplish the assigned mission of the squadron.
1987 Sarah Oldham Peppel is now a college professor at Valley Forge Christian College in Phoenixville, Pa., teaching Writing for the Media and Communication Theory. She is also a frugal living columnist in the local paper, the president of women’s ministries in her local PCA presbytery, and a background actress in feature films such as The Lovely Bones, Law Abiding Citizen, The Last Airbender and more. Sarah praises the Lord for her husband Brian, their growing pre-teen daughters and even their insane little beagle. Richard Todd and his wife, Connie, welcomed their second son, Jeremy, on April 25, 2009. The family resides in Statesville, N.C. and Richard is the board chair of Statesville Christian School.
1974 Lance Brasch recently co-authored and presented a technical paper entitled “Unattended Ground Sensors Standards Working Group” at the SPIE Conference in Orlando, Fla. His paper will be published in SPIE’s Journal of Applied Remote Sensing.
ALUMNI PROFILE
Nick Gordon ‘05:
Equipped for Global Impact
T
he heart of Charlotte Christian School’s vision is to equip our students for all areas of life for the glory of God. We recently had the opportunity to hear Nick Gordon’s story of how his Charlotte Christian experience led him on an unforeseen track that helped equip him for his life’s work. Nick began his time at Charlotte Christian as a kindergarten student and continued through graduating as valedictorian of his class in 2005. After applying to several different colleges and working with Director of College Counseling Jodi Foxx, he headed to Vanderbilt on a full scholarship as a mechanical engineering major. This is where Nick’s understanding of his path began. “My time at Charlotte Christian was formative in that a lot I experienced there left a lasting impact. The biggest piece was the biblical foundation that came through things like Bible class, chapel, Windy Gap and the senior trip.” He didn’t realize the extensiveness of this foundation until he got to college and became aware of the breadth of his spiritual base compared to his classmates. While at Vanderbilt, Nick was involved with sports, Campus Crusade and was president of the Brothers Under Christ Fraternity. It was also where he became aware of a budding organization called CARE for AIDS that was started by a couple of college guys, one whom Nick was friends with, and so he began helping them. Upon graduation Nick learned of their need for a full-time American staff member. He felt led to take this job and signed up to move to Kenya. Nick is now the African Operations Director for CARE for AIDS and has been living fulltime in Kenya for one year. He spends his time interfacing with donors in the United States and works with Kenyan directors on planning as well as staying closely connected to what is happening in the heart of the community. This non-profit organization partners with local
churches to work with people who find themselves in hopeless situations. They reach out to HIV positive adults to offer spiritual and health counseling and to provide for their physical well being with food supplements and hygiene products. “Our workers meet with clients weekly in the church and visit clients once a month in their homes. Encouragement is the biggest thing,” said Nick. “These people have been abandoned, and a personal relationship with them means a lot.” Another aspect of the program is economic empowerment. They help each person identify business interests and then provide skills training, business formation and connections with other financial and agricultural organizations. “We try to be as holistic as possible so that they experience a physical, spiritual and economic transformation,” said Nick. The program lasts nine months and when clients graduate, CARE for AIDS identifies another group of 6080 people to welcome into the program. CARE for AIDS currently offers their services in six communities around Kenya, with a goal of working in 100 communities within the next five years. Throughout his journey, Gordon has seen God use all the areas of interest and involvement over the course of his entire educational experience to prepare him for where he is today. “I had other interests that at times were hard to let go of, but I got to where God wanted me to be, and I wouldn’t trade this for the world.” The encouragement that he would want to give to upperclassmen and the graduating seniors is to “think big and pursue the things that interest you. God can do a lot with just a little bit.” For more information about CARE for AIDS or to financially support Nick’s ministry, visit www.careforaids.org or contact Nick directly at nick@careforaids.org. To read stories of Nick’s personal journey in Kenya, visit www. nickgordoncfa.blogspot.com. 2009-10 ISSUE 3 22 n
SCRAPBOOK President’s Cup Award Winner Jordan Deuink
Grade 5 Promotion
Baccalaureate
President’s Cup Award Winner Erin Sayson
Grade 5 Promotion
Grade 8 Promotion
SCRAPBOOK
Grade 8 Promotion
Grade 5 Promotion
Baccalaureate
Grade 5 Promotion
Grade 8 Promotion
Charlotte Christian School is a Christ-centered, college preparatory school, equipping and developing students to effectively integrate Biblical truth and learning into their daily lives and to impact the culture for Christ.
7301 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270 (704) 366-5657 Fax: (704) 366-5678
www.charlottechristian.com
calendar of Events
July 12 - 16
August 2010
Computer Skills
Grades 9 - Adult
Knights Basketball
Grades 2 - 8
SOAR® Study Skills Advantage
Grades 9 - 12
Softball
Grades 3 - 6
Super Summer Day Camp
Grades JK - 5
Swim
Grades K - 5
Tennis
Grades K - 5
Working Side of the Farm
Grades 4 - 8
Monday Aug. 2 US Fall Sports Begin Monday, Aug. 9 MS Fall Sports Begin New Employee Orientation Grade 9 Outdoor Adventure Day Monday, Aug. 9 - Friday, Aug. 13 Orientation Week for all employees
June 21 - 25 Camp Pottery
Grades 4 - 6
Friday, Aug. 13 Grades 6 & 9 Orientation New US Student Orientation
Cheer 4 Fun
Grades JK - 5
Create-A-Cake
Grades 4 - 6
Fairytale Princess
Grades JK - 3
Saturday, Aug. 14 Back-to-School Extravaganza
Karate for Beginners/ Intermediates
Grades K - 5
Percussion
Monday, Aug. 16 Grades 2-12 Classes Begin • Full Day JK-Grade 1 Back-to-School Night
American Girl Doll Camp
Grades K - 3
Astronaut Academy*
Grades 2 - 5
Cheer 4 Fun
Grades JK - 5
Football
Ages 6 - 12
Club Penguin
Grades K - 5
Grade 6 - 12
SOAR® Study Skills Advantage
Grades 9 - 12
Super Summer Day Camp
Grades JK - 5
Super Summer Day Camp
Grades JK - 5
Varsity Softball (June 21 - 24)
Ages 6 - 18
Working Side of the Farm
Grades 4 - 8
Tuesday, Aug. 17 JK-Grade 1 Student/Parent Meetings in a.m. (by appt.) Wednesday, Aug. 18 - Friday, Aug. 20 JK-Grade 1 Classes Begin • Half Day Grades 2-12 • Full Day
Tuesday, Aug. 24 MS Back-to-School Night
July 26 - 30 Girls Volleyball FUNdamentals
Grades 2 - 5
Fancy Nancy
Grades JK - 2
Lego Mania
Grades 1 - 5
Soccer Skills Academy
Grades JK - 5
Super Summer Day Camp
Grades JK - 5
August 2 - 6
Thursday, Aug. 19 Grades 2-5 Back-to-School Night Monday, Aug. 23 Grades JK-12 • Full Day US Back-to-School Night
July 19 - 23
June 28 - july 2 Percussion
Grades 6 - 12
Introduction to Olympic Fencing
Ages 10 - 13
Super Summer Day Camp
Grades JK - 5
Blast Off*
Grades K - 1
Knights Basketball (Aug. 2-5)
Grades 2 - 8
Running with Scissors*
Grades 2 - 5
Super Summer Day Camp
Grades JK - 5
A detailed brochure is available at www.charlottechristian.com or for more information call, Allycia Brown, Director of Summer Camps, at (704) 366-5657, ext. 6506.