Geneva quarterly issue 1, 2015 16

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GENEVA QUARTERLY Volume 3 Issue 1

TURNING SIXTEEN The Planting of Geneva and the Growth of Its Roots

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All About Us LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

STAFF Mary Claire Brock Delaney Young Emma Ingram Summer Stolle

Editor-in-Chief Chief Editor of Content Chief Editor of Design Photoshop Editor

Ian Comuzzie Photography Editor Jessica Wheeler Indesign Editor Arianna Flores Editorial Editor Karlie Daniels Carissa Georgelos Skylar Tippetts Aisling Ayers Nathan Young Jacqueline Knox Noah Benson Katelyn Davis Nathan Zuniga Emme Owens Katherine Anderson Daniel Grover Sara Beth Stolle Kaila Daniels Ruth Wacker

Indesign Staff Indesign Staff Indesign Staff Indesign Staff Photography Staff Photography Staff Photography Staff Photography Staff Editorial Staff Editorial Staff Editorial Staff Editorial Staff Photoshop Staff Photoshop Staff Photoshop Staff

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GQ MISSION STATEMENT

DEAR READER, For the past twelve years, I have driven past the enormous oak tree which stands firmly in the middle of a wheat field on Cascade Caverns Road. There are a few other trees near it; the tree is hard to miss. The old oak seems to only be growing stronger as the years pass.

Much like the deep-rooted stout oak, Geneva has grown and established itself well over its sixteen years in existence. In this first issue of the 2015-2016 school year, we celebrate these sweet sixteen years as a school. This issue explores the growth and changes which have occurred through every aspect of the school, from the current enrollment of Geneva to the status of the first graduating class.

As we began delving into our third year of the Geneva Quarterly, we set goals and aspirations to expand our horizons and create a more sophisticated magazine while still representing the interests of our student body. Since August, our staff has been working on design, content and photography in preparation for this year. We have made a few changes, including new designated sections. You will find five sections under the headings of Features, The Score, Culture, AlumNews and Out of the Box. Each section contains articles which reveal various aspects of Geneva culture.

With much anticipation, I, along with my talented team of journalists, present to you the first issue of the Geneva Quarterly.

The Geneva Quarterly is a student publication which serves the greater Geneva community with news, opinion, entertainment and sports. All pieces are written from a Biblical worldview and attempt to engage the reader with relevant information. We, as a staff, pursue truth and excellence through all of our work and integrate the basic principles taught at the Geneva School of Boerne.

Mary Claire Brock

VERSE OF THE QUARTER

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is good; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.”

Deuteronomy 7:9

BEHIND THE COVER

The tree pictured on the cover, which is located on the property across from the Geneva Campus, signifies Geneva’s growth and deeply rooted history.

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY JACQUELINE KNOX

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Features 8 SWEET SIXTEEN

Geneva commemorates its 16th year

16 MISSION MINDED

Studets visit Haiti on an unforgettable mission trip

20 FOREVER FAMILY

Families of the Geneva community share their stories of adoption

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INDESIGN CREDITS: Mary Claire Brock: 1, 4-5, 8-15, 36-37 Delaney Young: 1, 4-5, 30-31, 38-39 Emma Ingram: 1, 3, 4-5, 9, 23, 33, 47, 68, 58-62 Summer Stolle: 1, 4-5, 64-65, 74-77 Jessica Wheeler: 16-19, 24-25, 34-35, 56-57 Arianna Flores: 67-70 Karlie Daniels: 45 Carissa Georgelos: 42, 44 Skylar Tippetts: 20-22, 46 Aisling Ayers: 26-28, 43, 71 Kaila Daniels: 2, 79 Ruth Wacker: 72-73

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Volume 3 Fall 2015

COLOPHON

All verbal and visual content is solicited and selected by the Quarterly Staff of the Geneva School of Boerne. Approval is garnered from advisor and headmaster. All bylined writers are held accountable for their work.

MAGAZINE SPECIFICATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Created in InDesign and printed by SchoolPrinting.com.

Font families used: Kepler Std., Lust and Baramound.

SCHOOL INFORMATION

The Geneva School of Boerne exists to provide a classical education from a Biblical worldview, to equip students for a lifetime of learning, service and leadership to the glory of God. Rhetoric student population: 200 Rhetoric faculty population: 43

6 FEATURES 23 THE SCORE 33 CULTURE

TO BUY A SUBSCRIPTION CONTACT: rryden@genevaschooltx.org

47 ALUMNNEWS

TO ADVERTISE CONTACT: TheGenevaQuarterly@gmail.com

SECTIONS

Issue

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Table of Contents

63WWW OUT OF THE BOX

FOR ANY OTHER INQUIRES: maryclairebrock.gq@gmail.com

78 THE TALON

THIS IS A PUBLICATION FOR

Geneva School of Boerne 113 Cascade Caverns Road Boerne, Tx. 78006

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PHOTOGRAPH BY NOAH BENSON

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Features

SWEET SIXTEEN Geneva School Celebrates Its Sixteenth Anniversary pg. 8

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“There were periods where it felt like Alice in Wonderland after she ate the cake marked, ‘eat me.’ It was definitely a ‘curiouser’ time.”

Brad Ryden, Head of School

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BY MARY CLAIRE BROCK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

XVI SWEET SIXTEEN

Geneva School celebrates its sixteenth anniversary

THEN AND NOW

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hey held hands and took the jump. When they took this leap of faith, they didn’t know they had stumbled upon a wonderland full of new adventures. The journey, at times, was daunting and full of surprises.

There were new doors on the left and the right. Some doors shut soon after they were cracked open, but others opened up to even more hallways and resources than seemed possible.

The first few doors took courage to open. Each new door brought more wisdom, more understanding and more stability. The first courageous few experienced sweet times but also late nights of planning and sacrificing their time in order to find new doors and expand the wonderland that is Geneva School of Boerne.

This year, Geneva enters its sixteenth year as a school. Founded in 1999 by three families, the school’s heritage was filled with faith and prayer. Robert and Joanne Thornton, Bret and Paula Wacker, and Brian and Cindy Fowler all held hands and jumped through the rabbit hole to start this new adventure.

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One of these founders, Robert Thornton, says that even during times of seemingly unanswered prayers, each person reminded one another, “‘It’s okay, it’s a closed door; it’s God’s will.’ Closed doors are as good as open doors most of the time.”

In eager anticipation of the opening of new doors, each of the first families marched ahead, following closely after one another. Mr. Rob Shelton, Rhetoric School headmaster, recognizes that “for the sake of the school, parents and students alike would jump in and do whatever was needed, and nobody elected someone else to do it.”

David Brock, one of the school’s first board members, says, “We would meet once a week for six or seven hours, then spend a good amount of the rest of the week chairing committees.

We were all new to the job and admittedly inexperienced at organizing, managing and growing a school – much less a classical Christian school. In the end we would pray and, despite our inexperience, God, in his infinite wisdom, would provide.”

The early years of development brought along unique opportunities like walking to the library once a week or taking a trip to the duck pond on special occasions.

Geneva was built on a foundation that genuinely valued family. Jason Cone, Geneva parent and previous board member, and Ginny Lipe, mother of four, encourage parents to embrace the opportunities Geneva provides to “jump in”.

“Geneva affords parents and other family members numerous opportunities to participate in the school experience with students,” Cone says.

Lipe also adds that “as an old timer, if there was one thing I’d like to pass along to the newer families it is that you owe it to yourself to ‘embrace’ every opportunity you have to be a part of the Geneva family. You will receive ten-fold what you put into the Geneva family.”

Each of the previous doors uncovers an array of memories, from the years St. John Lutheran Church hosted Geneva to the moving to our current location on Cascade Caverns Road. The years of infancy hold precious times of growth and nurturing for the school and its pioneering families.

Beverly Johnson, mother of two graduates and Grammar School coordinator, says, “The old Geneva started with families with a pioneer spirit.

They didn’t know what the Lord was going to do but they knew that we had something good going because it was founded on God’s principles and we wanted good things for our children. We wanted them to have a classical education because that’s what our founding fathers had and it seemed to work out pretty well for them.”

Thornton explains that, by the time Geneva had grown out of the St. John Lutheran facilities and was ready to move to the Cascade Caverns location, “we were already established and a real organization and not viewed as experimental.”

We grew and grew and grew; the unknown became a little less frightful and a little more inviting.

Head of School Brad Ryden recalls that, at times, the student population grew by more than 30 percent. “There were periods where it felt like Alice in Wonderland after she ate the cake marked ‘eat me.’ It was definitely a ‘curiouser’ time,” Ryden says.

New avenues to explore and new perspectives to be gained accompanied

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this constant growth. Johnson acknowledges that the internal and external growth of Geneva has attracted men and women with expertise and experience who are willing to teach and further the students’ knowledge in specific areas. Parent of two Geneva graduates, Michelle Travis, remembers times when the Lord brought teachers barely in time for the school year to start, but nevertheless provided in miraculous ways for Geneva.

“It is overwhelming to me to see the number of teachers that God has brought to Geneva. I remember several years when we didn’t know who would be teaching certain classes, even weeks before school was starting.

It seemed almost impossible that God would bring teachers to Boerne, Texas that would be classically minded, love the Lord and love our kids. But the Lord delivered over and over again, above what we could ever ask or imagine.

So when I see all the teachers walking over to pray in the mornings, I am reminded God provided,” Travis says.

After sixteen years of doors opening and closing, Geneva, who opened her doors with only 13 students, now welcomes 671 students every single morning. Permanent buildings are being established. Graduates, who once made their way to the St. John Lutheran chapel on Friday mornings to recite their latest bit of knowledge, are awakening the world around them with truth and conquering new heights.

The school is no longer anxious about the outcome of this so-called “experiment” but is certain that the Lord has created a beautiful foundation at Geneva. It is no longer following in the footsteps of giants. Geneva is now leading other schools around the United States who, like Geneva’s courageous few founding families, want to open and explore the doors of the Christian and classical school movement.

“We have inquires and visitors from other schools on a regular basis, and it is a joy to be able to share with others what we have learned.

Regents School of Austin served us in a similar way as we were growing,” Ryden says.

Though the school may look different in size and by nature, sixteen years has only produced a more stable ground to foster and incubate the original ideas and principles of the first door Geneva opened. In Ryden’s words, “The qualities that make us unique—a sound Christian and classical academic program, a personable and supportive faculty and a close G | 11

and caring parent community—were there from the beginning and will be, Lord willing, with us for as long as we exist.”

It is obvious that Geneva was not just a wonderland, stumbled upon by happenstance.

Every student would agree it is practically impossible to be a part of Geneva without acknowledging God’s omnipotent orchestration by being in this place at such a time as this.

Sixteen years of provision have passed. It is time to eat more cake and be a part of walking through even more new doors that the Lord opens.

FUTURE OF GENEVA

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ver its sixteen years in existence, Geneva has experienced immense physical growth.

The molding and foundation of the school is already set in place. Now that the school has experienced the growing pains that every sixteen year old goes through, Geneva can look forward to growing in depth and wisdom.

As Amy Metzger, development director and mother of three, says. “Our growth is not going to be massive as it relates to number of people or even in the growth of our facilities.

Is there room for growth? Absolutely. But I don’t envision Geneva growing beyond what our founders and current board have desired in terms of size. We are not on this rapid growth of facilities, we’re not going to be busting out hundreds of more acres somewhere or tripling the size of our student body, but we are going to refine and shape those things that we already are, and continue to go deeper.”

The future is hard to precisely predict. Like parents predict how their child will look and talk and act, Geneva can make assumptions about where the school is heading based on the foundation that has been set in place.

“When my children were two or three, I wasn’t quite sure how they would look,” continues Metzger. “I could look at other people in my family, just like we could look at other schools, and say ‘I think my children will look like this or be a little bit like that.’

The physical growth is huge from when they were toddlers to where they are now. Now that they are older, I have a pretty good idea of what the adult versions of my children are going to be.”

At age sixteen, Geneva has gracefully established itself. It has already witnessed five graduated classes of exceptional students go out into the world as well prepared and educated ambassadors for Christ.

Shelton says, “Just as a teenager gets older and gains perspective and loses some of that uncertain angst about the future, so Geneva has matured. Unlike the early days of Rhetoric School, parents and students aren’t as worried about whether the ‘experiment’ we call Geneva could actually produce graduates. With several graduated classes

under our belts, students and parents seem less anxious.”

For a while, Geneva was unsure of where it would be, say, sixteen years down the road.

The school imitated pieces of other Christian and classical schools. Johnson says, “We’ve gleaned things from other schools that will work for Geneva and then we’ve ‘Genevaized’ those things.”

Now that Geneva is more mature, it has become known as a leader in the Christian and classical school realm. It is more obvious the direction in which the school will go in the years to come but, as Metzger says, “We know who we are, we know who we want to be, but we do not know exactly the opportunities that will arise or who the Lord is going to bring to this campus. Those things remain to be seen. We can trust that the Lord is going to put in front of us, as He always has, the right people at the right time and the right opportunities while continuing in the same solid mission that we’ve always been.”

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From the Outside In

BY DELANEY YOUNG CHIEF EDITOR OF CONTENT

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here are a lot of reasons to celebrate Geneva’s “sweet 16”.

The school has moved campuses, built gymnasiums and classrooms, and grown tremendously in size over the past years.

Now, because of all the architectural additions to the campus over just the past five years, the school’s exterior looks entirely different compared to the tiny Shepherd House at St. John Lutheran Church where classes originally met. Often, these outward changes are the most telling of Geneva’s incredible progress and growth. Buildings like the Lyceum, the Competition Gym, the Logic and Rhetoric academic village, and the Multi-Purpose Building are tangible and physical reminders of God’s providence throughout the past 16 years.

Robert Thornton, one of Geneva’s founders, says, “Wherever we’ve been, St. John or Cascade Caverns, it’s always been really clear that it’s been God ordained because God just opened the doors and allowed us to get established so easily. Having a viable facility is necessary not only to conduct classes.

Having a viable facility and a presence is also very critical in your physical presence and marketing, and your ability to tell the community, ‘Hey, we’re real.’”

In 1999, Thornton came in contact with a member of St. John Lutheran Church named Betty Thomas. She reached out to him and graciously offered the church’s facility as a campus for Geneva School. The three families that founded Geneva approached the St. John congregation council and presented their ideas for the school, in the hopes that the church would allow Geneva to share the campus.

Henry Schulte, pastor of St. John at the time, was a part of the decision board. He describes how impressed the church was by Geneva’s blueprints for a classical Christian curriculum. The school was equally affected by St. John’s hospitality: “They were always great, great hosts. We really invaded and it

went from a sleepy campus to a place of lots of activity with parents and teachers and volunteers each week, and they never once were alarmed,” says Thornton.

“There were never any argumentative moments. They were gracious hosts and very good to us.”

Within five years, the school grew exponentially and was “literally bursting at the seams,” according to Schulte.

Geneva had more than 100 students, and desperately needed bigger facilities.

Once again, Thornton hunted the Boerne-San Antonio area for the perfect property that would accommodate Geneva’s rapid growth. A man named Sonny Davis, who had lived in Boerne his whole life and worked in Thornton’s offices for several years, suggested that the school check out his 32-acre piece of field and farmland on Cascade Caverns Road. Davis’ terms were perfect for Geneva’s financial situation.

Thornton says, “Because we didn’t have the money to just write him a check, and we couldn’t really go to a bank to borrow the money because we weren’t old enough or financially stable enough, we needed a piece of property where whoever we were buying from would be willing to carry a note [promissory bank loan]. So, Sonny’s terms were, ‘I’ll let you buy it, but only if you’ll let me carry a note.’ Funny how that worked out.” Five or six families signed the note, taking on the responsibility to pay Davis back in full, and the Geneva School of Boerne moved onto its very own campus.

The 2004-2005 school year, the school’s first on the Cascade Caverns campus, was not trouble-free.

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“Wherever we’ve been, St. John

or Cascade Caverns, it’s always been really clear that it’s been God ordained because God just opened the doors and allowed us to get established so easily.”

Robert Thornton, School Founder

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Amy Metzger, the school’s development director, says, “When we moved in to the new campus, obviously we were super grateful for these portable buildings and this land. But the first kind of ‘wow’ reality moment was the fact that we still didn’t have power until the Friday before Labor Day weekend.

I remember thinking, ‘Okay.

We’re going to have classrooms without electricity on the first day of school! It is what it is, I guess,’ and then finding Susan Dunn [headmaster at the time] jumping up and down because the light switch in her room finally worked.”

There is a distinct parallel that can be drawn between that first experience and this year’s Grammar School construction complications.

After all the Grammar School portables were relocated in August of this year, Brad Ryden was scrambling to get electricity, internet and working telephones up and running before the first day of school; Metzger says that it was “interesting to watch that mirror [with Geneva’s first year at Cascade Caverns].”

Along with the school’s first few difficult years came several invaluable lessons.

Geneva learned to depend on God and trust that He would bless the school’s sixteenth year as much as He blessed its sixth.

Metzger believes that those early years laid a critical foundation for the many years

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that followed. “I believe the Lord gave us that kind of year that was cold and wet and a huge challenge because we were void of chances that year for our students to stand up and present, which is a huge part of who we are as a school that teaches classical rhetoric...

At the end of that year, we raised money to build the entire MPB [Multi-Purpose Building]… because God opened our eyes to the need for a place that students could stand up and practice being articulate.”

She remembers several other incredible gifts with which God has blessed Geneva—seemingly simple things like paved roads, extra classrooms, gyms and gathering places that Geneva needed and God provided.

“And that’s what I’ve seen most in the past 16 years at Geneva, from a facilities standpoint; that it wasn’t one and done, but the Lord’s timing has been perfect and has allowed us to continually depend on Him.” Metzger continues, “He gave us electricity at the last minute. He showed us our need for a place where our students can gather together and practice speaking rhetorically, and then provided us with the funds to make it happen… all of those things coming in His perfect timing.

The Lord provided exactly what we needed and helped us to know what we didn’t know.”

FROM THE INSIDE OUT

BY CARISSA GEORGELOS

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appy Birthday to the Geneva School of Boerne!

Geneva’s new age has brought about a lot of changes in all three sections of the school: Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric.

In Geneva’s sixteen years, we have seen the addition of first Logic School and then Rhetoric School. Both have multiplied exponentially since their conceptions. Logic School has grown from one sixth grade section in 2009 to three sections per each grade in sixth, seventh and eighth. Moreover, until this year, Logic School shared faculty members and classrooms with Rhetoric School. For the first time in Geneva’s history, Logic School and Rhetoric School have entirely separated campuses and faculty, with the exception of three teachers.

Logic School Headmaster John DeSario agrees that a separation of the Logic and Rhetoric schools was a positive change because “there is a big difference between the structure and freedom in the sixth grade and twelvth grade classroom. It was time for our Logic School to develop its own culture, which necessitated having a dedicated Logic School faculty.”

Geneva’s middle school culture has also grown significantly.

DeSario says that the Logic School has impacted Hill Country Daily Bread, a local ministry, immensely. In addition, the community dynamics have improved with the faculty, including “discussion, fellowship and discourse from school to other topics.”

Although Logic School has grown, it still has some improvements to make over the next 16 years. Logic School is lacking an outdoor pavilion for lunch and a larger locker room that provides more space and convenience.

Regardless, Geneva is blessed to continue to grow in size and structure. Geneva celebrates its sixteenth by appreciating how far it has come and trusting that God will continue to bless it in the future.

ALL ARTWORK BY NOAH BENSON

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MISSION Minded

PHOTOGRAPH BY NATHAN YOUNG

Six Geneva seniors share about their life-changing trip to Haiti

BY KATHERINE ANDERSON

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very summer, Instagram seems to be flooded by a sea of pictures containing teenage girls and small children from foreign countries, usually bearing the caption, ‘I wish I could bring them back home with me.’ Despite the stereotypes surrounding short-term mission trips, six Geneva senior girls discovered over this past summer that a brief trip to the Caribbean third-world country of Haiti can really invoke genuine, life-altering, spiritual and mental change.

Addison Lipe, Delaney Young, Ashley Masso, Mary Claire Brock, Savannah Cone, and Kaylea Burt all experienced the strange mixture of culture shock and unconditional love that accompanies working with impoverished children through a faith-based program.

While in Haiti, the girls stayed in a village built by Mercy International, a non-profit organization geared toward helping Haiti rebuild and rehabilitate. The village is located outside of Gressier, a small town just West of Port-Au-Prince, the nation’s capital city and

one of the most damaged by the earthquake.

They visited orphanages, spent concentrated time with the children in the village, and, most importantly, witnessed the incredible works of God in the lives of the Haitian people.

While most people return from mission trips changed in some way, not everyone expects the experience to affect them so greatly. “Being my first mission trip outside of the U.S., I boarded the plane to Haiti without much expectation of what was to come. Little did I know, the Lord, in His infinite goodness, had so much more in store for our trip than I could have ever imagined,” says Brock. “The relationships I built are really indescribable. The hardest part was returning to the States after my eyes had seen extreme poverty and my heart had grown so close to people over 1,000 miles away. I think about my friends in Haiti daily.”

Most of the group had already seen conditions similar to those in Haiti on other mission trips in suffering communities. Masso says, “I thought it was going to be similar to a mission trip in Paraguay that I previously went on, and in some ways it was. I wanted to serve the people of Haiti, but I didn’t really know how.”

As most people know, Haiti was brutally devastated by a catastrophic HOLD ON earthquake with a magnitude of TIGHT 7.0 Mw in 2010. The effects of Delaney Young being the earthquake and the nation’s loved on by corrupt government are obvious two Haitian boys.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ASHLEY MASSO G | 16

everywhere on the western half of the island.

Living conditions for the general population can be shocking, even for the experienced traveler.

“I thought I had a pretty good idea of poverty and despair due to places I’d been before,” Cone says. “I was so wrong. The physical need in Haiti was unlike anything I’d ever seen. It is indescribably heartbreaking.”

Lipe’s first trip to Haiti was in 2012, so she was able to see more recent repercussions of the earthquake.

Addison Lipe Before Haiti, she had not been exposed to a country like it.

“Even if I was expecting the worst,” she says, “the conditions there still would have shocked me. There is no imagining the tent cities and extreme poverty. It is something you really have to see to understand.”

The streets of Port-Au-Prince are crowded with crumbling stone buildings, humongous piles of clothes for sale, and towers of trash that threaten to topple out of the alleys at any moment. Children walk home alone from school carrying heavy baskets of laundry or food on their heads. Drivers are bombarded by desperate men who try to sell water bottles and

“Even if I was expecting the worst, the conditions there still would have shocked me.”

necklaces through the windows of buses. Trucks swerve through the streets, overflowing with passengers because there are no driving laws to obey. “When we landed in Port-au-Prince, I was immediately shocked by what a complete wreck Haiti is, even five years after the earthquake,” says Young. “That’s something that pictures and words just can’t capture; it was heartbreaking.

Seeing that, it was hard for me to grasp how anyone living in that state could still choose joy.”

However, in stark contrast with their surrounding dark and dismal conditions, the people of Haiti have a surprisingly optimistic outlook on life. “The Haitians love life and truly live it to the fullest,” Lipe says. “Most would not change anything about it. Almost everyone that I met there who had been to the U.S. wanted to return to Haiti because, to them, all of our amenities are just too much.”

Although it seems as if the usual routine would be to impart some form of American joy and wisdom on the children, it is typically the Haitians that impart joy and wisdom on American visitors. There is a lot to learn from the way Haitians live for the Lord and continually show compassion.

“It was evident that the Lord was working in so many different and unique ways,” Cone says. “One precious little girl was named Esmika. I still think about her sweet kisses.”

Kisses, hugs and hand-holding from a child is hard to avoid, since several swarm you every

A Personal Perspective

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n my own summer mission trip to the rural town of Neply, Haiti, my perspective on life was changed by a little girl named Shelove. Shelove could barely speak the native language of Creole, was emotionally underdeveloped and could never remember names.

She referred to me simply as ‘Mama Blanc,’ or her white mom.

Everywhere I went, Shelove was with me. As the days went by, I realized that Shelove had only one pair of battered shoes. She did not go to school like the other children, or try to write her name in cursive in my journal pages like the other children did. She was limited by her circumstances and lack of education, whereas I had every possible opportunity available. Coming back to America, I had a new inspiration for achieving anything and everything possible. That inspiration was Shelove. She is not able ALL SMILES to experience school, travel or even communicate freely, Anderson privileges I had never thought twice about. But I will never instantly fell take those things for granted again. in love with

this smiley girl, Shelove, on her own trip to Haiti.

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BY KATHERINE ANDERSON

A Map of Haiti ON THE MAP

The six Geneva seniors spent most of their time in Gressier, which is a few hours from Haiti’s capital, Port-au Prince. Anderson’s team stayed in Leogane, a town not far from from Gressier.

Gressier

Leogane

chance they get, vying for your affection. For most people, there is one child that especially stands out. “One girl named Enous taught me how to love selflessly,” Lipe says, referring to her 2012 trip to Haiti. “She is the most kindhearted twelve-year-old I have and probably will ever meet. She was always at my side asking me (or signaling, really, because of the language barrier) what she could do to help, and loving on everyone throughout the day. Saying goodbye to her was one of the hardest things I have ever done.”

Sometimes a single interaction with a child can leave a lasting impression, as Kaylea Burt recalls: “Mary Claire and I were interviewing one of the children in the village and asked him if he enjoyed going to school. His answer changed my life. He liked his school because the teachers didn’t beat him very hard. I used to constantly complain about uniforms and homework, little things like that. Now I’ll catch myself worrying about something relatively trivial and remember that little boy, and all of my problems seem so small.”

For others, it is the culture itself OVERJOYED that makes Seeing joyful faces is one a difference. of the best For the outcomes of Haitians in serving the Gressier, children in there are Haiti.

PHOTOGRAPH

BY DELANEY YOUNG

Port-au Prince

no reservations about expressing faith and happiness. “My favorite part was seeing how God transcends cultures,” Masso says. “The people in Haiti had their own way of praising God, which was hours of dancing and shouting in a small, hot building, and we had our ways too, however more subtle.”

The girls were deeply impacted and affected by their experiences in Haiti, and carried that with them back home. Young says, “That was when I truly felt the gravity of Haiti’s impact on me. I didn’t fully see God’s hand in all of it—the interactions with the kids, the incredibly heartbreaking stories we heard, and the devastation and ruin we saw—until I got back home and was overwhelmed with this feeling of sadness and joy that I can’t really explain. It changed something inside me, for good.”

The Haitian perspective on life is

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IT’S A LOVE HAITI RELATIONSHIP

Young, Brock, Lipe, Cone and Burt enjoy an afternoon with friends in Haitin.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ASHLEY MASSO

again ‘I did not know.’’ I held on to the sliver of hope that if I chose to take action, I can at least do my part.”

Without the drastic change in culture and lifestyle, the trip to Haiti would not have been as meaningful. “At first it seemed unfair,” Masso says. “However, I realized that this affluence is such a blessing. Because God has given me so much, I now have the privilege and responsibility to give so much more away.”

The lessons taken from the experience of a mission trip stay with you forever.

“Just like everyone says,” Cone says, “coming home contagious. Their values and priorities seem to from something that depressing changes your make more sense than the constantly stressful, perspective.

Complaining and whining just seem material things that take over everyday back wrong after something like that.” home. “They realize that the people in their Even though the conditions may be lives and the God they worship are all that grueling and the aftermath may be painful, truly matters,” Lipe says. “I have been trying to the spiritual growth and close relationships remember that every day since my trip.” formed in The only fallout to this Haiti are well experience is what can be worth briefly described as “post-Haiti giving up the depression.” These withdrawals cushy lifestyle include irrational anger at we are all so anyone even remotely privileged, accustomed to. a growing hatred for ignorance, Sometimes, in and hours of crying caused by order to truly the phantom weight of a child in discover the your arms. strength of “I’m not a very emotional God’s grace, person,” Brock says, “but I you have cried a lot the first three days to venture I was back. It was such a harsh out into the reality, coming back to a land LOVE WITHOUT unknown.

The six Geneva seniors of excess when you’ve seen such poverty END who visited Haiti this summer will accompanied by true gratefulness. I know Brock captures never forget a moment from that this priceless the words of William Wilberforce hold mission trip, and the children in true, ‘having seen all this, you can choose expression of love Gressier will never forget them. that she can hold to look the other way, but you can never say onto forever.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARY CLAIRE BROCK G | 19

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e was so excited to leave school early that day.

As soon as Mrs. Johnson received the A-Okay from his father, he drove as fast as he could to the hospital.

He met up with his dad in the waiting room. Together they walked to the room where his mom, aunt, and a 17 year-old girl were gushing over a baby. A baby brother.

He had never really held a baby before; he had always been the youngest in his family.

Not anymore.

As he held the baby boy in his arms for the first time, he couldn’t help but smile. “He was so chubby and cute, just rolls and rolls of fat,” he says, recounting their first intimate, brother moment with a smile from ear to ear.

The connection was automatic, and has

Feature

They Found A Forever Family Three Geneva families share their story of adoption and how it changed their lives

BY ARIANNA FLORES

THE GOOD LIFE

Isaac, 15 months old, continues to live a healthy and happy life with his new family, the Seastrunks.

Here, he is enjoying Seastrunk family vacation at Captiva Island last summer.

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only grown since that day 18 months ago. alongside her siblings for most of her life, Nick Seastrunk, senior, officially became she found the secular view of adoption very a big brother to Isaac James 10 months later. different from her own. This presented both Isaac, whose birth mother could not financially her and her siblings with unique challenges. support him, still desired to let the child “My sister is severely dyslexic and dysgraphic; live. The girl agreed to go through with the that’s not uncommon in the realm of adopted pregnancy and let the Seastrunk family adopt children because they often come from troubled her son. She stays in touch with them and her households,” says Rodgers. “That’s the stigma son to this day. that’s attached to adopted children at public They took Isaac home as soon as he was school, but it’s just a completely different view released from the hospital. From watching him of adoption at a private school.” outgrow his toys and clothes, to hearing him cry Though the contrast is significant, the whole night long, Seastrunk is living a dream she couldn’t be happier that the Christian he never thought would happen. community has reached out to her since day one “You have that feeling, like, ‘We saved a and made her feel at home. “We’re all kind of life.’ Who knows what he’ll go on to do in the adopted at birth,” she says truthfully. future,” he says. Not only did his family save a Much like Rodgers’ parents, Geneva life, but Seastrunk also has the opportunity to parents Jill and Matthew Ross adopted three shape that life in a kids. However, way no one but an their children older brother could. didn’t come from a “He brought place like Boerne. a lot of happiness Andrew, and joy into our Lillian, and family,” says Elianna Ross were Seastrunk, smiling adopted from a at the thought. “It’s village in Ethiopia. amazing being able Elianna, whom to see him grow into they adopted first, a man of God.” becoming a part Fast-forward of a previously allNick Seastrunk 16 years, and Isaac’s boy household as a life might look a 12-month old. lot like that of Geneva junior Ashton Rodgers.

The Ross’ responded immediately to She, like her two older siblings, grew up with her God’s call to adopt Elianna. “We were praying adopted family from the very start of her life. for her before we even knew who she was,” says She believes this to be a true blessing, because Jill Ross. Part of the reason they chose to adopt she never had to make a dramatic adjustment to from Ethiopia was because of the abundant love a new life. in its culture, which they prayed would carry Rodgers was adopted in 1998 from a over to their new daughter. woman living in Austin, Texas. She sees her birth From the second they took her home mother once a year, usually for a holiday. “My as a baby, loving and raising Elianna has been birth-mom is not an avid Christian,” she says, nothing but a blessing. “I kept waiting for it to thinking back into her past. “I remember sitting get hard, and with her every single day just got in church on Sundays singing with my brothers better and better and better. She’s one of the and sisters. I always used to think, ‘I wouldn’t happiest people I’ve ever met in my entire life.” be sitting here doing the same thing if I wasn’t God’s plan for the Ross family didn’t end adopted.’” there. They went back to Ethiopia, this time for Her family is rooted strongly in the two older kids. Andrew, Geneva fifth grader, Christian faith. However, before she came to and Lillian, Geneva second grader, have been Geneva in eighth grade, she was not always in America for four years now. When they first surrounded by people who followed Christ. arrived, they didn’t speak any English.

Having received a public education This communication barrier proved a

“You have that feeling, like, ‘We saved a life.’

Who knows what he’ll go on to do in the future.”

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“I’d rather be where I am now than where I would have been.”

Ashton Rodgers

WE ARE FAMILY

Rodgers, at an early age, sits with brother Corvin and sister Micah.

significant challenge during those first few weeks. “I’ve never prayed so much in my whole life,” Ross says. “I was in this very humbling place of, ‘I don’t know what’s going on in your head, I can’t even begin to imagine. You’ve been taken from everything you knew and you’re in a place where you can’t talk to anyone or share your feelings. No one can explain to you what’s going on…’ It’s a hard place to be as a mom.”

This hurdle was one they were able to overcome through their faith in Christ. Ross thought back to one particular prayer she said over Andrew during his first weeks living in America. “I remember him just sobbing one night, and I’m just holding him and praying, ‘God, I don’t speak Amharic, but you do. And you have to speak to this child’s heart,’” she says.

Struggle and surprise go hand in hand during adoption. “There’s no What to Expect When You’re Adopting book. We joke that there’s no epidural for adoption either, no way to knock the pain out. It’s truly the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Ross says. “You watch your faith muscle explode. Do you really trust

that God’s going to give you the right child, that God’s not going to ask you to do more than you can?”

The pieces of their puzzle eventually assembled to make a perfect fit. Their four biological sons and three Ethiopian children make one incredibly joyful and incredibly big family.

Caleb, Geneva fourth grader and the youngest of Ross’s biological sons, can’t even go to bed at night without Andrew home. “When Caleb was in first grade, he wrote us a thank you note. It said, thank you so much for adopting Andrew and Ellie and Lilly. Without them, I wouldn’t have any fun.”

The Seastrunk, Rodgers and Ross families are nothing but grateful for each of their incredible journeys to adoption, despite the rough patches. Rodgers reiterates this gratitude: “To some degree, every child who is adopted is going to feel some sort of insecurity, like ‘Why did they do that?’ I have really just come to be thankful about it. I’d rather be where I am now than where I would have been.”

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The Score

RUNNING WITH PEP IN HIS STEP Coach Inglish discusses his long coaching career at Geneva pg. 30 PHOTOGRAPH BY KATELYN DAVIS

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The Score

It’s a Fantastic Game Are you ready for some football?

The inside scoop on fantasy football

BY NATHAN YOUNG

itself at Geneva, too.

Walking down the Geneva Rhetoric School boardwalk during football season, you are sure to hear conversations between students about what they did over the weekend, what grade they got on a test or what cool new clothes they added to their wardrobe. But you are just as sure to hear conversations about who won the Fantasy Football match-ups over the weekend, how many fantasy points Tom Brady scored, or what players they added to their Fantasy teams.

Junior Arianna Flores lists some of her favorite things about Fantasy Football. “I like sitting with my homework and tracking the games on Sunday afternoon,” she says.

Because it’s the same game for everyone who plays it, it is a really fun thing to talk about with all sorts of people. This is yet another perk of Fantasy Football—it is a really fun and easy topic to talk about with old friends, new friends, or even strangers.

Competition is a very popular aspect of Fantasy Football. Freshman William Cone says, “Honestly, I just like the satisfaction of beating my friends.” Sophomore Zach Akin answers from the heart. “Owning a team really motivates me to try to get as many wins as possible. But crushing people has its advantages, too.” There’s no feeling like going to school Tuesday morning and grinning at the friend you beat in Monday night’s game, while he avoids eye contact with you at all costs.

All these factors give an explanation for what makes Fantasy Football so fantastic.

Because of Fantasy Football, people care more about the “gridiron pastime” than ever before, which has the NFL smiling all the way to the bank.

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It’s late in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants, a classic matchup. The Cowboy offense is backed up to their own 20-yard line and their quarterback, Tony Romo, drops back to pass. He throws a bomb down the field to Dez Bryant, his favorite receiver. Bryant makes a quick move on his defender and breaks free! The 40, the 30, the 20, the 10, Touchdown! You look up from your iPhone and smile at your frustrated friend across the table. You have just won your Fantasy Football match-up.

Fantasy Football is not, as some at Geneva might think, a game where wizards, elves, and orcs run around with a mythical object called a football and attempt to deliver it into Mount Doom. Fantasy Football is a game that requires some luck and some skill, where the players pretend to be owners of imaginary football teams on the Internet. So, why does this simple game draw more than 33 million American men and women, including many Geneva students, to participate every year?

Especially over the past few years, Fantasy Football has seen tremendous growth and is promoted on many apps, websites, news articles, advertisements and television programs. There are even Fantasy Football professionals on the TV and radio who give advice and support for this frenzy. This $70 billion market has impacted more than just adult men, as some might assume. In fact, out of the 33 million that play, women make up approximately 20 percent of Fantasy football players, with teens (its fastest growing demographic) making up 20 percent of the overall number. This trend has manifested

TACKLING THE RULES OF FANTASY FOOTBALL THE SETUP:

Before the NFL season begins, members organize their league by picking or randomly being grouped with other members on one of the many Fantasy Football websites.

Then, everyone in the league gathers together or simultaneously logs on to the website to participate in the most sacred of rituals.

ks

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THE DRAFT:

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The league members take turns picking players from any NFL team until every member obtains 18 players. The positions of these players can vary, but usually consist of one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, one “flex� player (running back, receiver, or tight end), one kicker and one defensive team as a whole.

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THE SEASON:

At the beginning of every week, all members select which nine players they want to represent them in their individual match-up against another league member. These players earn fantasy points by gaining yards, scoring touchdowns, kicking field goals, etc. At the end of each week, after all the NFL games are over, the scores of each fantasy team are added up. The Fantasy team with the most points is the winner of the match-up.

Then, the next week, new match-ups are set and players can be dropped, added, or traded. This vicious cycle continues throughout the NFL season.

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THE PLAYOFFS:

In the last few weekends of the season, the league championship tournament begins. These stressful weekends cause the typical participant to retreat to his man-cave, iPhone and laptop in hand, and adopt a diet of mostly chips and soda.

These final games are the same as the season games, except that now, the members with the best win-loss records compete with each other in a week-to-week bracket. The winner of this playoff bracket is crowned league champion, given bragging rights and, in some cases, money.

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The Score

DAT NGUYEN WINS A Geneva dad’s experience as a professional athlete in the NFL

BY AISLING AYERS

R

unning beside some of the greatest athletes in the nation, Nguyen’s heart races as he prepares himself for the thrill and speed of the game he loves.

He can hear the roar of the crowd from the stadium ahead. He looks around the tunnel and sees the faces of some of the greatest Cowboy legends—Tom Landry, Randy White and Bob Lilly, who once wore the same uniform he is wearing and ran down the very same tunnel. As Nguyen sprints onto the field, he is not only representing the Dallas Cowboys, but also the country of Vietnam and his savior, Jesus Christ.

Dat Nguyen was the first Vietnamese American football player in the NFL. A former player for the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas A&M Aggies, Nguyen now raises a family in Boerne, Texas. He and his wife Becky, along with their three daughters, moved to Boerne from College Station in 2012 and enrolled their two oldest daughters in the Geneva School of Boerne. He is now an announcer for a San Antonio ESPN sports station, and stays busy caring for his two newborn twin boys, along with his three daughters.

AYERS: Why did you and your wife Becky decide to move from College Station to Boerne and why did you decide to enroll your children at Geneva?

NGUYEN: After coaching for A&M for two years in College Station, we decided to move.

We realized that San Antonio was the best place for our family and we loved Boerne because it reminded us of the small towns that both of us had grown up in. Out of all the schools that we had looked at, Geneva came up because it was a classical Christian teaching concept that we liked and wanted for our girls. We want our kids to have that foundation to be able to look at the world and see it through a Biblical worldview.

It turned out that it was Robert and Joanne Thornton who had started Geneva, and who G | 26

FIST PUMPING had wanted to build our house six years prior when we were considering Nguyen celebrates during his career moving to Boerne before I started as a linebacker coaching. We really feel that it was the for the Dallas hand of the Lord that led us here to Cowboys.

Boerne and Geneva.

AYERS: Can you tell me a little about your current job as an ESPN radio announcer for San Antonio?

NGUYEN: I love sharing my experiences and stories every day. I aim for people to see the other side of football and of sports. Every time I announce I think of myself as painting a picture and showing the story in a unique and interesting way. It’s a challenge no doubt, but it is fun and I think it’s helped me a lot with public speaking and having the courage to speak in front of people.

AYERS: How is your family adjusting and transitioning to life with two new twin boys?

NGUYEN: It’s a challenge, there is no doubt about that; but it’s a gift from above. Every day is going to be something new. The important thing is just trying to give them a schedule and Becky is doing a great job with giving them a set schedule that they need. The most challenging thing is still focusing on each individual kid and letting them know that they’re still part of the family and making sure they know that we are there for them. We are losing a little bit of sleep but they’ve been fun, no doubt.

AYERS: Now that you have two boys of your

NGUYEN: 1999. Becky and I were down at my parents’ house in Rockport when we got a call from Jerry Jones asking if I would like to play for the Cowboys. I could hardly hear him over the phone because there were people yelling and shouting in the house once they found out who was on the other line.

AYERS: How does it feel to be the first Vietnamese-American to play football for the NFL and know that you could be leading the way for Vietnamese men interested in playing?

NGUYEN: It’s an honor—no doubt about that—and I’m 40 years old so that’s 40 years that my family has lived in America. Just think about what we went through leaving Vietnam, and migrating to America for a chance for us as young kids to have Christ in our lives. We moved to America and I had the chance to play America’s sport, and then I had a chance to play for America’s team and it really is a dream come true. The fact that I am a pioneer for the game that I love, makes me hope that other kids would dream big like I did and realize there are no limits in your life; but to remember that it doesn’t come easy and it takes hard work and dedication to achieve your dreams. When

THE SCORE

own, is the career of football something you would encourage them to pursue if they show an interest?

NGUYEN: Every kid is different and I think whatever they love to do, I’m going to support them and be a father for my kids. I don’t want to put the pressure on the boys, that because they had a father who was an athlete that they have to do big things and be one, too. Whatever they want to pursue, the number one thing is for them to be happy, and I’m going to support them for that.

AYERS: What year were you drafted by the Dallas Cowboys?

I stepped out on that field, it wasn’t just about representing my family; it was about representing the country of Vietnam, the university of Texas A&M, and the state of Texas.

AYERS: How many years did you play for the Dallas Cowboys?

NGUYEN: Seven. I really am fortunate to have played in the NFL, and especially [for] one team [and for] as long as I did. If you asked me to do it all over again I would. I lived the dream and had the best coaching I could have during my time playing and I lived and [currently] live the life that I never thought would be mine. You work hard and do everything you’re supposed to do and you want to impact and help people, and now I have the chance to do and fulfill that.

AYERS: After playing for Texas A&M from 1995-1998, what was the biggest change when you entered the NFL? NGUYEN: It became more of a profession; you eat, breathe and live football.

AYERS: What is one of the biggest things that you have learned through sports?

NGUYEN: Visualization. In the eighth grade, my first year playing football, my junior-high coach taught me the importance of picturing the things you want to do, before they happen. Once you’re on the field, that pass or tackle is a reaction. You don’t have to think about it because you’ve already ran through it in you’re head.

AYERS: I read once in an interview that you try to impact your listeners on your radio station through the Holy Spirit. Can you tell me more about that?

NGUYEN: Matthew tells you in chapter four that Jesus told his disciples [to] come and follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

I think in the past years, the Lord has opened my eyes to appreciate such a fabulous life I’ve been given with GIG’ EM Nguyen cheers a family, a wife and on the Aggies kids. I think while coaching from the sidelines.

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FAMILY HONORS AUBREY: seventh grade REMI: fifth grade

FINLEY: four years old MACLAN: two months old WINSLOW: two months old

PROUD DAD

PHOTOGRAPH BY KATELYN DAVIS

The two newest team members of the Nguyen family are a lovable handful.

that through the Holy Spirit, you know your purpose in life, which is serving and helping other people to [come to] Jesus Christ.

When people see when you are born, and when you die, there is going to be a dash in between.

What do you want that dash to say? How many people are you going to impact?

AYERS: What is the thing that you miss the most about playing the game?

NGUYEN: The thing that I miss the most has to be the locker room. When you are a professional

athlete, you spend so much time with those players. The relationships and friendships that you make are unforgettable. Something else I miss has to be the challenge and competion of the game.

AYERS: Is there anything you wish you could have done differently regarding your time spent playing with the Dallas Cowboys?

NGUYEN: I wish we would have won more games! But I learned a lot and it was an incredible honor just to represent the Dallas Cowboys. I don’t think I have any regrets at all.

SPORTS HONORS 1998 1998 1998 2004 2007 2010 2014

Chuck Bednarik Award Consensus All-American Lombardi Award Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame Texas Sports Hall of Fame AP-All Time Big 12 Team AT&T Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame FOR THE WIN

Playing for the Aggies helped Nguyen make a name for himself, and gave him great opportunities.

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BY SUMMER STOLLE

ON The Rhetoric School inaugural 11-man football team has a coaching staff worthy of champions

John Brock •Started the BHS girl’s soccer program •Works security for the X Games •Was on Dean’s coaching staff a long time ago at Fredericksburg High (Go Unicorns!)

Dean Herbort •Played college ball, son played football for Army •Runs a tractor before he comes to school in the morning •Coached quarterbacks at Alamo Heights who went on to play for big college teams •Commutes from Fredericksburg

Nick Champion •Played Division 3 college football •Taught middle school and high school history for 7 years •Knows how to fly a small airplane •Went to an all male college, Hampden-Sydney •Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACQUELINE KNOX

Maurice Walton •Retired 4 months ago from tackle semi-pro football •Grew up in Georgia •Military brat • Served in Desert Storm • Selected to coach the San Antonio All-Star football team with Galloway G | 29

Gregg Galloway •Retired San Antonio policeman •Played college football at Capshaw •Dad played in the NFL •Coached where he went to school

The Score

Running With Pep In His Step Coach Rob Inglish discusses his long coaching career at Geneva

BY EMME OWENS

HIT THE ROAD Inglish enjoys an early morning cross country practice for his own benefit as well as those of his team.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KATELYN DAVIS

W

ith four state championships, two state Runners-ups and five years of coaching, Coach Rob Inglish still has not crossed the finish line. He has trained more than fifty athletes in his time at Geneva, and every single one of them loves him.

“He is more than a coach, he’s one of us—just older,” says junior Noah Benson.

A trainer at heart, Inglish became involved with sports at Geneva the summer of the 2010 volleyball season, helping to condition the team. That year was his favorite year of girls’ volleyball. “[The girls] worked hard in practices.

Everyone wanted to win every game, and that was the goal. There was not one person who was put above any other person on the team and everyone had a job and did it to the best of

their ability. When everyone worked for the team, whether we were up or down in a match, it all clicked and it was good to see in action.

I enjoyed watching [the girls] grow in their abilities and leadership [throughout the years],” says Inglish.

It was during that year that Inglish received the nickname ‘Peppy’. “Coach [Tami] Owens would have morning practices and Coach Inglish was just too ‘peppy’ that early in the morning. We started calling him ‘The Peppster,’ which then lead to ‘Coach Peppy’,” says alumni Whitney Young.

As a coach, Inglish “genuinely cares about you and pushes you to do well in your sport, but not just from an athletic standpoint; he wants you to do well in life [as well],” according to senior Addison Lipe.

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AWARDS

State Champs

State Runner Up Regional Champs

District Champs

Cross Country

Track

Volleyball

A coach should be a positive influence on an athlete. He should encourage but push at the same time. Coach Inglish is the perfect combination of the two.

“He pushes us hard but not more than we can take,” says senior Miranda Ward. “He has your best interests at heart.” Inglish truly loves his athletes and will do anything for them. He develops relationships that his athletes never forget.

“Peppy is one of those people who just really inspires you,” says senior Emma Ingram.

“He truly is one of a kind.” But Inglish is more than just a coach to some. He is a friend to all of his athletes and strives to make them better.

He is a coach who provides opportunities that allow his athletes to learn and grow in their G | 31

Swimming

2014-15

2013-14

2012-13

2011-12

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Basketball

sport. This gives them confidence that they can accomplish the goal set in front of them.

Although Inglish no longer has children enrolled at Geneva, he still continues to coach.

“I stay for the kids. And I love coaching. I like to see kids that don’t think they are as good as they are, excel and get better. I like to see [them] grow into their sport”, Inglish says.

He is currently the head coach of crosscountry and swimming, as well as coaching long distance track and some field events in the spring. His ability to connect with the kids allows him to make the students stronger athletes for their respective sports. Inglish plays an essential role in Geneva’s athletic program, and is a cornerstone of the school’s rich athletic history.

The Score

Pay the Price

The Geneva volleyball team pays for their unforced errors with challenges created by head coach Jessica Tully-Mitchell

BY KARLIE DANIELS

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ith a new season of volleyball, there is a new head coach to direct the volleyball team. Head Coach Jessica Tully-Mitchell worked as the assistant head coach for Texas Lutheran University, Comfort High School, Denton Calvary, and then as the JV volleyball coach last year for Geneva. Helping with the JV team last year has improved the team substantially.

However, as head coach, Tully-Mitchell has made the entire team even better than before, and has helped the team bond together more than previously with her energetic and fun, but serious-when-needed, personality.

Tully-Mitchell had heard about the opening for the head coach position at the beginning of the summer and was very excited to apply for the job. Tully-Mitchell says, “The players that I had the season previously, I really enjoyed

coaching them and I loved their attitude and work ethic, and I knew if I were head coach, I would hopefully be able to coach most of them again.” So far, Tully-Mitchell has done a great job with the team. The team has only lost once so far in district play.

Tully-Mitchell has added fitness challenges for the unforced errors the volleyball players make during games or in practice.

Although the volleyball girls may not like it, these challenges have proved helpful.

Tully-Mitchell says, “Sometimes teams need motivation to perform, thus challenges are enforced.” Each mistake has its own fitness challenge, such as towel pushes for missed serves, push ups for ball drops or using one hand to pass, and monkey pushes for unforced errors. Tully-Mitchell says, “I’ve seen a lot of improvement, especially in serving.”

PUSH IT Freshman Aimeé Metzger pays for her mistakes by executing a towel push. A towel push is a bear crawl while pushing a towel on the ground.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JACQUELINE KNOX G | 32

Culture

THE TEACHER’S PETS Geneva teachers enroll in Greek class and go “back to high school” pg. 42

PHOTOGRAPH BY IAN COMUZZIE

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Why We Should Eat Blue Bell

BY JACQUELINE KNOX

A E R

E H T G

On Monday, April 20, 2015, Blue Bell Creameries issued a nationwide recall of all of their products. The next day, thousands of people were shocked when they went to the grocery store and found the freezer section was missing their favorite brand of ice cream. Some were distraught when they began to envision what a summer without Blue Bell would be like. Others even listed their half eaten cartons of Blue Bell on Craigslist for more than $2000. This brand of ice cream, one of the most popular in the country, returned to stores after about four months of being recalled.

People flocked to the nearest grocery store to pick up as much ice cream as they could. #BlueBell was even trending on Instagram. Why is this?

I mean, it’s not like all ice cream was recalled; it was just one brand. The answer is that Blue Bell fans simply can’t go very long without a scoop of the ice cream that they love so much. But why do people love Blue Bell so much? The Blue Bell haters argue that people only like Blue Bell because of its label.

That may be true for some, but it is definitely not true for all. There are many reasons Blue Bell Creameries is one of the most popular ice cream brands. First is that it is a Texasborn and Texas-raised company.

Blue Bell was founded in Brenham, Texas in 1907, which means that this year it celebrated its 108th birthday.

Others love it because it has more than 60 different flavors of ice cream, their most popular flavor being homemade vanilla. But by far the greatest reason that Blue Bell is so widely loved by millions of ice cream aficionados is simply the wonderful taste of Blue Bell ice cream. This sets it far above the other brands of ice cream like Creamy Creations, Breyer’s and even Ben & Jerry’s. For many Texans, Blue Bell isn’t just one brand of ice cream; it is the only brand of ice cream.

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Why We Should Boycott Blue Bell

BY DANIEL GROVER

D IVI E

Honesty is one of the most important aspects of a modern day business. By being honest, a company shows respect to their customers as well as respect for their competition. So what kind of deceitful company would trick their customers into buying a product that could potentially harm or kill them? This is what Blue Bell Ice Cream has done with their product over the past six years. Since 2009, Blue Bell has received reports from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordering the company to shut down their factories because they contained bacteria known as Listeria monocytogenes. These bacteria can cause diseases and infections that kill 260 people per year. Unfortunately, Blue Bell Ice Cream has never been a company to care about their customers’ health. For over one hundred years, Blue Bell has been filling Americans with sugary fats and empty calories that are a primary cause of obesity. Why should their attitude change when the problem shifts from nutrition deficiency to lethal infection?

Instead of owning up to their mistakes, eating their losses and scrapping their product, Blue bell continued to produce the contaminated ice cream for over nine years. According to the FDA, after discovering the Listeria problem, Blue Bell “failed to change its practices.” This lack of an appropriate response killed three people and landed nine in the hospital. However, Listeria is not the only cringe-worthy Blue Bell mishap. A former employee of the company has come out and said that there was a steady water drip from a dirty air conditioning drain into a vat of ice cream (Eater Food Blog). The problem was reported, but nothing was ever done about it. Because of these health hazards and the probability of others, the disgusting and disrespectful Blue Bell Ice Cream should be avoided like the plague it is.

PHOTOGRAPH BY NATHAN YOUNG

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“Falling off of the zip line made all of the small problems in my life even smaller.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY HOGAN PETRIE

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MIRANDA WARD’S TESTIMONY

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n a sweltering day last August, I had an afternoon that would change my life forever. A casual ride on my grandparents’ zip line in Houston quickly turned south when my momentum ripped my grasp from the handle bar, causing me to fall over 20 feet, landing on my shoulders and flipping over to my knees. My family rushed to my side, called the ambulance and prayed for my deliverance. I cannot recall the fall, only the ride before I slipped and then my memory picks up again about 20 minutes later as I laid waiting for the ambulance. I was covered in mud, dirt, blood and ants as my family tried to explain to me what happened.

I was examined, scanned, x-rayed and about anything else you can think of. The original danger was a compromised artery in my neck that could have been disturbed by the cracked, and therefore possibly shifting, vertebrae, which could cause major long-term side effects. Once they decided my neck was stable enough and severe interior damage had not been caused, they turned their attention to my punctured lung that was filling with fluid. When that quickly mended itself and was no longer a major point of concern, we knew we had only God to thank.

It was an obvious miracle that I was sent home from the hospital only days later. Though I was leaving with one completely cracked vertebra in my neck and three fractured vertebrae in my upper back, we knew everything was going to heal fine and I only needed to wear a neck brace for a few months. It’s unheard of for someone to fall that far and go home in a brace only a few days later.

God was really watching out for me.

After a rough trip back to Boerne, I began my slow road to recovery. The next few weeks I spent at home were humbling. I needed help with everything – eating, drinking, showering, sitting up, laying down, walking, sleeping and writing – you name it. Given the nature of the accident, I was scraped up, bruised and every part of my body ached. I began attending a few hours of school, but it was far more exhausting than I ever expected.

I was so thankful to have time with friends again and be surrounded by community; but these social and educational interactions were draining.

My friends and family kept reminding me to rely on the Lord in my weakness and celebrate my brokenness in Him. But as the exhaustion and piles of make-up work from school drowned me, it was harder to see the light at the end of the tunnel. After several months of fighting this battle with lots of support from those around me,

I finally began to get over this hurdle. It was the end of the semester and I was ready for a break.

Over Christmas break, my family traveled to Colorado to visit family. I had the opportunity to go cross country skiing at the local Nordic Center. Though it was rough on my body, it was the first physically taxing activity I was able to do since the accident. The mountain air and time with my family made me feel more alive than I had in a while. We started conversing and realized the high altitude was good for my immune system because of the benefits from the increase in my red blood cell count.

I returned from our vacation and met with Mr. Shelton who graciously granted permission for me to work from Colorado for the next month. This allowed me to finally get on top of my physical therapy by exercising daily in the high altitude. So within a few days of returning, I packed up and headed back to the snowy state.

I started second guessing myself. I knew it would have been hard for me to recover fully while expending all of my daily energy at school, but still I feared this trip was a rash one.

To my surprise, however, the month proved to be just the opposite. It was just what I needed —a renewing time in the beautiful mountains with my cousins. They helped me by pushing me and teaching me how to master cross country and constantly encouraging me when I was worn out.

In January, I witnessed the joy of life that the Lord promises in Isaiah 40:31, “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” I so desperately wanted to “run and not grow weary, to walk and not be faint.” He really came through for me.

After my month away, I was thrilled to return to my friends and family at home, never forgetting the things the Lord taught me while I was away.

Since then, I have continued the road to recovery, striving to improve and grow stronger everyday. I have learned a lot about humility, community and reliability as I have grown through this challenge. I also learned to walk so closely with God this year, and I would never change what happened. God used this tragic event as a mile marker in my life where I really began to learn about priorities. Falling off of the zip line made all of the small problems in my life even smaller. It has been incredible to see so many people stand by me and my family during this time, and encourage me to rely solely on the Lord.

I am thankful for His sovereignty and His ability to transform my life using such a challenging hardship.

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Culture

All Across the Board Board members share about their role in the community

BY DELANEY YOUNG

MEMBERS LISTED BELOW (BRET WACKER NOT PICTURED)

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f the many contributing factors that make the Geneva School of Boerne so exceptional, the school’s “behind-the-scenes” committees and groups are certainly some of the most influential. One of these committees, the Geneva Board of Trustees, is especially instrumental in leading the school. They are responsible for making the critical big-picture decisions on behalf of the Geneva community. The Board of Trustees is a self-described “policy board.”

According to Autumn Dawn Galbreath, Board Chair, “A lot of what [the board] does is review policy and make recommendations for future policy, as well as just good governance.” For the most part, the board’s decisions are intended to be open and accessible information for the Geneva community. But a large part of the school body does not even know who is on the board, much less what their job is. So, to set the records straight, here are some quick facts and answered questions about the board.

Board Members: Autumn Dawn Galbreath, Board Chair Steve Griffey, Vice Chair/Chair Elect Lacy Hall, Secretary Karl Eggerss, Treasurer

Steve Drukker, Chaplain Jodi Goodman Charlie Lunsford Tiffany Smith Dave Tippit Bret Wacker Dick Yowell

Non-Voting Members: Amy Metzger, Director of Development Brad Ryden, Head of School

What They Do 1. Plan ahead for the upcoming school year 4. Hold a four-and-a-half-hour long meeting 2. Read and respond to surveys and every month where they review committee reports comments 3. Implement policies

(finances and admissions), a development report from Metzger, and a Head of School report from Ryden

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What They Want You to Know

2. “Someone may come up to

one of us and ask our opinion on a particular issue. One thing we really stress is that the board consists of all members present.

We all bring different things to the conversation; we have different views that we bring to the table, we pray about it, and make the decision as a whole. One person away from the board is just a person, and that opinion is just their opinion. Each of us has no authority alone, we only have authority when we’re together.”

Tiffany Smith, member

1. “We have a nominating

committee, called the Committee on Trustees, and they take nominations from the whole school. Any parents can nominate; it’s always in the iFYI usually in October and November. Then we, the board members, nominate as well. So the Committee on Trustees will take all the names of people who are nominated, talk to each other and the administration…

Then we have an interview.

We’re basically seeing if they can take off the hat of being a Geneva parent who looks out for the interest of their kid, and look at what’s best for the school. After that, the board has the final vote.”

3. “Some of what we do is an

imposition on our time and it requires some sacrifice on the part of us and our families.

But it’s so enjoyable to do, be together and be able to give to this place, that something that was frustrating can become a positive thing.”

Autumn Dawn Galbreath, Board Chair

“A lot of people think we run the school, and that we’re aware of every single thing that happens on campus. We really just make policies.”

Autumn Dawn Galbreath, Board Chair

Karl Eggerss, Treasurer

What They Don’t Do

PHOTOGRAPHS BY NOAH BENSON

1. Run the school 2. Hire and fire teachers, or suspend and expel students

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3. Function as another headmaster 4. Determine who receives financial aid

The Feed

A quick look at today’s political stage, from the world theater to the state spotlight

BY IAN COMUZZIE

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS THANKS FOR STOPPING BY Pope Francis officially ended his tour of the U.S. by wrapping it up in Philly. For a whole week, the Pope graced us with his presence by going from D.C. to New York and Philadelphia. All along the way, mass was held each night he arrived. He made very important stops at the White House, meeting with the President and visiting the 9/11 Museum in New York. We will miss the Pope, and we thank him for doing his thing in Rome, stopping by the U.S. and keeping it classy.

MANO Y MANO At the UN in New York, both U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin battled it out, mano y mano style over who had the better plan for Syria. Syria has been going through a four year civil war with rebels fighting to get rid of Assad. The Russians, however, have been aiding and supporting Assad while the US has been helping the people who are trying to kick him out. Because of this big disagreement, we can’t solve the problem which is causing millions of Syrian refugees to migrate to Europe.

Maybe Obama and Putin can figure it out over a nice dinner date. Hopefully, some Vodka will be involved to ease the tension.

THE

NATIONAL EVENTS

AMAZON AMAZEMENT It’s finally happening. Amazon is officially coming out of the computer screen and into a real live store near you! Not really, but they are setting up their first store in Seattle where their headquarters is located. Besides dominating the internet, the extremely popular and trending website is now going to use all their customers shopping habits to bring a powerful advantage to the new store. Low prices + new store = WORLD DOMINATION!

BIG HAIR, BIG MAN The 2016 Presidential election is in full swing. Many of the top candidates have been traveling from state to state to try and secure all the votes they can. As the elections go on, we have seen some candidates drop out and some join in. For example, Texas Governor Rick Perry dropped out of the running while Vice President Joe Biden considered joining in at the last minute, but declined.

Also, we have seen that Presidential Candidate

STATE EVENTS

JAY HITTING The latest news on the John Jay High School football incident continues as disciplinary hearings have been held. The two players have been found guilty of hitting a referee during a game have been suspended and placed in an alternative school for 75 days. Many accusations have been made against the referee, accusing him of using racial slurs. The assistant coach even admitted to telling the students to hit the referee, and has since resigned.

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Hilary Clinton has made a big leap in the polls despite the confidential e-mail scandal she was involved in. And finally, you know him; some love him, some really hate him: the oh-so famous Presidential Candidate Mr. Donald Trump. He may not be the most well-liked candidate, but he has been doing well in the polls and has made a large gap between himself and the other candidates. So I guess his hair isn’t the only thing that’s making it big in the elections.

Culture

It’s All Greek to Me

Geneva teachers enroll in Greek class, and “go back to high school”

BY IAN COMUZZIE PHOTOGRAPH BY IAN COMUZZIE

I

t’s a regular, dull, mundane Monday afternoon on the campus of the Geneva School of Boerne. As a normal student does every day, you go to class after lunch.

You sit down, take out your notebooks and homework for that class, and get ready to start learning. But something seems different. Not a bad kind of different, but different enough.

You look over to your right and are shocked to find a teacher sitting in the desk next to you.

You think, “What? A teacher?” Yes, a teacher is sitting next to you—notebook paper out, pencils sharpened, and ready to learn. As of this year, a few teachers have enrolled in classes alongside high school students.

It comes as no surprise that these teachers, Mr. Steven Tye, debate coach, and Mr. Paul Johnson, humanities instructor, were the first teachers in Geneva history to take a class with the students that they so dearly love [to annoy].

The class that they are taking is Biblical Greek, taught by Dr. John Rosheger. Johnson says, “I have always wanted to take Greek so that I may be able to translate the original New Testament. I think it would be interesting to learn what it says and then compare that translation to all the different English versions.”

It is also intriguing to know how they came about taking this class. Tye explains that “it was

TEACHER’S PETS Mr. Tye and Mr. originally just an idea, but then Mr. Johnson are taking Dr. Johnson and I decided to make it Rosheger’s Greek class happen. We went to Dr. Rosheger this year alongside the and asked if there was any way other Rhetoric students we could sit in on the class. He who signed up. thought it was a great idea, and so now we get to relive our days as students again.”

Rosheger has his own opinion about teaching other teachers. “It’s not a situation I’m not used to,” he says. “I have taught adults before. I’m actually very excited for having them sit in on my class.”

He also points out, “They will be asked to do the homework and take the tests, but none of it will actually be for a grade.” This may seem unfair to the students in the class, but Tye and Johnson have received plenty of grades in their lifetime and already graduated high school (back in the 20th century).

Tye puts it best when he says, “I took Latin once, and I enjoyed it. It honestly doesn’t matter what language you take because any of them will make you better off in some way and will help you learn anything.” Next time you see Johnson and Tye, either on the boardwalk during lunch or maybe even in class, you might have to ask yourself, “Are those teachers, or students?”

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Culture

Jogging Your Memory

2003

Harvest Festival starts as small community picnic

The Geneva community celebrates the tenth year of this annual fall fundraiser

BY EMME OWENS

W

ith ten years of teamwork comes ten years of God's provisions. Ten years ago in 2005, Geneva started their annual Jogathon where students gather pledges and run to raise money for the school. The first Jogathon started as a fundraiser for athletic equipment for the new Multi-Purpose Building but has become the fundraiser for Geneva’s financial aid program.

“We had nothing as far as volleyballs and basketballs, not even dodge balls,” says former Jogathon coordinator and Geneva mom, Caliste Burt. The Jogathon has always been about helping others. Whether it’s benefiting the students who already attend Geneva or the people who cannot afford to do so, the Jogathon never ceases to succeed at raising enough money to help.

In 2005, Carolyn Biedenharn, parent of Geneva graduate Allie Biedenharn, took the idea to the Geneva Board of Directors and presented them with the prospect goal of raising $15,000. “Much to everyone's surprise we raised over $30,000, more than double the original goal,” says Biedenharn.

Every year, students and families rise to the occasion to raise more than the set goal and succeed every time.

The Jogathon has changed significantly over the years. In its inaugural year, participants just circled around a field that is now the current baseball field. But a few years later, the blacktop around the

MPB became the track.

Despite all of the location changes, the Jogathon has always been about community. “It is an opportunity to give back to others and share our special school with many new children,” says former coordinator Heather Ferguson.

In addition to the Jogathon, the Harvest Festival is also a large contribution to the community side of Geneva. In 2003, the Harvest Festival started as a community picnic with fall festivities to give thanks to God for the school’s incredible growth. “[We wanted to] demonstrate thankfulness to God for His provision of this little startup school that is growing into something pretty remarkable...

It has always been about [the] opportunity to come together as a community,” says Director of Development Amy Metzger.

Not only do the Jogathon and Harvest Festival bring the Geneva community together, but these events paint “a beautiful picture of our call to live as Christians,” says Burt. “My favorite memory [of running Jogathon] was being handed an anonymous check from a family that had been saving for a new car and instead donated all of that money to the Jogathon. It showed the heart of our school, and it touched me deeply. I will always hold that as one of the greatest moments, not just of organizing the event, but of all the years our family has been a part of the Geneva community.”

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2005

First Annual Jogathon

2008

Run moves from the Baseball Field to the MPB Blacktop

2015

Geneva hosts the first ever Dance-AThon

Culture

The Eagle Has Landed The new Academic Dean, Curby Graham, begins a brand new adventure at Geneva

BY QUARTERLY STAFF

A

drenaline courses through the veins of a young Curby Graham as he plummets to the earth from 1200-feet onto the dusty soil of war-torn Iraq.

He now jumps into new territory yet again as the Academic Dean for the Geneva School of Boerne.

With a dose of Shelton-esque humor and a dash of Mr. Russell’s socks, Graham is teaching Apologetics and a seminar class for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in addition to his duties as the dean of students for Rhetoric and Logic Schools.

Graham, a San Antonio native, decided to move back to Texas a year and a half ago when he received a call from his old friend, Rob Shelton. Graham was living at Fort Bragg in South Carolina where his daughters, Claire and Vivian, attended a small classical school.

When he decided it was time for his military family to settle down, Graham emailed Shelton about Geneva. Shelton quickly responded, offering him a job as the Academic Dean and extending an invitation for his daughters to attend Geneva. Claire will be in third grade and Vivian will be in first grade.

Graham immediately knew that this was the best decision for his family. “I thought about it for three seconds, and then accepted,” he says.

He was exposed to the concept of classical education through Doug Wilson’s ‘Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning’ which he read in college at UTSA. It was during this time that he met Shelton.

“I would go door to door selling pizza at night just to be able to afford this kind of education for my daughters,” Graham says.

However, Graham never had to resort to selling pizza. Over the past 22 years, Graham has spent two tours in Iraq, seen 36 countries, and served as a paratrooper and a military intelligence officer. This past year, he retired as a lieutenant colonel.

Though students won’t be saluting him as he strolls down the boardwalk, Graham is not afraid

to discipline when needed. “If you’re being stupid in a no stupid zone, I have something for you,” he says.

Standing at over six feet tall, Graham’s appearance and military experience may be intimidating at first. But he counts his time in the military as an opportunity that grew the faith and strong leadership he intends to bring to Geneva campus life.

In his years of service with the military, Graham went through officer training and paratrooper training. Graham describes his role in military intelligence asking, “Where is the enemy and how do I kill him?”

This role took Graham on a tour of duty during the birth of his daughter Claire, and kept him away for the first six months of her life. He knew he did not want to miss any more precious time with his family, which led to his eventual retirement.

Being formerly successful in his military career, Graham realized while he was serving that his time to socialize was limited.

He didn’t want to marry someone who was committed to the same type of time- consuming job. Interested in pursuing a non-military relationship, he signed up for eHarmony.

After a few unsuccessful matches, the site matched Graham with Stephanie. In April of 2004, he drove from his station at Fort Huachuca in southern Arizona to Minnesota to meet her for the first time. They instantly clicked. “By the end of the weekend, I knew I was going to ask her to marry me,” Graham says.

Graham and his wife, a former Mayo clinic nurse, have settled in Boerne where they and their children have become part of the Geneva family.

As he is described by junior Ian Comuzzie, “He is terrifying, intimidating and awesome all at the same time.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY HOGAN PETRIE G | 44

SLAVING AWAY Headmaster Rob Shelton slaves away every summer to accommodate all the requests for the school schedule.

S

helton Defies Time and Space

How does he do it? Shelton confesses his secrets concerning how he manages the schedules.

BY ROB SHELTON

One of the beauties of Geneva is the opportunity to take a number of different courses from a number of different teachers all in the same year. In an attempt to keep this benefit, Rhetoric School Headmaster Mr. Rob Shelton configures a new schedule each year for Rhetoric School which accommodates the course requirements and desires of almost 200 students. With a little patience and a few (unseen) gray hairs, Shelton explains how he manages to create these schedules.

Obstacles:

Goals:

time 2. The old schedule 3. The second law of thermodynamics 4. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle 5. Finding enough pencils with erasers 6. Mr. Johnson

school teachers to teach more sections 2. Allow for the most students to take the courses they desire 3. Upset every faculty member 4. Bend space and time

1. The limits of space and

1.Allow for fewer rhetoric

Outcome:

All goals accomplished except number four; the fabric of the space-time continuum is still in tact.

Otherwise, all of the faculty members are upset and teaching more sections and most students are taking the courses they desire.

Future Considerations: 1. Quit and find another job 2. Give students no choice 3. Assign schedule-

PHOTOGRAPH BY JACQUELINE KNOX

making as a summer school punishment 4. Change the name of the school to “C.S. Lewis G | 45

School” and offer only one course to all students all day long: “C.S. Lewis” 5. Get rid of all of the faculty members and teach the above course myself 6. Have Ms. Jacobson do it

SRT Culture

Be Smarter Than Your Smart Phone

M

Although they add an extra element of convenience to people’s lives, smart phones may be too much of a crutch for a technology-oriented generation

BY SKYLAR TIPPETTS

“I Don’t Know, Just Google It.” Across the globe people are beginning to rely on the convenience of Internet access over their own intuition.

Think for yourself; don’t constantly let your smart phone think for you. The Internet can be an unreliable source that should not always be trusted. Also, if people regularly allow their brains to depend on Internet information, their own minds will become indolent. Think with your brain, not with your phone.

Identity People post all sorts of things on social media.

Many people take it to the extreme of creating a whole new identity for themselves on the Internet. Others should recognize you by your actual personality and presence rather than a sugarcoated version of your life on the Internet. Don’t let your social media feed define your identity.

#Obsessed Phones have found a way to attach to people, almost acting like extensions of the human body. Take some time away from your other half and don’t spend more time on your phone than you spend in the realities of life, because if your phone is with you 24/7 you might miss out on some great things.

Don’t Drive And Text Sometimes what you are currently doing in life (like driving) is more important than worrying about your phone. Phones can be distracting to the point of danger, resulting in injury or even death. Don’t let your phone distract you.

FACE 2 FACE As a result of the technology that has been invented in the past ten years, the United States is suffering from a severe case of real people phobia, which is unfortunate because social skills are an essential aspect in humanity. Never lose the ability to communicate with people personally.

AlumNews

T

HOW IT ALL BEGAN Previous Editors-in-Chief of Geneva publications recount the history of the Geneva journalism department pg. 58

PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN COMUZZIE G | 47

AlumNews

Geneva Continues With Firsts It has been four years since the first graduating class walked across the stage to receive their diplomas and start living the Portrait of a Graduate, and many are now living the lives they set out to achieve

T

he first graduating class of Geneva exited the campus in 2011 having done a lot of firsts.

They were the first 21 students in Rhetoric School. Classes were held on the 5th grade campus with the newest teachers: Mr. Shelton and Mr. Southwick.

In their second year, Dr. Lloyd was new and there were 35 students total. That year, they had the first high school dance (with 8th graders). In their junior year things got a little more interesting: first year of the house system and one AP class (AP Biology with Mrs. Daniels).

Letter jackets were new as well as a new campus. By senior year, there was a

school bus, state championships in guys’ basketball and girls’ volleyball, the first senior thesis presentations (in the MultiPurpose Building) and, of course, the first graduating class. While their high school experience lacked homecoming courts, 11-man football, a host of new teachers and all the events we now take for granted, the foundation of what is now taught at Geneva was laid. Now many of these Geneva alumni have graduated college and have started living their lives with a whole new set of firsts: marriages, a baby, law school, medical school, jobs and a “lifetime of learning to the glory of God.”

ALUMNEWS

"God is teaching me a lot about His design in purpose.

I’m learning that we have the purpose to love the Lord and do good to others as a worshipful response to Him. “

Meredith Drukker David Winston

Jeanne Arthur

LESSONS:

MEMORY: NOW: Graduated in May from Baylor Senior Skip Day University, Arthur currently is pursuing a master’s degree at Vanderbilt University in leadership and organizational performance.

Graduated in May from Baylor University in business, Winston is now a newlywed working for J.P. Morgan in Austin.

“Sitting inside at a desk all day does make me miss stepping outside onto a boardwalk every 50 minutes.”

“God is growing me in new relationships: my relationships with Landen, my job, coworkers and the Austin community.”

After graduating from TCU in May, she is now studying law full-time at the University of San Francisco.

“The West Memphis 3 were exonerated in 2011, after almost twenty years in prison, the same year I did my senior thesis, which is really cool in retrospect for me to now be studying with one of the attorneys who defended the accused. My criminal law professor worked on one of the cases”

“I'm in a highly competitive environment right now and think God is using me to help create a culture of encouragement here at USF.”

Sarah Marsh

S

LIVING THE DREAM

(from top left, clockwise) Jeanne Arthur works on her Masters at Vanderbilt.

David and Landen Winston celebrate their new marriage that occurred in September.

Meredith Drukker is loving San Francisco and attending law school. The Marsh family is living in Boerne and loving the life God gave them.

She is married to Levi Marsh with a toddler, Karter Nicole. She is living in Boerne working as a technical support specialist at Advanced IT Concepts in the San Antonio area.

“I remember when we used to eat lunch on the boardwalk and all of my friends and I would roll our knee highs down so we wouldn’t get that weird tan line. “

“I am a mother. I have the opportunity to shape a new person into a Christ-loving individual. I can use the knowledge I have of the love and forgiveness given to us by Him to enlighten the newest generation.”

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GOING OUT INTO THE WORLD

Trey Greenlees

Sarah Johnson

Claire Lunsford

(from left, clockwise) Claire Lunsford works as an au pere in Italy. Sarah Johnson, having graduated Baylor, is now teaching in San Antonio. Trey Greenlees and girlfriend, Bailey Gandy, enjoy time off in Colorado.

NOW: She graduated in May from Baylor University, and is living for seven months as a nanny for an Italian family outside Verona.

MEMORY: “There was the first jog-a-thon in the ‘random field’ where the baseball and football fields are now, taking time out of Mr. Southwick’s class to climb Mt. Geneva for the last time… I have so many I can’t just name one!”

LESSONS: “My purpose here is so simple: I am called to reveal who God is with my actions.

My prayer is that this family will know that the love I have for them is from Christ first and foremost.”

Johnson is teaching fourth grade at Great Hearts Northern Oaks in San Antonio.

“I remember going on our first ever overnight field trip to Sea World and sleeping in the shark tank! (OK, not actually inside the shark tank itself…)

I thought that was incredible!”

“God has made it abundantly clear that leading children is no small task; they are constantly watching, and will pick up even the seemingly most insignificant bad habit.”

Graduated from Samford University in May, he is currently in Jasper, Georgia working for Young Life’s Sharptop Cove for a year.

“Winning state in basketball was by far my favorite Geneva memory. It was just so great to go out on top.”

”I am learning a whole lot about the Lord this year through my relationship with my girlfriend Bailey, though my work, and with the community around me. It has been hard but so awesome thus far.”

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OUT ON THEIR OWN

MEMORY: “Owning a letterman jacket was more than a status symbol on those days.

The clouds of breath verified that we were all warm-blooded creatures, yet the way we would complain on those mornings about not being in the classrooms one would think that we were left out to perish.”

LESSONS:

Hilary Commer

Commer graduated in May with a BA in graphic design/advertising and started working full-time as a graphic designer for Community Bible Church in San Antonio.

“I was giving an oral presentation and I had to stop in the middle because my nerves brought me to tears.

Geneva parents and faculty prayed over me and I was able to finish the presentation. Geneva provided a wonderful supportive community.”

“God is always reminding me to trust Him—I'm excited to see where and how He'll lead me next.”

Currently he is finishing out his senior year at the University of Texas in Austin with the hope of graduating in the spring and going on to medical school.

“When Stephen Avila threw a lock at the lockers in the student lounge in 8th grade and missed by hitting the wall. The best part was when Mr. Shelton came in and made a beeline for the hole we tried to cover with fliers. Incidentally, this is why no other class ever got a student lounge.”

“God is using me mostly by having me learn patience while I wait for word back on my future. He is also allowing me to spend a year in school with my brother and help him get through chaos that is freshman year.”

James Wilks

NOW: Wilks graduated from Southwestern University, and is living in Austin.

He is working towards moving overseas to engage unreached people with the Gospel.

Alex Ryden

(from top, clockwise) James Wilks lives in Austin waiting to work in overseas missions.

After taking a gap year, Alex Ryden is now a senior at UT Austin waiting to hear about medical school acceptances.

Hilary Commer won an award for design with the American Advertising Federation this summer after graduating from Abilene Christian University.

“My hope is that He would prepare me to go out among the nations to be a part of His work in bringing people from every tongue, tribe, and nation to see and know that He is Lord.”

OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO

NOW:

MEMORY:

LESSONS:

Kyrsten Budde

After spending time coaching track at Geneva, she is back to her first love giving horse riding lessons .

”My favorite Geneva memory was our regional track meet trip our Sophomore year. It was just Lauren (Finley), Kendel (Lipe), and I and we had so much silly fun and also proved that a small team can still compete. We got 2nd in state that year!”

“I believe God is using me to be a light to kids and adults through my business. He is using my horse knowledge and abilities to teach about His love through something relatable to kids and adults as well.”

Cody Daniels

(from top left, clockwise) Kyrsten and brother Chris Budde have fun in a rare moment together. Rachel and Gil Guajardo were married last year in San Antonio. Cody Daniels stands on an ice rink in his native state, Minnesota.

Daniels will graduate in December 2015 from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Linguistics and a minor in Asian Studies with a focus on Japan. He hopes to teach English abroad.

“My favorite memory is going undefeated in the strongman trash can tug-of-war.”

( Not submitted)

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MAKING IT REAL

NOW:

MEMORY:

LESSONS:

Rachel Guajardo

She was recently married to Gil Guajardo and working as the office manager and social media manager at Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries for the last year and a half. She also opened a handmade jewelry business called “BringtheBeadIn”.

“I had the most beautiful memory the other day about Geneva! One day the class of 2011 had an off period and the weather was gorgeous. We were all sitting in the grass between the Rhetoric campus and the sports fields and Nate Evans had his guitar out. It was so fun and I felt so close to everyone. We were one big, happy family.”

“God is using me to minister to clients at Hill Country Daily Bread and brighten their spirits every day at work. God is using me Sundays at City Church West when I'm leading worship, to focus people's attention on His glory and help them open their hearts to see what He has to show them!”

Morgen Fowler

Fowler graduated from Baylor in May with an education degree, and is currently teaching fourth grade at Mountainview Elementary. Morgan recently got engaged to Stephen Leland.

“My fondest memories of Geneva are the times I spent hanging out on the board walk with everyone laughing, singing along to someone playing a guitar, or just laying outside enjoying the day.”

“God has worked on my vision this year. He has given me the eyes to see and appreciate these moments and I am so thankful to be doing what I am doing in fourth grade and can't wait to see what the rest of this year holds.”

Nathan Evans

( from left) Morgen Fowler holds a class pet in her fourth grade classroom at Mountainview Elementary in Waco. Nathan Young poses for the cover of his album, “Ready or Not” which was just released in October.

After graduating from Belmont and leading worship over the summer with Still Water Sports Camp, he released his debut album and is touring in Texas, getting his name and music out there.

“The first Geneva memory that comes to mind is when I was "X-treme Skipping" one afternoon during lunch and I split my pants. I think I tried stapling them... I don't think it worked very well”

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“I believe that God has placed emotions and messages deep within me that I feel compelled to share. So my hope and prayer is that God has and would continue to use me in whatever way He can and that He would be glorified through my efforts.”

A CLASS OF FIRSTS

(from top) Lauren Finley and boyfriend, Kyle, hike in Manitou Springs. Allie Biedenharn, who is working for Texan by Nature, poses here in more formal attire.

Hunter Townsend and wife, Emily, celebrate their wedding this summer. Aggie Kendel Lipe finishing her degree and heading off to Wales.

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NOW:

MEMORY:

LESSONS:

Lauren Finley

Finley graduated in May with a BS in kinesiology.

She is currently working at Tarleton's Rec Center while attending graduate school and getting her personal training certification.

“I think my favorite Geneva memory is lunch time. I still laugh when I think about everyone scattered around the boardwalk eating their lunch in some kind of extreme weather.”

“God has been blessing me with all kinds of opportunities lately. I really enjoy helping people reach their fitness and health goals, but I think he has placed me in this setting to also be a light in people's lives.”

Hunter Townsend

He is living in Cypress, Houston, recently married and working as an assistant superintendent at Sterling Country Club.

“We are fortunate enough to be able to get together and have theological debates and discussions, much like those that I remember having at Geneva at the round table.”

“God has really blessed us since we have been on our own in so many ways. We recently found a new church that has been a life changer for us. We are really enjoying being connected with the church and meeting other Christian people our age.”

Allison Biedenharn

She graduated from A&M in May and is currently working in Austin, TX for a wildlife conservation non-profit called Texan by Nature, founded by former First Lady Laura Bush.

“A favorite Geneva memory is when Jeanne Arthur and I convinced (in Spanish) the gym construction workers into joining our Chaucer music video. "Who's that eagle that's rocking red, must be from Chaucer house." I still don't know the correct lyrics to that song, just the Chaucer version!”

“God is using me to reach Texans in all corners of the state, encouraging them to appreciate the wonderful natural world that He created. In tackling the post grad life, God has taught me the importance of finding community and being confident in your faith no matter the circumstances.”

Kendel Lipe

“I am currently in my senior year of biomedical engineering at A&M. I have one more year to go after this (victory lap!) and then am planning on going to either physical therapy school or prosthetic school.

Next semester, I plan to go to Wales to study abroad, and then spend the summer backpacking, traveling, and exploring.”

“Many of my favorite memories from Geneva were just lounging around on the boardwalk during lunch, or playing football or frisbee in the field. I think that time with friends, food, and outdoors is something I kind of took for granted while I was there.”

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“God is continuing to teach me that nothing worth having comes easy. That sometimes life doesn’t turn out at all like you expected it, and that’s a really good thing. And that if you continue to look to him, he will turn the events in your life to good, somehow, someway.”

AlumnNews

Alumni Spotlight

Rebekah Grover (2013) takes us through a Day in the life of a college student in NYC at The King’s College

BY REBEKAH GROVER

Rebekah Grover 7:30 Wake up and get ready for school.

8:00 Eat breakfast, usually an “everything

LIFE IN THE BIG CITY

bagel” and cream cheese.

8:25 Walk to the subway. I am so glad that my commute is only one stop. The subway gets super crowded during rush hour and it can be a cozy ride.

8:45 Walk past the Stock Exchange on the way to school and dodge all the tourists and their selfie sticks.

9:00 Go to one of my favorite classes, arts and ideas of the modern world. We are learning about Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Seurat.

10:00 Leave as a class and meet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 10:45 Tour around the American and European Art sections with Dr. Bleattler, and see the paintings we just learned about in class (hence my love for my arts and ideas class).

11:45 Stop by Panera Bread for a berry smoothie.

11:50 Head back to school.

12:30 Wait in the lobby for free Chick-fil-A sandwiches. Dreams do come true.

1:00 Hang out in the student lounge with friends before class starts.

1:30 Head to Russian Literature and discuss “War and Peace.”

Going to college in the Big Apple is a different experience from attending Geneva in Boerne.

Rebekah Grover makes her way to class on the streets of the city.

3:00 Quick break from class to get coffee.

3:10 Return to Russian Literature class to finish the lecture.

4:20 Go to the library and study.

6:00 Attend a house meeting. I am in the house of Margaret Thatcher at King’s College.

7:00 Go to a Bible Study leaders meeting. We are studying the book of Ruth this semester.

8:00 Ride the subway back to Brooklyn Heights.

8:20 Pick up a spicy salmon sushi roll on the walk back to my apartment. My usual sushi place is amazing. You can watch the cook make it for you while you wait.

9:00 Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge with friends.

10:00 Caramelize a banana with brown sugar and pour it over ice cream (the reason for my walk).

10:10 Watch the “Amazing Race,” our favorite show, with my roommate.

11:00 Take a shower and get ready for bed.

11:30 Sleep.

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AlumnNews

Alumni Spotlight Tate Williams (2014) explores a day on the A&M campus as a college sophomore, minute by minute

BY TATE WILLIAMS

A CHARMED LIFE

6:48 First alarm goes off.

7:14 Second alarm goes off.

7:14 Get up.

7:39 Leave my house for school.

7:40-7:51 Fight the traffic since everyone else in town is on their way to class.

7:52 Park and walk to class.

8:00 Class starts.

11:15 Get out of class and meet up with my Young Life team.

11:24 Drive 30 minutes to Navasota High School in the town of Navasota, where I am a Young Life leader.

11:55-1:10 Hang out with high school students at lunch at Navasota High and invite them all to Young Life club that night.

1:11 Leave Navasota.

1:43 Get back to my house in College Station.

1:44-4:34 Study, do homework, eat snacks, hang out with friends and roommates, and get ready for Young Life club.

4:35 Leave my house and meet up with Young Life team again.

4:47 Leave College Station for Navasota.

5:14 Arrive at “The Shack,” Navasota Young Life’s building, and drop off our stuff.

Tate Williams explains a typical day at Texas A&M down to the minute.

Here he looks at a rainbow at “The Shack” where Young Life club is held.

5:17 Show up at First Baptist Church of Navasota, where the youth pastor and a couple other members of the church have cooked dinner for the other Young Life leaders and me.

5:52 Get back to The Shack.

5:53 Set up for Young Life club.

6:04 Pray together as a team.

6:31 Leave with the other leaders to pick students up for club (since most kids in Navasota cannot drive), and hang out at The Shack once kids arrive.

7:19 Young Life club starts.

8:47 Club ends, leaders give students rides home, and clean up The Shack.

9:12 Leave Navasota with my team, and go back to College Station.

9:41 The team goes to the College Station Whataburger and eats together while having a short meeting to discuss how club went and how the students responded to the message that night.

10:14 Get back to my house.

10:15 Talk to my roommates (who are also Young Life leaders at different high schools) and discuss how our different clubs went that night.

10:37 Finish up any left over homework.

11:42 Go to sleep.

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AlumNews

How It All Began Three previous editors of the Geneva journalism program share their experiences of how our student publication came into print

BY LAUREN SCHUHMACHER JACK CLIFFORD MADDIE INGLISH

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

PHOTOGRAPH BY EMMA INGRAM

PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY LAUREN SCHUHMACHER

I

Lauren Schuhmacher

started the first Geneva newspaper by opening a Pages document on my white Macbook. Mr. Shelton and I had been working together to start a student publication; I was in eighth or ninth grade when we began. It was entirely unprofessional and relaxed. I pretty much went around to my friends, asked them to write a few things, and laid it out in the document on my computer at home. Mr. Shelton sent it to a printer and we called it “The Geneagle Gazette”. It was the first thing I’d ever published; in fact, to this day I remember how I misused the word “illustrious” in my letter from the editor.

I can’t encounter that word without being reminded of the rush of not knowing how to do something, but doing it anyway.

Before long, “The Geneagle Gazette” turned into “The Muse”, and a full-fledged journalism class. It was the most exciting accomplishment from my time at GSB—my little newspaper became a for-credit class, and people wanted to take it! I kept serving as the editor-in-chief, and the paper won TAPPS awards right off the bat.

It wasn’t as if the newspaper just slipped from my brain to reality. As thrilling as it was to suddenly have a classroom with a bunch of desktop computers (loaded with Adobe InDesign) and a row of clocks set to different time zones, the workload was immense. We struggled to come up with content; as any writer knows, ideas for stories don’t pitch themselves to you. We also had a huge technological barrier to overcome: none of us knew how to work InDesign, the software used for layouts. I was probably the least equipped for the new software, since I was totally accustomed to layouts made from text boxes. Every class period was painstaking, but the rush of a

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THE printed newspaper—even if it FOUNDER took us months to get there— Lauren was undeniably satisfying.

Schaumacher is the There were definitely some after-hours work sessions, but founder of Geneva’s first we got there. newspaper During my tenure at “The Geneagle the paper, we also started Gazette.” the literary magazine, “The She is now Calliope”. It was an entirely studying new trajectory for the at King’s College in newspaper staff, a chance to New York be creative in new ways: the and writes a content that comes from blog for the journalism writing just wasn’t Huffington Post. She will as open or expressive. It just graduate in wasn’t the kind of content 2016. for a literary magazine. In fact, if “The Muse” stretched us to learn new software and hunt down stories, “The Calliope” taught us to re-engineer our creativity and seek out art-based material. It is not easy to do both.

My time on the newspaper (like my time at Geneva) was unique simply because I was part of the first. I got to make the first newspaper, then the first award-winning newspaper, then the first literary magazine, all of which was, well, super cool. But, I have to point out that things got a lot cooler when the newspaper stopped being “The Geneagle Gazette” and became “The Muse”, because working on the project in community was thousands of times better than working on it alone. I’m still so thankful to have been a part of creating the newspaper program at Geneva. It taught me a lot of technical skills—journalism writing, InDesign, delegation—but it also gave me a chance to put back into the school some of what it gave to me. Those were good years; I hope things are even better today.

hen I was an editor of the Geneva school newspaper back in the 2012-2013 school year, there were many distinct characteristics and events that defined that particular year of journalism for me. Every other year had its highs and lows, but one of the most grandiose traits I can remember was the fact that I was placed into the very important role for the publication: editor-and-chief. I had never really been put into a leadership position before, so the whole experience was completely new for me. I found myself frequently trying to figure out ways to be a good leader for all of the other members of the staff. Balancing my activities was also difficult, being such an important figurehead for the journalism class with other schoolwork and sports like cross country. However, as time went on, I began to get into the groove of things, and figured out how to properly lead everyone as well as keep everything organized and in check THE DESIGNER for the publication.

Jack Clifford is the great Additionally, there were designer of many enjoyable experiences Geneva’s I had with the staff during The Muse. that year. While I do He created the graphic not remember anything of himself in specifically, I do recall that armor(pictured during class we always directly below) liked to have fun amidst all in Photoshop with individual of the work and stress. I strokes using always wanted to keep my the paint brush fellow journalists in a good tool. Jack is mood by cracking jokes or now studying at A&M and simply acting goofy, since

I felt that having a happy disposition would make everyone enjoy the class and the work they were accomplishing. As a result, the publications we produced had a lot of quality and effort put into them.

One specific work from that year that I remember being phenomenal was our literary magazine called “The Calliope”.

Back then, we spent most of the year producing newspaper publications for the school, but during the spring we gathered various pieces of art, poetry, photography, and creative writing done by students in an effort to create a literary magazine.

For “The Calliope”, one of my biggest jobs was establishing the overall look and feel for it, which involved me making a title page and designing what the sections would look like. Consequently, through these experiences with graphic design for this publication, I became interested in similar pursuits, which has led me to study animation today.

To conclude, whenever I look back on journalism at the Geneva School of Boerne, I think of how much it taught me and how it even helped shape me into the person I am today. I also remember all of the fantastic staff members I got to work with as well as how amazing of an instructor Mrs. Ryden was to me.

Although we were fairly small back then, our class had lots of character and charisma to it, and that is something I will never forget. Thank you for the amazing time you gave me.

Jack Clifford

W

will graduate in 2017.

PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY JACK CLIFFORD

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Maddie Inglish

O

ften times, in the moment, when great things are happening we fail to recognize them. Things like winning a championship, acing a test or getting in to your dream school are obvious highs. But often the everyday, mundane things that occur in our life have the strongest impact in the long run. At the time, I didn’t understand the role journalism would play in my life; I didn’t realize that what I learned and experienced during my time in the journalism program at Geneva would stay with me for a lifetime.

High school is a time of opportunities —time to grow relationships, to enhance your social skills and to establish lasting friendships. Geneva especially fosters this sort of community. There are exceptional people all around you at all times who are passionate about different things but ultimately similar in the sense that they are pursuing the Lord and have a desire to achieve excellence.

And these are the people I was fortunate enough to work with, and eventually lead. I started in the journalism program, my freshman year, under the headship of Lauren Schuhmacher when we were still just a newspaper publication.

At the time, I worked in graphic design where I would layout pages and Photoshop various (probably weird…) pictures. This is where I learned basic, but critical, skills about design. Through this process, I started to become inspired--I had a longing to learn more, develop myself further and pour that knowledge into others.

By the end of my junior year I began to take over as editor in chief. Prior to PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY MADDIE INGLISH

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my year leading, I had worked under Jack Clifford. Jack taught me the importance of doing graphic design well. He also taught me that leadership doesn’t mean dictatorship. Leadership is learning how to listen to others, take all available input and then make a decision based off of those ideas.

Looking back on that year of leadership, the experiences I cherish most is traveling to New York City to attend the Columbia Scholastic Press Journalism Conference. I had never done anything like it before. We were able to get our previous publications edited and critiqued and when we came back from this conference, we were on fire and ready to encourage everyone on staff to make the best magazine publication we could possibly design.

Being Editor-in-Chief and working in journalism was one of those great things in life that I failed to recognize as significant at the time. I find it sweet to look back now and realize all THE CLASSIC that I learned. The traits of Maddie leadership I developed, the Inglish is skills I learned in design and Geneva’s first the writing style I fostered are Editor of real-life qualities I continue to “The Geneva Quarterly.” use and enhance even today.

She led the As each experience builds on journalism the previous, I grow more and department during the use each skill I accumulate transition to better myself, inspire from a others around me better newspaper to a magazine. and ultimately advance His Maddie is now Kingdom with excellence. studying at A&M and will graduate in 2018.

Out of the Box

THE BIKE TREE Local Boerne House Transforms Tree Into Abstract Art Piece pg. 64 PHOTOGRAPH BY IAN COMUZZIE

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Mum In A Million:

Ribbons, Bells and Whistles decorate the Geneva Campus

Places to Visit in B-Town: The Bike Tree Art Gallery

The “bike tree� is truly a sight to see: a large painted tree with various bikes hanging from the branches. The Bike Tree is also the name of an art gallery located on the same property at 33 Scenic Loop Drive. The Bike Tree Art Gallery is a small, two-story house that holds many fantastic pieces of art. This eccentric tree and beautiful art gallery make the Bike Tree worth the trip.

GRAPHIC BY CARISSA GEORGELOS

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GRAPHIC BY SARA BETH STOLLE

Geneva students showed their school spirit during Homecoming with elaborate mums. Since this Texas tradition was started in about 1913, the mum has evolved from a simple flower to ornate decorations complete with ribbons, bells and perhaps even a stuffed animal.

GRAPHIC BY SARA BETH STOLLE

“IN A PICKLE” From the Shakespearean play, “The Tempest;” used in reference to being drunk, but is now commonly understood as “in a tight spot.”

GRAPHIC BY RUTH WACKER

ras ym olog Et n Ph e y of t o m he Com

GRAPHICS BY SUMMER STOLLE

Happy Birthday Mr. Shelton

This year for Mr. Shelton’s birthday the faculty gave him a Geneva letterman jacket. The jacket took him back to his days in high school and caused him to momentarily sprout a mullet.

Obsessions on Campus Bracelets

Senior Allie Martin has an obsession: Bracelets. Woven, beaded, leather and more Allie’s wrists always show off her never-ending collection of bracelets.

GRAPHIC BY SARA BETH STOLLE

PHOTOGRAPH BY KATELYN DAVIS

He Rocked Their Socks: Shelton Deletes a Rule From the Geneva Handbook

This year, for the first time in Geneva history, Mr. Shelton revoked the strict dress code rule on socks. In previous years, guys were only allowed to wear navy, black, or white socks but now anything goes, as you can see from students and faculty.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY NOAH BENSON

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Out of the Box

How to Ask a Date to Homecoming

BY SARA BETH STOLLE omecoming is a favorite time of year for many Geneva students. This event not only involves H an exciting game, but also a festive, country dance the night before the game. Almost every girl waits anxiously during the weeks leading up to homecoming, hoping to be asked on a date to this exciting weekend. Meanwhile, the boys try to gather enough courage to ask and seal the deal with their soon-to-be date! Sometimes the guys will ask girls in an extra fun way to really show their confidence. A few students found some clever ways to ask their dates.

Use Body Language HOCO?

Jacob Schroder signs his proposal to Skylar Tippetts. She answers back “Yes.” PHOTOGRAPHS BY SARA BETH STOLLE

Junior Skylar Tippetts was chatting with her friend one day discussing how she would like to learn sign language. “I really appreciate the time it takes to learn and understand it,” she says. Overhearing Tippetts’ conversation, junior Jacob Schroder, varsity football player, came up with the perfect way to ask her to homecoming. That day, after winning yet

another football game, Schroder drove home and learned how to say, “Will you go to homecoming with me?” in sign language. “I stayed up until like two in the morning trying to get it right... I don’t have very flexible fingers!” says Schroder. He ended up getting it down to perfection, because Tippetts said yes!

Not a “Dum” Idea

PHOTOGRAPH BY JACQUELINE KNOX

Sophomore Savannah Mixon opened up her locker one morning to find a basket of Dum Dum lollipops with a note that read, “Don’t make me feel like a dummy! Go to the homecoming dance with me (come to the football game tonight to find out who your date is)!” Mixon

attended the game that night, wondering who her mystery date could be. Once the game ended, sophomore Chris Wilson ran up after yet another victory and asked, “Would you like to go to homecoming with me?” She of course answered with a grinning yes!

Ask a “Senior” Citizen One day in assembly, freshman Mason Janse had a great idea for asking Bailey Flint, senior.

He knew Flint would go up for morning announcements at Monday morning assembly, and he planned on popping the big question right then and there. As she stood at the podium, Janse thought about what he would say. Once Flint had finished her prayer and was walking back to her seat with

the rest of the seniors, he ran in front of her. He knelt down on one knee and asked, “Will you go to homecoming with me?” Flint strolled back to her seat to ponder the question.

She eventually accepted Janse’s proposal, even though she could not attend the homecoming dance. Instead of dinner and a dance, she brought Whataburger for them to share during lunch on mum day.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY JACQUELINE KNOX

geneva’s teacher kids They get to school early every morning. They stay at school late every afternoon. Everyone knows who the teachers’ kids are, and everyone wonders what it is like to be one. Do their parents give them extra help at home? Do they get special treatment in the classroom? What is it like to live life in the spotlight? The Quarterly staff will spend the year giving readers a glimpse into their day-to-day lives.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY IAN COMUZZIE G | 67

Mr. Paul Johnson, humanities instructor, and his wife Erica Johnson, receptionist, are expecting their first child in February.

“

My greatest fear is that he will grow up to like football, Johnson says seriously. The name of their son

�

is yet to be determined.

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quickly; this may be the only time you “ Look will see Josh with a book, �

says Mr. Dirk Russell, humanities instructor. He poses for the shot with three of his children who attend Geneva: David, junior, Abigail, sixth grade, and Josh, sophomore.

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I walk her to school each morning, but she “likes to walk on her own after a point. I watch

her go, and she looks all strong and confident, Mr. Steven Tye, classical rhetoric instructor, says. His daughter, Mae, started kindergarten this year.

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�

Out of the Box

24 Hours Without Coffee

A teacher describes his coffee-free day as a new level of Dante’s inferno

BY AARON SOUTHWICK Hello, my name is Aaron Southwick (“Hi Aaron”), and I am a coffeeholic.

No, really, I am! If multiple studies were published tomorrow that said, “Everyone needs to stop drinking coffee NOW or else the world will end twenty-one days, four hours, seventeen minutes and five seconds from now,” I would not stop drinking coffee (sorry world, but you are just going to have to get over it). It could be worse. I could be a pinteresting-androida-facebookingsnapchat-aholic.

I was recently asked by the magazine editors to give up coffee for a day; after all, the Bible says you cannot serve two masters; and I was asked to keep a journal.

Here are a few entries from my journal:

6:30

Where am I? What have they done with the real me?

8:15

Why do I see two Daniels girls?

8:20

Mariah, stop shouting!

9:15

This pain over my right eye will surely go away.

9:36

“My name is Hannah, not Shirley!”

11:17 Mr. Patti you are going to have to talk at

least once in my class before the year ends!

11:43 Am I allowed to curse at a Christian school?

12:15 #righteyepain 1:05

Brittany, can I borrow your Santa blankie?

I have a study-hall next period.

2:20

Is it just me or is Adison Cate super grouchy?

3:48

Reynolds, GO TO CLASS!!!

Know that there was a lot more pain (and cursing) involved—just ask the sophomore class—but I hope this little peek at my journal paints you a nice picture of what hell must be like.

#supergrouchy

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACQUELINE KNOX G | 71

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“Trumbo”

(November 6th) Bryan Cranston stars as Donald Trumbo, a man who wrote several classic movies, including “Roman Holiday” and “Spartacus,” under a pseudonym after he was accused of being a Communist and blacklisted. I just want Bryan Cranston to get any and every award possible.

“Macbeth”

(December 4th) E H KT This is basically just the A E renowned Shakespearean play, with Oscar-nominee Michael Fassbender playing the title character alongside Marion Cotillard. The trailer makes it seem like the movie uses the original dialogue from the early 17th century, so that should be interesting.

“In the Heart of the Sea”

(December 11th) It’s advertised as the true story of Moby Dick.

This looks pretty awesome visually, so I really hope it’s good. The cast is led by Chris Hemsworth.

“Crimson Peak”

(October 16th) Do you like ghosts? Or getting spooked? Or haunted houses? Or Loki from “The Avengers?”

Then you’ll probably like this new horror movie from Guillermo Del Toro, starring Tom Hiddleston.

“The Walk”

(October 9th) From the director of “Forrest Gump” and “Cast Away,” this follows the true story of Philippe Petit, the man who tightrope-walked across the World Trade Center. He’s played by Joseph GordonLevitt.

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“Creed”

(November 20th) Yet another “Rocky” sequel about Rocky training Apollo Creed’s son seems like it wouldn’t be good, but it actually looks amazing.

“The Hateful Eight”

(December 25) Quentin Tarantino makes nothing but great movies; great, TI awesome, horrifically violent, AN J O profane movies. And this is the next one.

“The Revenant”

(December 25) This is the next movie from the director of last year’s best picturewinner “Birdman,” which is one of my favorite movies already. It is starring Leonardo Dicaprio, seems unbelievably intense, and, from a film-making standpoint, looks beyond perfect.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

(December 18th) STAR WARS!!!! But in all seriousness, “Star Wars” is the first movie I ever watched in my life, and being able to watch a brand new one in theaters makes me almost cry. I’m not exaggerating, if this is bad, part of my soul will wither away like that one small grape in a group of grapes that no one eats. C’mon, Star Wars.

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“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2”

(November 20) I’ve really, really liked the “Hunger Games” series up until now, and this looks like it’ll be a perfectly fitting ending.

“Bridge of Spies”

(October 16th) Steven Spielberg has made many of the best movies of all time, and Tom Hanks is one of the best actors of all time. Therefore, I cannot wait for this movie.

“The Martian”

(October 2nd) I never thought Apollo 13 and Cast Away would mix really well together, but this looks fantastic.

“Joy”

(December 25th) David O. Russell’s last three movies (“The Fighter,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” and “American Hustle”) have all been nominated for best picture, and superstar Jennifer Lawrence won an Oscar for “Silver Linings Playbook.” So there.

“Steve Jobs”

(October 23rd) Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” won best picture in 2008, and this movie follows one of the most influential people of the last few decades at different times in his life. To top it all off, he’s played by Michael Fassbender, who’s playing Macbeth, too.

“Spectre”

(November 13th) James Bond. That’s it.

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Just Drawful!

A new drawing game hits the Geneva Campus

BY SUMMER STOLLE Drawful is a new interactive drawing game that allows its players to connect to the TV on their cell phones and guess what each image is portraying. The GQ staff decided to bring the concept of Drawful to Geneva. Going from study hall to study hall, we collected hilarious drawings of difficult prompts and even more interesting guesses of what each drawing was. Below are some of our favorites.

by Carson Collingwood

“Johnson baby” Dr. Lloyd angry?

-Heather Jonas

Mr. Shelton as a baby?

- Ashley Masso

Mr. Curby Graham?

- Hogan Petrie

by Caleb Nilson

by Mrs. Johnson

“Geneva dress uniform” “Mr. Tye and Mr. Johnson fighting” Hunter Hamon?

- Heather Jonas

Mr. Tye and Mr Johnson?

- Hogan Petrie

Josh Chandler?

- Ashley Masso

Grant and Jax? - Ashley Masso

Senior in freshman uniform?

- Mrs. Wheeler

Kids poking each other?

- Ian Comuzzie G | 76

by Mr. Johnson

“11 A” Campbell in statistics?

-Ashley Masso

Sitting in Johnson’s class?

-Hogan Petrie

by Grant Gombert

Mr. Johnson?

- Arianna Flores

“Mr. Johnson grading” Hayden mad about thesis?

- Bailey Flint

by Ethan Taha

Mr. Johnson and essays?

- Ashley Masso

Day after thesis assignment?- Mrs. Wheeler

Mrs. Stricker embarrasing?

- Mr. Ryden

“Geneva Benefit”

Leave room for Jesus?

- Heather Jonas

The Exodus?

Homecoming dance?

- Mrs. Wheeler

- Mrs. Wheeler

Drama club?

“Shaking Mr. Shelton’s hand”

- Bailey Flint

Roadtripping?

- Ashley Masso

by Faith Hawkins

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The Talon A Publication of the School of Rhetoric The Geneva School of Boerne

Parenting 101 In an effort to help the magazine reach out beyond the student population, we at The Talon offer this helpful section to parents to help them know how to be parents who will produce mature and well-adjusted students:

Statements you should always believe when your student tells them to you: “The teacher didn’t cover that.”

“They never told us it would be on the exam.”

“Everyone in the class failed it.”

“I looked in Lost and Found and it wasn’t there; someone must have stolen it.”

“The teacher doesn’t like me.”

“I asked for help, but the teacher refused.”

“No one knew that would be on the test.”

“I didn’t know I had to make up the work I missed after being absent.”

“That’s not how we went over it in class.”

“It’s not just me; no one understands it.”

“Everyone else does it but I’m the only one who gets in trouble.”

“No one knew it was due today.”

Students: If this is going to work, you must convince your parents to believe the following when you tell them: “The teacher didn’t cover that.”

“They never told us it would be on the exam.”

“Everyone in the class failed it.”

“I looked in Lost and Found and it wasn’t there; someone must have stolen it.”

“The teacher doesn’t like me.”

“I asked for help, but the teacher refused.”

“No one knew that would be on the test.”

“I didn’t know I had to make up the work I missed after being absent.”

“That’s not how we went over it in class.”

“It’s not just me; no one understands it.”

“Everyone else does it but I’m the only one who gets in trouble.”

“No one knew it was due today.”

The Reverse Psychology Parent/Child Relations Edition Geneva Quarterly Edition

Essay Deadline Help Tired of those essay deadlines piling up (despite the weeks of advance warning and prep)? Here’s some advice: 1) Convince your parents that you should stay home on the due date in order to complete it. Since your parents give the okay, the absence will be excused and the submission won’t be considered late since you weren’t at school to submit it and you didn’t, after all, plan to be out—it just happened and the teacher will be none the wiser.

2) Similar to the above, but with the added spice of martyrdom: not only do you convince your parents that you should stay home, you get them to be your champion against the teacher and the school by persuading them of how unfair the due date is and how nobody is ready and how…you get the idea.

This deflects all responsibility off of you and you get the satisfaction of watching as your parents put the screws to the teacher.

3) Tell the teacher that your printer is broken and that you will email it to him or her. Even better: say that you already emailed it. Then, when the teacher looks for the email and doesn’t find it you can still say that you sent it. This makes it a case of technical malfunction and basically puts the burden on the teacher, not you. Plus, you get the added bonus of an extra day to complete the assignment until the email or printer magically works again.

Disclaimer: All of this material is reprinted almost verbatim from the RS Student Handbook. The editors of The Talon feel no remorse in not offering new material because for most students, this is new material because no one reads the handbook anyway.

For the six of you who read the handbook, we apologize and will make it up to you somehow…perhaps an all-expenses paid cruise or a college scholarship or both or the promise of unimpeded permanent happiness or clear skin the rest of your life (those last two are probably the same thing) or a pet monkey or your own reality cable TV show or a cookie of some kind.

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