Engage - Summer 2023

Engage

Shepherding Hearts. Sharpening Minds.

Lakeland Christian School Lakeland, Florida

his issue of Engage marks the beginning of my tenure as the Head of School at LCS. What a profound honor to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Mike Sligh. Since my appointment as the next Head of School, Dr. Sligh has declared his intention to “take all of his shoes with him.” I hope he doesn’t, because it would be a pleasure to fill his shoes. His remarkable tenure has been characterized by a faithfulness to shepherding our community and stewarding God’s provision. He and Mary are steadfast prayer warriors; they have supported every facet of our school through both prayer and their presence. If you have attended a band concert, a theater production, a basketball game, the Youth State Fair (FFA), or the Robotics State Championship, you have seen Mike and Mary. If you have spent any time with Mike, you know his biggest shoes may be his wisdom infused humor. Ashley and I hope to fill these shoes. They need to be in our closet. We are so grateful to be following in the footsteps of Mike and Mary.

As I look ahead to the upcoming school year, all I can say is…what a team! This was my impression following the two days of our June Administrative Retreat. The Lord has knit together a devoted and

dynamic leadership team. This was clearly evident in our retreat. Be encouraged and look forward to program and school culture initiatives that will give life to our school’s mission: “to educate students in the light of God’s work to equip them for a lifetime of learning, leadership, service, and worship.” This will be done in the context of our Core Values: wisdom through learning, spiritual cultivation, and Christ-centered community. This is who we are, who we have been, and who we are becoming as a community. I believe you will see a team uniquely equipped by the Lord to fulfill this great vision authored nearly 70 years ago. From my vantage point, it is an exciting time to be at LCS.

It is also a daunting time in our history to be a follower of Jesus. We are well aware that the prevailing winds in American culture proclaim a vision of “The Good Life” that begins with the idea that the best life is a life of self-centered individualism; that I am only authentic when I am true to myself, my passions, and my loves. Yet, Jesus commands his followers to “deny yourself, take up your cross, and to follow me.” Thus “The Good Life” in Christ is to follow so closely in the footsteps of Jesus that we are covered in the dust kicked up by the feet of the Rabbi. The world directs us toward its pleasures, and our tendency is to critique everything wrong with society today. This makes me think of the conversations between Screwtape and Wormwood in C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters when Screwtape tells Wormwood that subtle distraction away from Jesus is all that is required to lead the soul astray, whether it is to be drawn into worldliness or the frenzy of fighting it. We desire to provide your sons and daughters an experience and vision that fixes their eyes on Jesus and “...His Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven…”; “The Good Life” ushered in by the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Let’s move toward His Kingdom, toward Jesus’ vision for community.

We anticipate this issue of Engage will provide a snapshot into our family and our life’s calling to Christian education. Let me confess now that we are those proud parents who are over the top when we start talking about our sons Taylor, Porter, and Michael, and our goddaughter, Lillian. Thank you for patience over these past six months of transition. We are grateful and looking forward to being a part of the Viking Nation.

Coram Deo,

Bryant Black Head of School

Magazine Editor Sandy Johnson

Director of Marketing & Communications

Creative Design Lakelander Creative

Cover Photography Javier Reyes

LEADERSHIP TEAM:

Bryant Black

Head of School

Matt Green

Chief Financial Officer

MattE Diaz

Chief of Advancement

Julie Rice

Director of Enrollment

Luci O’Byrne

Head of Lower School & Elementary Principal

Jonathan Harvey Middle School Principal

Jason Roloff High School Principal

Mike Zavada

Director of Upper School Academics

Heather Rhoden

Director of Upper School Student Life

Todd Radford

Athletic Director

Wendy Carl

Director of Performing & Fine Arts

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Kevin Knowlton Chairman

Payton Albritton, Heather Bryant, Dan DeLange, Shannon Donley, Dan Green, Holland Henderson, Scott MacDonald, David Miller, Cory Petcoff, Steve Sligh, John Tucker

Letter from the Editor

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

One of the traditions at the LCS Commencement ceremony every year is that each senior chooses a verse to have read by faculty members as he or she walks across the stage to receive a diploma. Over my last 18 years of serving at LCS and attending all of the commencement ceremonies since 2006, I can tell you that Jeremiah 29:11 and Joshua 1:9 are two of the most selected verses by our graduates each year.

That’s not surprising, right? As the seniors are about to take their next steps into adulthood, the themes of confidence in God’s plan for their lives and not being afraid are both encouraging and fitting for their season of life.

Stepping from the familiar into the unknown can be really exciting, but it can also be unsettling.

As I sat down to write my letter for this Engage magazine, I started thinking about Joshua 1:9 as it relates to seasons of change. The seniors are embarking on their next stage, but the larger school community of Lakeland Christian School has entered a new and exciting season as well, with new leadership and a new building set to open.

In this issue of Engage , you have an opportunity to meet Bryant Black, our new Head of School. You’ll read about his commitment to the mission of educating children in the light of God’s Word and on keeping Christ at the center of all Lakeland Christian School does.

You will also get to peek inside the new Mike and Mary Sligh High School Building, which is set to open for the start of school. This amazing facility features 26 new state-of-the-art classrooms and science labs that will give our faculty better facilities for educating the next generation of students.

As you read this issue of Engage, I encourage you to take a minute to pray for our school community. Pray for our leadership, for our faculty, for the office staff, for the maintenance crew and for our food service teams. Pray for the brand new group of four year olds about to start school for the first time, for the incoming members of the senior class who will be making lifechanging decisions in the upcoming year, and for all the students in between. Pray for the students transferring to LCS from different schools and for the families who are brand new to our community.

Be strong and courageous, friends. God is with us.

Sandy Johnson Director of Marketing & Communications

Why Engage?

engage (v.) to commit; to involve intensely; to begin action

The title for the LCS magazine describes—in one word—a great deal about our passion for Christian schooling and the effectual results. This active verb reflects our commitment to fostering lives of vibrant faith, active learning and intentional influence. Teachers engage students, students engage in their studies and co-curricular activities, and children and young people are prepared to engage their culture for the Kingdom. Engage will share encouraging stories of commitments to Christ, engagement in learning and active applications of faith for a lifetime.

The mission of Lakeland Christian School is to educate students in the light of God’s Word to equip them for a lifetime of learning, leadership, service and worship.

STEPPING INTO THE FUTURE, TOGETHER

Written by Victoria Bardega

the new school year begins at Lakeland Christian, it’s an exciting time as LCS welcomes its new Head of School, Bryant Black. Dr. Mike Sligh’s successor steps into the role with a deep love for Christ-centered education, a desire to further elevate student success and a longing for students to grasp Coram Deo — “Life in the presence of God.”

Bryant began his career as an educator at Chattanooga Christian School (CCS) in 1995. He served as a history teacher and history department chair, as well as Director of Curriculum and Instruction, before his promotion to Upper School Head, a position he held from 2013-2019.

“I’ve kept an eye on LCS over the years––the school truly has a strong community,” Black said. “We have so many aspects we can easily take for granted that are truly exceptional—from our incredible Board of

Directors to our students, staff, and faculty.”

When the Lord opened an opportunity for his wife Ashley to become Director of Operations at Heart for Winter Haven, a Winter Haven-based non-profit, the couple moved to Florida. Bryant joined the LCS faculty as a high school history teacher in 2021 before moving into the role of Director of Curriculum and Instruction during the last school year.

“The Head of School role wasn’t on my radar when I first came, but after Dr. Sligh announced his retirement and the Board kicked off their national search with Carter Baldwin Executive Search, I felt led to apply,” Bryant said.

“As a board, we were committed to finding someone who would embrace our mission to educate students in the light of God’s Word,” said LCS Board Chairman Kevin Knowlton.

“During the interview process, it was abundantly clear that Bryant’s passion for Christian education and proven educational leadership experience made him the best candidate,” Knowlton said. “He holds an unwavering commitment to the school’s mission, to pursuing academic excellence at every level and to developing our students into individuals who possess strong moral character with a solid foundation for faith and life.”

With the new school year getting underway, Bryant hopes to focus on several areas of student development and educational growth. There will be additional emphasis on discipleship to give students opportunities to grow deeper in their faith, as well as a commitment to student engagement within the Lakeland community.

“My calling and passion are one in the same,” Bryant said. “It’s the cultivation of a school community that is redemptively Kingdomminded in every aspect of school life. I long for our students to see the beauty, the love, the life and the scandal that is Jesus.”

“We want our school to feel like home for our students,” Bryant said. “My prayer and hope is that we continue to build our students up to take ownership of their faith and engage with the world outside of the classroom.”

Creating a Christ-centered space for students to innovate creatively, to reflect deeply and to think Biblically continues to be a driving force for the administration. Bryant is especially excited about how the new high school building will elevate the science programs.

“I feel fortunate to be stepping in with an incredible new high school building. We have fantastic, state-of-the art labs in place that are top tier for our science classes. We are also looking to grow our amazing robotics program,” Bryant said.

“I FEEL FORTUNATE TO BE STEPPING IN WITH AN INCREDIBLE HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING.”

Yet for Bryant, student success isn’t limited to getting good grades in the classroom or winning a championship trophy on the athletic fields. In fact, sometimes the most important lessons are learned during difficult times.

“My wife and I always encouraged our three sons to engage people and to take advantage of opportunities as they navigate who they are and who God created them to be,” he explained. “I want our students to not fear failure but to embrace it. Failure is a part of life. How we walk through our failures matters.”

With a desire to carry out the mission of the school and the Great Commission in this city, Bryant is excited for what’s to come. Through it all, the school continues to focus on keeping Christ at the center.

“What Jesus did impacts everything––from the way we communicate to the way we forgive one another,” Bryant said. “There’s a saying that goes, ‘our students will preach what we preach and practice what we practice.’”

This thought is something he keeps at the forefront as a mentor and leader in education and encourages others to keep this in mind, too.

“The legacy [at LCS] has held a commitment to a mission that includes a lifetime of service from the leadership. [My desire is] that we continue to cultivate this culture that reflects our mission and the mission of Christ, our hope,” he said.

“I am invigorated to cultivate a biblical vision of ‘The Good Life’ for the next generation. The LCS student experience must be an invitation to the ‘good life’ in Jesus Christ. More than ever, our kids need to experience love, forgiveness, relationship and community, restoration, exhortation and discipline in the spirit of the Lord.”

“WHAT JESUS DID IMPACTS EVERYTHING––FROM THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE TO THE WAY WE FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER.”

Winning at the Highest Level: HOW THE VIKINGS DISMANTLED THE ST. JOHN’S DYNASTY UNDER COACH STREETS’ LEADERSHIP

Written by Adam Spafford

Girls’ Varsity Soccer Coach Jason Streets and his teams have skillfully achieved much success over the years, but there was still one thing missing–that is, until February’s State Championship victory over St. John’s Country Day.

Sure, the Vikings were coming off of back-to-back State Championships, but they had steered clear of the St. John’s dynasty because LCS played in the 3A division, but a month before the season started, it was announced they were being moved to 2A where St. John’s resides.

“A remarkable, unbelievable experience.” That’s how Coach Streets (‘98 LCS alumni) describes his team’s championship run last winter when the girls battled back from injuries throughout the season to unseat the reigning 11-time State Champion Spartans. “I’d already completed my schedule based on 3A, but suddenly, the season looked much different.”

If LCS was going to three-peat, they’d now have to beat

a team that had defeated them 10 times. The Vikings have long been one of the best teams in the state; the 2022-23 season marked the 13th year making the state’s final four, and the seventh trip to the finals in 12 years. Street’s team knew the sweet taste of success but to achieve it at the highest level in 2A was going to take a special run.

Reflecting on this championship run, where the Vikings finished the season 23-2-2, Coach Streets credits the love his players have for each other as a key to their success. “The girls view this team as a family,” he says. “If you could have been around the last three weeks of the season, you’d have witnessed instances of players weeping as they realized that our time as a team was growing short. They’ve all contributed to the championship legacy over the last three years. The love they share is the reason they did what many people thought they couldn’t do.”

The players’ affection for one another manifested as pure competitiveness on the field. “The first half of the season was pretty good, although at one point we had five starters out with injuries,” Coach recalls. “We lost a couple of games we shouldn’t have, tied a couple we shouldn’t have. But we really hit our stride right after Christmas. We beat Montverde Academy—a team that had beaten St. Johns. I remember leaving that game thinking we really had a good chance because of the way we defended.”

The team went on to score the most goals it has ever scored in a playoff run, out-scoring the opposition 35-2 over the course of seven contests, starting with District. “The State Semi-final against Shorecrest (a 2-1 Vikings win) was an incredibly hard game, but it was a win,” says Streets. “We had a lot of confidence going into the finals as it was our third time in a row in the championship game—although this time we’d play the best girls’ soccer program in any class, the team that every team aspires to be.”

“IF YOU COULD HAVE BEEN AROUND THE LAST THREE WEEKS OF THE SEASON, YOU’D HAVE WITNESSED INSTANCES OF PLAYERS WEEPING AS THEY REALIZED THAT OUR TIME AS A TEAM WAS GROWING SHORT...”

On February 22, the teams met at Stetson University. “I thought we had a good game plan for St. John’s. It turned out to be a bit of an unusual game: we had only two corner kicks whereas they had eight!” he says. “They out-shot us, but not by a huge margin – and our defensive effort was incredible. We were up 2-0 with seven minutes to go. St. John’s caught us with thirty seconds left but were unable to tie it up and we won 2-1.”

The early season change to 2A may have rattled lessseasoned coaches, but Streets can rely on his 19-year tenure at LCS as well as four decades of playing experience. At 44, he still competes in a club league, and his time on the field began at age 4. He played pick-up soccer in his neighborhood throughout childhood. “There were no phones or tablets–soccer was life!” he says. “The sport was always part of my family’s life, too. My father coached my older brothers for many years.”

When he moved from rec league to competitive club soccer when he was 8-years-old, his father became his coach as well. From 7th grade on, Streets played simultaneously in club soccer

“THERE WERE NO PHONES OR TABLETS–SOCCER WAS LIFE!” HE SAYS. “THE SPORT WAS ALWAYS PART OF MY FAMILY’S LIFE, TOO. MY FATHER COACHED MY OLDER BROTHERS FOR MANY YEARS.”

and at LCS under soccer program founder Dean Johnson. Over the years, the Street’s father-and-son duo would win four club soccer State Championships. “It’s so awesome to say I could do that with my dad,” he says. He enjoyed three additional championships with Johnson’s LCS team. Remarkably, the elder Streets would remain his son’s club coach until Jason went off to Liberty University where he played throughout college.

After graduation Streets got married and moved back to Lakeland where it happened that LCS was looking for a new coach for its girls soccer team. “I’d never coached and wasn’t sure that I wanted to do it,” Streets recalls. “But I quickly realized that I love coaching, especially girls soccer.”

His own children now attend LCS, too, and he’s looking forward to coaching his daughter in the years to come.

It was a storybook ending to the season for the Vikings, and now there are now challenges on the horizon. The program graduated 11 seniors this year, meaning new players are going to have to step into leadership roles. “Next year’s going to be interesting,” Coach says. “Still, we have a lot of talented players returning.”

“I’D NEVER COACHED AND WASN’T SURE THAT I WANTED TO DO IT...BUT I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT I LOVE COACHING, ESPECIALLY GIRLS SOCCER.”

New Building Update

When students come to school for their first day on August 9, the LCS campus will look very different. The portable classrooms that lined Forest Park Street were demolished in early June. The former Admissions Office, teacher’s workspace, IT suite and Secondary Offices are being gutted and remodeled along with many of the classrooms in the older part of campus.

But the most notable change will be the opening of the new Mike and Mary Sligh High School Building. This three-story, 42,000-square-foot facility will house 26 classrooms, the Upper School Offices, a Guidance Suite, teacher’s workspace and a Student Life Suite. The first floor features two flex space classrooms. On the third floor, the Mike Musick Sr. Science Wing will feature state-of-the-art science labs and a memorial wall to honor the longtime science teacher and coach who passed away in 2021.

The $19.1 Million facility was funded through the Forging a Firm Foundation capital campaign. We are grateful for the many generous donors who contributed their support and for the faithful prayers of many more. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held after the start of the new school year.

FROM HOLLYWOOD TO NUCLEAR FUSION:

Animator Jake Long’s (‘00)

Passion Began at LCS

Written by Diego De Jesus

ccomplished animator Jake Long has had a long career full of notable projects, including work on “Hemlock Grove,” a TV show nominated for an Emmy Award.

Long grew up in Lakeland enamored by video games and the visual effects behind them, especially fighting simulators. He started his journey into technical animation in his mechanical drawing class with his teacher Dean Johnson at Lakeland Christian School.

“He was professional, and he treated us like professionals. He was really knowledgeable and funny and treated people like adults,” Long said. “And I think that’s when my brain started thinking. I didn’t know if I wanted to get into mechanical drawing per se, but the wheel started turning like, ‘Okay, there’s something here’.”

Johnson’s class pivoted Long more toward computer animation on the end of the spectrum where he not only coded but where he would also exclusively work with computers.

Long calls himself a “technical artist” sitting between making computer and traditional animations look realistic in a real-life environment. Long puts himself in the middle since he frames animation on a spectrum between traditional and technical or hand-drawn and digital.

Jake and his wife, Mandy.

He works in digital visual effects at a time when traditional hand-drawn animation, like the golden age of Disney, is becoming increasingly rare.

“Once you get into computer animation, a lot of it, when you’re starting off, is kind of finding what you gravitate toward. And for me, that changed over time,” Long said. “I thought I was going to get into video games and just sort of went through a bunch of different stuff and am still learning new things that I enjoy doing.”

After graduating from LCS in 2000 and Full Sail University in 2001 with an AS in Computer Animation, Jake started animating at Visual Book Productions in 2001. He brought biblical stories to life in a project called illumina alongside long-time friend and college roommate, Corey Kinard, who initially introduced him to the studio.

A supervisor asked him to work on a movie in California. He was supposed to be working as a freelance animator for two months but ended up staying in the Golden State for a decade.

“ONCE YOU GET INTO COMPUTER ANIMATION, A LOT OF IT, WHEN YOU’RE STARTING OFF, IS KIND OF FINDING WHAT YOU GRAVITATE TOWARD.”

The film that got him in the door to Hollywood was Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland,” and he also worked on visual effects for the Universal ride “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.”

Jake’s career skyrocketed, and he eventually worked on 30 television shows with some movies in between. The Netflix original “Hemlock Grove” was nominated for an Emmy in 2013. The experience of bringing his family to the Emmy Awards and the red carpet was magical; however, “Game of Thrones” was the other nomination for the award, and that show won the Emmy that year.

While he had considerable success as an animator in Hollywood, Jake was ready to step away after a decade in the spotlight. He shared why he wanted to make the change.

“I was ready for a better work life balance,” Long said. “It was a really cool experience. But the hours, especially in the TV industry and film industry, can get pretty

intense. Your nights and your weekends, your whole life starts to revolve around that work schedule.”

Now he works as an animation specialist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California’s Bay Area or the “East Bay” about 45 minutes from San Francisco. The laboratory conducts groundbreaking research for a slew of scientific fields but recently they made a new discovery in nuclear fusion that Long was able to animate in a digestible way.

At the National Ignition Facility Laser and Target Area Building, on the laboratory’s premises, scientists were able to achieve ignition through fusion by firing a laser onto a pellet that burned hotter than the center of the sun. This discovery paves the way for new clean fusion energy and for humanity to no longer solely rely on fossil fuels.

Jake and his mother, Carol, at the 65th Emmy Awards.

Long’s team essentially rebooted an old animation from a decade ago since facility staff thought this achievement would’ve been done by then; his team worked on it for a year. It was pure happenstance that they were able to finish the animation two months after completion.

The animation was used all over the news to portray the discovery for the average person, and renowned scientists like Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson used the animation.

With all of these accomplishments under his belt, Long still considers Lakeland his home and credits LCS for building a rock solid foundation of values and principles that has given him a compass that can always find center.

“I can’t draw a straight line from faith to an Emmy nomination, or any other success, but I think it does bring us a strength in a lot of things, sort of a way of being,” Long said.

He plans on continuing to contribute to the advancement of the sciences by using animation to portray complex discoveries for people to understand.

“I CAN’T DRAW A STRAIGHT LINE FROM FAITH TO AN EMMY NOMINATION, OR ANY OTHER SUCCESS, BUT I THINK IT DOES BRING US A STRENGTH IN A LOT OF THINGS, SORT OF A WAY OF BEING”

Digging Deep to Come Up Victorious:

THE VIKINGS’ JOURNEY TO A STATE TITLE

Written by RJ Walters

experience a breakthrough, you first have to grapple with the setback that sets the stage for it. The 2022-23 Lakeland Christian baseball season is that type of quantum leap story that ended with the Vikings hoisting the State Championship trophy for the second time in five seasons. Coming off a promising 22-6 campaign that ended in defeat to eventual state runner-up Berkley Prep in 2022, the Lakeland Christian Vikings baseball team expected to start off in high gear this past season.

But some stiff competition and early letdowns surprisingly put the Vikings in reverse, searching for a much-needed jumpstart. They began the season 2-3—25 if you include preseason contests. Head coach MattE Diaz said he and his coaching staff made some mental errors, and at times, it felt like his squad was giving up when it fell behind early.

The Vikings strung together three straight wins before falling 14-4 to IMG Academy on March 24, and that’s when he decided to shake things up.

“We moved Daniel Hartley out of the leadoff spot, moved Trey Bentley into the leadoff spot and put Daniel Hartley more in a key role in the offense and let him drive in more runs and moved him over to shortstop,” Diaz said. “Finding a place for arguably your best player where he fits best in the team was huge for us. And once all that happened, um, the season really took off.”

The senior Hartley had a prolific season, hitting a teamleading .413, and his ascent was just one piece of the puzzle that quickly came together nicely after the slow start.

The Vikings strung together 11 straight wins after the loss to IMG with a mix of timely key plays from savvy upperclassmen and a lot of crucial contributions from underclassmen like freshman infielder Gavin Byrd (.325 Avg., .415 OBP on the season), sophomore catcher Mitchell Rodriguez (.322 Avg., 20 RBI), and sophomore pitcher Carson Martin, who ended up as the team’s de facto ace.

“Carson Martin is a guy with a professional mentality every time he goes out on the mound,” Diaz said about the secondyear star who went 10-0 on the season with a 1.76 ERA and a strike to walkout ratio of nearly 3:1. “I’m always scared to take the ball out of his hands because he wants the ball…and he usually gets it, too.”

After going nearly four weeks without suffering a loss, some of the Viking’s early season tendencies resurfaced in a 3-2 loss to Winter Haven, but Diaz said he quickly realized that the extra-innings loss was just a minor bump in the road because of how his players responded.

“CARSON MARTIN IS A GUY WITH A PROFESSIONAL MENTALITY EVERY TIME HE GOES OUT ON THE MOUND...I’M ALWAYS SCARED TO TAKE THE BALL OUT OF HIS HANDS BECAUSE HE WANTS THE BALL…AND HE USUALLY GETS IT, TOO.”

“When we got to work that Monday after the Winter Haven loss, I knew that this team was locked in and ready to go. And they did not lose another game the rest of the year,” he said. “We went from a very talented group of individuals that could win some ball games on talent alone…to guys that were literally pulling for each other.”

In the second round of the playoffs the Vikings found themselves in a 5-0 hole against Santa Fe—the school Diaz helped win a state championship as a player in 1995—but they busted out the bats to post nine runs in the fourth inning, and they only trailed once the rest of the playoffs.

In the state championship game, the Vikings jumped out to a 4-0 lead on St. Johns Country Day in the first inning and never looked back.

“Carson Martin just doesn’t hardly walk anybody ever, so I knew they were gonna have to hit the ball to beat us. And they certainly did, except there was a diving play by Carson Martin in first; there was a bunt play fielded perfectly by Colby Brewington late in the game when they were trying to make something happen; there was a great read by him at third base as well.” Diaz recalled. “Also, our outfield played tremendously throughout, throughout the game.”

“WE WENT FROM A VERY TALENTED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT COULD WIN SOME BALL GAMES ON TALENT ALONE…TO GUYS THAT WERE LITERALLY PULLING FOR EACH OTHER.”

Much has been made of Diaz being part of the last three FHSAA baseball titles in Polk County—at Santa Fe as a player, as an assistant coach on the 2019 Lakeland Christian championship team, and now as the head coach. But the retired 11-year major leaguer said this title is a testament to the hard work of the players and his assistant coaches—Mitch Rodriguez, Stacey Pough and Joy Willis— as well as speaks volumes about the high level of baseball that is now the standard in Polk County.

“I truly mean it when I say that my time in the spotlight has come and passed,” he said. “So winning it as a player was probably more exciting, but watching your team celebrate is more rewarding.”

Part of that satisfaction comes from seeing players accept their roles and grow in character throughout the ups and downs.

“I can’t give you a better example than Mack Estrada,” he said. “He was our senior ace heading into the year. Carson took over, but the guy on the bottom of the dog pile was Mack. Just the character of our seniors and the seriousness that they led practice with…it was awesome.”

“I TRULY MEAN IT WHEN I SAY THAT MY TIME IN THE SPOTLIGHT HAS COME AND PASSED...SO WINNING IT AS A PLAYER WAS PROBABLY MORE EXCITING, BUT WATCHING YOUR TEAM CELEBRATE IS MORE REWARDING.”

EMMYLOU VARNUM

Christian Leadership Award Winner

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Daughter of Conrad Varnum and Sherry Varnum

Excerpt from Baccalaurate Address:

The basic prompt that I was given for this speech was this: “What is the role of an LCS graduate in the world? We have been given the opportunity to receive a Christian education, so what are we going to do with it?” … I get that we go through some really hard times. I understand that. And I understand that we all just want to do what we want to do. We want control over our own lives. I want the same things! I know people have many reasons why they don’t follow God, but, after knowing God for as long as I have, and knowing who He is, I can’t help but want to drop every desire and plan that I have for my life to follow Him … That is our role: to show the world who God really is. He is the same God who led the Isrealites through the wilderness in Exodus 13, giving them exactly what they needed each day, no matter how hopeless things seemed. He is the same God who blessed David with a kingdom in 2 Samuel 5 after committing adultery and murder in the same afternoon! And He is also the same God who sent His perfect son, Jesus, to die a horrific death in order to pay for the sins of every one of His children! We HAVE to show people THAT God, OUR God, the TRUE GOD!! … We have to be the ones to share the good news of–not the strict, frightening punisher–but the loving redeemer, full of grace! It is of the utmost importance! At LCS, we have had the incredible opportunity to be taught who God is and what He has done for us! Now, 2023 Lakeland Christian School graduates, it is our turn to show the world!

Seniors Emmylou Varnum, Kylah Blough and Lily Harrington earned top awards for the Class of 2023. Here are excerpts from the speeches they gave to their classmates at Baccalaureate and Commencement.

KYLAH BLOUGH

Salutatorian

University of Florida

Daughter of Christopher and Robin Blough

Excerpt from Salutatorian Address:

Senior year has been memorable to say the least. I have never felt closer to my classmates than I have this year. From senior lunches and senior sunrise to our senior trip to Seattle this past week, we have had so many wonderful opportunities to grow together. Even in these events we were taught how to live our lives for God. On our senior trip, we volunteered at a camp to help with things that were easier with a large group of people. I know you all remember the beloved bonfire. Our small actions will eventually help reach people and in turn share the gospel. All of the hard work we have put into school has paid off for tonight. This year has gone by so fast but yet,

I feel it was the most valuable. Looking back, I realize just how valuable the things we have been taught are. I’m not talking about math equations and how to write an essay in one night; I’m talking about how to make the right choices. That’s what life is. Every day you get to wake up and decide how you are going to live. Some decide to live an earthly life, full of sin, others decide to live and dedicate their life for God. I hope everyone in this room decides to live their life according to Him. God created us to be a light unto the world, to share His word and teach others of the glory of God. Matthew 22:14 says ”for many are called, but few are chosen”. Be chosen. Our time at LCS has prepared us to guide others on the right path to a perfect God.

LILY HARRINGTON

Valedictorian University of Florida

Daughter of Michael and Pamela Harrington

Excerpt from Valedictorian Address:

I always make a to-do list and find the most joy in crossing off each task as I complete it. This tendency has always been such an asset for me personally because I get things done and I get them done early. At the same time, however, this skill can also be one of my biggest struggles. I have found myself many times prioritizing my lists instead of relationships with the people around me. Now, looking back on my four years of high school, the biggest lesson I’ve learned has been this: don’t let your to-do lists become more important than making memories.

I am standing up here talking to everyone tonight as the class of 2023 valedictorian. So, of course, everyone can assume that I’m smart. But the reason I think that I am valedictorian is due to the sacrifices I’ve made throughout the past four years to make school my priority at all times. While I am proud of this accomplishment, I’ve learned that it’s okay to trade a night of studying for a night spent with your friends. If I could tell incoming freshman Lily one thing it would be to let loose a little and forget about the to-do lists at times. Because looking back on high school, I don’t want to remember the hours and hours of homework I did, I want to remember the fun times I had with my friends … What I hope to pass on to everybody here today is the importance of relationships with one another and living life in community with one another … My hope for all of us is that as we move on to this next chapter in our lives, we spend more time getting to know people because life is meaningless if we have nobody to share it with. God created humans for relationships, not just with Him but with each other. If we are too preoccupied with our todo lists and endless tasks and chores, we miss out on this beautiful life God has created for each and every one of us. As Christians, we are called to follow God’s plan for our lives and part of this plan is the people who we spend our time with. And as Pastor Bennet has stressed, surround yourself with people who will keep you accountable and help aid you in your personal faith journey. So make an effort to meet new people, reach out to an old friend, say “yes” to the spontaneous plans, and I know this is going to be a crowd favorite, never forget to text your mom.

Around Campus

SPRING PLAY

On February 24-25, the Fine Arts Department delighted the audiences with three presentations of Pride and Prejudice. The cast of secondary students rehearsed for six weeks in preparation for the play. Based on the classic book by Jane Austen, the play is set in rural England at the turn of the 19th century and tells the tumultuous love story between the spirited Elizabeth Bennett and aristocratic Fitzwilliam Darcy.

PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT

On Saturday, March 4, Lakeland Christian School hosted 130 pickleballers for the Inaugural Viking Paddle Battle. The covered pavilion and outdoor basketball courts were converted into six pickleball courts, and participants competed in four divisions: Male, Female, Mixed Doubles and Elementary. The tournament raised approximately $13,000 for the LCS Viking Fund.

Thanks to our major sponsors: Sweet Life Farms, Patterson Companies, Roggen Clyne Development, Tiger Contracting, Burnetti PA and Chick-fil-A.

RISE EXPO

The annual RISE Expo was held on May 11. The evening featured a recap of projects from the 2022-2023 school year by students in classes such as event planning, entrepreneurship, robotics and mock trial. The entrepreneurship class, comprised of 48 student-owned businesses, set up vending booths to showcase and sell their products. The event included food trucks, a student art gallery, and an awards ceremony. For more information on our RISE Institute, visit www.lcsrise.com or check out their Instagram (@lcsrise).

ELEMENTARY OLYMPICS

The week of Olympics is one of the favorite weeks on campus for our elementary kids and their families! In early March, students in K4-5th grade competed in the softball throw, obstacle course, hurdles, sprints, relays and more. Members of the senior class helped time and score the events. Thanks to Coach Mike Carl, Coach John Weldy and Coach Beverley Reves for running another great year of competition!

YEARBOOK DEDICATION

The 2023 Netflix-themed LCS yearbook, “Who’s Watching?”, was dedicated to Dr. Mike Sligh and Dr. Keith Overholt. The men were honored for their many years of service to LCS (Dr. Sligh with 51 years, Dr. Overholt with 30 years) and received the surprise dedication during the annual schoolwide yearbook assembly on May 3.

Follow Us: @LCSvikings

lcsvikings March 9

This week our LCS High School Concert Choir earned straight Superior ratings from all judges for their stage performance and sight-reading this morning at the Florida Vocal Association District Music Performance Assessment. This qualifies us to move on to State MPA in April ��

Congratulations to the LCS Middle School Band on Tuesday afternoon’s performance at the Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment. The band received an overall Superior rating on stage and a superior in sight reading. We are proud of all the hard work the students put in to prepare for this event and how well they represented LCS both on and off the stage��

��SOLI DEO GLORIA! @lcsvikings #solideogloria #lcsbands

lcsvikings - March 10

The Annual Portrait Project ❤ Our first graders and high school students draw portraits of each other. Incredible artwork��

lcsvikings March 21

Congratulations to our new NJHS and NHS members! Thank you to our faculty speakers and NHS Officers and Council Members for being a part of tonight’s induction ceremony.

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Our Eighth graders had a fantastic time on their annual field trip to Tallahassee��

lcsvikings April 28

5th Grade has been learning about Economics & Government through the JA BizTown Program. This week they visited BizTown in Tampa to put their skills to work in the culminating activity/field trip. It was a wonderful day watching the students working hard in their businesses.

SIX THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JASON ROLOFF

Jason grew up in the Washington, D.C. metro area and St. Louis, Missouri. Jason attended and played soccer at Cedarville University where he met his wife, Michelle.

HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Michelle is a Registered Nurse and she previously served in the ER. Most recently she was the Health Coordinator and Campus Nurse at Morrison Academy in Taiwan. Michelle grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) in Japan and Taiwan.

Jason and Michelle have five children; Jake (25) is married to Keegan, and he is based with the US Navy in North Island/ Coronado, California. Jake is an Air Rescue Swimmer and Keegan is a nurse. Grant (22) just graduated from Colorado Christian University where he played soccer, and he will be working as an Analyst for a technology company in the Denver area. Gabriel (21) will be entering his senior year at Colorado Christian University where he plays soccer as well. He is pursuing a degree in Elementary Education. Abigail (19) just finished her first year at Columbia International University in South Carolina where she plays soccer, and is studying to become a counselor. Micah (15) just finished his freshman year at LCS and loves soccer, too. Soccer runs in the family!

After graduating from college Jason ended up in the technology industry where he spent more than 16 years building and leading organizations. He leveraged his knowledge of industry and organizational development to work as a consultant, both in the US and in Asia. This allowed him to pursue a Business As Missions approach to spreading the Gospel. The Lord directed them to Taiwan, first to serve with ORTV (communications and broadcasting) and then many years later with a large, multinational company. Many doors were opened to share the Gospel through the relationships developed. In addition, these opportunities also allowed for work with youth groups in the local churches.

The Lord has allowed Jason to serve and be involved in mission work over the years, primarily focused in East Asia. Leveraging his expertise and knowledge in organizational development, as well as his passion for working with young people through coaching and teaching, God opened up the doors to serve in many capacities including serving at Morrison Academy in Taiwan from 20152022. Immediately following devastating Typhoon Huiyan hitting the Philippines, Jason led a disaster response team from Taiwan to provide humanitarian support to a locally based ministry in Tacloban.

Jason is passionate about the “beautiful game” of soccer and has coached at all levels of soccer both in the United States and internationally. He served as the Program Director and Varsity Head Coach for both the men’s and women’s varsity soccer teams at Morrison Academy (Taiwan). He also coached teams participating in tournaments in South Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand. He started and co-led the Excel Sports Academy & Camp in Taiwan. This was designed to expose children to the game, as well as provide older and more experienced players with more technical and tactical training, as well as connecting them with collegiate and professional players, all within the context of character development. This is the first year in over 20 years that he has not been coaching in some capacity.

While the Lord has directed Jason into the education world in more recent years, he always had a desire to teach. He received a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies, which is a Social Sciences degree, because of his love for history, economics and geography, with the thought of teaching when he got “older”. The Lord started opening opportunities for him to pursue serving in education during his time in Taiwan. He leveraged his business experiences and love of teaching to develop Taipei International Christian Academy (TICA) with founder, Uwe Maurer, to provide Christian education options for families with children with learning needs. During the development phase, Jason served as Executive Director. TICA became a model for a Christian, English, inclusive learning environment in Taiwan. The desire was to develop TICA so that it could be replicable in environments where other schooling options were not available and could scale based on the number of students and support requirements. After finishing up his time at TICA, the Lord opened the doors to join the leadership team at Morrison Academy in Taichung, Taiwan. Jason served as Chaplain and Leadership Development & Outreach Director and then prior to arriving at LCS he served as Athletic Director.

Find more on Instagram! @LCSvikingsathletics

lcsvikingsathletics

February 7

Last night our Viking football team celebrated their end-of-year banquet and surprised Dr. Sligh with an honorary Viking jersey with the special number #51 - the number of years Dr. Sligh has served LCS����

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March 14

Congratulations, Coach Carl and senior Kylah Blough, for being selected as 3A girls’ basketball district coach of the year and player of the year ����

#vikingproud

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April 7

Eli Curls and Stephen Spencer won All-County at #2 doubles! Kase Gibson won All-County at 4th singles ����

lcsvikingsathletics

April 24

Our boys and girls track the and field team was runner-up at districts this weekend. Cooper Philpot (59.25) led a 1-2-3 finish with Jacob Allen and Malachi Williams in the 400 hurdles. Jadin Denton won the pole vault, and ReeMari Collins won the long jump (19-11.75) and was second in the triple jump ��

LCS girls won two individual events along with the 4x800 relay. Katie Scarborough won the pole vault, Cassidy Burke won the javelin (102-10.25) and was second in the discus. Emma Wilkinson, Sarah Bayes, and Emma Green finished 2-3-4 in the 3,200, and Wilkinson, Lauren Bayes and Sarah Bayes finished 2-3-4 in the 1,600 ��

lcsvikingsathletics

May 11

Last night was a night of celebration for the Viking softball team! �� They honored their seniors and earned a 10-0 �� win against Lakeside Christian. A big congrats to all the seniors, and a big win for the team! #VikingPride

LCS Alumni Updates

Shelbie Adams (‘16) married Elijah Luckey in Dahlonega, Georgia, on August 7, 2020. This year, they welcomed their first child, son Parker, on March 31. Elijah is a computer/mobile app developer, and Shelbie is a stay-at-home mom.

Shelbie (Adams) Luckey

Christian Alexander (‘15) married Taylor Grabenhorst on January 21, 2023, in Orlando, Florida. The couple resides in Palm Beach, Florida. Christian leads the Sports and Entertainment business for J.P. Morgan Private Wealth, and Taylor is a Registered Nurse in the Neonatal ICU at St. Mary’s Medical Center. The couple met at FLorida International University, where Christian played football and Taylor was a swimmer.

Christian Alexander

Joey Hungerford (‘15) married Hope Flynn on June 17, 2023, at Bramble Tree Estate in Sorrento, Florida. The couple resides in Washington, DC, where Joey serves as the Communications Director for Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and is a videographer for former President Trump. The couple met while working at a political organization in Mulberry, Florida.

Abbey (Stump) Smith

Abbey (Stump) Smith (‘14) and her husband Dustin live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where they started Move Church. They are also both realtors in Salt Lake City.

Amanda (Carl) Barnett (‘12) and her husband Devon welcomed their first child, daughter Rayleigh Sue, on March 19, 2023. Rayleigh weighed 6 lbs. 8 oz., and was 19 inches long. LCS faculty members Mike (elementary PE) and Wendy (fine arts department) are proud grandparents!

Joey Hungerford

Amanda (Carl) Barnett

Corey Stump (‘11) and his wife Lauren had their first baby, daughter Isla Jane, on November 17, 2022. Corey is a medical device sales rep for Alpha - Tek and assists back surgeons and neurosurgeons. Lauren is working at home as a graphic designer for a marketing company in Lakeland. The couple just bought their first home in Magnolia Ranch, Florida.

Jake Marzola (‘10) and Shelby (Pierce) Marzola (‘11) had baby boy number two, Jay Dominick. Jay was born on May 1, 2023. His big brother Pierce Daniel is two years old. They moved back to Lakeland in 2021 after Jake served six years active duty in the Air Force. Jake is in Air Force Reserves and works for Goldsmith Construction. Shelby works for LCS teaching 6th and 7th grade social studies.

Corey Stump

Jake and Shelby (Pierce) Marzola

Lauren (Cherry) Martinez

Lauren (Cherry) Martinez (‘09) and her husband Juan welcomed their second child, son Roman, on October 30, 2022. He joins sister Lilly. The family lives in Lakeland. Lauren is a teaching physician at Lakeland Regional Health, and Juan is an Air Force Veteran in his last year of law school.

Will Sutton

Will Sutton (‘15) is currently a graduate student pursuing his PhD in Chemistry at Vanderbilt University and recently had a study published in the June 2023 issue of Vaccine . Will and his team developed a method to evaluate how long the new mRNA vaccines are able to express spike protein after being packaged in a sealed vial and stored at their proper temperature. You can read more at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.04.044.

Marris (Smith) Stebbins

Lakeland Christian School

1111 Forest Park Street

Lakeland, Florida 33803

In the fall of 1999, LCS celebrated the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Joe K. and Alberta Blanton Center. This $3 Million facility houses the gymnasium, band room and athletic offices. This August, Lakeland Christian School will celebrate another ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Mike & Mary Sligh High School Building.