A note from the executive editors

525,600 minutes. 8,760 hours. 365 days. 52 weeks. 12 months. 4 seasons. 1 year. As each of us grows from childhood to adolescence to adulthood, it can be easy to wish away the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, seasons, and years. It’s only natural for us to keep our eyes focused on the next big event—the next milestone—in eager anticipation for when we think we’ll truly reach the peak of our lives. Whether you’re waiting for your moment to see the world on the Austin field trip in fourth grade, your first week away from home without your parents on the Camp of the Hills trip in sixth grade, your first day of high school in ninth grade, or that longawaited college acceptance as a senior, you’re waiting for something, and we get that. However, in this issue of The Rock, we encourage you to reflect on the season of life you are currently in. In Ecclesiastes 3, the author begins by remarking how “there is a time for everything, and a season for activity under the heavens.” He goes on to describe the importance of both weeping and laughing, being silent and speaking, mourning and dancing, before noting in awe how God “sets eternity in the human heart.” If you’re the kind of person just trying to get through school so you can start living in the “real world,” we get it. At times, the days seem to move slowly. But, as graduting seniors about to leave the “TCA bubble,” believe us when we tell you that the “real world” is right in front of you. While you’re here in this special place--a place that has changed countless lives, crafted lifelong friendships, and cultivated lasting impressions through its stellar education--look around. And we mean really look around. Look people in the eye and see them for more than a plaid skirt or a number on the field. Embrace the good, bad, awkward, and ugly parts of growing up because, believe it or not, you’re going to miss this. TCA, while it feels like an eternity at the moment, is only a season of your life. And in this issue of The Rock, we aim to portray it as it is and reveal to you its beauties so that you may appreciate it in every season.

Katherine Novakovich & Mary Lauren Westover

Cover art by Bethany Grimm

Volume 20, number 1, the 2021-22 issue of The ROCK magazine was designed and produced by the 2021-22 ROCKstaff. This 28-page, all-color issue was printed by Digital Marketing and Print Solutions, Carrollton, Texas, on 80 lb. gloss text paper. 300 copies were printed for free distribution on the TCA camps. Cost of printing is paid for by the TCA Communications Department. Adobe InDesign CC 2022 and Photoshop CC 2022 software applications were used for design and layout. Typefaces used throughout: Bebas Neue Bold (headlines and headings), Berlin Sans (headings), and Myriad Pro (headings and body copy).

The ROCK magazine staff is comprised of TCA Upper School students. Students join The ROCK at the beginning of the school year in September and meet regularly throughout the school year during off periods and outside of school to discuss, decide and execute the magazine’s theme, article topics, writing, editing, photography, design and layout. Staffers submit articles for inclusion in each year’s issue and also judge/select when there is a call for Middle School and Lower School art and writing submissions for a particular story.

If you have feedback, ideas or suggestions for The ROCK or would be interested in joining the magazine staff for the next school year, please contact Katie Kilpatrick, Upper School history/English teacher and The ROCK adviser, at kkilpatrick@trinitychristian.org.

Trinity Christian Academy

17001 Addison Road

Addison, TX 75001-5096

972.931.8325

TrinityChristian.org