Trinity Today - Summer 2016

Page 1

SUMMER 2016

V O L U M E 10 , N O . 2

GRADUATION 2016 / 8 TRIBUTE TO DAVE DELPH / 30

TODAY CONNECTING

THE

TRINITY

CHRISTIAN

ACADEMY

THOUGHTFUL BEGINNINGS / 32 ALUMNI LEGACY / 59

COMMUNITY

NEW CLASS FOR YOUNG ENGINEERS UPPER SCHOOL ENGINEERING STUDENTS FIND SOLUTIONS FOR REAL-LIFE PROBLEMS.

/ 36

EDUCAT IN G A N D DE V ELO PIN G T HE W HOL E PERSO N FOR T HE GLORY OF GOD


TODAY

EDITOR’S NOTE

Vo l u m e 10 • Nu m b e r 2

EDITOR

Joy Konstans, Director of Communications ART/DESIGN

Kendall Ellis, Publications Coordinator A DV I S O RY B OA R D

David Delph, Headmaster Scott Berthel Bev Birmingham Julie Brown Beth Harwell Janie Heard Mark Howard Kristy Kegerreis Becky Lewis Greg Merrifield Kirk McJunkin Jeff Smith Kristina Spears Diane Taylor Camille Langford Walker ’82 Lisa Wong BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Steve Novakovich, Chairman Mark Layman ’84, Vice Chairman Ron Crosby Mark Dyer Christi Ferrell David Harper Matt Heidelbaugh Sheffie Kadane Stephanie Polk Jeff Price Wesley Sneed ABOUT US

Trinity Today is published two times a year: Winter and Summer. Trinity Christian Academy 17001 Addison Road Addison, Texas 75001 972-931-8325 TrinityChristian.org

Given much

DE PA RT M E N T S

“… F ROM EV E RYON E W HO H A S BE E N G I V E N M UC H , M UC H W I L L BE DE M A N DE D ; A N D F ROM T H E ON E W HO H A S BE E N E N T RUST E D W I T H M UC H , M UC H MOR E W I L L BE A SK E D.” — LU K E 12:4 8

18 UPPER SCHOOL 22 MIDDLE SCHOOL 26 LOWER SCHOOL 48 ATHLETICS 59 ALUMNI LEGACY

This verse is one I heard many times from my parents and mentors while growing up and one I’ve used many times with my own children. With blessings come responsibilities and opportunities to bless others. What a wonderful gift! On May 19, 116 seniors entered the ranks of “TCA alumni” and will now head off to colleges and universities around the country. They have been given “much,” not only by their parents, but also by the incredible faculty and coaches at TCA who have poured into their minds and hearts. Their investments are invaluable. From their earliest years, our students receive individualized instruction and personalized love and attention. This instruction and love develops their minds, shapes their character and entrusts “much” to them.

8 CLASS OF 2016 Congratulations to the TCA Class of 2016! Another class of graduates moves from students to TCA alumni. Here’s a look at that special day!

While it’s impossible to feature them all, we’ve highlighted a few of the ways our students are given “much” in this issue of Trinity Today. From our cover story on the Honors Engineering Design class, you’ll read about how Lisa Wong is educating and inspiring her students to use their gifts to make a difference. Our Lower School students are receiving critical literacy skills necessary for future success, as featured in Thoughtful Beginnings, and Executive Athletic Director Kirk McJunkin enlightens us on how TCA coaches are working to transform the hearts or our athletes. It’s exciting to imagine all the opportunities our students and graduates will have to use their blessings

48 TCA ATHLETICS It’s been another great year for TCA athletics! Our varsity boys soccer team brought home the State Championship! Check out their exciting championship run and the successes of our other winter and spring teams.

for the benefit of others. In doing so, they inspire me (and I hope you, too) to seek out ways to do the same!

C O N TAC T U S

Send story ideas to Joy Konstans at jkonstans@trinitychristian.org and alumni information to Beth Harwell at bharwell@trinitychristian.org. FOLLOW US

Facebook

facebook.com/TCATrojans

Twitter

@TCATrojans

J OY K O N S TA N S E D I T O R O F T R I N I T Y T O DAY D I R E C T O R O F C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

59 ALUMNI CONNECTIONS The TCA Alumni Association is doing its part not only to stay connected to TCA alumni around the country, but also to make those connections with TCA students before they graduate and give them valuable career advice.


WHAT’S INSIDE F E AT U R E S

36

USING OUR GIFTS TO BLESS OTHERS TCA Honors Engineering Design students tackle real-world problems and challenges and create products and programs to serve others with their end-of-year final projects.

30

THREE DECADES OF SERVICE Headmaster Dave Delph has spent 30 years leading and teaching at TCA. Faculty, students and alumni offer words of gratitude and appreciation for his years of dedicated service.

32

THOUGHTFUL BEGINNINGS 30

THREE DECADES OF SERVICE Headmaster Dave Delph has spent 30 years leading and teaching at TCA. Faculty, students and alumni offer words of gratitude and appreciation for his years of dedicated service.

Lower School teachers and administrators are committed to ensuring that every Lower School student is equipped with the necessary literacy tools and skills to be a successful reader, which, in turn, helps develop successful all-around students.


HEADMASTER’S NOTE

In the mission . . . together What a year! At every level, we have

To teachers . . . thank you for investing

been blessed. While our community has suffered

your lives in children, for the countless hours

many losses, I have been so encouraged by the

of preparation, love and encouragement

outpouring of love and care to so many. To hear

given to your students. Your work is worthy of

the memories of students at all three graduations was joyous, moving and rewarding. Our students receive an outstanding education in all areas: academics, athletics and

the calling He has given to you. To coaches

and sponsors . . . thank you for building into athletes and participants those character qualities best learned outside of the classroom.

fine arts. With an emphasis on spiritual growth

To administrators and staff . . . without your

throughout our curriculum, the evidence of fruit in

leadership and behind-the-scenes service, TCA

the lives of our graduating seniors is breathtaking.

would not be able to accomplish its mission in

It makes one who has been around young people

the lives of its students.

for over thirty years delight in the impact our

To students . . . you are the reason we exist!

community has made in the lives of students and

Thank you for working hard, living lives that

families. We would be arrogant to suppose that

honor Christ and being vulnerable with your peers

the whole of a child’s social, emotional, physical,

and teachers. You often sharpen us more than we

intellectual and spiritual development is the

sharpen you! We are privileged to be part of God

result of any one person or institution. The Lord

working in your life. To our recent graduates . . .

typically uses an entire community to provide

thank you for falling in love with Him, for serving

the knowledge, skills and wisdom necessary to

Christ by applying yourselves to learn about His

produce faithful disciples. The TCA community

creation, history and ideas and for representing

certainly has provided that opportunity for many.

Christ when you competed, served and cared for

It is only appropriate that our community

one another. We trust you will be salt and light

recognizes those who have played a part in what

in a sinful world, bringing life and hope to those

God accomplished this year!

God places in your path. Remember this most:

To parents . . . thank you for partnering with us, for sacrificing in order to provide an

you are created to enjoy God forever!

To our alumni and alumni parents . . . our

education for your children that is honoring to

hope is that you are making a difference in your

the One who has His children on loan with you

world for Christ. We are so proud of the amazing

for a while. Thank you for the resources you have

things we hear you are doing. Let us know how

shared to make TCA a better place…your time,

we can come alongside you. And please, let us

talents, finances and prayers. We hope we have

know how you’re doing.

been good stewards of your investment in us.

May we all enjoy a restful summer with family and friends, only to take advantage of another opportunity the Lord has in store for us in August—to once again share in the community of developing young people for Christ! Blessings,

B Y DAV E D E L P H , H E A D M A S T E R

2

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016


TRUSTEE NOTE

Parenting through adversity B Y S T E V E N OVA K OV I C H , CH A IR M A N, B OA R D O F T RU S T E E S

R E BEC C A A N D I have just graduated our second TCA senior, and

we’ve completed our 33rd “kid year” at TCA. Our family has been greatly blessed and enriched by our years at TCA and by the love and godly examples of so many teachers and faculty members. While there are many positive things for which we are thankful, we have also learned to be thankful for the difficult times and the disappointments that our kids have experienced during their TCA years. Not only is adversity a normal part of life and something our kids need to learn how to handle, but the Lord tells us in His Word that He uses adversity to sanctify His children and bring them to maturity: Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2–4, NASB). This idea is also expressed by Paul in Romans 5:3–4. Whether we call them trials or tribulations, or use some other more contemporary term, adversity is a tool that is used over and over by God in the lives of believers. This is as true for believers who happen to be children as for adults. In both cases, the Lord uses problems, disappointments, unfairness, misunderstandings and setbacks to do His work of sanctification. In the abstract, it may be easy for us as parents to understand that encountering difficulties is useful for teaching problem-solving, resilience and godly character. What is more difficult, however, is for a parent to feel the hurts and disappointments along with his or her child while allowing the process of learning and sanctification to work. In this context, a parent’s first impulse—to fix and make right—is actually the wrong impulse. A well-intentioned parent can easily shortcircuit the process of growth and spiritual development by swooping in to rescue the child from a difficult situation. This point has been beautifully developed in the book The Blessing of a Skinned Knee by Wendy Mogel, who persuasively explains that the bumps and bruises of childhood are necessary for growing confident, godly adults. If this is true, what is the right way to shepherd a child through the adversity that inevitably comes during the years of childhood and adolescence? I would suggest modeling the shepherding of our children

on God’s own perfect shepherding of His children. What does He offer us when we encounter the trials of life? He reminds us of His sovereignty (Romans 8:28). Likewise, we should remind our kids that God is always in control, and that He allows both blessings and adversity for our good. Nothing can happen to us that is outside of the sight or control of our loving, heavenly Father. Start with that perspective, and it is much easier to respond rightly to all manner of adversity. He encourages us to maintain a spiritual perspective (Galatians 5:16–17 and Romans 8:29). God’s highest goal for us in life is to be conformed to the image of Christ, not to be happy, popular or successful. If we prioritize those good things above developing a Christ-like character, we are not parenting in a godly way, and our kids will suffer for it. We should remind our kids (as well as ourselves) often during their TCA years that developing a strong, godly character and preparing ourselves to serve and enjoy Him for eternity is our highest and best goal. With that in mind, our kids can learn to maintain a light grip on the temporal enjoyments of life and be more resistant to emotional trauma when disappointments inevitably occur. He offers us encouragement (John 16:33). Often our kids need encouragement as they develop the patience needed to navigate through problems and issues. Former TCA Head of Middle School Bentley Craft once suggested, in my hearing, that it is right and helpful to pray specifically for encouragement when we encounter difficulties. I love that idea and have applied it to my own life and urged my children to do likewise. Praying for encouragement is also very powerful. It is God’s will for us to have courage. Prayers for encouragement are prayers that are aligned with God’s wants for us. Those prayers get answered! He teaches us to go privately to the one who has wronged us to seek reconciliation (Matthew 18:15). This is good for our TCA community, and it helps our kids avoid gossip, slander and the generation of unedifying and unhelpful drama. He instructs us to forgive (Ephesians 4:32). It is staggering to consider the amount of sin in believers’ lives that God forgives on the basis of the shed blood of Christ. When our kids are wronged at TCA by fellow students or even by teachers or administrators (no school is perfect, though we try!), our responses to these issues must include forgiveness. Our kids need to see forgiving attitudes in us as we model what it is like to forgive as Christ forgives us. Now that the school year is over, we can rest for a while knowing that another season of learning and development has been completed in our families. As we look forward to next year, let us consider once again our school’s mission of “developing the whole person for the glory of God.” May we, as parents, model godly wisdom before our kids and help them to get the full benefit of the adversity that the Lord brings into their lives each year. SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

3


THINKING AHEAD

Super stewardship

TCA REACHES OVER $1 MILLION IN ENERGY COST SAVINGS B Y S T E V E W I L L I A M S O N , T C A E N E RG Y E D U C AT I O N S P E C I A L I S T TCA BROK E THROUGH

a major energy program milestone this year, surpassing $1,000,000 in energy cost savings. The school achieved $1,141,914 in cost savings in 67 months since forming a strategic alliance with Cenergistic®, a national energy conservation company, in August 2010. Cenergistic presented TCA with its Energy Excellence Award in April 2016, and the school celebrated with a campus-wide jeans day and all-school picnic. TCA’s energy program’s savings come from the cooperative efforts of each staff member in each of our buildings. Every person in every group—custodial, maintenance and operations, food service, faculty, coaches, assistants and administrators—has ownership of the energy he or she uses. We’ve found that as each person becomes aware of the positive effect conservation efforts can have, each one is doing what it takes to save energy. It’s very gratifying to see the level of cooperation continue to rise throughout our

Regional President of Cenergistic Gary Clark presents the company’s Energy Excellence Award to TCA Energy Education Specialist Steve Williamson, Board of Trustees Chairman Steve Novakovich, Headmaster Dave Delph and a few of TCA’s youngest beneficiaries of the school’s $1 million in savings.

4

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

organization. We work diligently, day in and day out, through the year to reduce energy waste. Through our continued efforts, our collective success is measured. Success can be measured in many ways. While dollar savings are significant, the energy program’s environmental impact is also worth noting. The resources saved by not generating the 45,820,858 KBTUs we conserved in 67 months are equivalent to removing 1,129 automobiles from the road or planting 138,905 pine trees. That’s wise conservation of natural resources for our future generations and fulfillment of the creation mandate to serve as God’s stewards of His world. Moving ahead, we will continue to look for energy saving opportunities. Lighting retrofits across campus will continue as we transition from florescent lighting to LED. Our recent project of converting all exterior lighting to LED will save TCA $20,000 annually in electricity. We are also converting older HVACs with lower EER ratings to more energy-efficient units, in many cases doubling the efficiency rating. We are also investigating many opportunities for the future, including solar and LED house and stage lighting for the PAC. These savings are a blessing to TCA and all TCA families, as we strive to be good stewards of all tuition dollars entrusted to us.


2015-16 PARENT SURVEY RESULTS I N A N E F FORT TO I M PROV E

all areas of TCA, we periodically survey our

parents to listen to their perspective on the many areas in which TCA touches their families. Again, thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your school. As you will see, we have so much for which to be thankful, and,

FALL 2016

EVENTS

Mark your calendar for these fall event dates in 2016:

NEW PARENT BREAKFAST September 14

NEW PARENT LUNCH September 15

HOMECOMING WEEKEND October 14 and 15

TCA CLASSIC GOLF AND TENNIS TOURNAMENT November 7

LOWER SCHOOL GRANDPARENT DAYS November 17 and 18

as with most organizations, areas that need to improve. Here are a few of the highlights to share: • Overall, parents were extremely satisfied with TCA, with 94% of parents giving a rating of “very pleased” or “pleased.” • Nine out of ten parents were satisfied with TCA’s adherence to its mission statement. • Satisfaction with the overall curriculum showed an increase across all three school divisions; more than nine in ten parents were satisfied with the overall curriculum at TCA. Also, satisfaction with the science and math curricula increased in all three schools. • 91% of parents were satisfied with their child’s academic growth. This is even higher at the Upper School level. • Compared with three years ago, parents are significantly more satisfied with the integration of technology into the curriculum. • Having a caring and nurturing faculty, student/teacher ratio, as well as quality teachers, were the top-rated faculty components of TCA, with roughly a 90% satisfaction rating. • The integration of faith was rated excellent, with at least 90% satisfaction on these measures: integration of faith and learning, Christian role modeling of teachers, integration of a Christian worldview and emphasis on morals and values. • TCA families were extremely satisfied with the character and spiritual growth of their children, with nearly nine in ten giving a positive rating. • Both academic advising and the college counseling program saw significant increases in the Upper School. • More than 90% of parents were satisfied with how the school prepares students for the next level of education.

• Nearly all of TCA’s parents felt that one’s Christian faith can be exhibited openly and comfortably in our school. • Satisfaction with the Athletic Program showed an increase across all three school divisions. • Campus security showed a dramatic increase in satisfaction for all three schools. • Parents were very pleased with the overall communication of TCA with a satisfaction of 90%. • Parents were most supportive of increased funding for academic programs, followed by teachers’ salaries and benefits, campus security and Middle School facilities. A commitment to improving in areas we fall short is our desire. Our administrative team will continue to assess the Athletic Program and a few curricular subjects, including the student’s ability to manage the academic, athletic and artistic requirements of TCA. We will work diligently over the coming months to study the results and plan for change. While this merely scratches the surface of the entire survey, it is safe to say that TCA continues to fulfill its mission in the lives of our students and families. Sharing in the celebration of the many areas we have been faithful is a blessing to our entire community. Thank you, parents, for your honesty, love and support of our fine school and mission.

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

5


SPOTLIGHT ON SERVICE PTF BOARD A tremendous thank you to the 2015–16 PTF Board: Secretary Holly Caldwell, President Julie Brown, Vice President Deahn Marsh and Treasurer Christi Hays. TCA is grateful for all the time you devote to the school and all of the support you provide through the room mother program, Mini School Night receptions, uniform resale, rebate programs and the appreciation luncheon that you hosted for the entire TCA faculty and staff. Thank you for your service and for volunteering in such a mighty way.

A

A GRE T

BI G

UNIFORM RESALE PTF would like to thank Kristi Walliser, this year’s uniform resale coordinator, and Pam Larson, assistant uniform resale coordinator. Kristi has served in this role for three years! We are so grateful for her hard work on behalf of PTF and the school. This project is under the leadership of PTF Treasurer Christi Hays. Over the past year, these ladies have been sorting, washing, steaming and mending uniforms to prepare them for resale in BIG BLUE. The community is so grateful to PTF for providing this service to TCA families. It is a huge cost savings in uniform purchase for so many families, and it could not have been done without the help from these ladies. Thank you so much, Christi, Kristi and Pam!

F

CONCESSIONS How can we begin to thank Lorraine Harwell? She has served as the concessions coordinator for the sophomore class for two years in a row! This is the first time that we have had anyone serve in this role for two consecutive years, and she has done such a fantastic job. We are so grateful for the time she has given on behalf of TCA. Thank you also to Wendy Patterson, who was the volunteer coordinator and made sure we were staffed for every athletic event! We are incredibly grateful to all of the parent and student volunteers, especially our purchasers, openers and closers, who helped with this class fundraising effort of manning the concession stands for TCA home sporting events. Monies raised from concession sales are used for the senior class trip for the sophomore class.

O

R

YO U R

IC V SER

JUNIOR- SENIOR BANQUET This year’s JuniorSenior Banquet took place on Sunday, April 17, at the Marriott Legacy. This banquet is a long-standing TCA tradition, where the junior class hosts a dinner to honor the seniors and present them with their individual character qualities. This year, the senior parents were invited to join the students for the dinner portion, and we had a tremendous turnout. This year’s theme was “Oh, the Places You’ll Go,” and Upper School Dean of Students Bob Dyer was the featured speaker. Thank you to Jackie Harrison, this year’s chair, and her entire committee for all their work on this event: • Invitation/presentation: Mary Wofford and Shawn Miller • Decorations: Marny Watters, Caryn Blocker, JoAnn Hodges and Jennifer Fischer • Program director: Kathy Porter and Lynn Wines • RSVP seating: Julie Abell and Diane Black • Character qualities: Kathy Hinton and Angela Bowman The senior highlights video was produced by Janice and David Connolly ’93, with the assistance of Courtney Huggins Bryson ’00. Special thanks to all the volunteers who helped with this spectacular event.

6

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

E


TCA would like to express its utmost gratitude to RON CROSBY, a TCA alumni parent, Board of Trustee member and past chairman, for his selfless service to the school and its legacy. Ron retires this year from the Board of Trustees as the longest serving member. His service spans 19 years of growth and prosperity for TCA. “Ron has been a valued friend and mentor during my tenure as a trustee. We have enjoyed a terrific relationship over the past 15 years. His calm demeanor, sage wisdom and leadership will be missed.” —Jeff Price, former Board of Trustees chairman “I can’t imagine where TCA would be today had Ron Crosby not said yes to God’s calling. He stands as one of TCA’s most influential servant leaders in its 46-year history. Twice serving as chairman of the Board and serving alongside 40 of the 80 past and present trustees, he has been instrumental in fulfilling our mission these past 19 years. His vision, humility, kindness, love for the Lord, wisdom, compassion and heart for those in need have blessed many. He’s been a friend and a mentor throughout my tenure as headmaster. I certainly will miss him.” —Dave Delph, headmaster

IN MY OWN WORDS

Sweet fellowship

FOR T H E PA ST T WO Y E A R S , the TCA MPACT group (Moms Praying and Coming Together) has replaced the

monthly grade-level prayer meetings from past years with community-wide prayer and praise events. Under the direction of this year’s MPACT coordinators, Stephanie Martin and Becky Jones, moms from all grade levels (preK through 12) gather together about once a month to exalt Christ in praise and lift up the TCA community and students in prayer. These two volunteers recently shared what it means to come together as a community of moms and pray for TCA: “I’m learning first-hand that it really does “take a village” to raise our kids. I’m so thankful that TCA is at the center of that village for my family. I’m blessed by carpooling moms who listen and correct snarky backseat conversations, text misplaced spelling lists, applaud at choir concerts and speak Biblical truth to my family in the moments we need it most. But what really makes our school unique is the common bond of Christ we share as parents. My need for a course correction back to His will is constant. I can quickly become unforgiving for the smallest slights or prideful in the simplest of accomplishments. MPACT has provided time and space for me to examine my heart and hear what the Lord wants to address in me and in my role in our community. During MPACT, I am convicted, encouraged and spurred on by our gracious God alongside the very women who are part of my village as we raise our children. What a blessing to be at a school where every mom is invited and encouraged to come pray and praise Jesus together —and a school that supports and encourages us to do it! We may come from different faith backgrounds and worship at various churches, but we share the most important commonality—Jesus. That’s what makes TCA not just any village, but one marked by Him.” —Stephanie Martin

“I totally agree that it takes a village and that our village at TCA is marked by Jesus! To me, MPACT is a ‘room of grace.’ Hebrews 4:16 says, ‘Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’ Jesus is both our High Priest and perfect sacrifice, and it is only on the basis of His perfect blood shed on our behalf that we can boldly enter the presence of God. I love the term ‘throne of grace.’ As we corporately approach the throne of grace though our prayer and praise, the place where we gather, whether it be the MCB Auditorium, the US Commons or the PAC, transforms into a ‘room of grace.’ Several years ago, I personally experienced the hope and healing that comes from being part of a room of grace. As a result, our desire has been to create an environment where we, as moms, can come as we are, be ourselves and find comfort and strength as we seek the Lord together. MPACT is all about encountering God in community. I believe that some aspects of God’s presence can only be experienced as we gather corporately and that He loves to meet with us as we meet together. What a privilege it is to be a part of MPACT at TCA!” —Becky Jones


GRADUATION 2016

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF MCWHORTER ’05

DIRECTING THEIR

STEPS 8

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

THE LORD MAKES FIRM THE STEPS OF THE ONE WHO DELIGHTS IN HIM. —Psalm 37:23


ON THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2016, 116 TCA students (72 of them who have attended TCA since kindergarten) crossed the stage, received their diplomas and officially became “TCA alumni.” This year’s class boasted seven National Merit Commended Students, eight Eagle Scouts, nine students going on to play varsity athletics at NCAA Division I schools, over $6 million awarded in scholarships, a class average GPA of 3.89 and over 22,000 hours of community service in the last four years. The evening was spent celebrating the achievements and success of another outstanding TCA class. Congratulations, Class of 2016! SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

9


GRADUATION 2016 Dear Class of 2016, My heartfelt congratulations upon your graduation from high school! I am so glad I had the privilege of spending time with you, if only for a short while, during your sixth-grade Sky Ranch trip. Thank you for the ways in which you have served TCA’s community while you have been a student here. You will be greatly missed! In the fall, you all will be settling into a new community, one that will be your home for the next four years. Your time in college offers you an unparalleled opportunity to devote yourself to the pursuit of knowledge—knowledge of the world, of yourself, of others and of God, and I truly hope you will zealously lay hold of that opportunity. For perhaps the first time, you will encounter people who see the world differently than you, prompting you to think deeply and courageously to ask questions which don’t have readily apparent answers, while giving a new meaning to Christ’s words, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And, for the first time, you will be responsible for seeking out the answers to these questions and for wrestling with how to best live out the faith to which God has called you. Your time in college is an incredible privilege. College gifts you with the sole responsibility of learning and with a unique time and place in which to live out what you have learned. While this is a daunting task, it is one that will expand your mind and strengthen your heart, and, since it has been entrusted to you, I have no doubt that you are up for it. And, if ever you should feel as if you are not up to the task, remember that we serve a God who is far more than capable of holding up under our inquiries (1 Corinthians 1:25). Furthermore, He has equipped us with grace for the road. I wish you all the best during the next four years. Most of all, I pray that God will grant you a deep and binding knowledge—a knowledge that stems from both the heart and the head—of His great and unceasing love for you. Sincerely, Brianna Adams TCA Class of 2011

Dear Class of 2016, Leaving high school is, in many ways, a leap into the unknown. For the vast majority of us, it is the first time that our choices have a visible and direct impact on our destinies: What do I study? Where do I go? What do I even want to do with my life? There will come a time when you have no idea what to do. When I graduated from TCA in 2006, I had no idea what God had planned for me or what I was ultimately going to do with my life. I only really knew that I would go to college at West Point and then commission as an army officer. During that first year at West Point, I had many moments of doubt and fear about the future, but God showed me that if I lived by my faith in Him, He would work through my desires, gifts and opportunities to make my path straight (Proverbs 3:5–6). God has a plan and a destiny for you, so what may seem like a leap into the unknown is really a mission to discover how God has destined you to serve Him. Take courage and comfort in that. Take comfort, but do not become complacent. Examine for yourselves the desires and gifts that God has given to you. Take full advantage of the academic and professional opportunities that God puts in your path. Pray unceasingly for the wisdom to discern what those desires, gifts and opportunities mean. Most importantly, anchor yourself in the knowledge that God has a plan and a destiny that He is guiding you towards through those desires, gifts and opportunities. Over the past ten years, those opportunities have led me through experiences in the army that have developed me in ways I could never have imagined—jumping out of airplanes and helicopters over the forests of Germany, watching tank battalions attack across the California desert, working with economic advisors to the White House, watching my soldiers in Afghanistan link arms after surviving an ambush to join me in the Lord’s Prayer. I do not know where God is ultimately leading me, but I know He is guiding my steps. Take heart likewise, and do not be afraid of the unknown. Captain Baker Flagg Jr., US Army TCA Class of 2006

Tatyana Mei Ah Chu

Alexandra Nicole Blair

Howard Ray Akin, III

Caroline Catherine Branning

John Erickson Armes

Haven Ashlin Burgoon

Olivia Grace Ashmore

Katharine Ann Camp

Georgia Anne Autrey

Victoria Leigh Canter

Nathalie Zoe Azzi

Aaron Hyon-Woo Cho

Bailey Ann Bacon

Hoh Jun Choi

Alexander William Baldwin

Meredith Logan Cole

William Jefferson Ballew

Devon Charles Collier

Elizabeth Jennette Barnes

Spencer Todd Ellison

Savannah Stone Bass

Brett Andrew William Fair

Hannah Grace Berggren

Theodore Nagumo Fandrich

Elizabeth Blair Blackburn

Joseph Michael Fares

University of Alabama Texas A&M University Baylor University

University of Texas

University of Arkansas Texas A&M University

University of Mississippi University of Arkansas Baylor University

University of Arkansas Baylor University

Texas Tech University

10

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

Baylor University

University of Mississippi Texas Tech University University of Virginia

Ouachita Baptist University Baylor University

The King’s College Babson College

Texas Christian University University of Oklahoma Texas A&M University Texas A&M University Texas A&M University

Tarleton State University


PLANS FOR THE FUTURE Aaron David Feldman

Joshua David Harper

Freddie Anne Hodges

Samuel Whitfield Liu

Mark Daniel Paterson

Isabel Lee Ruch

Suzannah Gail Tkach

Dawson Gregory Fields

Grace Caroline Harvey

Anna Elizabeth Holder

Landon Robert Lloyd

Matthew Kevin Paterson

Scott James Sadler

Samuel Brey Uselton

Liliana Anabel Figueroa

Hannah Elizabeth Lee Harwell

Ethan Chandler Howard

Emma Katherine Lunceford

Hayden Drew Perschbacher

Georgia Katherine Scalfano

Julia Grace Wickes

Reagan Thomas Freeman

Nicala Jett Hatton

Allison Ann Jackson

Melanie Ann Marshall

Cameron James Pino

Collin Featherstone Schuster

Gracen Leigh Wilder

Matthew Jared Galvan

Emma Kathleen Heath

Joshua Thomas John

Martin John Massinger

Alexandra Behringer Powers

Jacob Raymond Sloan

Cole Roger Williams

Audrey Ellen Gerthoffer

Catherine Rae Heldenfels

Gavin Neil Jones

Donovan Raphael Mbroh

Elizabeth Caroline Priest

Shelby Danielle Smith

Miller Christian Williams

William Monroe Gilbert

Madison Ann Helms

Lauren Taylor Kennedy

Zachary Parker McCutchen

Charles Aubrey Rea

Samantha Anne Sterlacci

Scott Lee Williams

MacKenzie Rae Glosser

Chad Thomas Henri

Hannah Caroline Keplar

Cory James McQuilkin

Catherine Anne-Amelia Rebensdorf Alexander Greyson Stiegler University of Arkansas

Yale University

Alexandra Nicole Wishnick

Lauren Elizabeth Golden

Brooke Elizabeth Bea Herman

Courtney Grace Kesler

Jack Michael Mueller

Jacquelyn Mills Rector

Krystina Reagan Stringfellow

William Huntington Wood, Jr.

Joshua Cole Graham

Addison Oliver Herritage

Mary Makenzie Kesler

Jackson Kyler Noakes

Mary-Todd Madeline Ridley

James Spottswood Tardy, III

Carleta Brooke Woodard

Austin Wade Gurney

Brandon Mattison Hilger

Sydney Allyn Lee

Chandler Grace Noordhoff

Campbell Urban Roe

Sarah Elizabeth Tholen

Ashley Elizabeth Young

Cameron Mitchell Hall

Ashley Elizabeth Hock

Brandon Scott Legband

John Stephen Novakovich

Ryan Anderson Rogers

Nicole Grace Thomas

Matthew Troy Young

Jennifer Jo Harbour

Jessica Ellen Hock

Mitchell Alden Little

Parker Scott Oliver

Paul Joseph Rosario

Benjamin Davis Thornton 2016 TRINITY TODAY Texas A&MSUMMER University

Texas A&M University Texas A&M University

University of Arkansas Baylor University

Texas A&M University University of Texas Rhodes College

University of Arkansas Clemson University

University of Arkansas University of Arkansas University of Arkansas University of Texas

Baylor University

University of Arkansas

Texas Christian University

University of Southern California Clemson University

University of Arkansas Texas A&M University

University of North Texas Baylor University

University of Arkansas University of Arkansas Villanova University Butler University

Auburn University

Texas A&M University Baylor University

Texas A&M University Texas A&M University Texas A&M University

Texas Christian University Pepperdine University Baylor University

Abilene Christian University Baylor University

Texas A&M University Baylor University

Belmont University

University of Arkansas Texas A&M University

University of Alabama Baylor University

University of Oklahoma

Dallas Baptist University University of Arkansas University of Virginia

Ouachita Baptist University University of Alabama

Northwestern University Northwestern University

St. Edward’s University St. Edward’s University

Tarleton State University Baylor University

Texas A&M University Texas A&M University Texas A&M University

Palm Beach Atlantic University University of Georgia

Texas A&M University Baylor University

University of Oklahoma

Pepperdine University Texas Tech University Purdue University

University of Southern California University of South Carolina Texas A&M University

University of North Texas

University of Tennessee University of Georgia

University of Oklahoma University of Oklahoma

Baylor University

Oklahoma State University University of Mississippi Baylor University

Cornell University

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University

Southern Methodist University Texas A&M University Texas A&M University

Texas State University Texas A&M University

11


TheHonorRoll

Congratulations to all these students who made the Second Trimester Honor Rolls:

Summa Cum Laude GPA of 4.2 or higher Seniors Georgia Autrey Bailey Bacon Elizabeth Barnes Lili Barrientos-Figueroa Savannah Bass Lexie Blair Haven Burgoon Katie Camp Aaron Cho Meredith Cole Spencer Ellison Dawson Fields Reagan Freeman Matthew Galvan Audrey Gerthoffer MacKenzie Glosser Jennifer Harbour Joshua Harper Nicala Hatton Emma Heath Madison Helms Brandon Hilger Ashley Hock Anna Holder Lauren Kennedy Hannah Keplar Mitch Little Sam Liu Melanie Marshall Donovan Mbroh Chandler Noordhoff John Novakovich Mark Paterson Matt Paterson Cameron Pino Elizabeth Priest Chase Rea Jacquelyn Rector Mary-Todd Ridley Campbell Roe Ryan Rogers Isabel Ruch Georgia Scalfano Collin Schuster Shelby Smith Reagan Stringfellow Sarah Tholen Nicole Thomas Gracen Wilder Alex Wishnick Hunt Wood Carlie Woodard Matthew Young

Juniors Berklie Baker Grace Abell Berklie Baker Brett Bartol Hallie Callison David Carstens Riley Chandler Jasmine Chock Alex Coronado Chipper Daniels Caroline Fischer Juliann Hall Lillie Harrington Lindsey Hayden Daniel Heard Tyler Helbing Caitlin Hickney Alexandria Ho Nathan Holden Isabella Jackson Alec Jordan Travis Josephs Ellie Kauffman Ginny Kestel

12

TRINITY TODAY

Morgan Ku Kathryn Kuhlman Kenedy Kundysek Abigail Mathai Lauren McLain Tylre Meeks Alexandra Mills David Muery Nicole Muschalek Callie Orten Kat Petersen Kate Rector Stephen Sullivan Christopher Tarantino Macey Walker Michael Waters Melinda White Andrew Willison Julia Willison Nicole Willison Christopher Wines Burke Wofford Nicholas Wong Chandler Wright

Sophomores Presley Baker Ben Berggren Lindsay Bibby Catherine Bigham Parker Blackburn Addison Branning Cade Burgoon Lance Chu Karly Douglass Emily Dyer Cassidy Ellison Josh Esclamado Ryan Fitzpatrick Libby Floyd Isabelle Heldenfels Molly Henegar Cody Henson Daniel Hsu Colby James Evan Janson Sara Kukuk AJ LaGassa Allison Lau Sarah Lipe Griffin Maurice Evan McAuliffe Natalie Miller Hudson Neuhoff Alyson O’Shea Haley Kate Patterson Caroline Pierce Caroline Pino Jessica Pitts Ramie Rice Sydney Kathryn Riordan Claire Roever John-Michael Sadler Nathan Sanders Autumn Sonju Tori Troop Dodd Weyandt Colin Wiegand Caroline Winslow Jackson Withrow Leslie Wolff Michael Young

Freshmen Georgia Ballew Lindsay Bartol Molly Grace Beddingfield Kate Blocker Robert Caldwell Elisa Cavazos Summer Chaffin Bella Correa Shaw Cotter Brijit Crosby Emily Floyd Avery Gann Haston Habern Kelsey Hancock Lauren Head Jackson Hinckley

SUMMER 2016

Austin Ho Daniel Jones Catherine Josephs Brett Kauffman Grace Lee Jessica Lee Michelle Lee Ashley McWhorter Noah Morrison James Muery Abby Muschalek Shelby Niederhofer Georgia Nine Sam Norris Annika Olson Maddie Parrent Savannah Pate JD Powers Michelle Raybourn Cole Rea Robert Rowland Avery Schuster Macrae Smith Max Thomas London Thornton Tanner Wayte Kaleigh Wilkinson Connor Williams John Wright

8th Grade Isabella Berthel Abigail Dalton Blake Mercer Mason Morland Henry Ridley Gracy Watts

7th Grade Taya Burgett Anthony Cundari

Magna Cum Laude GPA of 3.8–4.19 Seniors Olivia Ashmore Blair Blackburn Devon Collier Brett Fair Theo Fandrich Aaron Feldman William Gilbert Lauren Golden Grace Harvey Chad Henri Brooke Herman Jessica Hock Freddie Anne Hodges Allison Jackson Josh John Gavin Jones Courtney Kesler Sydney Lee Brandon Legband Emma Lunceford MJ Massinger Jack Mueller Parker Oliver Hayden Perschbacher Alexandra Powers Paul Rosario Alex Stiegler Julia Wickes Cole Williams Ashley Young

Juniors Maya Abrams Cole Adams Ben Beal Spencer Bennett Mollie Birmingham

Jack Bolton Bailey Chaffin Monica Choi Timothy Darby David Dembicki Sarah DeWhitt Kylie Ellis Poppy Eriksen Chase Hackney Connor Harwell Erica Henri Haley Hodges Macy Holliday Jordan Jones Christopher Konstans Ansley Marquardt Ashton Miller Georgia Moore Weston Porter Reagan Robbins Ryan Roquemore Delia Rowland Mary Ashley Samuelson Jack Savage Mira Sewaiseh Allison Smith Matthew Springfield Emily Stanton Peyton Stone Will Traweek Court Walker Court Walker Madeleine Wilson

Sophomores Alea Brady Jake Bryans Karsen Burgess Caroline Bush Mack Bush Alisa Coley Nicolas Fandrich Courtney Fish Sean Fox Brady Freeman Luke Glover Jordyn Goodman Bryce Harwell Kayley Howard Jake Johnson Sarah Konstans Lauren Lott Caroline McClay Allie McWhorter Emily Miller Jared Payne Davis Rogers Chad Rutledge Jake Walsh Riley Walton

Freshmen David Asche Daniela BarrientosFigueroa Hayden Brown Hayden Brown Bobby Carstens Charles Cash Erin Clay Madelynn Cotter Grant De Paoli Jillian Delp Kyle Green Parker Hadley Gracie Harris Brooke Henegar Madeline Jackson Taylor Kalahar Clara Liu Blake Marsh Kennedy Mason Cole McCabe Jordan McFarlane Broc O’Brien Regan O’Shea Jake Payne Laura Pomberg Coleman Rector Cailin Redden

Riley Rice Slade Savage John Shaw Brielle Stein Riley Stringfellow Lauren Sulzen Caroline Tate Whit Traweek Elijah Westover Kennedy Wiegand Payton Willey Clarissa Wong

8th Grade Olivia Baldwin Zoe Bator Haleigh Brown Jo Anna Bryans Amanda Choi Elle Clark Olivia Clark Will Compton Riley Conine Abby Coronado Avery Cotter Kyle Cotter Jayce Frady Carter Getz Cameron Gilmore Colton Hackney Mason Hinckley Kyndal Hinton Barrett Jessen Natalie Konstans Jenna Larson Leslie Anne Lodwick Anna Beth Lowrey Ethan Merrifield Jasmine Miller Danielle Parker Alex Ramsland Logan Rock Pierce Sandlin Savannah Sims Caroline Spears Ruthie Turner Marie Kathryn Waldrop Justine Walker Ella Ward Jack Wenzel Lily Westover Major Wheless Audrey Wines Elizabeth Yeary Jessica Young

7th Grade Hannah Alpert Claire Andrews Lexy Babler Molly Berryman Ava Brown Sam Brown Hannah Burke Dawson Chaffin Bryn Correa Jack Courtney Charlie Crawford Victoria Dahncke Daniel Delp Lolly Elms Claire Floyd Connor Graham Reilly Hanna Jaxx Hatton Reagan Havel Evan Hennes Emma Hodge Leah Kegerreis Lauren Lee Georgia Leeds Morgan Locke Austin Marquardt Jack Maust Luke Mays Delaney Meiser Will Mercer Anna Muccio Kjirsta Olson Ryan O’Shea

Avery Overberg Lilly Parker Reagan Pierce Peyton Prideaux Brianna Queen Reagan Rodgers Zoe Rodriguez Wilson Roe Patricia Sharon Claire Shodeen Avery Sponsler William Sullivan Landry Walton Grace Weir Jackson Wells Conner Williams Caroline Woodward Lauren Wright Annie Xia Jason Yang Lily Ziemkiewicz

Cum Laude

GPA of 3.5–3.79 Seniors Tatyana Ah Chu Trace Akin John Armes Will Ballew Tori Canter David Choi Joseph Fares Cameron Hall Catherine Heldenfels Ethan Howard Makenzie Kesler Jackson Noakes Jacob Sloan Samantha Sterlacci James Tardy Ben Thornton Suzie Tkach

Juniors Alex Aarant Joshua Black Jack Blocker Carter Burns Alex Clemovitz Davis Conley Richard Dodd Julia Eggleton Nate Hanley Travis Harrison Blake Hinton Hannah Hoffman Averie Kadane Janna Kelly Laurence Lundy Bo Parker Molly Rader Sam Venker Ellie Whitmire Gayden Williams Cole Yeatts

Sophomores Bryn Barringer Michael Casella Maddy Courtright Riley Crow Daniel DeWeese Marissa Douglass Kelsey Ferrell Sacha Francois Deven Gann Caleb Getz Preston Gossett Kennedy Hatton Mallory Heard Lauren Mawhee Ryan McWhorter Foti Pakes Jung Park

Kyndall Richardson Kara Stiegler Lauren Warner Natalie Warrick Tara Williamson Kiley Wilson Cathy Jean Wood Ethan Woodward

Freshmen Riley Bagnall Will Barnes Benjamin Binkley Jackson Bowman Michael Callahan Lucy Callewart Nicholas Clift Simon Dennis Gordon Katherine DeWeese Trevor Douglass Andrea Ehringer Mia Gradick Weston Haggard Gentry Jarrell William Kennedy Anna Kathryn Lipe McKenzie Moore Zeki Mutlu Bryce O’Brien Scott Raybourn Tyler Townley Alayna Weyandt Bethany White

8th Grade Amara Asrawi Ariana Asrawi Olivia Berggren Catherine Binkley Nicholas Boyd Andrew Buser Ellie Bush Jonathan Chock Chase Colquitt Ella Kate Cotter Claire Franke Michael Heidelbaugh Belle Holden Kathryn Janson Mark Johnson Allison Jones Luke Langford Gracie Massinger Joshua Matthews Cameron May James Mayo Katherine McLain Dutch McStay Ben Murphy Garrett Orten Michael Ruch Ashleigh Rutledge Zoe Schiefer Lauren Smith Nathan Stara Brendan Williams

7th Grade Luke Babler Brianna Byrd Nathan Clark Emily Clay Ian Collier Paige Cotter Landry Davis Jake Gore Blaine Grimes Collin Groezinger Ella Grace Hattendorf Cade Holliday Randell Holmes Sydney Johnston Ana Penton Christian Sanchez Lindsay Shipley Mason Sonju Ashton Karoline Waldrop Ava Weedon Addison Willey Kate Yanof


TheHonorRoll

Congratulations to all these students who made the Third Trimester Honor Rolls:

Summa Cum Laude GPA of 4.2 or higher Seniors Georgia Autrey Elizabeth Barnes Savannah Bass Haven Burgoon Katie Camp Aaron Cho Meredith Cole Spencer Ellison Theo Fandrich Matthew Galvan Audrey Gerthoffer MacKenzie Glosser Jennifer Harbour Joshua Harper Nicala Hatton Emma Heath Madison Helms Ashley Hock Josh John Hannah Keplar Mitch Little Melanie Marshall Chandler Noordhoff John Novakovich Parker Oliver Mark Paterson Matt Paterson Cameron Pino Elizabeth Priest Chase Rea Mary-Todd Ridley Campbell Roe Ryan Rogers Isabel Ruch Georgia Scalfano Collin Schuster Shelby Smith Reagan Stringfellow Nicole Thomas Hunt Wood Matthew Young

Juniors Grace Abell Berklie Baker Brett Bartol Ben Beal Hallie Callison Riley Chandler Jasmine Chock Alex Coronado Chipper Daniels Kylie Ellis Poppy Eriksen Caroline Fischer Juliann Hall Lillie Harrington Lindsey Hayden Daniel Heard Erica Henri Caitlin Hickney Alexandria Ho Haley Hodges Nathan Holden Macy Holliday Isabella Jackson Alec Jordan Travis Josephs Ellie Kauffman Ginny Kestel Morgan Ku Kathryn Kuhlman Kenedy Kundysek Abigail Mathai Lauren McLain Tylre Meeks Alexandra Mills David Muery Nicole Muschalek

Callie Orten Kat Petersen Kate Rector Mary Ashley Samuelson Mira Sewaiseh Matthew Springfield Emily Stanton Stephen Sullivan Christopher Tarantino Court Walker Court Walker Macey Walker Michael Waters Melinda White Andrew Willison Julia Willison Madeleine Wilson Christopher Wines Burke Wofford Nicholas Wong Chandler Wright

Ashley McWhorter Noah Morrison James Muery Abby Muschalek Broc O’Brien Annika Olson Regan O’Shea Savannah Pate JD Powers Michelle Raybourn Cole Rea Robert Rowland Avery Schuster Riley Stringfellow Max Thomas London Thornton Tanner Wayte Elijah Westover Kennedy Wiegand Connor Williams John Wright

Sophomores

8th Grade

Presley Baker Ben Berggren Lindsay Bibby Catherine Bigham Alea Brady Addison Branning Lance Chu Karly Douglass Emily Dyer Cassidy Ellison Josh Esclamado Courtney Fish Ryan Fitzpatrick Libby Floyd Luke Glover Molly Henegar Cody Henson Kayley Howard Daniel Hsu Colby James Evan Janson Sara Kukuk AJ LaGassa Allison Lau Sarah Lipe Griffin Maurice Evan McAuliffe Natalie Miller Hudson Neuhoff Alyson O’Shea Haley Kate Patterson Caroline Pierce Caroline Pino Jessica Pitts Ramie Rice Sydney Kathryn Riordan Claire Roever John-Michael Sadler Nathan Sanders Autumn Sonju Riley Walton Dodd Weyandt Colin Wiegand Leslie Wolff Michael Young

Isabella Berthel Avery Cotter Kyle Cotter Anna Beth Lowrey Blake Mercer Mason Morland Henry Ridley Ruthie Turner Justine Walker Jessica Young

Freshmen Georgia Ballew Lindsay Bartol Molly Grace Beddingfield Kate Blocker Robert Caldwell Elisa Cavazos Summer Chaffin Erin Clay Bella Correa Brijit Crosby Emily Floyd Avery Gann Haston Habern Kelsey Hancock Lauren Head Jackson Hinckley Daniel Jones Grace Lee Jessica Lee Michelle Lee

7th Grade Lexy Babler Taya Burgett Reagan Rodgers Wilson Roe Claire Shodeen Grace Weir

Magna Cum Laude GPA of 3.8–4.19 Seniors Bailey Bacon Lili Barrientos-Figueroa Blair Blackburn Lexie Blair Devon Collier Aaron Feldman Dawson Fields Reagan Freeman Lauren Golden Grace Harvey Chad Henri Brooke Herman Brandon Hilger Jessica Hock Freddie Anne Hodges Anna Holder Ethan Howard Allison Jackson Lauren Kennedy Courtney Kesler Sydney Lee Brandon Legband Sam Liu MJ Massinger Donovan Mbroh Jackson Noakes Hayden Perschbacher Alexandra Powers Jacquelyn Rector Paul Rosario Samantha Sterlacci Alex Stiegler Sarah Tholen Ben Thornton Julia Wickes Gracen Wilder Cole Williams

Alex Wishnick Carlie Woodard Ashley Young

Juniors Alex Aarant Maya Abrams Cole Adams Spencer Bennett Mollie Birmingham Joshua Black Jack Bolton David Carstens Bailey Chaffin Monica Choi Alex Clemovitz Davis Conley Timothy Darby David Dembicki Sarah DeWhitt Julia Eggleton Chase Hackney Nate Hanley Connor Harwell Tyler Helbing Blake Hinton Hannah Hoffman Jordan Jones Christopher Konstans Ansley Marquardt Ashton Miller Georgia Moore Bo Parker Weston Porter Reagan Robbins Ryan Roquemore Delia Rowland Jack Savage Allison Smith Peyton Stone Will Traweek Nicole Willison

Sophomores Parker Blackburn Jake Bryans Karsen Burgess Cade Burgoon Caroline Bush Mack Bush Alisa Coley Nicolas Fandrich Sean Fox Brady Freeman Jordyn Goodman Preston Gossett Bryce Harwell Mallory Heard Isabelle Heldenfels Jake Johnson Sarah Konstans Preston Krantz Lauren Lott Caroline McClay Allie McWhorter Emily Miller Jung Park Jared Payne Davis Rogers Chad Rutledge Tori Troop Jake Walsh Tara Williamson Caroline Winslow Jackson Withrow

Freshmen David Asche Bobby Carstens Madelynn Cotter Shaw Cotter Grant De Paoli Jillian Delp Gracie Harris Brooke Henegar Austin Ho Madeline Jackson Catherine Josephs Taylor Kalahar Brett Kauffman

Clara Liu Blake Marsh Kennedy Mason Cole McCabe Jordan McFarlane Shelby Niederhofer Georgia Nine Sam Norris Maddie Parrent Jake Payne Laura Pomberg Coleman Rector Cailin Redden Riley Rice Slade Savage John Shaw Macrae Smith Brielle Stein Lauren Sulzen Caroline Tate Tyler Townley Whit Traweek Kaleigh Wilkinson Clarissa Wong

8th Grade Amara Asrawi Olivia Baldwin Zoe Bator Haleigh Brown Jo Anna Bryans Elle Clark Olivia Clark Riley Conine Abby Coronado Ella Kate Cotter Abigail Dalton Jayce Frady Carter Getz Colton Hackney Landry Hays Mason Hinckley Kyndal Hinton Natalie Konstans Jenna Larson Leslie Anne Lodwick Cameron May Jasmine Miller Garrett Orten Danielle Parker Alex Ramsland Logan Rock Pierce Sandlin Savannah Sims Nathan Stara Gracy Watts Jack Wenzel Lily Westover Major Wheless Brendan Williams Audrey Wines Elizabeth Yeary

7th Grade Hannah Alpert Claire Andrews Ava Brown Hannah Burke Dawson Chaffin Emily Clay Bryn Correa Charlie Crawford Anthony Cundari Lolly Elms Claire Floyd Reilly Hanna Jaxx Hatton Reagan Havel Emma Hodge Randell Holmes Sydney Johnston Leah Kegerreis Lauren Lee Georgia Leeds Morgan Locke Austin Marquardt Jack Maust Luke Mays Will Mercer Anna Muccio

Kjirsta Olson Ryan O’Shea Lilly Parker Reagan Pierce Brianna Queen Patricia Sharon Lindsay Shipley Avery Sponsler William Sullivan Ashton Karoline Waldrop Landry Walton Ava Weedon Jackson Wells Conner Williams Caroline Woodward Lauren Wright Annie Xia Jason Yang Lily Ziemkiewicz

Cum Laude

GPA of 3.5–3.79 Seniors Trace Akin John Armes Olivia Ashmore Will Ballew Tori Canter David Choi Brett Fair Cameron Hall Hannah Harwell Catherine Heldenfels Gavin Jones Makenzie Kesler Emma Lunceford Jack Mueller James Tardy Suzie Tkach

Juniors Jack Blocker Carter Burns Richard Dodd Travis Harrison Kaki Hodges Peyton Hurst Averie Kadane Janna Kelly Laurence Lundy Braeden O’Brien Molly Rader Justin Thompson Gayden Williams

Sophomores Bryn Barringer Meghan Betts Michael Casella Riley Crow Daniel DeWeese Marissa Douglass Sacha Francois Deven Gann Kennedy Hatton Lauren Mawhee Abbey McCutchen Ryan McWhorter Kyndall Richardson Kara Stiegler Natalie Warrick Cathy Jean Wood

Freshmen Riley Bagnall Daniela BarrientosFigueroa Jackson Bowman Hayden Brown Hayden Brown Michael Callahan Charles Cash Katherine DeWeese Andrea Ehringer

Harrison Gossett Kyle Green Parker Hadley Gentry Jarrell Anna Kathryn Lipe Sophia Lopez McKenzie Moore Zeki Mutlu Rachel O’Brien Scott Raybourn Zach Speck Greg Tiner Alayna Weyandt Bethany White Payton Willey Thomas Wyman

8th Grade Ariana Asrawi Catherine Binkley Andrew Buser Ellie Bush Jonathan Chock Amanda Choi Giovanna Cinello Will Compton Lindsey Crow Chloe Floyd Claire Franke Cameron Gilmore Audrey Gradick Maggie Harrison Michael Heidelbaugh Belle Holden Kathryn Janson Luke Langford Alexis Locke Ross McKay Katherine McLain Dutch McStay Ethan Merrifield Ben Murphy Anna Kate Parrent Michael Ruch Ashleigh Rutledge Zoe Schiefer Lauren Smith Caroline Spears Marie Kathryn Waldrop Ella Ward

7th Grade Luke Babler Molly Berryman Sam Brown Brianna Byrd Kent Causey Nathan Clark Ian Collier Paige Cotter Jack Courtney Victoria Dahncke Kelly Dance Landry Davis Daniel Delp Connor Dewey Jake Gore Connor Graham Blaine Grimes Collin Groezinger Evan Hennes Cade Holliday Evan Mawhee Delaney Meiser Mason Murphy Avery Overberg Peyton Prideaux Zoe Rodriguez Christian Sanchez Mason Sonju Nick Van Pelt Adelaide Walker Kate Yanof

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

13


GOOD WORKS

300-Win Coaches TCA’s boys and girls varsity basketball coaches were both honored this year for achieving the 300-win landmark. Lady Trojan Head Coach Kyle Morrill earned his 300th win with a 65-32 victory over W. T. White in the first round of the Highland Park Scots Classic Tournament. He has one State Championship title, winning the TAPPS 5A title in 2001. Varsity Boys Head Coach Randy Feemster joined the elite status of the 300-win club with a 51-36 win over Plano in the Frisco Lone Star Classic. Coach Feemster also has one State Championship title, claimed in 2009 in TAPPS class 5A.

All-State Choir and Band

Congratulations to Cameron Pino and Emily Stanton for making the All-State Choir and to Jacquelyn Rector for making the All-State Band! Additionally, Cameron Pino achieved the rare honor of making the All-State Choir all four years.

TPSMEA State Competition

On Thursday, March 31, six soloists who had qualified at the TPSMEA district solo contest competed in the state contest. All six received Superior medals, the highest honor, on their solos: freshmen Michelle Raybourn and Kaleigh Wilkinson, juniors Jordan Jones and Madeleine Wilson and seniors Cameron Pino and Campbell Roe.

14

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

Schmidt & Jones Awards

TCA received 11 nominations in the Schmidt & Jones Awards for excellence in high school musical theater this year and won in the following three categories: • Best Musical: Anything Goes! • Best Actor in a Minor Role: Brett Fair as Elisha Whitey • Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Collin Schuster as Moonface Martin

TABC All-Star

Mark Paterson was selected to play in the TABC All-Star game, the premier all-star game in the state. Mark played with 23 other players from across the state from the top school classifications (5A, 6A and private schools). Congratulations, Mark!

Byron Nelson Award Recipient

College Signings

Trojan golfer Justin Thompson was awarded the highly prestigious Byron Nelson Award at the 2015 NTPGA President’s Dinner on Sunday, February 21. Justin, 17, is the youngest individual to ever receive the Byron Nelson Award, which is awarded to an amateur who has greatly given back to the game of golf in the Northern Texas Section.

Congratulations to these student-athletes:

Champion Wrestler

Senior Jack Mueller earned his fourth consecutive National Prep Championship by winning the 126-pound weight class. Jack is only the eleventh wrestler in the 81-year history of the National Prep Wrestling Championships to win four consecutive titles. For his performance, Jack was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the National Prep Wrestling Championships.

Katie Camp will play volleyball at Ouachita Baptist University.

William Gilbert will play baseball at Rhodes College.

Jackson Noakes will play baseball at Ouachita Baptist University.


Black History Month Essay Winner

Math Olympians The following Lower School and Middle School students placed in the ACSI Math Olympics this year:

TVAA Awards Congratulations to the following students for earning awards at the Texas Visual Arts Association competition:

Third Grade • Logan McIntyre, Rosalind Chang – First Place Tie, Computation

Congratulations to the TCA award-winners from the 2016 Art of Architecture Competition sponsored by the Dallas Center for Architecture:

• Karys Karlow – Second Place, Computation • Jackson Duke – Third Place, Reasoning Junior Lawrence Lundy won an essay competition this year for Black History Month sponsored by the Dallas Mavericks, BNSF Railway and American Airlines. Lawrence won a trip to Memphis, Tennessee, where he visited the Civil War Musuem, saw the hotel where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and attended a Mavericks-Grizzlies NBA game.

2016 Duke University Talent Identification Program

Fourth Grade • Molly Youn – First Place, Computation • Annabelle Lee – Second Place, Computation • Nathan Chou – First Place, Reasoning • Morgan Amison – Second Place, Reasoning • Lilly Carstens – Fifth Place, Reasoning

Fifth Grade • Jocelyn Youn – First Place, Computation • Richelle Kim – Second Place, Computation

This year, 95 TCA seventhgraders qualified for the TIP/ Duke program by demonstrating advanced aptitudes on grade-level assessments. Of these students, 38 chose to take the SAT or ACT. Leah Kegerreis was awarded Grand Recognition, the highest recognition in the program and will be honored at Duke University in a Grand Recognition Ceremony. In addition, 15 students qualified for State Recognition: Rex Ah Chu, Hannah Burke, Nathan Clark, Emma Dahncke, Reagan Havel, Evan Hennes, Leah Kegerreis, Lauren Lee, Jackson Maust, Ryan O’Shea, Lilly Parker, Reagan Pierce, Jackson Wells, Annie Xia and Jason Yang. Congratulations to all who participated!

• Bethany Grimm – Fifth Place, Computation

Super Speller

• Annie Xia – First Place, Reasoning

Fifth-grader Bethany Grimm won fifth place in the ACSI SouthCentral Regional Spelling Bee this year and went on to represent TCA at the ACSI National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., where she made it to the sixth round and was the only fifth-grader to make it that far. Congratulations, Bethany!

Eighth Grade

• Grace Kwon – Second Place, Reasoning • Kazia Handoko – Third Place, Reasoning

Sixth Grade • Emily Keramidas – Second Place, Reasoning • Daniel Kwon – Fourth Place, Reasoning • Katie Parker – Fourth Place, Computation

Seventh Grade

2016 Art of Architecture Competition

• Brooke Herman – Second Place

Upper School

• Grace Harvey – Third Place • Gage Smalling – Honorable Mention

• Isabelle Heldenfels – Best of Show and Honor Award, Printmaking

• Collin Schuster – Outstanding Video

• Ashley McWhorter – Honor Award, Drawing

• Brooke Herman – Jurors’ Choice

• Cory McQuilkin – Honor Award, Mixed Media

• Colby James – Jurors’ Choice • Caroline McClay – Dean’s Award • Alyson O’Shea – Dean’s Award

PSI Art Competition TCA students admirably represented our school in the 2016 Private School Invitational Art Competition this year. Congratulations, award winners: • Hannah Alpert – First Place, Seventh Grade • Justine Walker – Asle Art Award

Young American Talent Congratulations to the following students for placing in the Young American Talent High School Art Competition

• Lindsey Bartol – Citation Award, Mixed Media

Middle School • Zoe Schiefer – Honor Award, Mixed Media • Amara Asrawi – Citation Award, Mixed Media

The Rock Easter Art Contest Congratulations to the winners of The Rock Easter Art Contest. They were featured in this spring’s issue of The Rock magazine.

Kindergarten and First Grade • Best Use of Materials: Kamlen Pearson • Best Idea: Liza Sullivan • Best Overall: Katherine Sunwoo

Second to Fourth Grade

• Jack Maust – Third Place, Computation

• Lindsay Bartol – Encore Exhibit

• Lilly Parker – First Place, Computation

• Isabelle Heldenfels – Invitation Award and First Place, Mixed Media; Encore Exhibit

• Best Idea: Boaz Henderson

• Ellie Kauffman – Encore Exhibit

Honorable Mention

• Kenedy Kundysek – First Place, Printmaking

• Ava Claire Dewey

• Chandler Noordhoff – Encore Exhibit

• Molly Youn

• Joel Smitherman – Third Place, Reasoning

• Mason Morland – Fourth Place, Computation • Cameron Gilmore – Fourth Place, Reasoning

• Aaron Cho – Encore Exhibit

• Best Use of Materials: Anne Grace Poarch • Best Overall: Tommy Linquist

• Caleb Wenning

• Caroline McClay – Second Place, Photography • Caroline Pierce – Encore Exhibit • Clarissa Wong – Encore Exhibit

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

15


GOOD WORKS

National Latin Exam

Grades 9–11 Awards

Senior Awards

Each year, seventh- and eighth-grade Latin students are given the opportunity to participate in the National Latin Exam with over 120,000 others from all 50 states and nine foreign countries. Congratulations to these outstanding Latin students:

Bible: Alexandria Ho

Valedictorian: Matthew Galvan

Drama I: Molly Grace Beddingfield, Maddie Parrent

Salutatorians: Aaron Cho, Chase Rea

Drama II: Preston Gossett, Mallory Heard

D.A.R.: Haven Burgoon, Cameron Pino

Advanced Drama: Parker Blackburn

Trojan Heart: Allison Jackson; Brandon Legband

Spring Show Award: Macrae Smith

Scholar-Athletes: Savannah Bass; Chase Rea

Men’s Chorus: Alexander Miller

Bible: Sam Liu

Women’s Chorus: Kaleigh Wilkinson

AP English: Haven Burgoon, Melanie Marshall

Outstanding Musician: Jordan Jones, Caroline Pino

Senior Thesis: Nathalie Azzi, Aaron Cho, Sam Liu, Chase Rea, Campbell Roe, Isabel Ruch

Outstanding Musicians Band Award: Cole Adams, Michael Waters, Jackson Withrow

Advanced Drama: Nicala Hatton

Eighth Grade Summa Cum Laude – Gold Medal: Zachary Coronado and Belle Holden Maxima Cum Laude – Silver Medal: Isabella Berthel, Landry Hays, Jenna Larson, Ross McKay, Blake Mercer, Mason Morland, Henry Ridley, Nathan Stara, Ruthie Turner, Gracy Watts, Justine Walker and Jessica Young Magna Cum Laude: Haleigh Brown, Gigi Cinello, Elle Clark, Olivia Clark, Cameron Gilmore, Audrey Gradick, Anna Beth Lowrey, Jasmine Miller, Michael Ruch, Pierce Sandlin and Lily Westover Cum Laude: Olivia Baldwin, Jo Anna Bryans, Riley Conine, Avery Cotter, Kyle Cotter, Abby Dalton, Cooper James, Mark Johnson, Gracie Massinger and Ethan Merrifield

Seventh Grade

H Photography: Caroline McClay H Drawing/Painting/Printmaking: Lindsay Bartol H Digital Art/Electronic Collage/Video Animation: Isabelle Heldenfels H Drawing II/Painting II/Printmaking II: Riley Chandler

Eighth-Grade Awards

High Tech: Cameron Gilmore, Pierce Sandlin History/English: Isabella Berthel, Haleigh Brown, Abby Dalton, Leslie Lodwick, Mason Morland, Gracy Watts Latin: Isabella Berthel, Justine Walker, Jessica Young

Algebra I: Austin Ho, James Muery Geometry: Lindsay Bartol Algebra II: Daniel Hsu Pre-AP Trig/Calculus A: Brett Bartol Pre-AP Biology: Jessica Lee

John Philip Sousa Award: Jacquelyn Rector Band Director’s Award: Carlie Woodard Trojan Band Award: Paul Rosario, Suzie Tkach AP Art: Grace Harvey eMedia: Spencer Ellison, Shelby Smith ePhoto: Blair Blackburn Sculpture/3D/Ceramics: Brooke Herman AP Government: Cameron Pino AP Calculus BC: Cole Williams AP Calculus AB: Isabel Ruch

Pre-AP Chemistry: Griffin Maurice, Sydney Riordan

Trig/Intro Business Calc: Katie Camp Finite Math: John Armes

Chemistry: Ramie Rice

AP Biology: Elizabeth Priest, Collin Schuster

Physics: Nicole Mushalek

AP Chemistry: Aaron Cho

AP Physics Mechanics: Andrew Willison

H Engineering Design: Ryan Rogers

H Intermediate Technology: JD Powers, Melinda White

Field Ecology: Audrey Gerthoffer

H Mobile Programming: Mary Ashley Samuelson

H Anatomy & Physiology: MacKenzie Glosser

H Web-Based Technologies: AJ LaGassa

Speech: Matthew Galvan, Samantha Sterlacci

H Computer Science Foundation: Ryan Fitzpatrick

Technology: Dawson Fields, Matthew Young

AP Computer Science: Griffin Maurice French I: Georgia Ballew H French II: Emily Miller French III: Hallie Callison Pre-AP French III: Ginny Kestel Spanish I: Jessica Lee, JD Powers, Michelle Raybourn Spanish II: Deven Gann, Courtney Fish H Spanish II: Caroline Pierce, Caroline Winslow

Science: Isabella Berthel, Blake Mercer, Henry Ridley

Spanish III: Tyler Helbing

Speech/Drama: Gracie Massinger, Alex Ramsland, Samantha Starnes

H Spanish IV: Cole Yeatts

SUMMER 2016

Louis Armstrong Jazz Award: Joshua Harper

Biology: Bella Correa

Math: Mason Morland

TRINITY TODAY

Choral Director’s Award: Brandon Legband, Matthew Young

Band Student of the Year: Devon Collier

Honors Trig/IntroCalculus: Alexandria Ho

Choir: Carter Burgoon, Barrett Jessen, Allison Jones, Natalie Konstans

Outstanding Musicians: Cameron Pino, Campbell Roe

History/English Grade 10: Alea Brady, Sydney Riordan, Colin Wiegand

Achievement Certificate: Rex Ah Chu, Claire Andrews, Molly Berryman, Hannah Burke, Paige Cotter, Charlie Crawford, Victoria Dahncke, Landry Davis, Reagan Havel, Evan Hennes, Georgia Leeds, Morgan Locke, Jack Maust, Avery Overberg, Reagan Pierce, Zoe Rodriguez, Wilson Roe, Joel Smitherman, Avery Sponsler, Landry Walton, Jackson Wells, Lauren Wright and Annie Xia

Bible: Will Compton, Colton Hackney, Landry Hays, Blake Mercer, Audrey Wines

Outstanding Theater Student: Audrey Gerthoffer, Anna Holder

Woody Herman Jazz Award: Cameron Hall

History/English Grade 11: Daniel Heard, Alexandra Mills, Melinda White

Band: Jayce Frady, Michael Heidelbaugh, Jenna Larson, Ethan Merrifield

Drama Director’s Award: Brett Fair, Sam Liu

History/English Grade 9: Lindsay Bartol, Daniel Jones, Michelle Raybourn

Outstanding Achievement Certificate: Hannah Alpert, Lexy Babler, Taya Burgett, Dawson Chaffin, Lolly Elms, Emma Hodge, Leah Kegerreis, Lauren Lee, Austin Marquardt, Lilly Parker, Reagan Rodgers, William Sullivan and Grace Weir

Art: Amara Asrawi, Avery Cotter, Abby Dalton, Luke Langford, Justine Walker, Audrey Gradick

16

H Studio Art: Erica Henri

Trinity Spirit: Sam Liu

Pre-AP Spanish III: Lillie Harrington, Morgan Ku Outstanding Staffer for The Rock: Abby Mathai

H Astronomy/Astronomy: Jacquelyn Rector

AP French IV: Sarah Tholen H Spanish IV: Georgia Scalfano AP Spanish IV: Sydney Lee, Chase Rea Yearbook: Lizzie Barnes, Lili Figueroa


Keep up with TCA today and every day. TrinityChristian.org

Facebook: facebook.com/TCATrojans

Twitter: @TCATrojans


UPPER SCHOOL

MON

TUE

EVERYDAY LEADERS

B Y B O B DY E R , U PPER SCHOOL DE A N OF ST U DENTS

NOT LONG AG O, I WA S T E AC H I NG F ROM 1 COR I N T H I A NS in my junior Bible class. The subject

of leadership came up, and I asked the class to give me a definition of leadership. After a student offered the obvious, “leading,” we began to see that it is more than a position or even authority. I presented the case that leadership is about influence. But, we can’t rest there. There have been scores of “leaders” who have influenced others to march under the banner of evil. The type of influence is key. If you’re like me as a parent, we want and encourage our kids to lead, to stand out, to rise above. If I’m really honest, I have to admit that I was more concerned with my kids having a position rather than a quality of character. My two kids, both TCA alumni and grown, were very different. One was quiet and cerebral, while the other was social and let’s say “less quiet.” Both, however, were leaders during their time at TCA in position, as well as influence (and yes, I am bragging). Please understand, I see nothing wrong with running for an office, being selected for a position or being chosen. The issue is that one must recognize that along with any position of leadership comes responsibility. As followers of Christ, we are called to influence for the sake of the gospel. There are lots of opportunities for students to lead in Upper School, and I believe those opportunities are training grounds for young leaders, as well. DIGs, Middle School Bible Studies, Student Council, Wilderness and Sky

18

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

Ranch counselors, for example, are areas in which many of our students lead—these are a result of a selection process. Camp David, The Bridge and Worship Night are examples where a student can lead just by asking and getting involved. We also have students who have created their own leadership positions by organizing charity events or adopting a cause and letting the student body know about it. So what’s the point? TCA has been blessed with families desiring not only a great education, but also opportunities to equip their children as disciples—disciples who influence. The believer influences by what he is and Who has made him. We have been commissioned for a purpose—to be light (Matthew 5:14; John 12:36), to be positive, godly influences. It is my contention that our students can and do influence whether they have a “position” or not. All believers, as Christ-directed people, have opportunities every day to share their lives, their faith and their convictions with humility to a world desperately in need of godly influence—influence fueled by truth, offered in grace, cloaked with love and equipped in mind. This influence has the power to move others toward the Kingdom—out of darkness and into light. So, tell your children to lead, to run and apply for everything. But make sure they know that whenever and wherever they find themselves leading—as students, as citizens, as dads and moms, brothers and sisters, on the field or in the workplace—they have a responsibility to influence, not of themselves but by their calling as saints.

students can and do “TCA influence those around them, whether they have official positions or not.


WED

THU

FRI

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

19


UPPER SCHOOL STEM CLUB The Upper School STEM Club was very active this year. Students participated in a number of activities and heard from engaging speakers. One favorite project was the egg-drop design challenge, where students had fifteen minutes to design packaging using only ten plastic straws, five balloons and tape to protect a raw egg that was dropped nine feet. The group also participated in the Dallas Regional Science Fair, where sophomores Daniel Hsu and Nathan Sanders presented “Rainergy,” a project about generating electricity with hydroelectric turbines strategically placed in storm drains. The team used TCA’s 3-D printer to create the gears in the system.

ISRAEL TRIP Thirty-one students, teachers, alumni and parents spent 11 days traveling, touring, learning and falling in love with the Holy Land over spring break. The travelers visited a Kibbutz at the Sea of Galilee, climbed Nimrod Fortress, spent worship time in song on the Mount of Beatitudes and saw Qumran, the place of the Dead Sea Scrolls. In Jerusalem, the group visited the Holocaust museum, the Mount of Olives, and the Garden of Gethsemene before entering the Old City Walls and praying at the Western Wall. They also enjoyed a sweet worship and communion time at the Garden Tomb. It was the trip of a lifetime.

FEBRUARY

ROTARY STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

20

TRINITY TODAY

MATTHEW GALVAN Matthew is a conscien­tious and responsible student with an impeccable work ethic. He is a thoughtful, logical thinker who contributes to classroom discussions. He is also an active contributor to the TCA community. He excels in the classroom, giving his best effort in every class. Not only is Matthew a gifted student, but he is also a caring individual. He is not deterred by unglamorous work; he is just happy to serve. He serves at Camp Barnabus each summer as a counselor for special needs individuals. Although working one-on-one for a week with a camper who

SUMMER 2016

may need help with simple tasks like eating and dressing may seem overwhelming for many, Matthew has enjoyed this aspect of service. Matthew is also a natural communicator. He feels very comfortable interacting a wide variety of people and asks thoughtful and intelligent questions. Matthew is a trustworthy and responsible young man. His dedication to schoolwork, athletics and service is an encouragement to others. He is hardworking in the classroom and in the community, as well. He looks for ways in which to assist others, rather than waiting to be asked.


AMAZON TRIP Headmaster Dave Delph and his wife, Rose, led a team of TCA students, parents and alumni on a trip to the Amazon over Spring Break. The group shared the gospel with hundreds of people each day via door-to-door evangelism, led VBS programs for the children and provided medical and dental care to the villages along the Amazon River in Brazil.

FRENCH CLUB Students in the French club had the opportunity to broaden their horizons this year and experience various facets of French culture. They sponsored an all-school showing of a French movie, Belle et Sébastien, visited a French Christmas market and celebrated the visit of the three kings with a French king’s cake for L’épihanie. For La Chandeleur, the celebration of Christ’s presentation at the temple in Jerusalem, students distributed crêpes to the Upper School; Nutella was a favorite topping!

DEBATE CLUB Upper School students welcomed the creation of a new high school debate club. Approximately 20 students have been meeting this year to learn the foundational skills and techniques involved in Lincoln–Douglas debate. The club has held many practice minidebates, and students are planning to compete in tournaments and TAPPS state debate competitions next fall.

MARCH

HUNT WOOD Leadership, character, and integrity are the words that best describe Hunt Wood. His natural leadership skills are evident both in and out of the classroom. Hunt was elected by his peers to serve on the Student Honor Council because he is a respected and trusted student leader. He is a varsity athlete and promotes a high degree of morale among his teammates. Hunt has a heart for God and a passion for helping others. He has given countless hours to volunteer work through the Young Men’s Service League and the Dallas Homeless Shelter. Additionally, Hunt served as a

CLASS ACTS Disciples in Christ leader and volunteered at Camp Barnabas during his summer break. Moreover, Hunt is an engaged student who has taken a rigorous course of study offered at TCA incorporating mostly Pre-AP and AP courses during his four years of high school. He is on the Magna Cum Laude Honor Roll and a member of the National Honor Society. Hunt has proven to be an exceptional role model and an effective student leader who is motivating and inspiring. He is a young man of excellence who has the ability to encourage others through his God-given talents.

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

21


MIDDLE SCHOOL

AN OPEN DOOR TO MINISTRY B Y S H AW N L E D E B U R , M IDDL E SCHOOL COU NSELOR

22

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

I began praying that God would guide me as I took steps to go back to my “life work” of being a school counselor. After being home for several years with my children, I prayed God would lead me to a place where I could truly serve Him daily, as well as help children. I am forever grateful that He led my family and me to Trinity Christian Academy. A BOU T A Y E A R AG O,


My journey through education and counseling began in the sixth grade, when I found myself playing peacemaker and listening to friends talk about their struggles. One of these friends worked with a counselor on a regular basis, and through her discoveries and improvement, I realized how meaningful and important the counselor’s role was in regaining a healthy life mindset. I also had a passion for youth and children’s ministries. I attended a Christian school, and many of my school friends also attended church with me. The foundation of those friendships was rooted in Christ. I have lifelong memories of my friendships growing, not only through school activities, but also church devotionals, weekly Bible studies, service projects and mission trips. After high school and college, I began a beautiful 14-year career as a teacher and then as a counselor for Richardson ISD. I believe the major milestones which have occurred in my life have all prepared me for the current path my family and I are on here at TCA. As the new Middle School counselor, I have had the privilege of engaging with the Middle School staff, students and parents in a variety of ways. As I walked on campus my first day at TCA, I was immediately overwhelmed with the enthusiasm and creativity occurring up and down our Middle School hallways. The House elders were busy planning our “Welcome back to Middle School” assembly and music video. The teachers were busy enhancing lesson plans, and there was joy and laughter in the hallways. The weeks went by, and I had the privilege of attending our Middle School team meetings. I was immediately moved by the genuine conversation and empathy that was exhibited regarding our students. The teachers collaborated together on how to best help individual students progress academically, as well as how to support students emotionally. The most profound part of every team meeting was hearing our teachers pray over the lives of individual students. I found myself, during those first few months, leaving meetings with a sense of gratitude, thanking Jesus for the community of teachers and staff at TCA.

As the school year progressed, I also found myself reflecting on what a joy it is working with and getting to know the Middle School parents. As an administrative team, we have the privilege of spending time with parents at Mini School Night and also in the more intimate setting of our Morning Parent Meetings. Our Morning Parent Meetings take place several times throughout the year. We spend time diving into developmentally appropriate information with parents that will help them partner with us on this journey through adolescence. As administrators, we are always grateful and blessed by this time and thankful for the parents’ desire to learn and grow.

“I am in awe as I witness Middle School students encouraging and serving each other. The true spirit of the TCA student is one of love and kindness.” Most importantly, I am inspired by the depth of our TCA students. I have seen how our students strive to grow and excel in their academics. They come early or stay late to conference with teachers. I have also seen their pure desire to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and imitate Him through studentinitiated Bible studies and accountability groups that meet during their lunch periods. I am in awe as I witness Middle School students encouraging, loving and serving each other. I have seen them rally around those who are injured, sick or just going through a rough time and have learned that the true spirit of the TCA student is one of love and kindness. During my first year here at Trinity Christian Academy, I have learned our community is one that encourages growth in knowledge professionally, academically and spiritually. More than anything, TCA is a community that inspires its students, parents and staff always to strive to have a closer relationship with Jesus Christ and always to look for ways to serve others. SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

23


MIDDLE SCHOOL

HOUR OF CODE This spring, over one hundred Middle School students participated in the worldwide technology event Hour of Code, which encourages students to explore the world of computer science. Over two lunch periods, students wrote code for video games such as Angry Birds, Star Wars and Flappy Bird. Students had so much fun coding that many opted to skip recess to code a bit longer.

BOOK CLUB Love of reading has invaded the Middle School, and several groups have formed book clubs to share new stories together. A group of fifth-grade girls initiated the first book club with Mrs. Hatton, and their group has met monthly to share dessert, a game and novels such as The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis and Laugh with the Moon by Shana Burg. Meanwhile, Miss Turtletaub and several eighth-grade girls read Christy by Catherine Marshall, which allowed for great discussions about character and faith. Led by Mrs. Hatton, a sixth-grade girls group and a combined fifth-/sixth-grade boys group have met occasionally, as well.

CREATIVE WRITING CLUB The 2015-16 school year marked the creating of the Middle School Creative Writing Club. The club is based on the premise that creation of art—whether the subject is serious, religious, or fun—is an essential way for man to embody what it means to be created in the image of our Creator. The purpose of the group is to provide time, space and resources for the students to knowingly or unknowingly be who God has made each student to be. This year, this was accomplished through genre studies with plans to expand to other areas of artistry.

24

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

MARCH BOOK MADNESS The Middle School Library held its Second Annual March Book Madness tournament. Starting with the sixteen most popular books in the library, students were given the opportunity to vote on their favorite books. The Final Four were C. S. Lewis’s classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe vs. Jeff Kinney’s modern-day hit Diary of A Wimpy Kid and the poignant Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin vs. the outdoor survival story Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. In the end, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe emerged as the champion. Not only did this competition stir up some critical thinking, it encouraged reluctant readers to dive into a book.


STUDENT COUNCIL Seventh- and eighth-grade students have packed Mr. Saffold’s classroom every Wednesday morning this year for Middle School Student Council meetings to hear from various speakers on topics of leadership and service. Eighth-grade officers are responsible for inviting and introducing the speakers, setting up for the meetings, providing refreshments and writing thank-you notes. This group has inspired many students to pursue Student Council and other leadership roles in Upper School.

CLASS ACTS SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

25


LOWER SCHOOL

ONE BODY WITH MANY MEMBERS E AC H DAY I S CONSI DE R E D A PR I V I L EGE in the TCA

“. . . that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” —1 Corinthians 12:25–27

26

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

Lower School community. The building is continually overflowing with the promise, possibility and potential that accompany the very young. Perfect soil is cultivated for planting spiritual seeds that we pray will grow and be used for the glory of God. Each month finds us focusing on and studying a different virtue of Jesus Christ. In February, we turned our attention towards examining the virtue of “cooperation.” Cooperation means doing more together than we can do alone. The everyday application of this virtue can be somewhat challenging to young children, especially in a world were everything seems to revolve around the “me” factor. To be truthful, the concept remains a challenge even into our adult years. We continue to want what we want and when we want it. We do not particularly like the thought of being uncomfortable or taking the responsibility for owning our flaws, biases, prejudices and blind spots. These shortcomings are the things that make it difficult for us to live cooperatively and peaceably in this world. We often do not find enjoyment in doing something hard, unusual or against our will, even when we can see God at work and know everything belongs to Him. So we seek to understand the spiritual concept of cooperation. God designed us to empathize, love and need each other. He designed us to work together for His glory. Diversity is God’s creation. It is not a condition. It is an intentional creation and mindset. No two people bring the same gifts, skills and perspectives to any situation.


B Y M I A M B RO H , L OW E R S C H O O L C O U N S E L O R

To work cooperatively with another, we must also understand the concepts of respect and appreciation. To accomplish this understanding, we turn our focus towards empathy rather than sympathy. Sympathy simply wants to say, “I am sorry,” do something to alleviate being uncomfortable, then move away from the situation. Empathy requires us to sit, listen and try to gain some form of understanding of another’s experience, perspective and contribution. We hold our little ones accountable in regards to respecting what God has put in place with great purpose. These opportunities allow us to teach the ministry of walking alongside someone else.

“Every time we work in cooperation with those around us, we display God’s glory in a visible way. Every time we choose to understand, to appreciate someone who is different from us in some way, we open the pathway to God’s love.”

God did not create this magnificent earth in order for us simply to tolerate one another. To tolerate implies that somehow another is not worthy of our full attention or effort. Yet, as Christians, we know there is no exception to who has worth in God’s eyes. He does not tolerate us. He loves us completely. There is no confirmation in only remaining where we feel safe and affirmed by the sameness of those around us. When we work together in healthy community, positive change is inevitable. Every time we work in cooperation with those around us, we display God’s glory in a visible way. Every time we choose to understand, to appreciate someone who is different from us in some way, we open the pathway to God’s love. We move away from a constant state of apology to one of competency. Competency is anchored in knowing that God is the master of design and purpose. He has great love for all that was created by Him, and His creation is to be respected. We strive to learn to play and work together. Christ set the perfect example for us in the way He chose to live His life and with whom He chose to live His life on earth. It was not always the ideal setting or with persons of the most upstanding privilege and comfort. He was a connector and fisher of men. He demonstrated to us that two are better than one. We are instruments created by God to work together in a way that exceeds anything we can imagine.

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

27


LOWER SCHOOL

STORY TIME Second-grade students practiced their reading skills and fluency by reading some of their favorite stories to students in preK. Younger and older students alike enjoyed this special reading time.

CUDDLY CRITTERS Students in preK were treated to lots of feathered and furry fun at the preK petting zoo this spring. They had the opportunity to feed, pet and hold many different baby animals.

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS On April 8, fourth-grade students, teachers and parent-chaperones boarded busses for the annual Austin field trip. This trip was the culmination of an extensive unit on Texas. The Capitol and the Bob Bullock Museum of Texas History came to life as students experienced what they had studied on paper.

CLASS ACTS 28

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016


GAME ON! Lower School students who sold at least two raffle packets for TCA’s annual car raffle participated in the first ever Game On! event with Mrs. Badger and Mrs. Birmingham. The funfilled day featured an inflatable obstacle course, games, photo booth and frozen treats.

FIRST-CLASS PERFORMANCES Each first-grade music class blessed their parents with imaginative and spiritual songs with musical programs earlier this year. The students shared the musical concepts they have learned with a variety of instruments and joyfully ended with praise to Our Father.

ASIA DAY As the culmination of a two-week study of Asia, kindergartners experienced a day of crafts, food and games from Asia.

HEROES COME TO LIFE Our third-graders researched community heroes this spring and shared their knowledge in a wax museum, where they were the exhibits. The “exhibits” came to life and delivered short speeches about community problems and the heroes who solved them.

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

29


30 Y E ARS of SERV ICE

And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” —Mark 9:35–37

H E A DM A ST E R DAV E DE L PH ’ S F I NGE R PR I N T S are all over the TCA campus, from the commitment to technology to the

careful hiring of quality faculty members to the school’s continued service to mission opportunities like the Amazon. His love for and dedication to TCA are evident in his tireless service, and he inspires his faculty and staff to strive for that which is pleasing to the Lord. Dave came to TCA in 1986. Originally hired as a Middle School math teacher, he saw the ever-changing world of education and technology as a beautiful opportunity. In addition to teaching, Dave served as the school’s technology director before such a position even existed and coached boys basketball, girls basketball, volleyball and softball. In 1994, Dave moved out of the classroom and into administration as the assistant head of Middle School, and in 1998, he became the head of Middle School. Headmaster since 2002, Dave has focused on improving communications and building relationships. He’s constantly amazed at the impact faculty members make in the lives of each and every student and often admits that his most significant responsibility as headmaster is to hire great faculty and staff. In addition to his duties as headmaster, Dave has led through his commitment to missions. Since 2005, he has led 12 school mission trips to the Amazon and given hundreds of students, parents and TCA alumni the opportunity to serve and grow in their faith. While there isn’t space enough for all to express their gratitude and appreciation for Dave’s service, we’ve included a few sentiments from colleagues thankful to serve with him: 30

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016


“More often than not, when I share the story of how God moved our family across the country from Michigan to Texas, Dave’s name is part of that story. When it came down to the different opportunities in front of me back in the spring of 2005, Dave Delph was one of two people whose heart for and perspective on Christian education convinced me that TCA was the place God wanted us. Dave’s humility, wisdom and compassion for people were evident to me and set him (and therefore, TCA!) apart in my mind. Eleven years on, it’s been a joy to watch God’s work through Dave’s faithfulness.” —Scott Berthel, head of Middle School “I had the privilege of being involved with Dave’s hiring process. I was impressed with his positive, friendly interaction with the students and his sense of humor. Later I had the opportunity to team teach Algebra II with Dave, and we shared the same classroom. It was a delightful experience. We each had a preferred way to simplify complex fractions. His method became known as the ‘Delph method’ and mine, the ‘Nixon method.’ To this day, when I run into complex fractions, I refer to the ‘Delph’ and the ‘Nixon’ methods.” —Connie Nixon, Upper School math teacher “A man of the Word and a man whose word is highly valued. Mr. Delph is a leader not just because he is the headmaster of TCA, but because he fulfills Matthew 20:28 in all areas of his life. He leads by service. This year in Bible, we studied what it means to be meek. We defined meek as someone with power who does not brag or boast, but leads humbly. Our class came to the conclusion that a man who displays this is Mr. Delph. TCA has been blessed immensely by you; thank you, Mr. Delph.” —Hunt Wood, TCA senior and Amazon trip participant “When I think of the man who hired me twelve years ago, the phrase “audience of one” comes to mind. Dave Delph humbly serves the entire TCA community while keeping his eyes fixed on the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith. Dave has doggedly chased after the Lord by doing his kingdom work for his audience of one. The trips he leads to minister to the people who live on the Amazon River are life-changing for both the Amazon locals and the TCA people who go. Dave Delph leads well with a heart that is single-minded in pleasing his King. On my first day of working at TCA, I noted Dave’s passion for Jesus, and I still see that passion twelve years later when Dave leads the Trinity faculty and staff, in tears, to worship God the Father. We thank God for your steadfast leadership, Dave Delph, and pray for your continued guidance at TCA.” —Melissa Chandler, third-grade teacher “Someone once defined meekness as power under control. The Greek word for meek is that word used to describe the taming of a wild animal. Jesus said the meek shall inherit the earth. I think meekness is the idea of Jim Collin’s “Level 5” leader, which is the paradoxical mixture of personal humility and professional will, which many people rightfully identified as Jesus’ leadership. I think Dave embodies these ideals, and I am blessed to have served under and with him in many capacities over the last two and a half decades. ‘Obrigado, Deus te abençoe, e eu te amo!’” —Steve Williamson, Upper School Bible teacher “I first knew Dave Delph in 1987 when I was a mom here at TCA, and he taught my daughter, Bunny, seventh-grade math. In 2004, he interviewed me for the assistant head of the Upper School, and I took the position because I wanted to work under his leadership. Dave is the epitome of a servant-leader. He loves God beyond measure, and he conducts his business by always thinking of what is absolutely best for our students. I count it a privilege to have him as my headmaster.” —Janie Heard, assistant head of Upper School “I think when you watch an individual pursue others so quietly, humbly and genuinely you want to do the same. Dave’s relentless love of people has encouraged me to live life in this same way. He has shown me the importance of showing up, even in the smallest ways, for the people around us. Dave understands that we are meant to love people, serve others and cultivate true, authentic relationships. He sees his role not only as a father, husband or headmaster, but most importantly a follower of Christ. I’m so thankful I have gotten to know him over the years. I look up to him so much, and he continues to be one of the biggest blessings in my life.” —Logan Landry ’13, Amazon trip participant “A godly leader is marked by a servant attitude. In the time that I have known him, Dave Delph has consistently demonstrated himself as a servant of Jesus Christ. His heart’s desire to please God rather than men is evident. It allows him to confront sin and engage in the difficulty of truth when necessary. He demonstrates an authentic sense of humbleness, humor and empathy that allows him to be steadfast in his leadership.” —Mia Mbroh, Lower School counselor “The attribute that stands out more than anything when it comes to Dave is servant leadership. He diligently prays for us, challenges us in our faith, encourages us with Scripture and models service through his leadership on the Amazon trip. It was a great pleasure this last year sweating and working alongside Dave as we walked into the muddy villages and shared the gospel with the people of Brazil. He clearly loves students, loves teachers and loves TCA, all through the power and discernment of the Holy Spirit.”

Thank you, Dave, for your dedication and love for this school and for the TCA community. We count you among TCA’s greatest blessings!

—Greg Merrifield, Upper School math teacher

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

31


THOUGHTFUL BEGINNINGS

32

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

Setting up students for success


A typical kindergarten day at TCA involves class reading time on the Rainbow Rug, reading groups, literacy activities, learning centers and browsing boxes of books. A great deal of time is spent immersing our young students in books, but not just any books—books that are specifically matched to each child’s literacy development needs. BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS!

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

33


THOUGHTFUL BEGINNINGS

U

child through the progression of reading fluency and of Academic Dean Diane comprehension. Taylor and Lower School According to Sandee Head Anne Badger, the Townley, TCA’s literacy trainer Lower School has adopted a and coach, “Each teacher knows new approach to reading instruction and the where every child in her class is early literacy development of its youngest in terms of reading skills and is students over the past few years. Thoughtful able to teach each child where Beginnings combines the foundational he or she is with authentic, elements of experienced faculty, researchengaging text.” Literacy trainer and coach Sandee Townley plans with based instructional strategies, concrete data Lower School teacher Joanna Hayden prior to a reading After assessing a child’s assessments and embedded professional session with some of Mrs. Hayden’s second-grade students. strengths and identifying the development to give students the best possible child’s reading level, the teacher is then able to provide books educational start and to foster a love of reading from a very young age. specifically written for that exact reading level. This approach encompasses the classroom teacher, the “TCA has spent over $25,000 to build two libraries of leveled, administrative team of the Lower School, a reading specialist and instructional reading books for our students. We have added over a literacy coach. “Anne Badger and Beverly Birmingham, our 15,000 books. These special books are beautiful works of fiction Lower School head and assistant head, are deeply conversant in the and non-fiction and are written to step children carefully through latest research on early literacy skills and strategies,” said Academic NDER THE DIRECTION

Dean Taylor. “This approach allows us to pay very careful attention to how our youngest students are learning about literacy.”

LITERACY IN THE CLASSROOM Teachers observe each child as he or she is beginning to read and as he or she progresses in reading. The teacher notes the child’s strengths and uses assessment tools to match that child to his or her appropriate reading needs in order to provide books on the appropriate level and reading instruction that will move the child forward in his or her reading progression. This approach to teaching reading includes, but is not limited to, phonics. While phonics is embedded in the instruction, it’s only part of the whole process that also includes whole language, reading, writing and read-alouds. “It’s a balanced approach to literacy,” said Reading Specialist Laura Ouimette. “Reading is about creating and extracting meaning from the text, and teachers now have the tools that allow them to be responsive to each child. So students can read at their own individual levels with teachers explicitly teaching them how to think and comprehend what they’re reading.” The process is methodical, with every level containing a unique series of literacy and thinking skills designed to move the

34

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016


different levels of skills,” said Taylor. “We are able to assess a child to get a ‘just right’ book that gives him or her the next set of skills that are needed to move ahead. The children are so encouraged that they are truly reading!”

Kindergarten teacher Ann Gilliland tailors instruction to a small group of students during reading time.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT While the teacher is on the front line of classroom instruction, the entire team of Lower School administrators is involved with the assessment, instruction and development of every child. Lower School teachers regularly meet with Anne Badger, Beverly Birmingham, Lower School Counselor Mia Mbroh and Lower School Academic Support Specialist Julie Scheer to discuss each and every student in the Lower School, examine assessment data and identify those who need extra attention, whether it’s academically, emotionally or developmentally. “As administrators, it’s very important to us to know the students in our building,” said Anne Badger. “We know every student by name, all 500 of them. We greet them in the mornings, talk to them

about their interests, and we want to make sure we’re meeting their academic needs.” Students who need additional literacy instruction are referred to Reading Club with the reading specialist and literacy coach. These students come to Reading Club four times a week for 40-minute blocks of highly intensive, targeted reading lessons. The goal of Reading Club is to address the specific areas where a student is struggling, help him or her move through them and move that student out of Reading Club when he or she is able.

EMBEDDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT While there is a benefit to teachers and administrators attending offsite conferences for professional development, it is sometimes difficult to take the lessons and theories learned at those events and put them into practice in the classroom. With this new approach to teaching reading, TCA has also brought professional development inside the classrooms of the Lower School on a regular basis. In addition, in-service trainings are also used to enhance the literacy instruction. As TCA’s literacy trainer and coach, Townley, a former reading administrator for a large public school district, works with the teachers, both individually and by grade level, on literacy coaching. She goes into classrooms, models new teaching techniques and strategies, observes teaching and mentors the Lower School teachers. Teacher training often involves role-playing, video-taping lessons and co-teaching with Townley. “This continued professional development within the class­rooms has allowed us to implement powerful learning,” said Townley. “TCA is investing in elevating our teachers’ expertise by taking what we were doing and making it even better.” TCA’s commitment to early literacy is very evident through the personnel, time and money it has invested and continues to invest in its youngest learners. Giving students the instruction, literacy tools and comprehension skills they need at a very early age translates to greater success in the classroom in later years.

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

35


36

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016


ENGINEERING STUDENTS TACKLE PROJECTS TO BETTER OUR SCHOOL AND HELP OTHERS BY L I S A W O N G , D IRECTO R O F T EC HN O LO GY IN T EGR ATI O N A ND H O N O RS E N GINE E RIN G D E S I GN T E AC HE R ENGINEERING IS THE APPLICATION of math, science and technology to

solve problems in the world. It is designing a product or process that in some way improves the world. This year, TCA launched a new course called Honors Engineering Design. Sixteen senior students spent the year gaining perspective on various engineering disciplines by the introduction of design principles and practices, as well as current and emerging challenges within the field. Hands-on projects, such as designing and building a hydraulic arm and totem pole, allowed students to learn the engineering design cycle. Students designed, modeled, prototyped and manufactured designs using 3D CAD solid modeling software and a 3D printer. I wanted my students to fully understand how much thought and design goes into everything they consume or use in order to fully appreciate God’s resources. Several engineers from industry came to speak to the class, and the students learned how broad the engineering field is. Our guest speakers worked on projects such as the iFly indoor skydiving experience, HVAC systems and thermal vision systems used in the United States military. They visited the Deason Innovation Gym at Southern Methodist University and Humanetics, a precision machine shop. After two trimesters of learning, students were assigned a senior design project for the third trimester. It was an opportunity to put into practice what they had studied all year and also learn first-hand that with the gifts that God has given them, they can make a difference in the world. They can use engineering to change people’s lives. I had been praying and planning for these projects for a year. The challenge was to identify real-world needs that could be addressed by high school students within a trimester’s worth of time, using limited resources. SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

37


HONORS ENGINEERING DESIGN

The 16 seniors were divided into four design teams, based on their decision-making styles, as well as their skill sets, and projects were assigned to the groups. Each team consisted of four members with specific roles. The students learned that collaboration is the heart of all

1st TRIMESTER

2nd TRIMESTER

Project: Hydraulic Arm Design Engineering Design Cycle Engineering notebooks and patents Intro to different types of engineering majors and professions Working on Technical Teams Engineering Presentations Manufacturing/Production/Process Engineering Lean Manufacturing Engineering Ethics Safety Engineering R&D Engineering Design for Manufacturability (DFM) Fastener Systems Materials Science Reverse Engineering

Project: Totem Pole Design Project (using Autodesk Inventor and 3D Printer) 2D vs. 3D Design Isometric (30-60-30) and Orthographic Drawings Dimensions and Tolerances Engineering Drawings Engineering Change Orders (ECO) Learn the Basics of AutoDesk Inventor 3D Solid Modeling (parts, assemblies, drawings) Rapid Prototyping using 3D Printing Test Engineering Field Engineering Failure Analysis - Failure Modes Effects Analysis Data Analysis using Excel

engineering projects. Learning how to work with other engineers who have entirely different thought processes, how to work with vendors and, most importantly, how to communicate and understand customers are critical to success.

TEAM MEMBER ROLES:

GROUP PROJECTS:

Project Engineer • Be the customer interface • Manage tasks and schedule • Ensure target dates are met • Manage team activities

PROJECT 1: ZERO-WASTE CAMPUS CUSTOMER: Kevin Folsom, TCA Director of Campus Operations GOAL: Develop a plan that would lead TCA to become a “zero-

waste campus” and significantly reduce the annual costs of waste

Finance Manager • Ensure project meets financial goals • Keep track of all finances on Excel spreadsheet • Collect all project receipts for submission

removal. Currently, the only recycling program on campus is the Upper School Green Team. The task was to review all waste (general trash, paper, food products, etc.) and develop a campuswide process for sustainability and recycling. Mr. Folsom will have

Quality Control Engineer • Write weekly status reports • Manage all documentation • Oversee overall product/project quality

the infrastructure in place to accommodate single-stream recycling

Chief Technical Engineer • Be the main technical lead • Be responsible for all engineering drawings and work instructions • Ensure all design constraints are met

of this world and good stewards of God’s resources.

and composting to a point where his department could support a zero-waste campus. Not only would this project save money for TCA, it would also teach our community to be responsible citizens

IDENTIFY THE NEED RESEARCH THE PROBLEM

REDESIGN

ENGINEERING DESIGN CYCLE

COMMUNICATE THE DESIGN

TEST AND EVALUATE PROTOTYPE

SELECT THE MOST PROMISING SOLUTION CONSTRUCT A PROTOTYPE

38

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

DEVELOP POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Team 1 students discuss their recycling and sustainability ideas for the TCA campus with Director of Campus Operations Kevin Folsom.


CURRICULUM 3rd TRIMESTER Project: Senior Design Project Design Proposals Customer Requirements and Research Human Factors in Design Sustainability Engineering Producibility Engineering

THE STUDENTS LEARNED that collaboration is the heart of all engineering projects. Learning how to work with other engineers who have entirely different thought processes, how to work with vendors

Quality Engineering - International Organization for Standardization Industrial Engineering Supply Chain Management

and, most importantly, how to communicate and

Factory Design

understand customers are critical to success.

PROJECT 2: LOWER SCHOOL DCD SLANT STATION

PROJECT 3: EYE-LEVEL INTERACTIVE STATION

CUSTOMER: Julie Scheer, TCA Lower School Academic Support

CUSTOMER: Micah Kwok (parents are Kenny and Christine Kwok)

Services Coordinator

BUDGET: $300

BUDGET: $200

GOAL: Design a station that can mount toys and books at eye

GOAL: Design a slanted writing surface for Lower School students

level for a three-year-old child with hydrocephalus who is bound

who have been diagnosed with Developmental Coordination

to a wheelchair. This station needs to roll up to the wheelchair,

Disorder (DCD). DCD is a delay in the development of motor skills

be able to tilt and be able to move in the vertical direction

or difficulty coordinating movements, resulting in a child being

to accommodate growth. The table must hold toys or objects

unable to perform common everyday tasks. There are approximately

without falling on the child. The station will be used during

five to eight Lower School students with this disorder. The goal was

Micah’s daily therapy sessions. Students had to consider stability,

to design a station that can sit on top of a desk to help with student

safety, size and growth of the child.

writing and schoolwork. The station must accommodate students in grades preK to four. The durable station must have a clip to hold papers or an opened workbook, be transportable, accommodate a student name card and must be able to be disinfected. Students had to consider stability, safety and size of the board.

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

39


Students used 3D CAD solid modeling software and a 3D printer to create custom plastic letters and other toys for their three-year-old client.

PROJECT 4: CVI VISUAL APPARATUS

REAL-WORLD LESSONS LEARNED

CUSTOMER: Micah Kwok (parents are Kenny and Christine Kwok)

It didn’t take too long into the assignment for the students to realize

BUDGET: $200

that this was not a typical school project. Having a real customer

GOAL: Design an apparatus for a three-year-old child with

with deadlines and a budget was exciting yet daunting. Senior

hydrocephalus who has Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI). CVI

Josh John said that once he met Micah for the initial meeting, he

is a term used to describe visual impairment that occurs due to

realized that this assignment was going to be special. When a news

brain injury. CVI differs from other types of visual impairment,

reporter asked Georgia Scalfano what grade she thought she would

which are due to physical problems with the eyes. CVI is caused

get on this project, she said that over this whole trimester she never

by damage to the visual centers of the brain, which interferes with

thought about the grade, because she was so focused on Micah!

communication between the brain and the eyes. The eyes are able

That is what I wanted the students to experience. I wanted them to

to see, but the brain is not interpreting what is being seen. Micah

look beyond formulas and calculations and to learn to be motivated

has difficulty focusing on objects when there is too much noise

by serving others in the world.

in the background. The apparatus needs to have interchangeable visuals with high contrast backgrounds. These visual objects can contain different colors, shapes, textures and lights. The apparatus will be used during Micah’s daily therapy sessions. Students had to consider stability, safety and size.

ZERO-WASTE CAMPUS This team had a very difficult task. Instead of designing a product, they had to design a campus-wide system. They had to schedule numerous meetings with the schools’ administration, teachers and potential vendors. They developed a school policy, spoke at faculty meetings, performed skits on KTCA for Lower School and figured out the process flow of recycle bins through each building. They had to develop a process that could be maintained knowing they would graduate before the launch of the program. Customer Kevin Folsom was extremely pleased with how much they accomplished in just a short amount of time. In the near future, recycling bins will be in all classrooms/offices, and all food waste from the three cafeterias will be sent to composting. The beauty of this project is that students, preK–12, will be educated on the importance of being good stewards of God’s resources. God can use our “trash” as resources for something else.

40

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016


“IT’S A GREAT FEELING,” said senior Ryan Rogers. “It’s one thing to make something for yourself, but when the thing that you build actually improves the quality of life for someone Students from team 2 presented their design to Julie Scheer and a potential user from the Lower School.

LOWER SCHOOL DCD SLANT STATION

else, it’s an even better feeling.”

During the final presentation to the Kwoks, Micah sat so peacefully

The team learned early on that the success of its product would

watching. The moment the students placed the apparatus in front of

be based upon the proper selection of material. After creating

him, he gently lifted his hands to play with one of the toys. I couldn’t

a decision matrix, with acrylic, steel, glass and wood, the team

hold back the tears of joy. That was the moment when I knew that the

chose acrylic for its strength, price and weight. An unexpected

hours I put into proposing to launch the TCA engineering program,

benefit of using acrylic material was that the DCD student could

developing the curriculum, planning lessons, grading and teaching

use the station as a white board, so the team painted the back

were all worth every second invested. To see the students experience

side of the surface white. They learned that the most difficult part

how their products can change a person’s life was invaluable, and I am

was finding the best tool to cut the acrylic sheets. The students

so thankful they had the opportunity to do so in high school!

were resourceful and got help from Bryan McNatt, a mechanical

“It’s a great feeling,” said senior Ryan Rogers. “It’s one thing

engineer who owns his own firm called MRD. Bryan spoke to the

to make something for yourself, but when the thing that you build

class in the fall, so the students connected with him as a resource.

actually improves the quality of life for someone else, it’s an even

One fourth-grade student with DCD came to the final presentation

better feeling.”

to test out the product and was so excited to use it in class.

EYE-LEVEL INTERACTIVE STATION and CVI VISUAL APPARATUS

I am so proud of the students. The lessons they learned in this class were invaluable. They learned that they may need to run through the engineering design cycle fifty times before their product

The biggest lesson these teams learned was how to work effectively

works, that true success is the ability to effectively work on a team

with a vendor. Metal needed to be cut and welded, but TCA did not

and that God can be glorified through engineering by designing

have the resources to do this on campus. The students chose to

products to help others.

work with Humanetics, the local machine shop that our class visited in the fall. The company was so touched by Micah’s story that they generously offered to cut and weld the metal for free. Typical vendor delays caused much stress for the students, but they learned to move on and pull long hours when needed. They learned first-hand that delays will always happen in industry, and the key is to figure out how to still meet a customer deadline. Students ended up working long hours on a Sunday after prom night sewing the CVI sleeves and altering the station to apply more weight to the base.

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

41


BUILDING COMMUNITY

,, ,, CAMPUS BLANKETED WITH FUN AND FELLOWSHIP

I STOOD ON T H E L AW N in front of the Field House

parking lot on Saturday, April 2, while children played, parents laughed, the Upper School Worship Team sang, the Photo Wagon captured moments, food trucks fed over 1,100 people, popcorn was served and Pokey O’s were consumed. What a wonderful thing to see­­­—most of our community coming together to worship, visit with friends and watch as we raffled off a car! My heart is full; we are blessed indeed! Thank you to our sponsors Baylor Scott & White Health, Parker School Uniforms, idGROUP and CBRE who gave generously so all this fun was free to our community. And thank you, Toyota of Dallas and the Dortch family for giving TCA the car. (This year’s winner purchased just two raffle tickets!) I have a team working for me who love their jobs. They are creative, and they appreciate what it means to serve the TCA community. We will raise $1,200,000 for Student Tuition Aid (the Lord willing) for the 2016–17 school year. We raised more than $115,000 for the Athletic Booster Club through North Texas Giving Day (NTGD), along with campus improvements adding up to $400,000 this school year. Our director of alumni will visit several colleges, have dinner or lunch with our alumni students at Baylor University, Texas A&M, TCU, OSU and OU. We invest in our students and families, and that investment doesn’t stop at graduation. We will use the summer to plan for 2016–17, the Trinity Classic Golf and Tennis Tournament, New Parent Breakfast and Lunch, Homecoming, Grandparent Days, NTGD, and this just takes us to Christmas! I leave you with a thought from Tim Keller: “The sin under all other sins is a lack of joy in Christ.” It is with pure joy that we plan for 2016–17 and excitement for the year to come. I am thankful for 2015–16 and the many memories and blessings we have received in Him. Affectionately,

B E C K Y D. L E W I S , E X ECU TI V E DI R ECTOR OF DEV ELOPM ENT

42

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016


And the w

inner is . .

.

Clarice Shepard drove away in her brand new Toyota car on Saturday, April 9! Second-grader Adysen Thibaudeau sold Clarice the winning ticket! Congratulations, Clarice and Adysen! Thank you to all of our TCA students for helping us set a new record in raffle sales—over $117,000 worth of $10 raffle tickets! Student Tuition Aid and Facilities Enhancement benefitted greatly from your commitment to this campaign! Thank you to Toyota of Dallas and the Dortch Family for making the raffle possible! And, thank you to Parker School Uniforms for sponsoring the printing of the raffle tickets.


BUILDING COMMUNITY

Le t’s

EXCITEMENT IS GROWING about

challenges by gaining wisdom and learning

a new initiative to bring TCA

practical skills, first and foremost, to LOVE our

fathers together in an

wives, but then also to EQUIP each other and

all-school fellowship community: LEAD. Since last fall, meetings and fellow­ship break­

our children, ACTIVATE the God-given potential that we have in Christ and DEPLOY our gifts. That’s LEAD.” “In summary, TCA Men LEAD’s mission is to promote and sustain a community of discipleship at TCA,” AJ stated. “Our desire is for the men of TCA to realize their full potential to be the spiritual family leaders that God intends. So what does that mean? Well, there are many areas where we can work, but thus far

fasts have

LE

been held among several dozen TCA fathers. At these meetings, these men heard from

father’s most influential conversations with his son or daughter will revolve around sports. For our youth to compete against an opponent in

AD

AD

LE

a public forum is hard work, but in the heat of athletic competition, all fathers have precious,

LEAD is underway.

life-changing opportunities to encourage and

It began last summer, when TCA

build character in their children. The goal of the

fathers AJ Plautz and Chris Smith began

sports focus within LEAD is to strengthen fathers

meeting and praying together about the worldly

and father-coaches by bringing awareness to the

challenges that face all husbands and fathers

issues challenging our youth, presenting tools and

and specifically how the men of TCA can be

ideas and providing accountability and encourage-

united to strengthen their faith, marriages and

ment from other men.”

families. They have been joined in this effort by

Adam McKelvey’s passion is for equipping.

TCA fathers Adam McKelvey, Justin Ridnour,

“One of my favorite experiences with my kids

Jay Young (president of the Lower School Dads

is meeting at Norma’s with four other TCA

Club) and others.

dads and their kids for breakfast and having a devotional before school. We’ve forged

and tremendous strengths. For fathers, we

tremendous relationships, and I’m convinced

already offer a Lower School Dads Club, which

that the time that we invest is enhancing a

organizes ‘Dads on the Doors,’ snow cones

purposeful relationship with our own children

for Lower School and other events,” said AJ

while creating a foundation of support and

Plautz. “But after Lower School, there are

accountability within our entire group. And our

fewer organized activities, and we know that

time has reflected Matthew 18:20 in that our

Middle School and Upper School are critical

conversations have provided an abundance of

times in the spiritual development of our

insight and spiritual perspective. My hope is

children and stressful for our families. We

that through LEAD, we can build these small

started asking ourselves, ‘How could we help

groups throughout TCA,” said Adam.

children grow older?’” “In addition,” said Chris Smith, “being

SUMMER 2016

Justin Ridnour joined LEAD specifically to help lead the sports effort. He said, “Some of a

vision and established goals.

fathers become more, not less, engaged as our

TRINITY TODAY

equipping, fellowship and sports.”

school leaders, crafted a

“We have a great community at TCA

44

we have determined to focus initial efforts on

Excitement is building, and these men encourage all TCA fathers, including faculty and staff, to join in the effort to build fellowship,

a TCA family doesn’t immunize you from the

disciple one another and our children, lead our

world, and all fathers face common but acute

families and strengthen the TCA community.

challenges of work-life balance, temptation,

LEAD events will be promoted through the

marital conflict, addiction and financial issues.

eWeekly and other school communications.

We can be strengthened to overcome these

Come walk with us!


Save the Date

Golf & Tennis Tournament BENEFITING TCA STUDENT TUITION AID

November 7, 2016

BENT TREE COUNTRY CLUB

Due to pace of play, space will be limited. R E G I S T R AT I O N I N F O R M AT I O N C O M I N G S O O N .


RECOGNITION

35 YEARS Bill Bradley

30 YEARS

Dennis Saffold and Dave Delph

20 YEARS

Back row (L to R): Dawn Pownell, Joseph Acker and Dan Mills Front row (L to R): Vicki Gillespie, Lynne Klein, Cynthia Vittetoe and Lorna Griffin (not pictured: Didi Henderson)

15 YEARS Janet Wiese, Radu Sucilea and Ann Gilliland (not pictured: Julie Scheer and Angie Cox)

10 YEARS

Laurie Springer and Betsy Brady (not pictured: Cindy Neff and Teresa Rosario)

5 YEARS

Back row (L to R): Kendall Ellis, Donna Connell, Jennifer Moore and Pam Heard Front row (L to R): Jeremy Knight, Holly Bator and Katelyn Manchester (not pictured: Karen Fields, Shannon Frantz, Denise Jarrell, Melissa Manos, Katherine Somich, Kris Springfield, Caryn Thexton and Camille Walker)

46

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

CELEBRATING THEIR


These dedicated employees who are retiring this year have given over two decades of faithful service to TCA:

CONNIE NIXON, 36 YEARS “If you have ever had the good fortune to get to know Connie Nixon, you will testify that she will never be forgotten. Some remember her as their math teacher or math department head. Some remember Connie as their cheerleader sponsor or a valuable participant on many of the Mexico, Israel, Wilderness and senior trips. Connie has a contagious laugh and a joyful spirit, as well as the ability to speak honestly with kindness. When asked, her colleagues have noted her ability to make complex things simple in the classroom. Others say that she genuinely loves being with students and strives to help them achieve their potential. “She is a master teacher, mentor and energizes those around her. She loves to quietly share her wisdom, knows how to chunk markers into distant trashcans and loves receiving her favorite Mountain Bars to snack on. We will greatly miss Connie and her ever-present and loving husband, Bobby. The TCA community is lucky to have had Connie as a teacher and friend these past 36 years.” —Kyle Morrill, head of Upper School

CAROL POND, 25 YEARS “For many TCA families, Carol Pond has the special recognition of being their child’s first teacher on the TCA journey. Carol served as the half-day kindergarten teacher for much of her career. So many students credit Mrs. Pond for teaching them to read, write their letters and understand basic math skills. Also, students often remember landforms, dinosaurs and the solar system due to Carol’s catchy songs and engaging activities. Carol is a dearly loved colleague and teammate by all in the Lower School. Her work ethic and professionalism are admired and respected. When given the opportunity to create TCA’s first pre-kindergarten program, Carol worked tirelessly on the curriculum and procedures to help create an exciting, child-centered program that has flourished under her care. “Carol has dedicated her career to the guidance and teaching of young children. Every child who enters her classroom is blessed to receive a strong academic foundation, but even more importantly, students leave her classroom knowing our Heavenly Father’s love for each of them.” —Anne Badger, head of Lower School

SERVICE

THANK YOU and BEST WISHES Thank you to these special employees who are leaving us: Connie Nixon (36 years), Carol Pond (25 years), Judy Lins (23 years), Gary O’Neal (18 years), Jane Rodgers (16 years), Beth Herritage (9 years), Patricia Young (9 years), Fran Pohlman (7 years), Wendy Muñoz (6 years), Sylvia Thornton (5 years), Susie Feldman (4½ years) and LaDean Noakes (3 years)

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

47


TROJAN LIFE

THE HEART OF

TCA ATHLETICS helicopter flights long into the South Vietnamese night to resupply the troops and evacuate the wounded. After his fifth trip, due to heavy gunfire and casualties, the mission was cancelled, deemed too dangerous for him and others. He flew the next seventeen flights on his own initiative into the same heavy gunfire as he rallied other volunteers to assist under his coordination. His actions saved over 70 lives and ensured the survival of an entire battalion that included between five and eight hundred men. BRUCE CRANDALL FLEW TWENTY-TWO

BY K IR K MCJ U NK IN, E X E C U T I V E AT H L E T I C D I R E C T O R

For his heroism and courage, Crandall received the United States highest honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor. After his award, Bruce commented, “In all of us is an aspect that looks out for one another, to help and serve one another. It’s a relationship you cannot explain. But for everyone who’s been in that situation, they know what it is.”

“At the core of successful teams are unselfishness and self-sacrificial devotion to others.”

48

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

The “it” Bruce is describing is that deep sense of joy that comes from love, acting through camaraderie and self-sacrificial devotion to others and from others. That is, to love and be loved. Great teams and great teammates commit to other’s success. They have “it.” Phil Jackson coached his teams to 11 NBA championships and said it like this: “Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the ‘me’ for ‘we.’” There it is again, considering other’s success ahead of one’s own. To do that means dying to the self for the benefit of others. The self that is self-centered behavior is the enemy of a team or any group of people unified around a purpose. The practice and joy of surrendering the self for the team is common among athletic and military teams alike. There seems to be an ease and great deal of clarity around service and sacrifice for one another. The challenge is the transfer of the same unselfish sacrifice to other areas of life. With help from Joe Ehrmann, TCA has defined a team as “a community of interdependent relationships made up of participants, coaches and parents who share their respective gifts and skills to one another’s benefit.” To be on a team means every individual commits to be inseparably bound to others’ success


does this enable teams to perform at their best, it validates humility and life lessons that will serve our athletes long after they leave TCA. As coaches, we are far more interested in our athletes becoming mature in their faith and learning to apply selfless principles to their future friends, employers, spouses and family. Paul understood how to develop people and how to unify people to see themselves as a unit, team or community. He knew how to help them get “it.” Building selfless unity starts with humility and putting away selfishness, personal vanity and haughtiness. Note his words in Philippians 2:2–4 as he addresses petty quarrels and the lack of harmony in the Philippian church: Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, let each regard one another more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. and the success of the whole community. Now, replace the word “team” with “church” or “family” and the specifics of the participants. Then note the rich value of the definition. Athletic teams should be models. We, as a body of Christ followers, are called to serve and sacrifice for others. At the core of successful teams are unselfishness and self-sacrificial devotion to others. The transfer of this principle is the heart of our program. Not only

mature him or her in how to trust the Lord through trials. It should inform him or her on work ethic and understanding of Jesus as Lord. An athlete’s relationship with Jesus should be enhanced by the TCA athletic experience. The activities of the Athletic Department are a part of TCA’s educational program. The school’s mission statement includes offering “a Christian community committed to integrating biblical faith and learning. The school desires to educate and develop the whole person for the glory of God by helping equip each student to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and to become a faithful disciple of Him.” Speed, quick feet, grace, good hand-eye coordination and hard work are great assets but wane in their usefulness over time. However, dedication and selfless service to others is endless in its application to the rest of life. TCA coaches understand their ministry is developing young people to be followers of Christ. Athletics is their tool. To teach “life” through a team is a gift transformational coaches long to give.

He starts with a mindset, marries it with love and shifts to practical advice based on the priority of “regarding others more important than yourselves.” The beauty of Paul’s admonition is its universal application to all areas of life. Serving on a team should yield practical experience with seeing others as more important and offering our gifts, time and talent to the benefit of others.

The “it” Bruce Crandall describes is both the result and fuel that feeds a passion to sacrificially love others. Paul reminds us to consider others more important than ourselves and do nothing from selfish ambition. What is the heart of TCA athletics? To develop and love our athletes in a manner that cultivates that deep sense of joy from being loved and desire to pass “it” on long after they leave our community.

TCA’s athletic program should enhance an athlete’s ability to love and serve others. It should help

Get it ?

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

49


SPORTS BEAT

VARSITY BOYS SOCCER

ended an exceptional season with the TAPPS 5A Division I State Championship title! For the second year in a row, the Trojans broke multiple school records along the way to the Division I State title, including a district record (11-3), overall record (21-4-2) and goals scored (82), surpassing everyone in the district. It is no secret that the most competitive 5A district in the state brought fierce competition each and every game, and multiple wins over perennial powerhouses Ft. Worth Nolan, Prestonwood Christian, Liberty Christian, Bishop Dunne and Parish Episcopal proved to the entire state the Trojans were a favorite to reach the state finals once again. After a strong non-district schedule, highlighted by a 3–1 win on the road against an excellent St. Mark’s School of Texas team, the team battled through adversity and injuries and finished the season as district runner-up and hosted THE TROJAN BOYS SOCCER TEAM

2015–16 TAPPS 5A STATE CHAMPIONS!

the first home playoff game in school history! The memories and achievements for the Trojans were many with multiple overtime wins, long-range goals and stifling defense, which gave proof that this team truly believed in this year’s motto of “Donate your life to your brother.” In the state playoffs, the Trojans defeated San Antonio St. Michael’s 9–0, a strong Bishop Dunne team 2–0 and in the semi-finals, defeated an excellent Brownsville St. Joseph 3–2 to advance to the State Championship game versus district rival John Paul II. For the first time, the Trojans were at full strength for the title game and defeated an exceptional JP II team 2–1 in a thriller to claim the 5A Division I State Championship title, hoisting the trophy for only the second time in school history and the first time since 2005!

led by senior captains ALLISON JACKSON and HANNAH HARWELL, had a good season and a fantastic finish. The strong mix of returning THE VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER TEAM,

players and some new freshmen created great energy and enthusiasm on the practice field and in games. The great team chemistry showed on the field in the way they played for each other. This team posted a 10-win season and improved its district goal differential by 20 goals this season, giving up nine fewer goals and scoring 11 more than the previous season, with 12 different players contributing at least one goal. The girls finished the season with an incredible display of heart and character. They had a pre-season goal of making the playoffs and a stretch goal of winning a first-round game, neither of which seemed possible after a slow start in district. The girls entered the playoffs as a #8 seed and were forced to travel to Houston to play the top contender in the state outside of Dallas. They played their best game of the season and pulled off a huge upset on the road, beating #1 seed Concordia Lutheran 2–1. The girls followed that with a thrilling 3–2 victory in sudden death overtime in the regionals against district rival Parish Episcopal, after being down 2–0 early in the game. One of the best memories of the season was having a great crowd at that regional game, including the boys team, coaching staff and parents who rushed over after their own playoff victory. They arrived in time to give the team a boost from the stands and then rushed the field with other students to celebrate the victory. It was definitely a memory for a lifetime. The journey ended in the state semi-final game with a loss to the eventual state champion, but the girls competed well and came together as a team. Congratulations to the following athletes for district and team awards: KATE RECTOR – Second Team All-District SARA KUKUK – Honorable Mention All-District TORI TROOP – Honorable Mention All-District, Team MVP 50

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER


Congratulations to the following athletes for district, state and team awards: MATTHEW SPRINGFIELD – First Team All-District, District Offensive MVP,

Second Team All-State, Team MVP JACK SAVAGE - First Team All-District, Second Team All-State DAVIS ROGERS - Second Team All-District HAMILTON TARBETT - Second Team All-District JAMES TARDY - Second Team All-District CHRISTOPHER WINES - Second Team All-District AARON FELDMAN - Honorable Mention All-District, Newcomer of the Year

was a memorable one for the team; the team finished in second place at both the TAPPS State Wrestling Championships and the Texas Prep State Wrestling Championships. The Trojans finished in 17th place at the National Prep Wrestling Championships held at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and the team also finished in 11th Place at the prestigious Prep Slam in Atlanta, Georgia. At the TAPPS State Wrestling Championships, Trojan wrestlers earning TAPPS All-State honors were NOAH MILLER (first at 106 pounds), KENNEDY CROSS (first at 120 pounds), captain JACK MUELLER (first at 126 pounds), FOTI PAKES (second at 138 pounds), RILEY CROW (third at 145 pounds), MJ MASSINGER (fourth at 160 pounds), ALEXANDER BALDWIN (first at 195 pounds) and GAYDEN WILLIAMS (third at 285 pounds). Kennedy Cross was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler, and Jack Mueller also earned TAPPS Academic All-State honors. At the Texas Prep State Wrestling Championships, Trojan wrestlers earning Prep All-State honors were Noah Miller (first at 106 pounds), Kennedy Cross (second at 120 pounds), Jack Mueller (first at 126 pounds), Foti Pakes (third at 138 pounds), Riley Crow (third at 145 pounds) and captain COLE WILLIAMS (first at 170 pounds). Jack Mueller was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Noah Miller, Kennedy Cross, Jack Mueller, Foti Pakes and Riley Crow all participated in the National Prep Wrestling Championships. (Cole Williams qualified but was unable to attend due to an injury). Jack Mueller earned his fourth consecutive National Prep Championship by winning the 126-pound weight class. For his performance, Jack was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the National Prep Wrestling Championships. Noah Miller also earned Prep All-American honors by finishing in sixth place in the 106-pound weight class. Jack Mueller joined the Trojan Wrestling Team’s Century Club by winning his 100th career varsity match in a TCA uniform on November 14 at the Cougar Duals at The Colony High School. THE 2015-16 TROJAN WRESTLING SEASON

Congratulations to the following athletes for these team awards: Jack Mueller - Wrestler of the Year, Team MVP Noah Miller - Newcomer of the Year

MJ Massinger - Most Improved Wrestler DODD WEYANDT - Coaches’ Award

VARSITY WRESTLING SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

51


THE VARSITY BOYS TRADK AND FIELD TEAM verse was Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up,” and it was a great season for boys track. The goals going into the season were to improve individually, improve as a team, place in the top three in the North Region and have a strong showing at the state championship. The team accomplished each of its goals. The weekly progress was validation that the boys were working hard. The season started with a pure domination in the field events at a 5A public school meet in Garland and finished with a top-four team finish at the TAPPS 5A State Championship. The team broke four school records this season and had seven members named Academic All-State.

Congratulations to the following athletes for district, state and team awards: PARKER OLIVER – Honorable Mention All-State Long Jump,

Honorable Mention All-State Triple Jump, Second Team All-State 100m, Honorable Mention All-State 4 x 100m, Second Team All-State 4 x 200m, Academic All-State, Team MVP Track DAVID MUERY – All-State Shot Put, Second Team All-State Discus, Academic All-State, Team MVP Field BROOKS GLANTON – Second Team All-State 4 x 200m MARK PATERSON – Honorable Mention All-State 4 x 100m, Academic All-State JACK SAVAGE – Honorable Mention All-State 4 x 100m, Second Team All State 4 x 200m, Academic All-State

COURT WALKER – Honorable Mention All-State 4 x 100m,

Second Team All-State 4 x 200m, Academic All-State AARON FELDMAN – Academic All-State CAMERON PINO – Academic All-State NEW SCHOOL RECORDS

100m – Parker Oliver - 10.45 (previous record 10.61, 2006) 4 x 100m Relay – Mark Paterson, Jack Savage, Court Walker, Parker Oliver - 42.28 (previous record 42.72, 2015) 4 x 200m Relay – Jack Savage, Brooks Glanton, Court Walker, Parker Oliver – 1:31.17 (previous record 1:32.36, 2011) Shot Put – David Muery – 51’1 (previous record 49.9, 2001)

VARSITY TENNIS 52

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

VARSITY TRACK &


THE GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM verse was Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,” and the team exhibited dedication, perseverance and hard work this entire season. Each time the girls stepped onto the track, they gave their whole heart, working for the Lord. Their hard work paid off when they qualified their 4x400 relay to the TAPPS State Championship. The girls ran well and continued to achieve personal best times/distances at the TAPPS Regional Meet. There were races won and personal records set throughout the season, but the team’s ultimate victory was found in bringing glory to God. The girls had a successful season, and, with such a young team, their future looks very bright.

Congratulations to the following athletes for district, state and team awards:

BOYS FIELD

ASHLEY HOCK – Team MVP Track, Team

Leadership Award, Academic All-State TARA WILLIAMSON – Team MVP Field

LAUREN SULZEN – Team Rookie of the Year RILEY CHANDLER – Team Track Spirit Award BAILEY CHAFFIN – Team Most Improved KILEY WILSON – Team Most Improved

VARSITY GIRLS TRACK & FIELD

went undefeated this year in district play until the final match of the year. Ursuline, district champs, narrowly defeated TCA in what were some very close matches for both singles and doubles. The next week in the district championships, all six girls won enough matches to earn the privilege of going to state. BROOKE HENEGAR, ABBY MUSCHALEK and GEORGIA MOORE all received third-place medals in singles (Brooke) and doubles (Abby and Georgia). MOLLY HENEGAR, NICOLE MUSCHALEK and senior captain LAUREN GOLDEN also made it to the state tournament in Waco. THE GIRLS TENNIS TEAM

THE BOYS TENNIS TEAM

fought well against several very strong state-ranked teams this year. Captain

COLLIN SCHUSTER ended the year winning the “Most Wins” award, while THEO FANDRICH earned the “Highest Winning Percentage” award. These two seniors, along with BRETT FAIR and CAMPBELL ROE,

displayed strong leadership and positive encouragement to never give up and keep fighting. Their actions positively affected all members of the very young team. Much thanks and appreciation go out to all the seniors, especially the three captains, Lauren Golden, MADISON HELMS, and Collin Schuster, for the continued discipline, devotion to the team and Trojan spirit, which all combined to form a legacy lasting years to come. Congratulations to the following athletes for district, state and team awards: Theo Fandrich – Team Highest Winning Percentage Nicole Muschalek – Team Scholar Athlete Award, Team Most Lauren Golden – Team MVP, Team Scholar Athlete Wins Award, Team Highest Winning Percentage, Academic All-State Award, Academic All-State Georgia Moore – Team Scholar Athlete Award, Academic All State

AVERY SCHUSTER – Team Most Improved

Abby Muschalek – Team Trojan Award, Team Most Wins Award

TANNER WAYTE – Team Most Improved, Team Trojan Award

Collin Schuster – Team MVP, Team Most Wins Award NICHOLAS WONG – Team Trojan Spirit Award

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

53


had another impressive swim season this year, winning team awards and achieving many individual improvements. TCA swimmers were led by seniors TATYANA AH CHU, LILI FIGUEROA, JENNIFER HARBOUR, BRETT FAIR, RYAN ROGERS, PAUL ROSARIO, AARON CHO and ALEX BALDWIN. The boys team won North Regionals for the third straight year. Moving on from regionals, the team made a great showing at the TAPPS state meet placing fifth. From that state meet, TCA had six boys qualify and compete at Eastern National Prep School Meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Congratulations to Brett Fair, GORDON MONTGOMERY, ANDREW WILLISON, BROOKS GLANTON, MICHAEL YOUNG and JAKE WALSH on placing 14th as a team out of over 30 teams. TCA SWIMMERS

Congratulations to TCA’s regional winners and state qualifiers: 200 Medley Relay – First place: Andrew Willison, Brett Fair, Brooks Glanton, Gordon Montgomery (new school record) 200 Free Relay – First place: Brooks Glanton, Michael Young, Jake Walsh, Brett Fair (new school record) 400 Free Relay – First place: Michael Young, Gordon Montgomery, Andrew Willison, Jake Walsh (new school record) Placing in the top three at regionals and qualifying for state:

The TCA girls team competed at the state meet in two relays:

Michael Young - 200 Free & 100 Fly PEYTON STONE - 100 Fly Brooks Glanton - 50 & 100 Free (new school records) Brett Fair – 50 Free & 100 Breaststroke AJ LAGASSA - 100 Breaststroke Jake Walsh – 50 Free & 100 Breaststroke Gordon Montgomery – 50 Free Andrew Willison – 100 Backstroke

200 Free Relay: Jennifer Harbour, ALEX MILLS, JORDAN MCFARLANE, NICOLE WILLISON 400 Free Relay: Nicole Willison, Alex Mills, Jennifer Harbour, Tatyana AuChu Team MVPs for the teams were: Boys – Brett Fair and Brooks Glanton Girls – Jennifer Harbour and Tatyana Ah Chu

had another tremendous season, going 30-6 on the year and 12-2 during district play. The team had an excellent run in the playoffs, winning two games in College Station to get to the final four. First, the Trojans defeated Brownsville St. Joseph 52–29 and then beat Dallas Parish Episcopal 59–40 in the regional finals. The Trojans came up against a very good San Antonio St. Anthony’s in the semi-finals of the state tournament, but fell short 64–57 in overtime. The team played extremely hard and battled to the very end. This team battled adversity all year long and had to overcome injury and illness throughout the season. Each player stepped up and performed admirably to help this team accomplish the great amount of success it achieved. THE BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM

Congratulations to the following athletes for district, state and team awards: MARK PATERSON – First Team All-District, District 1 5A Offensive Player

VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL 54

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

of the Year, First Team All-State, All-State Tournament Team, Team MVP REAGAN FREEMAN – First Team All-District, Second Team All-State, All-State Tournament Team BRANDON LEGBAND – First Team All-District, District 1 5A Defensive Player of the Year, Honorable Mention All-State MILLER WILLIAMS – Second Team All-District HUDSON NEUHOFF – Honorable Mention All-District


VARSITY SWIMMING took another step forward this season in establishing itself as a team with whom to be reckoned. With only one senior and no juniors, the team was one of the youngest in the state. The girls started off the year in surprising fashion by winning the Highland Park Tournament; then during Thanksgiving week on the home court, the girls surprised a lot of people by defeating a highly ranked Winnsboro team from east Texas. During Christmas break, the Lady Trojans headed to Austin for the St. Michael’s Private School Tournament, where the girls won all four games and brought home the championship trophy. On the heels of that accomplishment, the girls fought through the toughest district in the state, defeating scrappy Ursuline, Nolan and Bishop Dunne teams twice each and playing well against some of the district powers. The battle-tested Lady Trojans entered the TAPPS Super Regional playoffs in College Station and faced the Brownsville St. Joseph’s Bloodhounds. The girls came away with a first-round victory, 69–46, and then proceeded to play Tomball Concordia Lutheran, the highest ranked team out of Houston. The ladies fought hard for three quarters, but ran out of gas at the end as the very tall and experienced girls from Concordia pulled away with a victory, ending the season for the Trojans. Senior captain CHANDLER NOORDHOFF led the Trojans. Sophomore guard SARAH KONSTANS was one of the leading scorers and rebounders in the district, and sophomore SARAH LIPE led the team in scoring and rebounding. Sophomore point guard ABBEY McCUTCHEN led the Trojans in assists and steals, and sophomore guard PRESLEY BAKER led the girls in three-pointers. Congratulations, ladies, on an exciting season! THE GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM

VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL

Congratulations to the following athletes for district, state and team awards: Sarah Konstans – First Team All-District, Second Team All-State Sarah Lipe – Second Team All-District Abbey McCutchen – Second Team All-District, Team MVP Chandler Noordhoff – Honorable Mention All-District Presley Baker - Honorable Mention All-District SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

55


THREE WORDS CAME TO DEFINE THE 2016 VARSITY SOFTBALL

season this year: youth, tenacity and foundation. First, this team was very young, with no seniors and mostly freshmen. While this certainly made competing against senior-heavy district opponents a challenge, it also provided hope for many years of improvement and success as these young players continue to grow with many years remaining in the program. Second, this team exemplified tenacity throughout the season. JILLIAN DELP and REGAN O’SHEA battled back from early-season injuries to return for the remainder of the season. And Team MVP REAGAN ROBBINS battled throughout the season to lead the team, pitching in almost every game of the year. Third, this team serves as a foundation for future varsity teams. The goal for the season was for each player, and the team as a whole, to serve as a foundation for future teams, and this was accomplished through the leadership of team captains LINDSEY HAYDEN and Reagan Robbins. Congratulations to the following athletes for district, state and team awards:

VARSITY SOFTBALL

Reagan Robbins – Honorable Mention All-District, Team MVP Jillian Delp – Honorable Mention All-District

finished the 2016 season 18-13-3 and 9-5 in District 1-5A. The Trojans played another challenging schedule behind six outstanding seniors: TRACE AKIN (RF), WILLIAM GILBERT (P/1B), BRANDON LEGBAND (Manager), ZACH McCUTCHEN (P), JACKSON NOAKES (C) and ALEX STIEGLER (P/SS). Coaches Baxter, Salcedo, Stites and English are thankful for all the hard-work and time the players dedicated to the baseball program, participating in the fall baseball program, working out twice each week at the ATC, grooming the field daily and spending countless hours practicing and playing during the spring season. For the second consecutive year, TCA traveled to San Antonio to sweep Central Catholic in a best-of-three series for the Area Championship. In regionals, TCA took #1-ranked PCA to 19 innings before losing in two games. Seasonal highlights included participating in three consecutive, 5A-6A public school tournaments, followed by sweeping district opponents Parish Episcopal, Ft. Worth Nolan, Bishop Lynch and Bishop Dunne, as well as splitting with Liberty Christian. This season, the players truly exemplified Paul’s charge in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” The 2016 team truly never gave up or backed down, only moved forward boldly from one challenge to the next! The TCA coaches will always remember the blessing it was to coach these outstanding young men. THE VARSITY BASEBALL TEAM

Congratulations to the following athletes for district, state and team awards: William Gilbert – First Team All-District, District Pitcher of the Year, Team MVP Alex Stiegler – First Team All-District, Team MVP BLAKE MARSH – Second Team All District, District Newcomer of the Year JOSH ESCLAMADO – Second Team All-District Trace Akin – Honorable Mention All-District CALEB GETZ - Honorable Mention All-District

56

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

VARSITY BASEBALL


returned only one player from the previous championship teams, junior MACY HOLLIDAY. Holliday and senior JEN HARBOUR served as team captains throughout the year, and Holliday won two individual titles during the season. Freshmen LONDON THORNTON and BRIJIT CROSBY, along with sophomores CLAIRE ROEVER, BRYN BARRINGER and NATALIE MILLER all competed on the top five most of the season. The dedication and rapid improvement of this team could be seen in the improved play during the month of April. THE TWO-TIME DEFENDING STATE CHAMPIONS

Following a sixth-place team finish in district play, the team rebounded to claim fourth place at regionals and earned a trip to its fifth consecutive State Championship tournament. During the State Championship, the team saved its best performance for the big stage as Thornton, Roever, and Crosby all posted personal best scores, and the team claimed third place overall. That makes five straight top three finishes at the State Championship for the TCA girls golf program. Congratulations to the following athletes for district, state and team awards:

VARSITY GIRLS GOLF

Macy Holliday – All-District, All-Region, All-State, Academic All-State, Team MVP London Thornton – All-Region

has won six of the past nine state titles and made its 11th consecutive trip to the TAPPS 5A State Golf Tournament this year, taking third place. The team completed a demanding golf schedule this past year, playing in twelve tournaments beginning in September and ending with the state tournament in late April. TCA was invited again to play in three of the top high school golf tournaments in the country: the Antigua National in Scottsdale, Arizona; the Classic in Texarkana, Arkansas; and the Champions Invitational in Palm Springs, California. Also, for the first time the Trojans played in the Far West Classic in El Paso, Texas, in late October in a field that included many of the top Texas high school golf teams. THE TCA BOYS GOLF TEAM

Team highlights other than the third-place finish at state: • TCA captured the championship at the Glen Rose Invitational in March with a terrific score of 588. JUSTIN THOMPSON won the individual title with 68-73. • The Trojans won the TAPPS 5A Northern Regional. SPENCER BENNETT captured the individual title with rounds of 73-68. The boys team included three graduating seniors, co-captains DAVID CHOI and AARON FELDMAN and JACOB SLOAN ; juniors Justin Thompson, Spencer Bennett, GARRETT STARKS, STEPHEN SULLIVAN, MATTHEW SPRINGFIELD and BO PARKER ; sophomores HOGAN MOLTHAN, BROOKS GLANTON, CHAD RUTLEDGE and PARKER NELSON ; and freshman ROBERT CALDWELL. Freshmen COLE MCCABE, SHAW COTTER and RYAN TROSTEL were members of the Trojans Golf Development Team. Congratulations to the following athletes for district, state and team awards: Justin Thompson – All-District, All-Region, All-State, Academic All-State, Team MVP Hogan Molthan – All-District, All-Region, All-State

Spencer Bennett – Regional Champion, Academic All-State Brooks Glanton- All-Region Garrett Starks – All-Region

VARSITY BOYS GOLF SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

57


Be a Booster! Join TCA’s Athletic Booster Club on September 22, 2016! Go to NorthTexasGivingDay.org. By giving on that day, your gift will count toward a generous funding match put in place by a group of TCA families. Membership in the TCA Athletic Booster Club gives you the pleasure of investing in the athletic wish lists of all TCA sports teams, plus investing in Lower and Middle School events and providing campus-wide spirit and character messaging. Students and athletes will benefit from your generosity.

Did You Know? The only source of funding for the TCA Athletic Booster Club is your membership dollars, and all Booster Club funds are raised on North Texas Giving Day. Every year, Athletic Booster Club members help purchase new equipment for 55 sports teams, including cheerleading and drill team. Booster Club funds support sports and spirit in TCA’s Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools. 90% of all students participate in TCA Athletics. Last year, Booster Club was able to grant 100% of our coaches’ wish lists.

Thank you for another successful year!

Go Trojans!


ALUMNI LEGACY

“Oh, the places you’ll go!” this year attests, our alumni are going places! It is my privilege to visit a few of the universities our alumni attend every year with Janie Heard, assistant head of the Upper School, and hear firsthand the places they are going! We have the chance to visit with our alumni and hear about their college days, travels abroad on mission trips and internships across the U.S. Each year, I am so proud of our students’ involvement on every campus. Our alumni are presidents of dorms, presidents of sororities, campus newspaper journalists and broadcasters, Young Life leaders, K-Life leaders, Beta Upsilon Chi (BUC) leaders and more. Many are also active in local churches while attending school. They are attending summer school in England, Switzerland, Italy and France and going on mission trips to Africa, Argentina, Haiti, China and Korea. We treat our alumni to a good meal, and the conversation is priceless. There are plenty of hugs, too! I am so blessed by each student with whom I get to visit. It’s an honor to represent TCA and spend this time with them. J UST A S T H E J U N IOR / SE N IOR BA NQU ET T H E M E

B Y B E T H H A RW E L L , DI R ECTOR OF A LU M N I

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

59


College and career connections

UPCOMING EVENTS & ALUMNI NEWS

BY BU N N Y H E A R D M I TCH E L L ’9 4 ,

HOMECOMING

A LU M N I A S SOCI AT ION BOA R D P R E SI DE N T

OCTOBER 14:

A N D ROBE RT TAY L OR ’07,

Homecoming

6:30–8:30 p.m. – Alumni Dinner

V ICE PR E SIDEN T OF CON TI N U I NG CON N ECTION

7:30 p.m. – Varsity Football Game THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD is

honored to give back to the TCA community. As would be expected, our efforts often focus specifically on the alumni community. We organize an alumni dinner at Homecoming,

Individual reunion events

for the following years: 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981 and 1976. (The class of 1976 is holding a

help with class reunions, interact with class

reunion to include all alumni from the

agents, send care packages to our college

classes of 1971–1979. See contact

freshmen and host legacy family events throughout the year. But did you know . . . there are things

Over the course of the past two years, we have held meetings focused on law (attorneys from Strausburger & Price and

that we do for our current students, as well?

Haynes & Boone), nursing (nurses from

We love to spoil our TCA seniors who are

Baylor Hospital and Children’s Hospital),

about to join the alumni ranks! We provide

preparing for college (graduates from Texas

fun locker treats throughout the year, host

universities) and entrepreneurship (a TCA

a pizza and T-shirt lunch before senior

dad who has started multiple successful

awards, give graduation gifts and sponsor the

business), among other topics.

senior giving project (where senior students

In the future, we hope to continue

contribute money to purchase something that

exposing students to quality insight by

will remain at TCA after they are gone).

pulling speakers from a wider field of

There is also one program sponsored by the Alumni Association Board that reaches

professions and academic backgrounds. We are also excited to announce that we

all TCA Upper School students, and it is

are in the process of selecting Upper School

one of our favorites: Interact Club.

students to serve as leaders of the Interact

The mission of Interact Club is to expose TCA Upper School students to a diversity of vocational callings. Speakers are asked to share experience, wisdom and advice as representatives of their respective professions.

Club. We are thrilled to provide the opportunity

The club is also sponsored by the Rotary Club, Addison Chapter, and Upper School Guidance Counselor Caryn Thexton. Our hope is that the information shared

for students to take more ownership and gain the valuable experience of running a club and interacting with professionals. The board

info below.)

REUNION CONTACTS

2011 Chad Robertson: crobertson2011@verizon.net Paige Gilbert: paigelgilbert@gmail.com Kyle Cox: Kyle.Cox@tcu.edu Evan Baldwin: evan.baldwin35@yahoo.com

2006 Curtis King: curtisking526@gmail.com

2001 Lindsey Beebe Bridges: lindsey@bradandlindsey.com J. Carby: jrcarby@gmail.com David Holland: daholland@gmail.com Cannon Lewis McClintock: cannonmclintock@gmail.com

will continue to partner with these students

1996

and our faculty sponsor, Caryn Thexton, on

If you would like to volunteer for the class of 1996

strategy, execution and speaker selection.

to organize this reunion, please email Beth Harwell,

Additionally, the board has aspirations to begin facilitating connections between alumni currently in college and the

during monthly meetings will better equip

individuals who make up TCA’s impressive

students to make prudent career and college

professional network. We essentially want

choices as they prepare for and undertake

to provide our college students with career

life after TCA.

mentorship by connecting them with

The board originally became involved

those currently at work in their interested

bharwell@trinitychristian.org.

1991 Katherine Mouzon Flatt: Katherine_Flatt@me.com Christina Skeeters Broyles: christy.broyles@gmail.com

1986 Todd Williams: toddwil@hotmail.com

with the Interact Club in February 2014 as

professions. (For example, if a TCA grad at

part of our effort to better connect students

UT is interested in becoming a doctor, we

1981

and alumni. To that end, we thought the

will connect him/her with a TCA alumnus or

Harold Byrd III: dhbyrd3@att.net

club was a perfect venue for leveraging

parent currently practicing medicine.)

1976 (to include classes of 1971–1979)

TCA’s local network to offer current students

60

OCTOBER 15:

2015-16 Interact Club President Jennifer Harbour with Sam Langford ’09 and Kristen Crosby ’08, who were speakers for public relations careers

It is our hope that the efforts of the

firsthand career and college advice/insight/

board will be far reaching—impacting current

wisdom—we’ve essentially become the club’s

students and recent graduates, as well as our

source for speakers every month, with almost

entire alumni base. We are all thankful for

all speakers being TCA alumni.

the opportunity to serve and give back!

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

Sara Barton: barton721@yahoo.com Kim Hitchcock: tkhitch@grandecom.net Bev Walker: ourlifewithoils@gmail.com Martha Parker: parkerm58@me.com


ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD ( AU G U S T 2 016 – J U LY 2 017 )

LEGACY GRADUATES Ten legacy families have graduates in the class of 2016. See their senior photos below along with their parents’. Congratulations to these graduates!

Bunny Heard Mitchell ’94, President Jackie Schimmer Harrison ’86, Past President

Jeni McCabe Parrent ’87, Vice President of Communication

Robert Taylor ’07, Vice President of Continuing Connection

Stephen Konstans ’83, Vice President of Contributions

Lane Connor IV ’99

Theo Fandrich

David Fandrich ’88

Dawson Fields

Michael Fields ’84

Brooke Herman

Sandy Sorrels Herman ’75

Freddie Hodges

Clark Hodges ’84

Brad Dickens ’07 Rebecca Grimm Novakovich ’85 Amy Edwards Prideaux ’89 Sarah-Graham Turtletaub ’07 Beth Harwell, Director of Alumni

PAVERS A brick paver is the perfect way to honor a student, alumnus, faculty, staff or family member. For $150 a paver may be purchased and placed in the Alumni Garden next to the TCA Performing Arts Center. All proceeds benefit the Alumni Association and Student Tuition Aid. For more information, contact Director of Alumni Beth Harwell at bharwell@ trinitychristian.org.

LEGACY GATHERING

Martin Massinger ’94

Amy Stupka Massinger ’94 Anna Holder

Jeffrey Holder ’84

MJ Massinger

John Novakovich

Rebecca Grimm Novakovich ’85

Ryan Rogers

Amanda Mowrey Rogers ’88

Suzannah Tkach

Deborah Riccio Tkach ’83

Scotty Williams

Wayne Williams ’79

On Tuesday, April 19, TCA legacy families (160 in all) gathered in the MCB for a time of fellowship. Dinner was provided by the Alumni Association and Burger House. The legacy kids had a fun time in the bounce house and playing basketball while the parents were visiting with one another. A great time was had by all.

NEW LEGACY FAMILIES Welcome back to Trinity! We have several alumni who will be returning to TCA as current parents. Will Waters ’82, Jonathan Bryan ’99, Jeff Stone ’99, Trey Hays ’00, Layne Woodward Perry ’01 and Annie Hinckley Houston ’02 will have children at TCA for the 2016–17 school year.

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

61


Where are they now? T H E

L AT E S T

O N

W H AT

YO U R

2002

2006

C L A S S M AT E S A R E D O I N G BY BETH HARWELL

1985

SCOTT WALKER was recently named National Champion in the pole vault at the master’s level (age 45–50) at the 2016 USA Track & Field Masters Indoor Championship in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

LANE CONNER is engaged to Sarah Shipman. The wedding is set for June 4, 2016, at Perkins Chapel in Dallas. Lane graduated from SMU, and Sarah from LSU. Lane is currently working for a division of the Dallas Cowboys.

1999

2001

MORGAN MONTGOMERY STONE and her husband, Rhett, welcomed a new son, Baker Payne Stone, born on June 28, 2015. He joins big brother Jace, 10 years old, and big sister Remington, 7 years old.

AMY BASTIAN RICHARDS and husband Matt Richards welcomed their daughter, Caroline Graham Richards, on January 15, 2016.

MEREDITH FALKE and Mark Plunkett were married February 27, 2016, at Highland Park United Methodist Church. TCA family and friends in the wedding party included matrons of honor KARI SCHLEGEL KLOEWER and KRIS BUDDEN TOLEDO, bridesmaid JESSICA JAMES KEEGAN and groomsman TRENTON FALKE ’98. The couple lives in Dallas.

2005

Matt and ELYSE DENNY CLAKLEY welcomed their son, Beau Denny Clakley, on March 10, 2016. Beau was 8 pounds, 5 ounces, and 19.5 inches long. Matt is currently serving as connections minister at The Village Church, Southlake Campus. Matt, Elyse and Beau reside in Dallas.

SCOTT STOVER and wife Amanda proudly announce the birth of their daughter, Kennerly Yaden Stover, on October 29, 2015. Kennerly weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long.

2009

MEGAN MULLIS married Andrew Guirguis on September 20, 2015, in Redondo Beach, California. They met at the University of Southern California through their Christian sorority and fraternity socials. SARAH MULLIS ’06, ANNA GREGG and KATY CLEMENTS ’10 were in the wedding party. The couple lives in Santa Monica, California, where Megan is a senior manager of subtitling operations at Sfera Studios, and Andrew is a mechanical engineer at Honeywell.

Got news? Drop us a line and let your classmates know what you are doing. Email Beth Harwell in the Alumni Office at bharwell@trinitychristian.org. Please note that all submissions for the next issue of Trinity Today must be received by October 15, 2016, and that all submitted electronic photos must be in high-resolution jpeg format to be suitable for printing.

62

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

SAM LANGFORD married Rebecca Kline of Houston on October 24, 2015. They met their freshman year at


the Savannah College of Art and Design. Sam proposed to Rebecca in October 2014 at the very same coffee shop as their first date. They had the miracle of dry skies for their outdoor ceremony at the Dallas Arboretum during the worst of Hurricane Patricia and are happily married.

MEGAN JARVIE married Robert Paulk Jr. on October 10, 2015, at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. TCA alumni in the wedding included maid of honor ASHLEY JARVIE ’12 and wedding party KELSY COLLINS, LAURA DENNY, BRITTANY BURNS GLOSSER ’08,

KELSEY JONES ’08, CAROLINE POWNELL MEGISON, the bride’s brother, MICHAEL JARVIE ’11, and the groom’s cousin, RYAN CREWS ’07.

Megan and Bobby reside in Houston, Texas, where she works for a management consulting firm, and he is an orthopedic medical sales representative.

A HEART FOR SHARING HOPE BECKY CUNNINGHAM ELLIS ’04

learned as a child the joy of serving others, especially those with unique challenges. Now her joyful serving is a full-time job. Q. What is Joni and Friends? Who do they help? A. Joni and Friends is an International Disability Ministry whose mission is to communicate the gospel and equip Christhonoring churches worldwide to evangelize and disciple people affected by disabilities. Outreaches include Wheels for the World, Family Retreats, Wounded Warriors Getaway, along with local church trainings. Through our Wheels for the World outreach, we take in locally donated wheelchairs and send them to prisons around the U.S. where they are refurbished and sent to third-world countries to give the gift of mobility to children and adults with disabilities. One wheelchair can touch over 100 lives, beginning with the donor, traveling through the prison and ending in the hands of a child of God. Family Retreats happen every summer in Navasota, Texas, where the whole family affected by disability comes for a week of fun, respite and fellowship. We serve 130

2010

on February 6. Kyle and Adrianne met in education classes, and both graduated from TCU in May 2015.

Timothy Stuckey and ALLIE BETH SIMMONS were married on September 6, 2015, in Athens, Georgia, where Timothy works as a mortgage banker at Prime Lending, and Allie is the manager of Pure Barre Athens.

2011

KYLE COX proposed to Adrianne Kangas

Kyle works as a football graduate assistant with the Horned Frogs. He will receive his master’s degree in December. Adrianne teaches fourth grade at Eagle Ridge Elementary in Keller ISD. Their wedding is planned for January 21, 2017.

EMILY BROWNING and Daniel Pons were married on December 19, 2015, in Norman, Oklahoma. Serving as maid of honor was BRIANNA ADAMS; also in the wedding party were STEPHANIE FACKLER and KRISTEN O’NEAL. Attending the wedding were alumni parents LORNA GRIFFIN and JENNI and BOB RASBERRY.

families each summer with the help of over 300 amazing volunteers who give their time, money and energy to love on these families. Wounded Warrior Getaway (not affiliated with the Wounded Warrior Project) holds a similar format to Family Retreat, but serves wounded veterans and their families. Q. What is your role with Joni and Friends? A. I manage and direct all of the outreaches in Texas as the Program Manager, as well as assist with our international work in Cuba. Q. What do you like best about your job? A. I love that I have the opportunity to serve others. I love hearing the stories like the family in Cuba who had never taken their child into town because they couldn’t carry him but can now go anywhere with the wheelchair they’ve received. I love when a volunteer explains how she has decided to pursue Occupational Therapy as a result of her time with us at Family Retreat. I love that parents and siblings who deal with the challenges of life with special needs are able to connect with each other at Family Retreat and find that they’re not alone.

Q. What are your goals this year for Joni and Friends? A. This year will be our first year to direct the Wounded Warrior Getaway in Texas. Twenty-two veterans commit suicide a day. We have the opportunity to provide wounded veterans with hope through a week of camp-like activities, workshops and fellowship. This year, we plan to serve around 25 veteran families with the help of 50 volunteers. Q. What is your favorite memory while working with Joni and Friends?

A. There are too many to count, but I can tell you for what I am most grateful. When I was 12 years old, my mom (Patty Cunningham, a current tutor in the Lower School) took me to volunteer at Family Retreat. Since that moment, my life was changed. I learned the value of volunteering. I learned to love those who are constantly rejected from society. I found joy in serving others. I did not initially pursue a career with Joni and Friends, but when I joined the ministry full time, I found purpose and a passion for my career.

SUMMER 2016 TRINITY TODAY

63


class who has compiled the most outstanding record in academics, athletics and leadership over his/her collegiate career.

Where are they now?

2011

University in May. Alec is a finance and management major, and Madison, a biology pre-health major with a minor in business administration, is applying to PA school this spring.

- CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE -

KRAMER HICKOK, former caddy for buddy Jordan Spieth and UTA alumnus Paul McConnell, made his PGA debut in Houston this year.

2012 LEWIS FRAZIER is a senior and team captain in his fourth and final year skiing for the University of Colorado Freeskiing Team. Lewis and the Colorado Buffaloes were recently awarded the national championship title for the second time in four years, and Lewis finished his collegiate career as a Second Team AllAmerican. He graduated in May with a dual degree in neuroscience and psychology and has post-graduate plans to pursue medical school and photojournalism.

MICHAEL MATTHEWS, a graduate student at the University of Texas at Dallas, received the 201516 ASC Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor, an honor presented by the American Southwest Conference to one male and one female member of the graduating

Jason Dale Williams ’90 J U LY 2 , 2 0 1 5

Michael Lee Ratcliff ’80 NOVEMBER 1, 2015

Taryn Virginia Billingsley ’14 F E B R U A R Y 17, 2 0 16

Andrew Robert McCulloch, alumni parent MARCH 21, 2016

Roland Adcox ’03 MARCH 31, 2016

William Hunter Wood, parent A P R I L 2 7, 2 0 16

Dr. Janet Miranda, past faculty member M AY 1, 2 0 16

William Eugene Compton, parent M AY 2 0 , 2 0 16

Shannon Smith Meggs, alumni parent M AY 2 3 , 2 0 16

Jonathan Lee Ripley, alumni parent M AY 2 3 , 2 0 16

William Bos II, alumni parent JUNE 8, 2016

64

TRINITY TODAY

SUMMER 2016

HAYDEN MBROH has been selected for fall admittance into the doctoral program in clinical psychology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Hayden is the sole recipient of the CMC Diversity Fellowship. This competitively awarded fellowship aims to promote approaches to understanding and eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities and promoting culturally sensitive care through clinical and research activities in clinical psychology at Children’s Medical Center.

HANNAH PAVEY was named one of the 2016 Class of Razorback Classics, a group of the top 22 graduating seniors at the University of Arkansas. This award was based on academic excellence, leadership and campus or community involvement during their college years.

Alec Ashley proposed to MADISON REID on January 2, 2016. Their wedding will be December 16, 2016. Alec and Madison both graduated from Baylor

2015

ANNA FRAZIER is a freshman at Baylor University pursuing a degree in professional writing in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core program. She was nominated for membership into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and made the Dean’s List for her fall semester. Anna will be attending the Baylor in Tuscany program this summer to complete her study of intermediate Italian.


LAST WORD

Photo-booth fun during Lower School end-of-the-year GAME ON event


NON PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE

17001 Addison Road Addison, TX 75001

Note to parents If this publication is addressed to a graduate who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify Joy Konstans at jkonstans@trinitychristian.org of his or her new mailing address. Thank you!

© 2016 TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, PRINTED BY MILLET THE PRINTER, DALLAS, TEXAS

PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 2650


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.