Trinity Today

today WINTER 2014

THE MAGAZINE OF TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

VOL. 9 NO. 1

Urban Christian Academy

Alumna brings the Trinity experience to KC inner-city children PAGE 4 T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

l A L S O I N S I D E : R E A D A L L A B O U T W H AT YO U R F R I E N D S A R E U P T O I N “A L U M N I L E G A C Y.” S E E PA G E 4 8 .

today

EDITOR’S NOTE

VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 1

Editor Joy Konstans, Director of Communications

Faithful

Art/Design Kendall Ellis, Publications Coordinator

Advisory Board

beyond our walls MOST PEOPLE KNOW THE FIRST PART of the TCA mission statement, “developing the whole person for the glory of God.” Yet, I doubt if too many are as familiar with the second half, “helping each student to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and to become a faithful disciple of Him.” As we put together this issue of Trinity Today, I saw evidence of the fruits of His labor at TCA and examples of how faithful disciples are making a difference on this campus and in the world well beyond the walls of our school. Meredith Moore ’08 shares the story of how she dreamt of giving inner-city children in Kansas City an educational experience and Christ-like mentoring like she received at TCA, and how, with the help of a friend and lots of answered prayers, Urban Christian Academy opened its doors for 13 deserving kindergarteners. And, those students in Kansas City aren’t the only ones reaping the blessings of the TCA experience. In the alumni section, you’ll read about how five TCA alumni are using their gifts and talents to bless the students of West Dallas Community School. Under the guidance of former TCA Middle School Head Bentley Craft, these alumni are sharing Christ and developing young minds for His glory. Teachers and educators across the country are also benefiting from the experience and wisdom of our TCA faculty. In her article, Academic Dean Diane Taylor recounts some of the many ways our TCA faculty and staff are sharing their expertise as trainers and presenters at conferences and forums around the country. Our students are growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ, and it’s exciting to see the impact that this school is making on the greater community at large. What a blessing it is to be a part of TCA!

Joy Konstans EDITOR OF TRINITY TODAY DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

David Delph, Headmaster Julie Abell Anne Salmon Badger ’90 Scott Berthel Jackie Schimmer Harrison ’86 Beth Harwell Steve Hayes Janie Heard Kristy Kegerreis Sheila Langford Becky Lewis Greg Merrifield Jeff Smith Kristina Spears Diane Taylor Camille Langford Walker ’82

Board of Trustees Steve Novakovich, Chairman Mark Layman ’84, Vice Chairman Ron Crosby Christi Ferrell David Harper Ray Huffines 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 www.trinitychristian.org

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

facebook.com/TCATrojans

Twitter

@TCATrojans

WHAT’S INSIDE

All in the family

TCA currently has 152 “legacy kids,” or children of alumni, on campus. Several of these legacies are in class with teachers who taught their moms and dads. Read about these fun, secondgeneration connections!

A grand idea

Lower School students recently welcomed over 1,100 grandparents and grand friends to campus.

Departments Upper School Middle School Lower School Alumni Legacy

28 32 36 48

48 52

12 40

UCA: a Godsized dream

Trinity alumna Meredith Moore ’08 recounts the faith journey that brought Urban Christian Academy to life and how she’s working to share her Trinity experience and Christ’s love with the inner-city kids of Kansas City.

Helpless in Haiti Junior History/English teacher Katie Kilpatrick shares how ministering in Haiti after a massive earthquake shook and strengthened her faith at the same time.

Welcome home!

Alumni and their families returned to TCA for Homecoming this fall and reconnected with old friends and familiar faces.

West Dallas connection Five TCA alumni are now teaching at the West Dallas Community School, a school that educates and ministers to the underserved children of the West Dallas area.

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

COVER STORY

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

“Wha

t if ...” by Meredith Moore ’08

vividly remember a conversation I had with Mr. Bradley my senior year at Trinity. He asked me if I was considering teaching. “Absolutely not,” was my assured reply. Both of my parents were teachers, and I had no desire to grade papers until the wee hours of the night or stand in front of confused children attempting to give them clarity. My favorite TV show was Grey’s Anatomy, so obviously I was supposed to be a nurse. I had no idea where I should go to college. So when TCA College Day arrived, I naturally found myself at the Westmont College table (because who wouldn’t want to live in Santa Barbara?). However, before I even had time to pursue my California dreams, my mom pulled me over to the William Jewell table to hear about the amazing potential of Liberty, Missouri, a small suburb of Kansas City. Their programs and school size seemed like a good potential fit, but who had ever heard of Liberty, Missouri? I am pretty sure I cried in my mom’s lap every night my senior year because I was so overwhelmed by the transition to college. I applied to UT, A&M, Baylor, TCU and then the wild card, William Jewell College. I decided I would let God show me where He wanted me to be through financial aid. After all of the scholarships and loans came in, William Jewell seemed to be the strongest option. In my first semester at Jewell, one of my friends, Megan, asked me if I wanted to go to the homeless shelter/youth program where she volunteered. I was intrigued and looking for ways to be productive with my time so I tagged along. Before long, I was going with Megan every week to tutor and hang out with the kids in the after-school program, and the more I went, the more questions filled my mind.

Why was the fifth-grade girl I was tutoring doing second-grade math problems? Why did so many of the kids dislike school even as seven- or eight-year-olds? While I did not know the answers, I had a hunch that the journey to find them might also teach me something about how to be more like Jesus. So the summer after sophomore year, I decided to do an internship at the shelter in an effort to dig deep into my questions. That summer forever changed the trajectory of my life. For three months, I taught devotions and gym games, went to the water park, did crafts, memorized Bible verses and ate lunch with the same 50 kids. But it was the in-between moments that made me fall in love with them. They were so eager to be loved. Many of their stories were heart-breaking. Taylor was one student who became my pal. Her family lived in a government-subsidized house. The water and lights were shut off due to delinquent bill payments. They received food stamps to help pay for groceries, but her mom often sold them so she could have cash to buy other things. Her mom was trying to find work, but the options were so few in their neighborhood. Taylor’s dad was psychotic, which led to some traumatizing living-room episodes. In addition to countless hurdles in her home life, Taylor was going to an unaccredited public school—a school with a 50-percent dropout rate and where 13 percent scored proficient in reading on standardized testing. My heart was heavy for Taylor and the other 49 kids. They each had a story, and for most of them, their chances were bleak. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

COVER STORY How was this right or fair? The gap between my childhood educational experience and Taylor’s seemed wider than an ocean. She didn’t have a Mrs. Legband with a “friend chair” or a “let my people go” to look forward to on Fridays. Her thoughts were not consumed by the Field Day t-shirt contest or Medieval Fair. Her mind was filled constantly with thoughts of survival—about her own safety or ability to have something to eat. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do about this injustice, but I knew I couldn’t walk away from those kids. I decided to apply to Teach for America, and I was accepted into the 2012 Kansas City Corps. (By the way, during my freshman year at Jewel, I realized I wasn’t made for chemistry or really anything scientific. I changed my major to Psychology—turns out loving Grey’s Anatomy isn’t always the best indicator of nursing potential!)

I knew that my students needed more than the ability to ace their reading tests—they needed hope, a hope that is not stifled even in the darkest of circumstances. They needed Jesus. Fast forward to August of 2012; I met 29 four- and five-year-old friends who would be my new entourage for the next ten months. To use a term oftentimes used by my students and their families, my classroom was a “hot mess.” My students had no idea how to blow their noses, unzip their pants or sit still, and I had no idea how to maintain my sanity while attempting to hand one student a Kleenex, quickly assisting another before he had an accident and answering the phone all at the same time. I wished I was an octopus. Thanks to the grace of God, friends who sat by me while I cried my eyes out and several intentional conversations with my TFA teaching coach, by November of my first year, I had a few more teacher tricks up my sleeve and was able to manage my class. Teaching from that point on became much more exciting. I was actually able to teach. I watched kids go from not knowing the difference between a letter and a number to scoring 100 percent on their addition and subtraction tests. I watched kids who were unmotivated proudly define compassion, perseverance and integrity. 6

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

I also started to notice that while there were other devoted, wise teachers in my school, there were also teachers who did not seem to be doing much teaching. I watched teachers yell degrading comments to students in efforts to get them in line. I watched teachers get to school late and take their classes to the copier during instructional time because there was nothing prepared for the day. While some would say that was none of my concern, the harsh reality was the kids who were showing so much promise in my classroom would be shipped off and placed in these teachers’ classrooms—an injustice that broke me to my core. Someone had to do something. I wanted to be a part of the solution, but also part of something more intentional and transformational. I knew that my students needed more than the ability to ace their reading tests— they needed hope, a hope that is not stifled even in the darkest of circumstances. They needed Jesus. You know those situations that God just grabs ahold of, and you are not really sure how to explain what exactly happened? Well that is the turn of this story. I was driving to the Missouri State Capitol to advocate for education reform in Kansas City with my friend, Kalie. As we drove, we started doing what we had done a hundred times before; we started dreaming. We dreamed about the implications of a school that offered a holistic educational experience for kids in low-income communities. We dreamed about the implications of discipling kids who grew up with a desire to be Jesus in the neighborhoods on which so many had given up, but that idea seemed crazy. The enormity of that endeavor seemed impossible. A couple weeks later, Kalie texted me to tell me that a close family friend heard about her dream and wanted to buy us a school building. With a miraculous open door in front of us, we made a decision in faith that we would do it. Urban Christian Academy (UCA) was established as I was sitting at a gas station. From there, God did the impossible. Over the course of the next three months, we raised over $100,000 and purchased a 9,000-square-foot building and a bus. Now, we needed students. Armed with flyers and applications, Kalie and I took to the streets of these lower-income neighborhoods, looked for children, talked to parents and relied on God’s faithfulness. In July 2014, we posted a blog to our website on our journey to UCA and the faith that God fortified in us: …In this season in the life of Urban Christian Academy, we really only have five loaves and two fish. And as we look out into the proverbial multitude we are keenly aware that what we have isn’t enough. Here’s the beautiful Truth God has been reminding us of through this story as stated in the Jesus Storybook Bible: “Jesus did many miracles like this. Things people thought couldn’t happen, that weren’t natural. But this was the most natural thing in all the world. It’s what God had been doing from the beginning, of course—taking the nothing and making it everything, taking the emptiness and filling it up, taking the darkness and making it light.” We feel like this “that wasn’t the plan” life that we are living is exactly God’s plan. Every step has been filled with Him taking nothing and making something. God is taking the

emptiness and filling it up. In human terms, we are a long way away from having all that we need. But what a marvelous reality to be in a place where one whisper from the God of creation can make the impossible possible, can turn the nothing into something. We are caught in a glorious story. We are not the heroes. In fact, the courage we are operating with isn’t even our own. God’s relentless grace is overwhelming us. Just as He winked at the little boy with his little lunch and whispered, “Watch,” with that hopeful whisper that created the galaxies, He does the same for us. Our hearts are overwhelmed by God’s whisper, “Watch.” We opened our doors on August 20, 2014. Thirteen kids have joined us, and now we have a school. To be honest, it is all a bit of a blur. I am 25 years old, and I started a school. God’s power is boundless! However, our dream was never just to have a kindergarten class, but to graduate our kindergarten scholars to first grade and then second and all the way through high school. Next year, we will welcome a new kindergarten class of UCA Voyagers. Fifteen students at a time, we hope to change Kansas City. We long to develop indigenous leaders who grow up with a solid educational foundation and a passion for the gospel. Leaders who choose to paint a picture of hope by being the hands and feet of Jesus in dark places. And so, we are leaping again, trusting that God will provide the $200,000 it will take to provide a Christcentered, quality education to 30 low-income students who deserve a chance to be all that God created them to be. And we will keep leaping with as much faith as God grants us to pursue His name and renown. We will keep proclaiming boldly and loudly that God’s

love, power and provision are indescribable. We believe that God alone has the power to break through the chains of injustice in our city. We believe He has deep love and compassion on the least of these, that he longs to be a refuge for the weary and burdened. We see a quality education as an important key in the process of breaking the cycle of poverty and transforming broken parts of our city into flourishing communities. Therefore, our goal is to see our students on a different trajectory than the one their zip code dictates. We believe that while Jesus is the linchpin to transformation, an excellent high-quality education is a vehicle to a myriad of life options we believe our students deserve. I think in many ways the seed of this dream was planted in my heart through my experience at Trinity. TCA was a place where I was invited into special relationships with wise adults who cared— not just about my grades, but about my heart. (To the faculty of TCA: your impact is immeasurable!) I was exposed to people who believed in me and taught me how to cherish the grace and mercy that was shown to me on the cross. It is that grace and mercy that has put a fire in my bones to show the marginalized people of Kansas City that Jesus breathes life into dry, dark places.

To learn more about Urban Christian Academy or to offer your support, visit www.urbanchristianacademykc.com. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

BLESSED COMMUNITY

Lifein a Small Town

By Amanda Mowrey Rogers ’88

Two generations of Trojans taught by the same beloved teachers

“Living in a small town…is like living in a large family of rather uncongenial relations. Sometimes it’s fun, and sometimes it’s perfectly awful, but it’s always good for you.” –Joyce Dennys, Henrietta Sees it Through: More News from the Home Front 1942–1945

N SMALL TOWNS, PEOPLE NOD AND SMILE when they pass on

the street. People say things like, “I know you! I went to church with your grandmother.” There is an instant relationship because of family connections. I often tell our children that, in many ways, TCA is like a small town. We are a community. We smile and nod when we pass in the halls. We are happy when we find out that our plumber or banker was a TCA student. A TCA connection establishes an instant relationship.

Another great thing about small towns is that families often live there for many generations. As TCA grows older, we see more and more alumni bringing their kids back to TCA. Currently the 79 alumni who are current TCA parents have 152 kids attending TCA. Several faculty members have stayed at TCA for 30 years or more and have had the opportunity to know the kids of their former students.

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

Brian Spence â&#x20AC;&#x2122;98 accompanies his daughter to class along a walkway he used to tread as a student

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

BLESSED COMMUNITY

I asked several faculty members how it felt to teach a second-generation student. Seventh-grade History/English teacher Dennis Saffold made the following comments about knowing me as a student and then teaching our son Ryan, “I was thrilled to teach Ryan Rogers a few years back. I served as a Sky Ranch mentor for Amanda Mowrey Rogers ’88 back in the day and simply remember laughing a lot whenever she bopped in and out of the camp meetings. I wondered, ‘How will son-of-Amanda look as a seventh-grade boy?’ I was not disappointed! Ryan is certainly his own man, but he, too, never failed to make me laugh. And after knowing Ryan’s dad, the whole laughter thing made even more sense.” Upper School Performing Arts Chair and choir teacher Norma Browning remembers teaching both Bren Holman Jones ’89 and her daughter, Jordan. She said, “Jordan Jones, like her mom

Bren Holman Jones, is a talented and beautiful young lady. I knew that I was going to be keenly aware of a sense of déjà vu to have Jordan as a freshman, the same age her mother was during my first year at Trinity (1986–87). Trinity’s first musical was Fiddler on the Roof, in which Bren played Hodel. Jordan was in the cast of Oklahoma! last year, a reprise from Bren’s sophomore year.” Sue Morrill has the pleasure of knowing the most second-generation students because she currently teaches the Lower School students in their PE classes. She commented about the children of former students who are now her students. She said of Erin Vittetoe Hammonds ’97 and her daughter, “Olivia Hammonds looks exactly like her mother did—so cute!” She also said, “I coached Jackie Schimmer Harrison ’86 in basketball, and now Kyle (Morrill) coaches her daughter, Jessie. They both are fast as lightening and love the Lord!”

Norma Browning, Jordan Jones, Bren Holman Jones ’89

Ryan Rogers, Amanda Mowrey Rogers ’88, Dennis Saffold

1 0

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

ch o Fandri on, The ix N ie n Con

Upper School math teacher Chuck Burdette reminisces by saying, “I first realized that I must be getting old when I mentioned Howdy Doody in my class, and no one but me knew who that was. But the realization was really driven home when I started teaching second-generation students. I have on occasion told guys in my class that they will likely be fathers someday, and then added what a scary thought that is. But, it is gratifying to see that someone like Mike Fields ’84, a great kid and rather fun-loving student back in the day, should indeed become the father of a sweet, conscientious young lady such as Madison ’13. It is exciting to see Trinity students become parents and allow us to participate in their children’s education.” Chuck Burdette

This year, Connie Nixon has many second-generation students. She said, “I am also presently teaching John Novakovich, son of Rebecca Grimm

Novakovich ’85; Hunter Lawrence, son of David Lawrence ’85; Theo Fandrich, son of David Fandrich ’88 and Andrew Konstans, son of Greg Konstans ’86.” She goes on to describe some similarities and differences between a few of the alumni she taught and their kids in her current class. “Theo and David Fandrich are both gifted analytical thinkers. David was a good student and quiet in class. Theo, on the other hand, participates freely and loves to think ‘outside the box.’ David and Hunter (Lawrence) look alike, seem to be similar students (as best I remember) and were both quiet. Golf is their love, not mathematics, but that’s ok. I have enjoyed both. I have to work hard to not call Hunter, ‘David.’” When you ask TCA alumni the best thing about their TCA education, they consistently say the teachers. How blessed we are as TCA alumni to have had the opportunity to know and learn from these excellent men and women of God. For those of us who have brought our kids back to TCA, we are doubly blessed by their influence on our children. I guess it’s just one of the benefits of living in the small town of Trinity Christian Academy.

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

1 1

MISSION ABROAD

Visiting orphans at an orphanage down the street from Quisqueya Christian School

Ben and Katie Kilpatrick enjoying some of the amazing natural beauty of southern Haiti

Haiti is a place where I learned to be weak and to be strong at the same time. By Katie Kilpatrick, Upper School History/ English Teacher

1 2

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

n the fall of 2008, my husband, Ben, and I began to dream a thrilling, secret dream. Discouraged in the wake of the recession and a layoff and unhappy with the corporate world, we researched a dramatic shift. We joined the chorus of many twenty-somethings asking: “God, what do you want me to do?” Fast forward through a year of praying, seeking, applying and waiting. On December 31, 2009, we peered out the window of a 747 as it circled over the country of Haiti in the sapphire Caribbean Sea. My anxiety was at an all-time high. We had sold our things in a garage sale organized by generous and loyal small group friends. Car, furniture, wedding gifts—all reduced to a few rubber tubs in my parents’ garage. We had quit jobs, cancelled cell phone plans, written wills, even printed the ever-popular “pray for

us” missionary magnets. What if this was a terrible, foolish, dangerous mistake? Just under two weeks later, Ben and I settled down to grade at the kitchen table of our apartment in Port-au-Prince. We were brand new high school teachers at Quisqueya Christian School, the Englishspeaking, American-style school. A few moments later, at 4:52 p.m., my life changed forever. A massive earthquake bubbled up from underneath us, throwing us to the ground and killing one out of every eleven people in my new home city. A million people became instantly homeless. Because of afternoon sports, dozens of students were still on campus when the shaking began. They described watching the grass of the soccer field rise up, rolling in waves. Ben and I spent the night with our students, sleeping on the

Tenth-grade students of Quisqueya Christian School volunteering to help feed breakfast to severely handicapped children

Iconic Église Sacré-Coeur (Sacred Heart Church), downtown Port-au-Prince, the day after the massive earthquake of January 2010

soccer field and trying to comfort children waiting in terror as parents arrived all night long, having walked from downtown through the clogged and cracked streets. Power and cell phone service had immediately failed. One battery-operated, camping lantern was the only light on campus. We passed around a box of cereal—a handful to each for dinner. Every time there was a bang on the gate, every hopeful little head snapped in that direction. Is it my mom? There are a thousand stories from our four years as teachers in Haiti. Among the most common question are, “What was your life like?” and “What did you learn?” At the top of the list of reasons I am grateful for my time in Haiti is that it reprogrammed a little of my American addiction to independence. I was as helpless as a child at first. I spoke no Creole or

French. I have embarrassingly few practical skills. I cannot fix a car engine, wire a generator or do laundry without a machine. I can’t even drive a stick! Port-au-Prince has no Google Maps. Many streets have no names. How do I get anywhere? What are these exotic hexagonal coins? I felt like I had been plopped into Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, starting at Knuts and Galleons. I cannot haggle with the market ladies for a tomato; I cannot even make change. I loathed asking my colleagues for help, yet was forced to do it daily. Drive me to the cell phone store. Translate for me at the bank. I was vulnerable, needy and entirely devoid of contributory value. I was the biggest burden

on campus, a constant taker of others’ time and requester of favors. Physically I was even more helpless. Huge jugs of water had to be lugged to my door for daily drinking, dishes and washing produce. Lack of air conditioning meant the windows had to be open to vent the stifling heat, but open windows and no paved roads

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

1 3

MISSION ABROAD

Students of TeacHaiti School of Hope, which provides quality education for the impoverished children of Port-au-Prince through the gifts of international sponsors

meant a thick layer of daily dust to mop. Mopping is so physically arduous in Haiti it is considered a man’s chore. Health care was another area of fear and vulnerability. A few weeks post-quake I ran the highest fever of my life. My husband called around to find a medical missionary who would drive over late that night. Delirious, I swallowed whatever pills the doctor handed me—no government-designed label, no pharmacy, no prescription. I thank God for a generous Christian stranger with a baggie full of something that stopped my chills and nausea—total vulnerability, total trust. In Haiti I learned dependency. With a type-A personality, a strong education and a privileged background, I had never in my life experienced helplessness. At times in America, I feel that with a smartphone and an Internet connection, I could fix almost any problem life throws at me! But in Haiti I was dependent. I could not buy things, get places or communicate with anyone unassisted. I could not even feed myself or my husband. I had to put aside my constant frustration and irritation resulting from aggrieved pride and learn to humbly accept help. I learned to be compassionate and not judgmental toward those struggling as newcomers to a foreign country, culture or language. 1 4

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

A second lesson I learned in Haiti regarded safety. When I announced to friends and family I was moving to Haiti, more than a few well-meaning loved ones sat me down for a serious warning. Did I know what came up at the top of a Google search on Port-au-Prince? Had I read the State Department warning? Had I seen the movie Taken? Despite my confident dismissal of their concerns, internally I was a twisted ball of fear. Near panic seized me at random moments, usually while speeding down 75 as my mind wandered to the worst possible scenarios. Disease, assault, attack—these were real possibilities. I got every possible inoculation and vowed to never eat street food. Yet as time went on, it was fairly common to hear a student request prayer for this or that friend suffering the aftermath of an armed home invasion or kidnapping. Particularly for women, I think there is always a sizeable undercurrent of worst-case scenarios floating on the sidelines of our brains. But now the fear was on the front burner. It might happen—today or tonight. God, am I willing to endure that? With all my mental effort I clung to my Savior who holds my hand even as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Brennan Manning reminds us that, “those who wear bulletproof vests protecting themselves from failure, shipwreck and heartbreak will never know what love is. The unwounded life bears no resemblance to the Rabbi.” I decided that every time I felt unsafe or afraid, God was granting me the opportunity to learn greater compassion for my brothers and sisters all over the world who live in places that are rarely, if ever, “safe.” Every time my heart was tight with fear as the sun fell, or every time we woke up to gunshots in the night, I must be prompted to pray for the tens of thousands of women in that same city who were sleeping with their daughters in flimsy tents, vulnerable to attack with every walk to the water station or latrine. Plus, prying my fingers off the idol of my own perfect safety made me remember that to live is Christ and to die is gain. The entire purpose of my life is

to pour myself out as a drink offering for the Kingdom. If I’m called to die in the service of that end, I would be honored. Saint Benedict admonishes us: “Keep your own death before your eyes each day.” I’ll confess I’ve found no quicker way to stop caring about the trivial cloud of noise and consumerism endlessly swimming around in our culture. Haiti gave me the gift of solidarity with the victims and the threatened, as well as perspective on my own worries. Haiti is a place of stark contrasts— natural beauty and broken political systems, sweet, simple pleasures and crushing poverty. The name of Jesus is painted on most public transportation, the taxilike, colorful tap-taps, and the sound of singing is everywhere on Sunday morning. Yet Haiti is a place where no one can politely ignore the manifested results of every type of sin—individual, systematic, environmental, economic. It is a place where I learned to be weak and to be strong at the same time. Marinating in both the darkness and the light is excellent preparation for a history teacher. We tell the whole truth in history class, celebrating the soaring achievements of mankind while being unafraid to confront our most shameful crimes. As my class explores American laws, wars and presidencies, we see a multitude of evidence that man is made in God’s image, and yet we also see a multitude of evidence that man is utterly depraved. From The Pequod to the frontier, from Gatsby’s mansion to the White House, we find proof that we bear God’s fingerprints and that we all need Him desperately.

Library building of Quisqueya Christian School behind security wall which surrounds the school

ACADEMIC UPDATE

TCA Faculty Leading the Way

OU EXPECT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF LEADERS ON OUR CAMPUS—

teachers, team leaders, department leaders, program heads, administrators. What you may not realize is that the faculty and staff at TCA are not only leaders on our By Diane Taylor, Academic Dean campus, but they are also leaders in their fields and professions, using their skills and knowledge to improve TCA and witness to the greater community. In September, TCA Director of Technology Julie Abell invited IT directors from a number of private schools in the Dallas area to visit TCA. The meeting provided a great opportunity for people with the same role in their respective schools to discuss how their various technology programs are working. Technology directors from eight different schools, including Parish, Greenhill and Legacy Christian, met at TCA. Mrs. Abell planned the agenda, which involved a time of sharing about technology in each school. The group discussed such topics as networks and systems, devices used for students, faculty and staff and trainings. The members of the group were able to ask questions about filtering content, email accounts and help desks. Although the meeting was supposed to last from 9 to 11 a.m., attendees stayed until 1 p.m., enjoying their time of sharing challenges and solutions with like-minded people. This IT directors’ group plans to meet two more times this year and already has an agenda for the next meeting that includes how to train the technology staff and how to help parents with technology. Our Guidance Office has had the opportunity to lead, both locally and nationally in many ways. College counselors Caryn Thexton and Tracie Gates and their administrative assistant, Deborah Callaghan, hosted a meeting of 50 guidance counselors from various schools, including Fort Worth Christian and Prestonwood Christian Academy. The theme that the TCA Guidance Office set for this meeting was, “Treasures—ideas that have worked well in each school.” The group discussed troubleshooting problems and best practices. These like-minded professionals enjoyed a time of sharing together, and TCA was glad to provide leadership to organize this meeting. Caryn Thexton is also serving her second year as a member of the national board of the North American Coalition for

Christian Admissions Professions (NACCAP). NACCAP helps to provide resources for guidance counselors in Christian schools. The group hosts such opportunities as professional development conferences and “fly-ins” for couselors to Christian universities such as John Brown University in Arkansas and Taylor University in Indiana. Mrs. Thexton serves on the committee for governance, a committee tasked with accepting members and planning how to reach out to counselors in Christian schools. In addition, the Guidance Office also hosted our very successful “College Day” in September, with 160 colleges and universities represented by their admissions and alumni representatives from schools around the country, including The Ohio State University, Harvard and the University of Virginia. The first half of that time was given to TCA students. During that time, our seniors, juniors and sophomores met and talked with representatives, gathered information and made personal contact with these schools. The college reps were extremely grateful for the care that TCA shows by having a hot, catered lunch and fun door prizes for them. The second half of the day included visits from 300 students from other private schools. In November, visual arts teacher Jimmie Hudson and Visual Arts Department Chair Jon Millet, along with TCA visual arts teachers, used grant money to host a workshop with 23 art teachers, mainly from public schools, to explore artistically the theme, “Ancestry.” The department set up workstations and supplies so that these teachers and artists could produce collages with items they had brought to incorporate into their art. The teachers then scanned the collages and used Photoshop to edit and design. The TCA Visual Arts Department was able to print 40” by 60” copies that will be displayed in the Trinity Art Gallery from March 26 to April 16. The teachers who attended received professional development credit, and they certainly received encouragement working in a collegial environment both as art teachers and as professional artists. One participant commented, “I am not exaggerating a bit when I say that was the most useful and informative professional development workshop I have been to in years, if not ever!” TCA is certainly blessed with many, many leaders on our campus. All of these programs and outreaches to others take time, planning and hard work. How wonderful it is, though, to share the rich resources God has given to us with others from various schools and professions! T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

1 5

TCA TECHNOLOGY

Student Technology Leadership By Julie Abell, Director of Technology

T THE BEGINNING OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, every student in

grades five through ten received a mobile device as part of TCA’s e4 initiative. Middle School students received iPad devices, and students in grades nine and ten received Toshiba Portege Windows 8 tablets. Adding more than 800 devices to the already 600 student devices required TCA to get creative on device support!

Over the past several years, summer tech

interns have filled an important role in preparing for the start of a new school year. These interns typically have a gift for technology, great problemsolving skills and a customer-service mindset. TCA wanted to expand this leadership opportunity throughout the school year and create a studentrun support center for fellow Upper School students. This took shape in a Tech Stop, where students can get assistance with their devices and learn how to use software applications. The Tech Stop is open during backwork, after school and during every class period. Teachers can also send students to resolve technology issues without taking instructional time.

Potential support members were identified by their success in Upper School Technology courses and were students who had exhibited

1 6

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

Upper School Tech Stop student helpers: Back row – Will Traweek (sophomore), Daniel Rodriguez (senior), Ryan Chianese (senior), Dawson Fields (junior), Ryan Roquemore (sophomore), Chase Hackney (sophomore); Front row – Paige Test (senior), Kenzie Gossett (senior), Mary Ashley Samuleson (sophomore), Jacquelyn Rector (junior), Alex Clemovitz (sophomore); Not pictured: David Carstens (sophomore)

As a community, TCA is committed to pursuing God’s truth in a digital culture. Through e4, TCA will equip our learning community with the technological resources to further engage our students, enhance curriculum and enable all learners to use technology well and wisely.

Junior Dawson Fields assists a classmate at Tech Stop in the Upper School

technology skills and leadership in supporting their peers and teachers over the past several years. Twelve students submitted online applications and were interviewed via phone by Technology Integration Specialist Lisa Wong. Mrs. Wong is responsible for Upper School teacher training and the Toshiba program, including distribution and support. There were common themes among the students during the interview process: love of technology and a desire to help others. Students were given the option of receiving an elective credit or volunteering in the Tech Stop. This year’s Tech Stop students requested to volunteer for community service.

“I like helping people, and Tech Stop is a good experience for college. It’s like having a job and having something where you are accountable.” Senior Ryan Chianese Students attended training in August to learn the Toshiba Portege hardware, Windows 8 software and common troubleshooting issues like student email accounts and cloud storage syncing. The Tech Stop Station is a

cubicle located inside US Technology Head Kent Pendleton’s classroom and contains spare parts and tools for repair.

Once a month, students meet in Mr.

Pendleton’s classroom for a pizza lunch to share support ideas and work through issues. Mrs. Wong leads each meeting and highlights customer service tips and how to transfer the student’s vast knowledge of technology to their classmates. In October, students learned about the manufacturing assembly process and how to resolve an issue with the keyboard screws. “The Tech Stop has become a technical hub for students, and I know this program will continue to grow,” says Mr. Pendleton. Senior Ryan Chianese enjoys working in the Tech Stop. “I like helping people, and Tech Stop is a good experience for college. It’s like having a job and having something where you are accountable,” said Ryan.

Tech Stop’s Culture of CARE

C A R E

heerfully serve students with excellence ffirm one another honestly esponsibly perform our work

xceed expectations consistently

Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31b

The Tech Stop support team is continuing

to learn more and now helps with the setup of student loaner devices while units are in for repair. It is great to see these talented students find their niche and serve their peers and teachers. Who knows? One of these twelve students might run a company, develop a life-changing software application or design the next device we can’t live without! I look forward to watching them develop and use their God-given gifts. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

1 7

HEADMASTER’S NOTE

HE INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF OUR STUDENTS is paramount to our mission.

J.P. Moreland, professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, writes in Love Your God With All Your Mind, “Recently, the guidance counselor at a local public high school near my home confessed to a parents’ group that the teenagers that have attended the school during the last ten years are the most dysfunctional, illiterate group he has witnessed in close to forty years at the same school. Our society has replaced heroes with celebrities, the quest for a well-informed character with the search for a flat stomach, substance and depth with image and personality. In the political process, the makeup man is more important than the speech writer, and we approach the voting booth, not on the basis of a self-developed philosophy of what the state should be, but with a heart full of images, emotions and slogans all packed into thirty-second sound bites. The mindnumbing, irrational tripe that fills TV talk shows is digested by millions of bored, lonely Americans hungry for that sort of stuff. What is going on here? What has happened to us?” Surely, Trinity Christian Academy’s mission to develop the whole person for the glory of God should include, as Moreland calls it, “the soulful development of the Christian mind.” Our students live in a culture that is truly anti-intellectual, and the church is often as guilty as the rest of the world. Evangelicals too often come across as shallow, defensive, ignorant and intransigent, instead of knowledgeable, confident and eloquent. It is the responsibility of parents and our school to provide an education to prepare children for the demands of the culture: “to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16), to defend our faith and integrate that faith so that it is relevant in all we say, do, study, feel and THINK! Moreland concludes, “I want to make something very clear: The spiritually mature person is a wise person. And a wise person has the savvy and skill necessary to lead an exemplary life and to

By Dave Delph, Headmaster

1 8

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

address the issues of the day in a responsible, attractive way that brings honor to God…wisdom is the fruit of a life of study and a developed mind. Wisdom is the application of knowledge gained from studying both God’s written Word and His revealed truth in creation. If we are going to be wise, spiritual people prepared to meet the crises of our age, we must be a studying, learning community that values the life of the mind.” Opinions of our curriculum run the gamut…too hard, too easy, just right. It is our desire to challenge all students to think by exposing them to the great works, issues and thoughts that have confronted Western mankind for centuries…all examined in light of the greatest book, God’s Word. In his essay, “A Compelling Reason for Rigorous Training of the Mind,” John Piper states, “The church of Jesus is debilitated when his people are lulled into thinking that it is humble or democratic or relevant to give a merely practical education that does not involve the rigorous training of the mind to think hard and to construe meaning from difficult texts. The issue of earning a living is not nearly so important as whether the next generation has direct access to the meaning of the Word of God.” Our Father gave us intellect to honor Him. May we boldly continue to cultivate the life of the mind—a spiritual act of worship—for we have been created Imago Dei!

GIVE BACK

Proud tradition of By Becky D. Lewis Executive Director of Development

Giving

To be 45 years young means to honor our past and to respect the traditions that matter most.

It means we continue to celebrate God’s faithfulness. We want to honor those people who have committed themselves to our mission and who have supported our school from its humble beginnings to the prominent college-preparatory school that it is today. We take time to tell the stories of our past, as outlined throughout Trinity Today, and to ensure our present and future are built upon a solid foundation. We take time to pray and sing in our chapel services and to reflect upon the world around us. We remind even our youngest that their gifts matter and that everyone plays a role in making our community stronger. For example, our stadium is dedicated in loving memory to Coach Tom Landry for his many years of service to Trinity Christian Academy. Since 1971, Coach Landry was a generous and tireless servant who loved the Lord, his family and TCA. As a member of the Board of Trustees, he helped TCA grow from its beginnings as a small school on the grounds of Grace Bible Church to its permanent home in Addison. As a parent, an alumni parent and

a grandparent, he gave generously of his time and talents to further the mission of TCA. Over the summer, a group of men saw a need in our Athletic Department and took action. They were able to raise more than $600,000 for new turf for our football field and for the renovation of the ladies locker rooms. Per Greg Oliver, “We made calls, and our community responded!” The work was completed over the summer, and we were able to celebrate our success with donors at a dinner held at the UNT Apogee Stadium in October 2014, where we also celebrated a great football win!

To be 45 years young means we rejoice in the accomplishments of our past. We honor alumni and welcome them back with our Legacy program and annual Homecoming Dinner. We gratefully acknowledge those who continue to give of their time, efforts, prayers and gifts for the benefit of TCA, and we look forward to the future! We hope to see you at our upcoming event in the spring at the Dallas Arboretum and hope you will be a part of our next 45 years! Thank you for your role in the stewardship of this wonderful school.

Trojan football players warm up pre-game on new turf made possible by generous donors

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

1 9

GIVE BACK

A swinging success Trinity Classic Golf & Tennis Tournament, a biennial favorite, was held Monday, November 3, 2014, at Bent Tree Country Club, and 141 golfers and 44 tennis players participated. Over $230,000 was raised for Student Tuition Aid! We are so thankful to our sponsors, players, donors and volunteers for making this such a great event!

Congratulations to the following: Golf First-Place Winners: n Flight 1: Brennan Little, Jeff Wenzel, Matt Heidelbaugh and Gary Durham n Flight 2: Michael Galvis, Zach Cherry, Jordan Goodwyn and Clint Eastep

2 0

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

Tennis First-Place Winners: n Red Flight: Jen Chavanow and Emily Brenner n Blue Flight: Suzanne Pate and Robin Stone n White Flight: Mary Clayton Wood and Maria Pope n Tom Landry Flight: Keasha Behrman and Rane Lallier

We are so grateful for the following sponsors who made Trinity Classic possible: PepsiCo Higginbotham KJ Choi Given in Honor of Rod Morris Abster Investments B.R. and Denny Holman Chamberlain’s Chick-fil-A Compass Datacenters The Cotter Family Dee & Dodge Carter The Edwards Family FirstSouthwest Foster Financial Group Galleria Dallas Given in Honor of Parkway Hills Baptist Church Gravel Road Data Labs James Dean Jensen, D.D.S., M.S., P.A. King Operating Corporation Locke Lord LLP Judge & Kerry McStay Paper Affair PepWear Skin Cancer Consultants Storage Choice Texas de Brazil Thompson-Bogda Team, Ebby Halliday Realtors UnitedHealthcare Vision Source Wm. Charles Bundren Law Group XactXpressions

Special thanks to Marshall Edwards (golf chair), Jamie Fort and Tonja Crosby (tennis co-chairs), Cindy Sloan (volunteer chair), Amy Cotter (decorations chair), John Krantz (live auctioneer), John Carlson, Enoch Wong, Hudson Roe, Dylan Walker, Madeline Miller and Tyler Galvin (TCA tennis players), Justin Thompson, David Choi, Garrett Glanton, Macy Holliday, Emma Kate Liu and Abby Selzer (TCA golfers), Kendall Ellis (collateral materials design), Bent Tree Country Club and to all the TCA volunteers who contributed to Trinity Classic’s success.

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

2 1

FINANCIAL NOTE

HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE of

working at TCA for a little over six months and have enjoyed it immensely. I’ve been a TCA dad for over five years and always thought very highly of the organization. My children have loved their education experience, and my family has enjoyed the Christcentered culture and sense of community at TCA. However, coming from a for-profit background, I didn’t know what to expect in regards to TCA’s financial stability and infrastructure as I stepped into my new role at TCA. I’ve heard stories of not-for-profits flying by the seat of their pants and lacking structure, so I tried to be mentally prepared for whatever the situation may be. TCA presented a very pleasant surprise. As I’ve taken the first six months to observe and learn TCA’s infrastructure and processes, I’ve been very impressed. I wanted to share a few observations with the TCA community: n TCA has a long history of showing strong financial responsibility. TCA is debt-free, has a strong balance sheet and typically recognizes a surplus over its annual budget. n TCA has a very structured, methodical approach to budgeting and planning. Of course, preparing a

budget is only half the battle. Adhering to a budget is a challenge for some organizations, but not TCA. I’ve found that all of TCA’s department heads are very budget-conscious, transparent and extremely responsible with their budgeted funds. Good stewardship is a point of strong emphasis at TCA, and it is practiced and sought consistently in day-to-day operations. n TCA leadership has installed strong financial controls, and the organization’s financial performance and key fiscal policies are monitored by the TCA Board of Trustees. The board’s finance committee is very savvy and is actively involved in discussions about managing risk, financial controls, budgeting, cost containment and overall financial performance. n TCA leadership is constantly assessing opportunities to mitigate and manage risk of all types (financial, operational, safety, security, etc.). The organization has a strong commitment to continuous improvement. n TCA is highly regarded by its business partners (vendors, bankers, auditors, consultants, etc.). These very healthy relationships are indicators of TCA’s commitment to conducting business in the right way, which honors the Lord.

n TCA leadership, employees and

alumni have a strong passion for pursuing the Lord’s will and being a part of His plan to educate and disciple students. I believe the Christ-centered culture and focus on the Lord is a big part of why the Lord blesses TCA.

Stepping into TCA with its strong financial stability and disciplined structure has been a breath of fresh air when compared to my background of working with underfunded startups and trying to turn around distressed companies. It’s apparent that the Lord is blessing TCA, and it’s a pleasure to be along for the ride.

By Brian Rodriguez, Chief Financial Officer

A Firm Footing FOR THE FUTURE

2 2

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

SPOTLIGHT ON SERVICE

NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Mark Dyer

Mark is the managing partner in the Dallas office of Martin Disiere Jefferson and Wisdom, LLP. He attended Baylor University for his undergraduate work and for law school. He is also the President/General Counsel for the Irving Hospital Authority. Mark and his wife, Sheree, have two daughters. Sarah ’13 is a sophomore at Baylor University, and Emily is a freshman at TCA. The Dyer family attends Parkway Hills Baptist Church, and Sheree serves as a room mother for the freshman class. Mark is excited about the opportunity to serve TCA on the Board of Trustees, and he is grateful for the blessing that TCA has been to his family.

Wesley Sneed

Wesley is a Senior Information Security Analyst with Alcatel-Lucent. He is an army veteran and attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He and his wife, Wanda, have two children. Morgan ’13 is a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma, and Harper is a senior at TCA. The Sneeds are longtime members of North Dallas Community Bible Fellowship, where Wesley serves as vice chairman of the Deacon Board and Wanda utilizes her gifts of encouragement and nurturing in the Women’s Ministry. They were drawn to TCA because of the school’s commitment to biblical truth, strong family values and its emphasis on critical thinking.

MOMS MAKING A DIFFERENCE Crafting memories

A huge thank you goes to our freshman class moms and dads. Under the energetic and organized leadership of Pam Troop and Libba Richardson, hundreds of spectacular Homecoming mums and garters were created for our Upper School students. The Mum Room moved to a new location over the summer, and we are also grateful to Pam and Libba for all their help with the move! We know time is a precious gift, and we appreciate the great contribution our volunteers make to our TCA community. All monies collected from the sales of mums, garters and spirit items go to the freshman class to be used for that class’s senior trip.

Holiday Hostesses

The PTF annual Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon (formerly known as the Thanksgiving Buffet) was held in November. This luncheon, given by PTF and the parents, would not be possible without the teamwork of our whole community. Many thanks to everyone who baked, served or volunteered to make this event so special. This day is one of the favorite events of the year for the faculty and staff at TCA. Special thanks to Amy Massinger, volunteer coordinator, Jenna Hattendorf, coordinator, and Lisa Harris, assistant coordinator. These ladies were under the leadership of PTF Secretary Deahn Marsh. An enormous thank you for the sacrifice of your time to this event!

S W E E T H O U R O F P R AY E R The TCA MPACT group (Moms Praying and Coming Together) has replaced the monthly grade-level prayer meetings from past years with new, community-wide prayer and praise events. Under the direction of this year’s MPACT coordinators, Beth Sponsler and Becky Jones, moms from all grade levels (pre-k through 12) gather together about once a month to exalt Christ in praise and lift up the TCA community and students in prayer. These new events have been well attended and provide an opportunity for moms to fellowship in community. Join us for the next MPACT Prayer and Praise on Thursday, January 22, at 8:15 a.m. in the MCB Auditorium. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

2 3

IN MY OWN WORDS

Life at TCA NEWCOMER’S PERSPECTIVE By Bob Williams,

Upper School History/English Teacher, Varsity Tennis Coach

ARKING MY TRUCK BETWEEN TCA’S collegiate-style

ballpark and my Field of Dreams tennis facility, I thank God as I scan the campus. The morning sun breaks over the ‘Ark,’ sending long shadows onto the quiet intercampus drive. Invigorated by the retreat-like atmosphere, I’ve indulged in a quiet walk a few mornings this semester. As I’ve circled our tree-lined campus, breathing deeply the journey God coursed, I reflect on His divine placement and relish a distinctly divine pleasure. After over thirty years of teaching, my new position as a TCA History/English teacher and tennis coach has opened my eyes to an attitude of excellence and servant-heartedness here on a campus I now call home. I shook hands with Kyle Morrill last June, after which he walked me through the Upper School History/English hall and on to my spacious, clean-carpeted classroom complete with cuttingedge technology. Then the onslaught began. Welcoming smiles and gracious support from veteran faculty introduced me to deeply committed and supportive professionals willing to help me succeed and gain acceptance into the TCA family. I met and prayed with an administration supportive of the time and energy necessary to teaching professionals in order to best serve students in the classroom. I’m finding that this administration does everything possible to accommodate a teacher’s needs to fully devote himself to fostering student engagement in an arena of academic excellence. And while all are committed to stellar collegiate preparation, faculty and staff understand that this would be futile without a greater understanding of one’s relationship with God. Daily I evidence the divine work of the support staff, technology department, facilities and maintenance and the delightful food service personnel, all servant-hearted, bent on providing a safe, healthy, loving environment for all students, pre-K through 12. 2 4

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

Mr. Williams visits with some of his ninthgrade students between class periods

And finally, the students at TCA are the main focus of my gratitude. I’ve always said kids are kids. However, TCA students, many of whom have been a part of this campus since kindergarten, are intelligent, respectful, kind and Christ-like. I’ll admit it’s a bit strange to hear, “Thanks, Coach” several times each day by students as they leave the classroom or the courts. Seriously? They actually say, “Thank you!” And the pinnacle of my adjustment and welcome to the community here at TCA is each Thursday morning as I listen to students leading peers in Spirit-led worship. Sitting with my cool group of 15 freshman guys, we sing and bow our heads in praise, prayer and worship of the King of all kings. My only regret that I’ve realized since I’ve arrived at TCA is that my children didn’t get to attend TCA. But hey, I’ve got three little grandbabies just waiting to be Trojans!

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

Summa Cum Laude

GPA of 4.2 or higher Seniors

Grayson Aldrich Carrigan Blagburn Rachel Bolton Alec Bove Ellie Buchanan Emily Callison Connor Carpenter Mack Carter Brandon Chu Mackenzie Cimpl Lexi Coley Bryce Couch Analiese Crane Jack Denzer Rachel Doshier Andrew Douglass Isabel Esclamado Christopher Fox Anna Frazier Corbin Getz Garrett Glanton Jessica Harrison Brad Holder Christian Hutzler Florence Kam Brandon Kesler Jeremiah Kim Andrew Konstans Christianna Konstans Makenzie Krantz Adam LeBlanc Molly Legband Amanda Lilly Emma Kate Liu Alden Longbotham Marina Maale Andrew Maust Olivia McClay Madeline Miller Elizabeth Morris William Morris Michael Morton Madison Mueller Milcah Ntende Colin Parks Emily Parnell Paige Patterson Katy Quinn Alex Rader Reagan Rice Jonathan Ripley Lauren Roquemore Samantha Sadler Abby Selzer Kathryn Tate Delaney Torti Connor Travis Peyton Travis Amanda Trostel Hannah Uselton Alaina Van Fleet Christian Walsh Sarah Warnke Will Whitmire Karsten Wilkinson Brit Winchell Stephanie Wofford Enoch Wong

Juniors

Georgia Autrey Savannah Bass Haven Burgoon Katie Camp Aaron Cho David Choi Courtney Dow Aaron Feldman Dawson Fields

Lili Figueroa Matthew Galvan Audrey Gerthoffer MacKenzie Glosser Joshua Harper Nicala Hatton Emma Heath Brandon Hilger Ashley Hock Anna Holder Josh John Gavin Jones Sydney Lee Sam Liu Melanie Marshall Chandler Noordhoff John Novakovich Parker Oliver Mark Paterson Matt Paterson Cameron Pino Connor Posavitz Elizabeth Priest Chase Rea Mary-Todd Ridley Campbell Roe Isabel Ruch Georgia Scalfano Collin Schuster Shelby Smith Nicole Thomas Ben Thornton Cole Williams Carlie Woodard Matthew Young

Sophomores

Berklie Baker Brett Bartol Hallie Callison Riley Chandler Jasmine Chock Alex Coronado Chipper Daniels Timothy Darby Sarah DeWhitt Caroline Fischer Chase Hackney Juliann Hall Lindsey Hayden Daniel Heard Caitlin Hickney Alexandria Ho Nathan Holden Isabella Jackson Jordan Jones Alec Jordan Travis Josephs Ellie Kauffman Ginny Kestel Morgan Ku Kathryn Kuhlman Abigail Mathai Lauren McLain Tylre Meeks Alexandra Mills Nicole Muschalek Callie Orten Kat Petersen Kate Rector Will Traweek Melinda White Andrew Willison Nicole Willison Madeleine Wilson Christopher Wines Burke Wofford Nicholas Wong Chandler Wright

Freshmen

Presley Baker Lindsay Bibby Catherine Bigham Alea Brady Addison Branning Karsen Burgess Lance Chu Nicolas Deadman Karly Douglass Josh Esclamado

Ryan Fitzpatrick Molly Henegar Kayley Howard Daniel Hsu Evan Janson Allison Lau Sarah Lipe Lauren Lott Evan McAuliffe Natalie Miller Alyson O’Shea Haley Kate Patterson Jared Payne Caroline Pierce Caroline Pino Jessica Pitts Sydney Kathryn Riordan Claire Roever John-Michael Sadler Nathan Sanders Autumn Sonju Tori Troop Dodd Weyandt Leslie Wolff Michael Young

8th Grade

Lindsay Bartol Jessica Lee Michelle Lee Abby Muschalek J.D. Powers Avery Schuster Riley Stringfellow Connor Williams

Magna Cum Laude GPA of 3.8–4.19 Seniors

Brandon Anderson Anson Brady Emily Brayton John Carlson Ryan Chianese Will Choi Noah Clark Travis Ehringer Nahshon Ellerbe Blake Ellis Lindsey Esparza Karoline Fields Emma Gabriano Tyler Galvin Addy Gibson Taylor Hayden Graham Hill Sydney Hurst Rebecca Johnson Waverly Kundysek Jon Lauck Hunter Lawrence Charidy Lee Andrew McBride Jane Neuhoff Marshal Reid Hudson Roe Camille Smith Paige Test Gabbie Tiner Daniel Whiddon

Juniors

Tatyana Ah Chu Trace Akin Olivia Ashmore Will Ballew Elizabeth Barnes Meredith Cole Devon Collier Spencer Ellison Theo Fandrich

Reagan Freeman William Gilbert Lauren Golden Jennifer Harbour Madison Helms Addison Herritage Jessica Hock Ethan Howard Allison Jackson Lauren Kennedy Brandon Legband Mitch Little Emma Lunceford Andrew Nace Hayden Perschbacher Alexandra Powers Jacquelyn Rector Ryan Rogers Paul Rosario Alex Stiegler Reagan Stringfellow James Tardy Sarah Tholen Gracen Wilder Alex Wishnick Hunt Wood

Sophomores

Alex Aarant Grace Abell Cole Adams Benjamin Beal Chad Bekarian Spencer Bennett Joshua Black Bailey Chaffin Poppy Eriksen Lillie Harrington Connor Harwell Tyler Helbing Erica Henri Blake Hinton Macy Holliday Kenedy Kundysek Ansley Marquardt Ashton Miller Georgia Moore David Muery Weston Porter Ryan Roquemore Mary Ashley Samuelson Jack Savage Payton Schwantz Mira Sewaiseh Matthew Springfield Emily Stanton Stephen Sullivan Christopher Tarantino Macey Walker Michael Waters Julia Willison

Freshmen

Ben Berggren Parker Blackburn Jake Bryans Cade Burgoon Caroline Bush Mack Bush Michael Casella Alisa Coley Riley Crow Daniel DeWeese Caroline Dow Emily Dyer Cassidy Ellison Nicolas Fandrich Kelsey Ferrell Courtney Fish Sean Fox Sacha Francois Brady Freeman Brooks Glanton Luke Glover Bryce Harwell Kennedy Hatton Isabelle Heldenfels Cody Henson Colby James

Jake Johnson Sarah Konstans Sara Kukuk Griffin Maurice Caroline McClay Brie McCracken Abbey McCutchen Allie McWhorter Ryan McWhorter Emily Miller Hudson Neuhoff Ramie Rice Maddy Rinker Davis Rogers Emma Scalfano Kara Stiegler Susannah Turner Riley Walton Natalie Warrick Colin Wiegand R.C. Yeary

8th Grade

David Asche Georgia Ballew Molly Grace Beddingfield Kate Blocker Robert Caldwell Elisa Cavazos Summer Chaffin Trevor Cobern Bella Correa Madelynn Cotter Shaw Cotter Grant De Paoli Jillian Delp Emily Floyd Avery Gann Parker Hadley Kelsey Hancock Gracie Harris Lauren Head Austin Ho Madeline Jackson Catherine Josephs Brett Kauffman Grace Lee Clara Liu Blake Marsh Kennedy Mason Ashley McWhorter McKenzie Moore Noah Morrison Shelby Niederhofer Georgia Nine Sam Norris Regan O’Shea Annika Olson Maddie Parrent Jake Payne John Shaw Caroline Tate Max Thomas London Thornton Whit Traweek Tanner Wayte Elijah Westover Kennedy Wiegand Kaleigh Wilkinson Clarissa Wong John Wright

7th Grade

Isabella Berthel Haleigh Brown Jonathan Chock Olivia Clark Will Compton Riley Conine Avery Cotter Kyle Cotter Lindsey Crow Abigail Dalton Micah Giblaint Kathryn Janson Barrett Jessen Natalie Konstans Leslie Anne Lodwick Anna Beth Lowrey

Ross McKay Blake Mercer Garrett Orten Clarke Pino Henry Ridley Logan Rock Pierce Sandlin Zoe Schiefer Savannah Sims Caroline Spears Justine Walker Gracy Watts Jack Wenzel Lily Westover Brendan Williams Jessica Young

Cum Laude

GPA of 3.5–3.79 Seniors

Hank Autrey Khloe Benton Garrett Clifford David Crosby Hayden Foster Kenzie Gossett Parker Heard Peter Manos Daniel Rodriguez Dylan Walker Lauren Wood Brittany Wright

Juniors

Nathalie Azzi Bailey Bacon Blair Blackburn Hayden English Brett Fair Joseph Fares Josh Graham Austin Gurney Cameron Hall Hannah Keplar Courtney Kesler Landon Lloyd M.J. Massinger Donovan Mbroh Cory McQuilkin Jackson Noakes Everett Ray Jacob Sloan

Sophomores

Jack Blocker Jack Bolton Carter Burns David Carstens Mary Cash Monica Choi Alex Clemovitz David Dembicki Travis Harrison Haley Hodges Logan Jobe Janna Kelly Christopher Konstans Laurence Lundy Braeden O’Brien Bo Parker Reagan Robbins Delia Rowland Allison Smith Peyton Stone Justin Thompson Ellie Whitmire Gayden Williams Cole Yeatts

Freshmen

Bryn Barringer Meghan Betts Laura Bowling

Sam Clare Maddy Courtright Marissa Douglass Libby Floyd Jarod Frantz Jordyn Goodman Mallory Heard A.J. LaGassa Harrison Lawrence Lauren Mawhee Gil Nelson Foti Pakes Jung Park Kyndall Richardson Jordan Rodgers Tara Williamson Kiley Wilson Caroline Winslow Ethan Woodward

8th Grade

Riley Bagnall Michael Callahan Lucy Callewart Bobby Carstens Charles Cash Katie Cass Erin Clay Brijit Crosby Dylan Deaton Trevor Douglass Andrea Ehringer Daniela Figueroa Kyle Green Brooke Henegar Jackson Hinckley Gentry Jarrell Townley Jordan William Kennedy Cade Klinger Savannah Pate Laura Pomberg Coleman Rector Cailin Redden Riley Rice Robert Rowland Zach Speck Lauren Sulzen Tyler Townley Jordan Walters Alayna Weyandt Payton Willey

7th Grade

Ariana Asrawi Olivia Baldwin Zoe Bator Olivia Berggren Nicholas Boyd Andrew Buser Ellie Bush Amanda Choi Giovanna Cinello Elle Clark Ella Kate Cotter Jayce Frady Claire Franke Carter Getz Cameron Gilmore Audrey Gradick Colton Hackney Maggie Harrison Mason Hinckley Faith Johnson Jenna Larson Gracie Massinger Joshua Matthews Cameron May James Mayo Katherine McLain Ethan Merrifield Jasmine Miller Danielle Parker Michael Ruch Ashleigh Rutledge Lauren Smith Nathan Stara Marie Kathryn Waldrop Audrey Wines Grant Winslow Elizabeth Yeary

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

2 5

GOOD WORKS

2014 Homecoming Court

n Senior Paige Patterson was crowned the 2014 Homecoming Queen. Her peers elected her based on the character qualities of gentle spirit, compassion and integrity. The classes also vote for their representatives based on these qualities. Congratulations to the 2014 Homecoming Court: freshman Deven Gann (gentle spirit), sophomore Riley Chandler (compassion), junior Jennifer Harbour (integrity) and seniors Analiese Crane, Molly Legband, Emma Kate Liu and Madison Mueller (all three qualities).

National Merit

n Seniors Florence Kam, William Morris, Enoch Wong and Jeremiah Kim were recently named 2014 National Merit Semifinalists. As Semifinalists, these students were among the highest scorers on the PSAT in Texas and represent less that one percent of our state’s top high school seniors. In addition, seven seniors were named as National Merit Commended Students: Grayson Aldrich, Bryce Couch, Isabel Esclamado, Christopher Fox, Elizabeth Morris, Alex Rader and Will Whitmire, which places them in the top 5% of the 1.5 million students who entered the 2014 competition. Congratulations to all!

Middle School Honor Choir

TPSMEA All-State Choir

n Juniors Cameron Pino and Savannah Bass were selected to TPSMEA All-State Choir. Congratulations!

This fall, 14 sixth-graders and 22 seventh- and eighth-graders qualified for the TPSMEA Children’s Honor Choir and Middle School Honor Choir. These students auditioned and placed among the top 25 in the state in their respective voice parts and then participated in a two-day clinic and performance. TCA had the most singers of any private school in Texas. Congratulations to the following students: SIXTH-GRADE CHILDREN’S CHOIR n Sopranos: David Agumadu, Reagan Havel, Georgia Leeds, Jack Maust, Lilly Parker, Avery Sponsler and Kate Yanof n Altos: Emily Clay, Zachary Clift, Victoria Dahnke, Jaxx Hatton, Cade Holliday, Wilson Roe and Joel Smitherman MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR CHOIR n Sopranos: Hallie Harvey, Hope Hellberg, Brooke Henegar, Gentry Jarrell, Allison Jones, Jasmine Miller, Jordan Walters and Audrey Wines n Altos: Olivia Baldwin, Haleigh Brown, London Cross, Lindsey Fish, Abby Hanley, Natalie Konstans and McKenzie Moore n Tenors: Will Barnes, Bryson Byrd and Ross McKay n Basses: Isaac Agumadu, Carter Burgoon, Nick Clift, William Kennedy, Blake Mercer and Elijah Westover

2 6

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

State Fair Art Accolades

n Two TCA Middle School students took top art awards at the State Fair of Texas this year. Eighth-grader Tessa Ward (above) won first place in the juniors category for charcoal or pencil with her graphite sketch of an enlargement of water droplets on rose petals, and seventh-grader Ashley Mullis (right) won first place in the juniors category for oil on acrylic landscape with her Lego-themed painting.

College Signings n Senior Jack Denzer will play baseball at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York.

n Senior Jon Michael Lauck will play baseball at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.

Hall of Fame Coach

n Charles Fergason, TCA head varsity wrestling coach, was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on October 25, as a Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award recipient. He was one of only four wrestling coaches to be awarded this honor from the state of Texas this year. Coach Fergason has consistently led the TCA program with great integrity and successfully mentored hundreds of TCA athletes. He is a living example of what it means to be a transformational coach. Coach Fergason now has a plaque hung in his honor at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Congratulations, Coach Fergason!

n Senior Emma Kate Liu will play golf at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Community Leader

n Senior Andrew Maust was recently named a student member of the Board of Directors at the Seven Loaves Food Pantry and Community Center, which also encompasses a few other nonprofit charitable organizations. After a selective application and interview process, Andrew was chosen for his leadership and commitment to these charities.

North Texas Giving Day

n On September 18, 2014, over 900 donors contributed more than $354,500 to TCA. TCA also received a $5,000 bonus for having the most donors in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;schoolâ&#x20AC;? category. Funds were donated through the Communities Foundation of Texas and will be used to enhance campus security and athletic programs.

September 18, 2014

get up & give! T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

2 7

UPPER SCHOOL

attended an athletic banquet a few years ago where a friend of mine was relating to the audience his personal roller coaster ride. In a brief few weeks, he coached the winning team in a high school state championship game, lost his father to cancer and stood on the sidelines as a part of the Dallas Cowboys staff as the team won a Super Bowl in Pasadena, California. As he sorted out all that he had been through in that short span of time, all he could come up with was, “Jesus loves me; this I know!” He told the audience that he would’ve liked to share some deep, meaningful lessons that he had learned or some specific scripture on which he had leaned, but he was still sorting out the extreme emotions he had encountered. Knowing that Jesus loved him in the midst of great joy and great loss was enough.

2 8

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

THIS

On September 2 of this school year, we had another successful, enjoyable MiniSchool night in the Upper School. I went home that night and had a stroke. Literally. I woke up in the wee hours of Wednesday, September 3, and my left arm was numb. I thought that I must have slept on it weirdly. I got up to use the restroom and realized my left leg was numb, too. I must have really slept weirdly. Over the next few minutes, I decided that something more serious was happening. My wife was out of town, and my kids are grown and out of the house. So it was just me and the dog. I changed my clothes, called 911 and waited for a ride to the hospital. The ambulance and fire truck were at my door before I got off the phone with the 911 operator. Seven or eight emergency personnel entered my house, did a brief examination of me and took me one mile to the hospital. They ran quite a few tests on me at the hospital and determined that I had, in fact, had a stroke. Not a TIA/mini-stroke, but a real, live stroke. Evidently, a clot of some kind found an intersection in my brain, which it could not negotiate, and it decided to unplug the entire left side of my body. All throughout the day on Wednesday, I was examined by an abundance of medical doctors and therapists. The physical therapist tried to get me to walk fifteen feet and back, but that didn’t go so well. He told me that I would need at least three or four days as an inpatient at a physical rehab hospital when I got out of the hospital. My wife, Sue, was in Austin with her three sisters and her mom at the bedside of their dad, who had slipped into a non-responsive sleep and was not expected to recover. Sue

By Kyle Morril, Head of Upper School was probably the last person to know that I was in the hospital. She came back to Plano immediately to see me. On Thursday, the numbness seemed to have worn off, and the physical therapist thought we ought to try the walking thing again. He was astonished that I sat up, got to my feet and cautiously walked laps around the fourth-floor hallways. He changed his mind and determined that I would not need any physical therapy at all and had basically no stroke symptoms anymore. I was released on Friday to go home. My wife’s father passed away on Saturday. I went back to school on Monday and Tuesday and spent the rest of the week in Austin at Sue’s dad’s funeral. After a couple of weeks, we found out that Bonnie, Sue’s mother, had stage four pancreatic cancer, which had taken over her pancreas, liver and stomach. She was not expected to live very long. Sue returned to Austin for a two-week vigil with her mom, and she passed away on October 22. In a little over seven weeks, we had experienced great challenges. My wife especially went through a difficult time.

In the middle of it all, I could only think of my friend’s words so many years ago, “Jesus loves me; this I know!” Illnesses and funerals tend to force us to reflect on our lives and what we really value and what we really believe. I have been back to full speed for several weeks. Before my stroke, I prided myself on being healthy and fit. I did not have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. I rode my bike about fifteen miles a day about five days a week. At this point, they do not know exactly what caused my stroke, but they are continuing to run tests in case anything shows up. So far, they can’t find anything. They felt my very quick recovery was a little miraculous. I attribute it to the power of God through the prayers of His children, my friends. I know that when we face death and experience the death of our friends and loved ones, we dig down into Scripture to make sure what we believe and to focus on those verses that give us God’s eternal promises. Our theology is tested. Do we really believe what we have been taught from the Bible? Is God really faithful? Will my faith hold up? Can He handle my doubts and my discouragement? I learned once again, and probably in a very lasting way, that God is present in the midst of our greatest victories and greatest challenges. He has defeated sin and death. He promises us eternal life. He promises us abundant life. He has gone to prepare a place for us—that where He is, we will be there too someday. Sometimes, in the midst of our sorrow, He whispers in our ears through the words of that wonderful children’s song, “Jesus loves me; this I know!” Sometimes that’s all we have, but it is enough.

I KNOW T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

2 9

UPPER SCHOOL

Afraid of the Dark

US Advanced Drama students presented Afraid of the Dark, a mystery farce by James Reach, as this year’s dessert theater production, which included outrageously funny situations, a terrific pace and suspense and laughs galore. The evening performances took place in the Performing Arts Center and were followed by a delicious buffet of desserts.

STEM Club

The Upper School has formed a new student-led STEM Club. Over 35 students interested in science, technology, engineering and math fields meet once a month for robotics, math competitions, guest speakers and other fun activities. They also helped coach the Middle School robotics teams for the 2014 FIRST ® LEGO® League WORLD CLASS Challenge.

HOCO dressup week 3 0

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

US students celebrated Homecoming week with special dress-up days to show their school spirit. This year’s dress-up themes were Movie Monday, Twin Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, Tourist Thursday and Fan Friday.

CLASSACTS Civic duty

As part of their government class curriculum, TCA seniors completed over 350 hours of political participation during this election season. Students campaigned for their preferred candidates or party in a variety of activities, such as phone banking, block walks, sign-making, poll sitting and working meet-and-greet meetings in Dallas and Collin Counties. Several students also worked at polling locations on Election Day. Several students who worked for the Greg Abbott campaign were also able to meet and talk with the now governor-elect of Texas.

nov.

oct.

sept.

Carrigan Blagburn

Nahshon Ellerbe

Excellence is the word that best describes William Morris’s standard for everything that he undertakes. Driven, articulate and self- motivated, William is an engaged student who sets and achieves high expectations. In school, he always strives to put forth his best effort and turn in his best work. William is capable of accomplishing an extraordinary amount because of his ability to plan, organize and be self-disciplined. He has not shied away from taking the most rigorous course of study offered at TCA. Not only is William a serious student, but he also shares the same passion for helping others. He has given countless hours to volunteer work through the Young Men’s Service League. William has been active in student government at TCA since ninth grade and currently serves as the Student Body President. He has the ability to inspire others to action through his example of hard work and his strong ethics. William has an inquisitive mind and will seek answers when others would give up. He is an “out of the box” thinker and is clearly an example of self-discipline. He sets clear goals and perseveres until they are accomplished.

Carrigan Blagburn is driven, determined and a delight. In addition to a full load of AP English and History, Carrigan has chosen the most difficult courses available in both math and science. Carrigan is in her third year as an integral member of the yearbook staff. Applying at the end of her freshman year, Carrigan was one of only a few underclassmen selected for yearbook. She spends hours after school, on weekends and even in the summer gathering material and working on the yearbook layout. This experience has given her the opportunity to not only work on her creative skills but also a chance to manage underclassmen and her peers. Outside of the regular school schedule, Carrigan is a valued member of the TCA varsity volleyball team and spends a great deal of time practicing for both school volleyball and club volleyball. She has a warm heart and gentle spirit and has earned the respect of teachers and administrators. Her classmates look to her as a leader. She is an approachable, affable student and has already left her footprint on the TCA campus through her interactions both in and out of the classroom.

Nahshon is a thoughtful scholar who actively participates in classroom discussion. He is inquisitive and continues to ask questions and explore ideas even after the bell rings. In addition to a challenging academic course load, Nahshon is also a gifted artist who has been heavily involved in TCA’s award-winning art program each year. His works range from delicate sketches to larger-than-life sculptures, and the amount of time he spends honing his talent is evident. He will spend a large part of his senior year in AP Art preparing for the spring AP art show. Nahshon is also a talented athlete. He is a valued member of the varsity football team and puts just as much time into his athletics as he does into his artwork and schoolwork. He never lets his talents become a source of pride. Instead, he finds ways to make others stand out. Nahshon is a special individual; he welcomes campus visitors and seeks out others to encourage. Despite his talents and achievements, Nahshon maintains a humble demeanor and takes his accomplishments in stride. He would rather make sure that others are getting the recognition they deserve than draw more attention to himself. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

Rotary Students of the Month

William Morris

3 1

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Show love THE “Wow!” Though that’s not

necessarily a verbatim quote, it summarizes pretty neatly the typical response of the 24 Middle School teachers who have had the opportunity to attend the National Teachers Conference at The Ron Clark Academy (RCA) in Atlanta, Georgia. Over the past two years, we have been blessed by a major grant, which allowed two dozen of our teachers to visit this unique school, where one of the highlights of the conference was to meet students in grades 5 through 8 who attend there. Across the board, all of our teachers were impressed and came away with a “Wow!” response to the ability of the RCA students to engage with us in conversation.

While the conference inspired and affirmed our teachers in a number of ways when it came to their own teaching, it also prompted us to think deeply about our Middle School culture. We realized that for every moment we had ever been frustrated by a student who lets a door

3 2

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

close in somebody else’s face, a child who ignores another person in an otherwiseempty hallway, or a student who rudely interrupts a conversation to ask a question, we had been spoiled to a degree by the many students in our midst who do hold a door for someone, greet people in halls or enter into a conversation with at teacher by saying, “Excuse me…”

Even so, we knew we wanted

to see more of our students communicating and living well in our classrooms and hallways, so we decided to clearly define and teach them The Trinity Way. As a result of a series of small-group discussions in the spring of 2014, we kicked off the 2014-15 school year by introducing our students to The Trinity Way.

To start this year, we kept it pretty

Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. Romans 12:10

simple. Teachers at each grade level in the Middle School taught students about four different areas, framing them with Romans 12:10 as the basis, “Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.”

n Eye Contact: What is this? Why

does it matter, and how does one “track” a speaker with one’s eyes?

n Greeting others: The cue for this

action is if one sees only one other person walking past in an otherwise-empty

TRINITY WAY hallway, the appropriate response is to greet that person in some way.

n Holding doors: Whether heading in or

heading out, students are taught to take a look around and hold the door for an adult or any other students heading through the doorway.

n Initiating a conversation with a teacher: Encouraging simple phrases such as

“Good morning,” “Excuse me” or “May I ask you a question?” we give students tools to appro priately initiate conversations with teachers.

Whereas some of these concepts are of critical importance to a child’s success in school (e.g., the ability to make eye contact and track a teacher, along with the ability to initiate a conversation with a teacher), others are simply aimed at creating a culture which is more inclusive, kind and “others-focused” (e.g., greeting others and holding doors). The fact that this approach subtly challenges our students to “read” social situations and to be “on the lookout” for the interests of others in a

given setting gives them valuable practice at living out character qualities such as humility and service to others.

Far better than correcting

those few students who might let the door slam or rudely interrupt a conversation between two teachers (not that there’s anything wrong with correcting those behaviors!), we are seeing, once again, the value of holding up the target at which we want our students to aim. I recently read a quote from Matt Jarvis, the chief strategy officer at 74andSunny, an advertising and design firm in Los Angeles. Discussing the best way to influence people and have a cultural impact, he said simply, “It is easier to draw people to the light than chase them from the shadows.” As a Middle School community who bears the name of our Savior, we want to be clear that it is Jesus who is the Source of our high standards and the Reason for us to honor others in our community in these ways.

A few years ago, the key verse

for our Middle School chapel theme was Jeremiah 6:16, “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” It is our hope and prayer that as we continue to teach our Middle School students to do life in The Trinity Way, we will be teaching and guiding them in how to “read” all of life and be intentional and honoring to God and others in their decisions, words and actions.

By Scott Berthel, Head of Middle School

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

3 3

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Hands-on science

Fifth-grade students took their iPad devices on a field trip around the TCA campus to learn about vegetative propagation. Science teacher Kerry DeWeese pointed out different types of plants while students photographed and labeled them using their stylus pens. Students then discussed and witnessed a bee’s involvement in the pollination process.

Photos in time

Eighth-graders created “photos in time” this fall. They researched significant events and happenings in US history, created backdrops, gathered period costumes and presented their information in character to their classmates. Custer’s Last Stand, the Titanic, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Transcontinental Railroad all came to life through their presentations.

Beauty and the Beast

3 4

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

On November 1, Under the direction of Dawna Debter and Sharla Davidson, a stellar cast of 41 and 7 crew members treated audiences to a most-enchanted experience as they presented Disney’s musical, Beauty and the Beast. They brought the house down with huge musical numbers, including Be Our Guest and Gaston, and created a truly memorable experience.

CLASSACTS Proud to be a Trojan!

Middle School students celebrated their fall sports teams with a fall pep rally, complete with cheerleaders and the Middle School band. All of the fall sports teams were introduced, and the students were led to the pep rally by the outstanding Middle School drum line.

Presidential experience

TCA seventh-graders learned about our executive branch of government, viewed memorabilia, experienced history through interactive exhibits and took photos in the Oval Office during their recent field trip to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

3 5

LOWER SCHOOL

By Anne Badger, Assistant Head of Lower School

ITH GREAT DELIGHT, the

Lower School welcomed our first pre-kindergarten class this school year. Two classrooms full of eager preschoolers guided by two of Trinity’s master teachers ventured into this early childhood journey together. We sought to provide the highest quality pre-kindergarten program woven into the TCA mission. We desire to engage each child’s intellect, imagination and heart for the glory of God. All stakeholders will agree, this new program exceeds expectations in every way.

Equipped with a passion

to educate our youngest learners, the Lower School administration and faculty thoughtfully prepared for this new beginning. We committed to align the pre-kindergarten curriculum with our current elementary instructional programs and the standards set forth by the leading national organizations in early childhood. This balanced approach has provided the foundation for an engaging curriculum integrating language and literacy development, play and a desire for children to know God’s faithfulness and love.

Students arrive in our vibrant classrooms ready to begin their day with KTCA and circle time. SMART Board® technology is introduced at this early age to engage students in activities including the weather, calendar and many literacy and numeracy instructional goals, such as rhyming and patterning. Daily “read alouds” create rich literacy experiences. Also, songs and poems add more opportunities to hear repetitive 3 6

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

New

Beginni language and build fluency and vocabulary. Teachers provide frequent opportunities for students to share their learning during group time. The community meetings in our prekindergarten classrooms build a framework for routine and spontaneity.

If you peek into one of our classrooms

during center time, you might find children investigating at the sand table, playing “make believe” at the home center or building the tallest tower. Teachers daily facilitate this deep engagement in play. However, during these center times, you

will also find teachers meeting with small groups to learn about letters and sounds or discussing a literature convention such as plot or characterization. During these teacher-led small group times, students are encouraged to listen and respond appropriately by attending to the same topic for several minutes and using more complex language. The young child’s day is balanced with opportunities to choose activities and teachers guiding students’ learning.

ngs

in an activity room of the Lower School. Children share a meal together, practice good manners and choose healthy food options. Allowing students to eat in this more intimate space provides the perfect spot as preschoolers transition into a fullday program. Also, a daily rest time is provided for students in their classrooms. These routines further support a young child’s development.

As we nurture young learners, we provide

Throughout the year, science, math and

social studies explorations are integrated as the class studies the community around us, seasons and holidays. Multi-sensory activities are chosen to spark curiosity and allow movement and fun. Visits from the fire and police stations, a Teddy Bear Picnic and “Pre-K Sings” musical performance further enrich the community experience and provide parents the opportunity to join the fun. Preschoolers love to share their learning with their families.

You may be surprised to learn that

our youngest students also have weekly involvement with our specials classes. Prekindergarten students eagerly participate in library, computer, art, physical education and music with subject specialists in each of these areas. Vigorous outdoor play is also a popular time of each preschooler’s day. The Lower School playground provides the space for students to run, climb and explore their world. Unstructured playtime also equips students with opportunities to develop friendships and learn social skills. Teachers and assistants help navigate this significant part of the school day.

meaningful daily opportunities to learn about God’s love for them. Prayer, Bible stories and Bible memory are integrated throughout the child’s day during circle time, small group experiences and many of their daily routines. The Bible curriculum captivates students with its colorful resources and teaches God’s love in concrete approachable ways. The teachers and assistants lovingly interact with each child and diligently attend to each child’s spiritual and emotional needs.

Our preschoolers joyfully enter the

building each day ready to engage with their classmates and teachers. The robust curriculum, quality resources and carefully planned routines allow our youngest learners the opportunity to play and grow. Come see our newest students as they begin their journey at TCA!

Snacks and lunch are another beloved

part of the young child’s day. Nutritious and balanced meals are served to students T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

3 7

LOWER SCHOOL

Field of fun

Lower School students celebrated Field Day this fall. From tug-o-war to soccer kicks to relay races of all kinds, the students had a fun-filled day competing with their friends. Special thanks to AnnaÂ Clark for organizing this wonderful event.

Teddy Bear Picnic

3 8

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

Students in pre-K enjoyed a wonderful time at their teddy bear picnic this year complete with special snacks, games and furry friends!

CLASSACTS

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got spirit!

Lower School students had a great time at the annual Lower School Pep Rally prior to Little Trojan Night at the varsity football game. Varsity football captains, cheerleaders, drill team members and the Upper School drum line all helped to make this an exciting afternoon!

Boxes of love

Lower School students collected nearly 1,000 boxes for Operation Christmas Child this year. These boxes, filled with toys, books, candy and hygiene items, were packed with love, prayed over and set to children in war-torn countries around the world.

Kindergarten Texas style!

Kindergarten had a fabulous time at its annual Texas Round-Up! Students sang for the parents, tasted chili, had a hayride, pet all sorts of animals, roped steer horns, threw horseshoes, corralled cows and rode horses! It was a great day to be in kindergarten. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

3 9

4 0

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

Lower School students hosted their grandÂparents on campus on Thursday and Friday, November 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;21. Over 1,100 grandparents and grand friends came to share this special time of songs, Bible verses and classroom fun with their Lower School grandchildren. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

4 1

Be in the Game!

Membership in the TCA Athletic Booster Club gives you the pleasure of investing in the Athletics “wish list” of all TCA sports teams, plus investing in LS events and providing campus-wide spirit and character messaging. Students and athletes to come will benefit from your generosity and decision to become an annual Athletic Booster Club member.

Did You Know? The only source of funding for the Athletic Booster Club is your membership dollars. Every year, Athletic Booster Club members help purchase new equipment for 21 sports teams. 90% of all students participate in TCA Athletics. Building Champions, Winning Redefined is our character-building platform to help prepare our student-athletes to compete in sports and life.

To be in the Game, visit trinitychristian.org/boosterclub Last year, TCA Booster Club funded:

Wish List for Fall and Winter Sports 2014–15:

• Clipboards for coaches

ATC • Rowing machines

Soccer (Boys & Girls) • New goal nets

Athletic Trainers • Portable treatment table

Soccer (Girls) • Jackets & pants

Baseball • Warmups

Swimming • Kickboards

Basketball (Boys) • Workout gloves

Tennis • Storage shed

Cheerleading • Megaphones

Track & Field • Photo-finish interface

Cross Country (Boys & Girls) • Pop-up tent

Volleyball • Warmups

Drill Team • Foam rollers

Wrestling • Escrow for mats

Football • Sideline jackets

And much more…

• Sports bags, backpacks and jackets • Ball pumps • Pitching and Fly-ball machine • Softball outfield fence and backstop • Courtside benches • Hurdles • ATC strength and conditioning items • Pom poms and ballet barres • Athletic branding • Uniforms • Wrestling mats • Weightlifting equipment

4 2

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

SPORTS BEAT

About me

I am in my 21st year of Christian education, the past 20 in Tyler, Texas, at Grace Community (18 years) and Bishop Gorman (two years). I was the athletic director at both of these schools and have coached girls basketball, track and cross country. I’ve been married for over 28 years to my wife, Donna, and we have two sons (Shannen, 25, and Mitchell, 23) and one daughter (Landrie, a fifth-grader at TCA). I have always admired TCA from afar, and both of my sons live in the Dallas area. When the opportunity opened at TCA, we were very excited about moving to Dallas and being closer to the boys.

Athletics as part of His kingdom?

I really believe that athletics can teach a child so many valuable lessons, some of which you just can’t get anywhere else. To apply biblical principles to sports enhances our opportunity to partner with parents to create experiences full of great memories and life lessons, which will help our student-athletes become the men and women God has called them to be. I firmly believe in the TCA mission of transformational coaching. It is critical to hire and support coaches who share this same vision of coaching and who are committed not only to improving athletic performance but also to developing character. We are blessed to have some outstanding coaches on staff. One of my greatest memories came when I was coaching cross country, and our team was the defending state champion. We had all of our runners return that year. At the state meet, our top runner was injured near the end of the race and just couldn’t finish. When our other six runners crossed the line, they immediately went back on the course to help the injured runner finish. While we didn’t win a state championship that day, there is no doubt—the kids were true champions. Just about every time I see or talk to one of those athletes, we always discuss that moment and how it affected them. I am very competitive and love to win, but I would also define winning as a phone call from a restaurant manager who just noticed that our student-athletes were so well-behaved and polite. He comments that there must be something different about them; I smile and think, “Yes, there is a difference.”

Supporting everything

I want our kids to play as many sports as they can, participate in every fine art possible and maintain an “A” average all the while. I know that kind of schedule would not allow for eating or sleeping, but my point is, whenever possible, I’m in favor of our kids trying as many things as they can. I want to help them spread their wings, to learn what makes them tick and to see where God has gifted them. There have been recent studies that suggest a high school student benefits, both mentally and physically, from multiple-sport activities, and this benefits both the school and the child.

Loving our kids

Probably the most frustrating moments I’ve had as an administrator come from those few times when I allow “stuff” to get in the way of just being around and enjoying the kids. While by God’s design there will always be “knucklehead” moments, what a blessing and honor it is to work around these talented, smart, caring and athletic students at TCA. After all, it is a great day to be a Trojan!

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

4 3

SPORTS BEAT

Varsity Football The Trojan football team finished the year with a 6-6 record overall, 3-4 in district. This year’s team was built on grit, determination and faith to fight until the lights went out. Injuries plagued the Trojans throughout the first half of the season, but the team was able to overcome adversity. Going in to the final week of the season, TCA was on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. Without a win, the team would be in jeopardy of not making the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. Bishop Dunne, the undefeated, number-one team in the state, came to Tom Landry Stadium on Senior Night, the final regular season game of the year for TCA. The Trojans emerged victorious with a 52-33 victory over the Falcons, propelling the team into the state

playoffs. TCA defeated Austin St. Michael’s 70-35 in the first round of the playoffs, but lost the following week 55-48 in an epic rematch against Prestonwood.

n Nahshon Ellerbe – First Team All-District, Co-Offensive MVP

Overall, TCA proved to be a top contender for yet another year. The offense led the state in yards per game, averaging a new team record of over 528 yards per game. The Trojans are sending several players on to play at the collegiate level, including Nahshon Ellerbe (Rice) and Brandon Chu (Dartmouth). The members of this team left a legacy of competing at the highest level, with Christ-like attitudes, and fought until the final whistle.

n Cameron Pino – First Team All-District

Congratulations to the following players for earning district awards:

n Daniel Whiddon – Honorable Mention All-District

n Parker Oliver – First Team All-District n Brandon Chu – Second Team All-District n Andrew Konstans – Second Team All-District n Marshall Reid – Second Team All-District n Graham Hill – Honorable Mention All-District n Christian Hutzler – Honorable Mention All-District n Cory McQuilkin – Honorable Mention All-District

’Til the Lights Go Out 4 4

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

FALLSPORTSRECAP

Varsity Cheerleading

Drill Team

The 2014-15 varsity cheerleaders have had a great start to their season! Led by captain Peyton Travis and co-captains Emily Callison and Alaina Van Fleet, the girls practiced all spring, hosted a stunt clinic for over 100 girls from the DFW area and hosted a four-day home camp in the summer. Six girls were chosen as All-American cheerleaders at camp: Peyton Travis, Alaina Van Fleet, Hannah Uselton, Camille Smith, Hayden Foster and Courtney Kesler.

themes included Support Your Troops, Blackout, Masquerade, Disney and Space. Every week the girls decorated the Upper School according to the theme to raise spirit and awareness for the football games.

The team planned and performed at six different pep rallies this fall. The

n Peyton Travis - First Team All-State

The team also competed in the first annual TAPPS cheer championship in October, placing third out of 25 teams. Congratulations to the following girls for earning state awards: n Alaina Van Fleet - First Team All-State

The 2014-15 Trojanettes drill team is led by Captain Molly Legband, First Lieutenant Emma Heath and Lieutenants Emma Gabriano, Sam Sadler and Mary-Todd Ridley. Jessica Hock, Amanda Lilly and Paige Patterson serve as squad leaders. The squad performed at pep rallies and during halftime of the varsity football games this fall.

Anna Frazier, Emma Gabriano, Emma Heath, Jessica Hock, Molly Legband, Amanda Lilly, Paige Patterson, Mary-Todd Ridley and Sam Sadler. In addition, Blair Blackburn, Amanda Lilly, Paige Patterson and Jacquelyn Rector received character awards. The team also participated in National Dance Week’s “Kick for Kindness” campaign to help stop bullying.

Team highlights for this year included the high ranking at drill team camp this summer, a gold ranking on the team’s jazz/kick routine and 11 all-star dancers: Yaz Arikan, Olivia Ashmore,

The team theme this year was “Rooted in Love,” and the team Bible verse was Ephesians 3:16–19. The drill team is under the direction of Sandi Peoples and Kasey Harper.

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

4 5

SPORTS BEAT

Varsity Girls Cross Country Led by captains Madison Mueller and Florence Kam, the 2014 girls cross country team finished in the top four in four of its first six meets. The highlight of the season was the Lake Highlands race, where the team finished third, and the team’s top five runners achieved personal best times. The team finished sixth at the TAPPS 5A District Championship and 13th at the TAPPS State Championship. The following runners were the recipients of this year’s team awards: Allison Smith, Most Valuable Runner; Deven Gann, Winner Redefined (Most Christ-like Award) and Monica Choi, Most Improved. The team’s chosen theme was “One Family: Strength in Numbers,” and the team’s verse was Ecclesiastes 4:9–12.

Varsity Boys Cross Country Led by captains Michael Morton and Christopher Fox, the 2014 boys cross country team had several good individual performances throughout the season, and the team finished in the top four in all but three meets. In addition, the varsity team placed fourth in the TAPPS 5A-1 District Championship and twelfth at the TAPPS 5A State Championship. The following runners were the recipients of this year’s team awards: Alex Coronado, Most Valuable Runner; Christopher Fox, Winner Redefined (Most Christ-like Award); and Nathan Holden, Most Improved. The team’s chosen theme was “One Family: Strength in Numbers,” and the team’s verse was Ecclesiastes 4:9–12. Congratulations to the following runners for earning district awards: n Alex Coronado – Second Team All-District n Michael Morton – Second Team All-District

4 6

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

FALLSPORTSRECAP Varsity Volleyball The varsity volleyball team, coached by Karen Wright and Steve Collins, finished fourth in district with a 9 and 7 record and ended with a season record of 19 and 17. The team’s theme was “More than Conquerors,” and the team verse was Romans 8:37–39. Every player on the team made huge contributions to the success of this season. Emma Kate Liu and Makenzie Kesler led the team in kills, and other offensive threats came from Katie Camp, Caroline Fischer, Grace Abell and Isabel Ruch on the outside and right side. Middle blockers Carrigan Blagburn and Isabel Esclamado were constant leaders at the net. Libero Berklie Baker did an outstanding job, and Kara Stiegler and Leslie Wolfe solidified the defense on the back row. The team was led by this year’s setters, Sarah Warnke and Makenzie Kesler. One of the team’s biggest and most dominating wins this season was against Prestonwood at home to solidify fourth place in district. This game was also memorable due to the infectious chanting of the student body for senior night. Congratulations to the following girls for earning team, district and state awards: n Makenzie Kesler – Team MVP, Second Team All-District n Emma Kate Liu – Team Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-District, Honorable Mention All-State n Berklie Baker – Team Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-District, First Team All-State n Carrigan Blagburn – Team 3D Player (Desire, Determination, Dedication) n Sarah Warnke – Team Spiritual Leader n Katie Camp – Honorable Mention All-District

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

4 7

ALUMNI LEGACY

So good to

BE HOME! 4 8

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

ALUMNIREUNITED

By Jackie Schimmer Harrison ’86, Alumni Association Board President

’84

TCA Homecoming 2014 was a great night! On Friday night, October 17, we welcomed home many alumni and their families (about 500 people in all). We had wonderful weather, great food and fellowship and a TCA win! Our alumni gathered in a tent, sponsored by Sky Ranch, located north of the football stadium and enjoyed a fabulous meal provided by Texas de Brazil.

n The Class of 1984 held its 30-year reunion the home of Traci Ford Owen. Traci and Mary Cook Hatcher organized the event.

We had great attendance from the classes of 1984 and 1994. Alumni enjoyed visiting with their classmates both on Friday night under the tent and again on Saturday night at their individual reunions. We were especially excited to welcome back Bryant Sewell ’84, who is in the Marines and stationed in Germany, and Kevin Joseph ’94 and his family, who are missionaries in China. We are already thinking about and planning for Homecoming 2015. We hope you all come HOME next year, reconnect with friends, share great memories and see the great things happening at TCA!

’94 n The Class of 1994 reconnected at the home of Matt and Monica McGraw for its 20th reunion. Matt McGraw and Bunny Heard Mitchell organized the dinner.

Individual class reunions for next year will be: 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010.

’99 n John Stewart and Whitney Holland Davis organized the 15-year reunion for the Class of 1999 at Luck Dallas in the Trinity Groves area.

’04 n The Class of 2004 held its 10th reunion at Blue Mesa Grill in Dallas. Andrew Carby and Catherine Ray Howell planned the event. n In addition to the reunions pictured above, the Class of 1989 met at Blue Mesa Grill in Dallas for its 25-year reunion, organized by Stephanie Adair Byrd, and the Class of 2009 held its 5-year reunion at Katy Trail Ice House in Dallas, organized by Kimberley Carter, Chandler Choate, Megan Jarvie, James Rimer, Blake Taylor and James Voelker. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

4 9

ALUMNI LEGACY

Alumni for Life!

April 26: Upper School Spring Production: Guys and Dolls, free admission for alumni

(August 2014–July 2015) By Beth Harwell, Director of Alumni

1. If you know your TCA login: Go to: www.trinitychristian.org. Click Login and enter your username and password. Click the drop-down menu by your name. Click Profile. Update your info. Please enter your spouse’s and children’s info if applicable. 2. If you have not logged into the website (or haven’t for a very long time) but are still receiving emails from TCA: Go to: www.trinitychristian.org. Click Login. Click Forgot your Login? Your username and temporary password will be emailed to you. Click Login and enter your username and password. Click the drop-down menu by your name. Click Profile. Update your info. Please enter your spouse’s and children’s info if applicable. 3. If you are not receiving emails from TCA and do not have your login information, please contact me by email (bharwell@trinitychristian.org) or by phone (972-447-4747) to update your profile. Be sure to follow us on Facebook under the Trinity Christian Academy Alumni – Addison page and on Twitter at twitter.com/TCATrojans. Our goal is to stay connected with all our alumni, so thank you in advance for updating your information.

T O D A Y

Dallas Arboretum

Alumni Association Board

Take a minute to check your profile on the TCA website and follow the directions below to update your information.

T R I N I T Y

March 19: Legacy Spring Dinner April 17: Spring Fundraising Event at the

May 14: TCA Graduation

tudents are students for only a number of years, but once you graduate, you are an alumnus for life! We are doing our best to keep in contact with you through the years, but sometimes it is hard once you graduate from college, get married, move to a different city, etc. We had close to 500 alumni and their families at our Homecoming dinner on October 17, and it was wonderful to see alumni from 40 years ago and those who graduated just last year! We want to be able to stay in touch with you more than just once a year through email, physical mail and social media, so we are asking all our alumni to keep their information current on the TCA website. In addition, you will also be able to look up classmates and get their current information once you have signed in to the website.

5 0

Upcoming Events & Alumni News

Jackie Schimmer Harrison ’86, President Bunny Heard Mitchell ’94, Vice President of Communications Shelley Stewart Rogers ’95, Vice President of Community Amy Shaw Cotter ’88, Vice President of Continuing Connection Stephen Konstans ’83, Vice President of Contributions Trey Bowles ’95 Tim Darley ’98 Betsy Thompson Ehringer ’84 Jeni McCabe Parrent ’87 Rebecca Grimm Novakovich ’85 Robert Taylor ’07

Pavers

n 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 courtyard of the 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 Breakfast

n On Thursday morning, September 18, over 100 Legacy kids and their parents gathered in the front of the MCB for the annual Legacy Breakfast. Legacy kids have at least one parent who graduated from TCA. All students received new Legacy t-shirts from the Alumni Association to wear to school that day. TCA currently has 76 legacy families and 152 legacy students. In addition, we have 26 faculty and staff who are alumni.

Where are they now? T H E

L A T E S T

O N

1996

n Mary Alice Kirkpatrick, PhD, is now an English professor at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, and her master’s and doctorate degrees at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

W H A T

Y O U R

C L A S S M A T E S

Jackson Hinckley, Mason Hinckley, Sydney Hinckley and Shea Hinckley. Taylor and Amanda live in Dallas, where Taylor serves as a captain for American Eagle Airlines, and Amanda is an in-flight training instructor for Southwest Airlines.

2000

1998

A R E

2002

n Annie Hinckley Houston, husband Jonathan and daughter Lola joyfully announce the birth of James Tyler Houston on October 24, 2013. James weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces and was 20 inches long.

D O I N G

B Y

and Nicole Hagenbuch Kelly. James weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 22 inches long. Big sister Evelyn loves her new little playmate. The family currently lives in Edmond, Oklahoma, while Drew is completing his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center.

n Taylor Hinckley and Amanda Holland of Dallas were married at Camp Lucy in Dripping Springs, Texas, on February 16, 2014. TCA graduates in the wedding party included best men John Hinckley ’00 and Scott Hinckley ’01, bridesmaid Annie Hinckley Houston ’02, David Gillespie, Graham Hobbs and Tim Nutter. Among the special family and guests from the TCA family were Tim Darley, Robbie Edmondson, Alen Hinckley ’88, Leslie Hinckley Lehberg ’90, and current TCA students

n Justin Simmons and wife Amy were blessed with their second child, James Harrison Simmons, on January 4, 2014. James has an older brother Peter (3). Amy is also a former French teacher at TCA.

H A R W E L L

of honor Jena Haywood Pendleton ’08, bridesmaids Rachel Cook Zobeck ’07 and Madeleine Kilgore and groomsman David Pendleton ’07. SarahGraham Turtletaub ’07, Ann Marie Daniel and Anna Heffner were in the house party. Britney and Grady live in Fort Worth.

2009

2003 n Leslie True Carlson and husband Spencer welcomed their son, Parker Harman Carlson, on May 1, 2014. They are thrilled he is here and hope he will one day be a future TCA student.

B E T H

n Allison Knott Nance and her husband, Zac, are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Kayla Rae. She was born on March 31, 2014, in Houston, Texas.

n Haley Flagg graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor of arts degree in classics and a minor in Medieval studies. She is continuing her education at The University of Leicester in England, earning her master of arts degree in Archeology of the Roman World.

n James Hall Jones Kelly was born December 26, 2013, to proud parents Drew

n Britney Haywood and Grady Cook were married on May 23, 2014, at the Cotton Mill in McKinney. Britney and Grady met at TCA when they were both in pre-first. The wedding party included matron

2010

n Byron Mitchell and Anna Obermesik were married August 9, 2014, in Springfield, Missouri, where they met while attending Evangel University. They were married in the Barn at Evangel Temple, where they both served on the worship team.

They now reside in Lawrence, Kansas, while Anna attends graduate school at KU. Byron is employed as a private investigator with Bonnamy & Associates. Byron is the son of Rebekah and Byron Mitchell Sr. ’84. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

5 1

ALUMNI LEGACY

ld ’07, Sam Turner ’05 Back row: Riley Bell Kelly’09, Callie Stoke ’10 nn McCa Molly ’09, y Kelle r Ambe Front row:

TCA CURRENTLY HAS FIVE ALUMNI working at West Dallas Community School (WDCS). Under Headmaster Bentley Craft (former TCA Middle School head), these alumni are investing in the lives of young students in an underserved area of Dallas. They all agree that the education and experience they received at TCA have helped them to be successful in their current careers and played a part in their decisions to work at West Dallas. Here are some of their comments about TCA and WDCS: 5 2

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

Sam Turner ’05, eighth-grade math and science teacher: “I caught a love for learning and serving at TCA. I am indebted to so many of the teachers and administrators of the Upper School at TCA who taught me what it means to serve and be passionate about learning. I learned to love reading, history and the arts from my History/English teachers, like Mrs. Legband and Mr. Saffold. I am deeply indebted to Mr. Acker’s enthusiasm and knowledge of physics, because after spending two years in class with him, I caught some of his love for physics, which I now teach. Mr. Morrill, Mrs. Heard and Mr. Williamson all showed me by actions what it looks like to serve with joy and grace. I believe the atmosphere at TCA, from the wrestling room to the classrooms, shaped me to be a teacher who loves learning and enjoys serving.”

Callie Stokeld ’07, kindergarten teacher: “While the curriculum is challenging and thought-provoking, I think the most unique part of TCA is the faculty and staff. They genuinely cared about my intellectual, spiritual, moral and physical development. I want to love my students similarly, instilling in them the knowledge that they are created in the image of God and helping them to realize their highest potential spiritually, creatively, socially and intellectually.” Riley Bell Kelly ’09, development coordinator: “Although I am not a teacher, I learned so much that has helped me both in life and in my work here. Having received a classical education at TCA, I can better understand and explain to our donors and volunteers the benefits of the classical curriculum we offer. I also think it is so cool that TCA was one of the first schools to partner with WDCS. I graduated with several WDCS grads without even knowing it! I love being able to tell people that I have seen firsthand the caliber of person WDCS

WHEREARE THEYNOW? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 51

helps shape. Most importantly, the biblical education I received at TCA has helped in both my personal and professional life to consistently remind me of what is true, good and excellent and to increase my affection for the Lord and His children.” Amber Kelley ’09, fourth-grade teacher: “The spiritual foundation and support I received at TCA has really followed me and helped me at West Dallas. I am able to share my spiritual growth with my students, while also instilling the same values in them that I received from TCA. I think one of the most valuable things I learned at TCA was the art of public speaking in speech class with Mr. Williamson. I was never one to enjoy speaking and presenting in front of others. However, the skills I learned in that class are used daily as I communicate with my fourth-graders and their parents. While at TCA, I also learned to have passion for what you love to do. I had excellent teachers at TCA who loved teaching. I think my experiences with those teachers really impact the way that I teach and interact with my students.” Molly McCann ’10, pre-K teacher: “What a difference a loving and compassionate teacher can make. Thank you, Didi Henderson! How wonderful it is to be a part of a caring, Christian community.”

n Lauren Wright married Christopher Mueller on May 23, 2014. The ceremony took place at Summerall Chapel, and the reception was at Boone Hall Plantation, both in Charleston, South Carolina. Lauren graduated from the College of Charleston with a BS in early childhood education and her teaching certification, and Christopher graduated from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, with a degree in criminal justice. They live in Dallas.

n Allie Beth Simmons graduated from Furman University in May 2014. She was selected to give the student address to the graduating class. She is currently living in Athens, Georgia, where she is an account lead for public relations firm See Spark Go.

2011

n Kyle Cox is currently serving in his second year as a student assistant football coach at Texas Christian University under Gary Patterson. Kyle works with the entire offensive staff, assisting on the field with the offensive line. He assists in breaking down opponent defenses, game planning, evaluating and analyzing TCU’s offensive production, coordinating scout team defenses during practices and more. During the nationally ranked Horned Frog games, he is in the coaches’ press box charting plays and opponent defensive fronts and blitzes for Co-Offensive Coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie. Kyle worked this past summer coaching football camps in and around Texas representing TCU. n Lex Mason proposed to Cassie Roman ’10 on November 2, 2014, at TCA in the Upper School on the secondfloor hall by the lockers where they met several years ago. The proposal included heart-shaped rose petals, candles

and pictures of them together. The wedding date will be set soon.

2012

n Michael Matthews was named to the All-Conference First Team for the American Southwest Conference. He plays soccer for the University of Texas at Dallas.

2014

n Grant Harris signed a National Letter of Intent and committed to play Division II soccer with Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, in May 2014. Grant received an athletic and academic scholarship from Harding University, as well as a soccer scholarship from the Chamber Classic Soccer Association of Dallas. T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

5 3

WHEREARE THEYNOW?

ALUMNI LEGACY

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Love Connection Robert Taylor ’07 and Hillary Price ’07 were married on June 7, 2014. Both attended TCA from kindergarten through twelfth grade and then went to college at the University of Texas in Austin. Brett Newman was a groomsman, and Sarah Graham Turtletaub and Amanda Taylor Provost ’04 were bridesmaids. Erin Lynam McCormack was in the house party, Lucy Anne Ray was the scripture reader and TCA alumni parent Hal Habecker officiated the ceremony. They currently live in Dallas, and Robert currently serves on our Alumni Association Board. Describe your time at TCA. To say that we were blessed by our time at TCA is an enormous understatement. From college to jobs to marriage, so much of who we are today can be traced back to the love and guidance we received while students at TCA. It’s truly a rare and special place—a school where learning and pursuing Jesus do not just coexist, but actually go hand-in-hand. We are both the better today for having been a small part of it.

5 4

’07

on our relationship. College quickly became a shared experience as a result. Academics, job searches, church, friends—all were now viewed and pursued with the other person in mind. It was a life-giving process and a perfect way to wrap up our time in school. Do you think it is an asset to have both come from TCA? More than anything, the common bond of TCA proved to be an asset in the years leading up to dating. While we didn’t date during the first four years of college, we were blessed to share a very close friendship—a friendship that likely would not have existed without our time at TCA. What’s more, the work God did in both of our hearts through that friendship was really predicated on the trust and shared values that we built growing up at TCA.

When did you first meet your spouse? Since we were both around five years old at the time, it’s hard to recall the exact moment we first met. However, the most vivid early recollection we have of each other is from the sixth grade, when we decided to “go out.” Our short-lived, middle school romance involved passing notes in between classes but never actually speaking to or seeing each other outside of school.

Do you feel the spiritual guidance you received at TCA prepared you for a healthy relationship? Our pursuit of a healthy relationship is ultimately dependent on a healthy pursuit of God. Thus, any influence in our lives that aided in kindling our hearts’ affection for the Lord has had a positive impact on our relationship—TCA is certainly among the strongest of these influences. As kids, TCA represented a consistent voice that encouraged us to pursue God with abandon, and, in this way, TCA helped put us on solid footing as we started our lives together five months ago.

When did you start dating, and how did this affect your life together during college? We started dating during our fifth year at The University of Texas. We were two of only a small handful of friends who stayed in Austin that year, and, as a result, we were able to spend time focusing

How is TCA still a part of your family? To this day, we are blessed to count many former TCA classmates as friends. God-willing, these relationships will last a lifetime, and many of the same people we met in the halls of TCA will be an integral part of our family moving forward.

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

n Trevor Pownell and former Aggie football linebacker Quentin Coryatt have partnered with the Max Cure Foundation’s Roar Beyond Barriers and Dunk Your Kicks programs to recycle used sneakers on Texas A&M’s campus and throughout BryanCollege Station to help raise money for a young boy who is battling liver cancer and recently lost his father in a car accident. To learn more, visit: http://www.theeagle. com/news/local/ texas-a-m-studentformer-football-playerteam-up-in/article_ d855563e-cf5b-5a71819d-72bfa22594c0. html?mode=jqm. (Photo above by Sam Craft, The Bryan-College Station Eagle)

Got News?

n 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 April 10, 2015, and that all submitted electronic photos must be in high-resolution jpeg format to be suitable for printing.

LAST WORD

Upper School students gathered by the flagpoles for a time of prayer and worship on Wednesday, September 24, in conjunction with national SeeÂ You at the Pole day. Members of the worship team led the students in worship, and then the students spread out in small groups to pray for their friends, families and the school.

T R I N I T Y

T O D A Y

5 5