CHCA Eagle's Eye 2014
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Eagles Eye 2014
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Eagles Eye 2014
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The Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Magazine Summer <strong>2014</strong><br />
Cover story:<br />
The Amazing World<br />
of Intercession<br />
article on page 2
<strong>2014</strong> Eagle’s <strong>Eye</strong><br />
Volume 18<br />
Editor:<br />
Jennifer Murphy<br />
Lead Photographer:<br />
Judi Alvarado<br />
Promise Statement<br />
Centered in the shared love of Christ,<br />
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy is the college-preparatory,<br />
preschool through grade 12 independent school<br />
that inspires and challenges students to discover, hone,<br />
and steward their one-of-a-kind gifts<br />
as they come to know themselves as distinct<br />
and unconditionally loved creations of God.<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong>’s vibrant, multi-denominational family of learners<br />
creates a sheltering—but not sheltered—<br />
environment where, supporting each other and guided<br />
by expert Christian teachers,<br />
students wrestle with increasingly complex,<br />
timeless, essential questions in order<br />
to strengthen their minds and their faith.<br />
Beginning with the end in mind, <strong>CHCA</strong> graduates<br />
young adults fully prepared to succeed in college and beyond;<br />
Contributors:<br />
Judi Alvarado<br />
Todd Bacon<br />
Pamela Bailey<br />
Liz Bronson ‘00<br />
Julie Carnes<br />
Cindy Coggins<br />
Julie Dietrich<br />
Wendy Easterday<br />
Christina Guggenberger<br />
Jane Haslem<br />
Susan Jung<br />
Jennifer Kaufman ‘01<br />
Dan Ledbetter (photography)<br />
Amy Lutts<br />
Morgan Massa ‘14<br />
Dean Nicholas<br />
Molly Packer ‘10<br />
Casey (Sutherly) Purnhagen<br />
Mona Summers<br />
Lance Webel<br />
Lauren Wills<br />
Tracy Wolcott<br />
Eagle’s <strong>Eye</strong> Magazine<br />
Eagle’s <strong>Eye</strong> is published<br />
annually by Cincinnati Hills<br />
Christian Academy<br />
Please send address changes to<br />
Rebecca.sequeira@chca-oh.org<br />
or 513.247.0900<br />
Visit us on the web<br />
at chca-oh.org<br />
On the cover:<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Intercession <strong>2014</strong><br />
Students experience a<br />
Safari in Kenya<br />
to engage effectively and lovingly with different cultures,<br />
viewpoints, and ideas; and to achieve significant impact<br />
and influence with discerning wisdom, courageous curiosity,<br />
and resilient Christian faith—<br />
where others pull back, they lean into life.<br />
Follow <strong>CHCA</strong> on Facebook<br />
facebook.com/cincinnatihillschristianacademy<br />
Follow <strong>CHCA</strong><br />
on Twitter this Fall!<br />
@Go<strong>CHCA</strong>
From the Head of School<br />
Randy Brunk, Head of School<br />
Table of Contents<br />
Dynamically engaged<br />
The Amazing World of <strong>CHCA</strong> Intercession 2<br />
Baristas Wanted 4<br />
Human Trafficking Awareness Week 6<br />
Watch How Our Garden Grows 8<br />
Campus Highlights 10<br />
Refreshingly insightful<br />
Theological Integration 12<br />
Guests and Hosts-Hospitalitly Opens Doors 14<br />
Experiencing Life Change through LEGOs 16<br />
Boldly determined<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Athletics 18<br />
Winning Twice with Habitudes 20<br />
Exuberantly creative<br />
Children of Eden 22<br />
ArtBeat <strong>2014</strong> 24<br />
Fine Arts Awards 25<br />
Fully prepared & boundlessly hopeful<br />
Class of <strong>2014</strong> 26<br />
Graduation Reflection 30<br />
Inspiringly benevelant<br />
What I Learned from Mr. Steitz 31<br />
A Story of Accountability and Love 32<br />
A Mother’s Legacy 34<br />
Resiliently faithful<br />
Alumni News 35<br />
Alumni Class Notes 36<br />
Alumni <strong>2014</strong>-2015 Events 43<br />
Q&A with Liz (Bell) Young 44<br />
I love that this year’s Eagle’s <strong>Eye</strong> is centered around the many stories<br />
intertwined here at <strong>CHCA</strong>. As we know, Jesus taught in parables and stories,<br />
and stories make truth and reality come to life by being placed within the<br />
context of human experience. My life is filled with countless stories of my own,<br />
and of others - stories that have taught me so much about people, the lives<br />
they lead and the God we all serve.<br />
As the ‘13-’14 school year came to an end, we said goodbye to old friends<br />
moving away, retiring, or finding a new place in which to “hang their hat.”<br />
At the goodbye parties, people shared their memories - the stories that<br />
gave meaning to their labor of love at <strong>CHCA</strong> over the years. Often these<br />
stories morph over time, but generally the heart behind the story is as solid<br />
as the day it happened. That is because we connect in a very real way with<br />
our own condition at the time: our lack, our fear, our joy, our sadness, or our<br />
amusement. This entire “extra” gets involved and creates an indelible memory.<br />
Hence, the power of memory! Many of the books I am currently reading on<br />
brain research tie learning to emotion, engagement, failure, hope, etc. There<br />
is something very compelling to recall if there are multiple ways to accessing<br />
that memory. Emotion often powers the act of recall and is most vivid and<br />
compelling when recalled and then retold as a story.<br />
So, we use stories in the learning process. A teacher who wants to get a<br />
point across either tells or creates a story to cement the point. We craft within<br />
the classroom, or in the school overall, moments of something surprising,<br />
out of the ordinary, or generally special to create a unique story that can be<br />
recalled and retold. Again, scripture is replete with stories to help us remember<br />
the truths behind the story. A burning bush, a donkey that talks, a short man in<br />
a tree, a touch of the garment hem, a walk on the water, a feeding of thousands<br />
with just a few loaves and fishes, a crucifixion…all are stories that drive home a<br />
myriad of truths embedded in the heart of God.<br />
This past year, we graduated our largest class in <strong>CHCA</strong> history. That is<br />
no accident and there was nothing in the water 18 years ago that made that<br />
happen. It was brought about by parents who decided not to just drop their<br />
kids off at the local prep school, but instead to build stories woven together as<br />
families. As they invested in the life of <strong>CHCA</strong>, their children and each other’s<br />
children…they created a mass of stories woven together that bonded them as<br />
families with each other and with <strong>CHCA</strong>. Along the way, friends and neighbors<br />
saw this incredible sense of community in action, found it irresistible, and soon<br />
joined into the story. We walked across the graduation stage not 128 students,<br />
but 128 friends surrounded by literally thousands of family members who did<br />
life together for many years, and who build a treasure trove of stories that will<br />
be told to their children’s children and beyond.<br />
For our current families, and those who will be coming to us new this year,<br />
it’s never too late to build your story here at <strong>CHCA</strong> with the families you see<br />
most every day in car pool, in the stands, or in the audience. Reach out and get<br />
engaged. Invite someone to dinner before the big game or performance and<br />
hear their story. Go a level deeper and do life together, making sure no one<br />
gets left out, and you will see some fabulous outcomes in the lives of<br />
your children and our school.<br />
Thanks for helping me obtain a treasure trove of memories over the years.<br />
I live on your stories and the ones I have from doing life with you. I look<br />
forward to many more together.<br />
God bless,<br />
1
Dynamically engaged<br />
The Amazing World of <strong>CHCA</strong> Intercession<br />
by Dave Walker,<br />
Assistant Principal,<br />
Martha S. Lindner<br />
High School<br />
Students discover<br />
the ability to do things<br />
they never believed<br />
they could do and their<br />
lives will never be the<br />
same. Students find as<br />
they give themselves<br />
away to change the<br />
world, God changes<br />
them.<br />
The amazing world of <strong>CHCA</strong> Intercession rewards<br />
those willing to take the initiative and try something<br />
new. This includes openness in exploring a new culture<br />
here or abroad, trying new foods, trying out fledgling<br />
Spanish skills, learning to use a swing sickle to help<br />
harvest a crop with a Peruvian family, stepping into<br />
the adult culture within a professional career, tutoring<br />
an inner city elementary student, or reaching out and<br />
taking the risk to befriend someone you haven’t known<br />
in your own group from <strong>CHCA</strong>.<br />
Each year our students return with proof of the<br />
great rewards to be had from the amazing world of<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Intercession (formerly known as<br />
“J-Term” and “May-Term” experiences).<br />
Case in point: how many other schools<br />
have high school students who can say<br />
they have: built a house from scratch;<br />
eaten guinea pig in a home in Peru; sat<br />
around a fire with the Massai tribe in<br />
Kenya singing Jambo Bwana; gone on a<br />
four-day safari photographing cheetahs,<br />
lions, and cobras (see cover); climbed<br />
Mount Vesuvius in Italy; explored a<br />
Costa Rican rainforest, discovering<br />
a poison dart frog, holler monkeys,<br />
chestnut-mandibled toucans, and three<br />
toed sloths; visited the Sistine Chapel<br />
and seen Michelangelo’s frescoes on the<br />
ceiling, including the most famous panel,<br />
entitled “The Creation of Adam”; heard<br />
the unique night sounds of camping in the California<br />
desert; kayaked in the open waters in the Virgin Islands;<br />
spent two weeks in a judge’s chambers listening to<br />
the interaction between the defense and prosecuting<br />
attorneys in a murder trial, discovering the role of the<br />
bailiff and the clerk of court and hearing a judge share<br />
what is going through his mind as he presides over a<br />
trial and makes decisions in criminal and civil cases;<br />
shared two weeks in the marketing department of a<br />
major corporation observing the coordination between<br />
research and advertising; or worked in a company<br />
developing electric cars?<br />
For some students the most memorable part may<br />
be actually seeing the places they have studied in AP<br />
European History, English Literature, Latin Class, History<br />
of Christianity, Western Civilization, or World Studies.<br />
Personally, I have enjoyed the new relationships that<br />
develop with our own students, getting to know them<br />
outside of the regular routine of school. My appreciation<br />
stems from how amazing it is to realize how many<br />
really “cool” kids we have at <strong>CHCA</strong>, and I am talking<br />
about many who do not know how really cool they are;<br />
however, I see their coolness in the way they reach out<br />
to engage others and become the catalyst that causes<br />
others to stretch themselves outside their comfort<br />
zone. Some students just seem to make life more fun for<br />
everyone around them. Others impress by always being<br />
upbeat and positive no matter what the circumstances<br />
or how disappointing the situation. Their attitude lifts<br />
everyone else up out of the pits. So to me the most<br />
4
amazing part of the world of <strong>CHCA</strong> Intercession is<br />
spending time with our awesome students.<br />
Often and surprisingly, there are frustrations<br />
encountered along the way that end up enriching<br />
the overall experience. This past year, the Kenya<br />
group got stuck in Chicago for several days due to the<br />
weather. Frustration hit, but the coolest thing wasn’t<br />
the temperature, it was the perception the students<br />
adopted that God had a purpose in the delay. Arriving<br />
days late, they were able to extend their time in Kenya.<br />
During this extended time, God’s answer came. When<br />
they would have already gone home from Kenya, they<br />
had the chance to witness a child bride rescue, and<br />
they were able to meet and pray over Emily, the girl<br />
rescued. Not only that, the students gave Emily much<br />
of what they had brought on their trip, and have raised<br />
money (and continue to raise money) to pay for Emily’s<br />
schooling. Amazing!<br />
Experiencing the amazing world of <strong>CHCA</strong> Intercession<br />
will change you. Seeing the brokenness in<br />
the world disturbs students’ souls and changes their<br />
spiritual state giving new eyes, a softened heart, and<br />
an upsized view of God. Students learn to love people<br />
in new ways and they become bothered by things they<br />
never noticed before. They discover the ability to do<br />
things they never believed they could do and their<br />
lives will never be the same. Students find as they give<br />
themselves away to change the world, God changes<br />
them. As they say in Costa Rica, this is Pura Vida! Pure<br />
life! Simply amazing!<br />
Senior Caroline Kuremsky ‘14 reflects on her recent<br />
Kenya Intercession experience:<br />
“You learn to appreciate simplicity. Experiencing more of His<br />
creation, people and cultures was meaningful. Being able to learn<br />
about something here at school, and then to go and actually<br />
experience it is amazing.”<br />
“The best learning is not sightseeing,<br />
but experiencing.”<br />
Dan Grantham shares as he reflects on the nearly 40 Intercession<br />
trips he’s taken in the last 16 years. Long-time relationships of building<br />
into villages and orphanages in Kenya have existed. Over the years, tens<br />
of thousands of dollars have been raised by students to provide facilities,<br />
food and even new school desks for the students in St. Nicholas Orphanage.<br />
Students have literally reshaped their definition of “wealth” after<br />
experiencing culture and community in these villages thousands of miles<br />
from home. Whether living the life of a Massai, performing in the American<br />
Embassy or simply singing, dancing and praying with teenagers from<br />
another culture, our students boldly and courageously overcome fears, make<br />
meaningful connections and truly start to understand the kingdom impact<br />
they can have – all over the world.
Dynamically engaged<br />
Baristas Wanted!<br />
by Jason Oden,<br />
Christian Studies Teacher<br />
(Barista Extraordinaire),<br />
Martha S. Lindner<br />
High School<br />
The golden age of <strong>CHCA</strong> high school has begun! The sights, sounds, smells and smiles<br />
of a full-service coffee shop saturated the hallways of <strong>CHCA</strong> this past year, and many<br />
a student and faculty alike found it much easier to stay awake through the most<br />
challenging of lectures and rigorous exams.<br />
4<br />
The idea for the coffee cart was first birthed years ago<br />
by Dr. Nicholas, when he started as principal for <strong>CHCA</strong>.<br />
He wanted to put coffee in the library to help students<br />
form a habit—not just a coffee habit, but a library one as<br />
well. Unfortunately it wasn’t feasible at the time, and idea<br />
was shelved. Jump to years later, in the spring of 2013, like<br />
many of his colleagues (and quite frankly, students too),<br />
Todd Bacon’s love of coffee and weariness of having to<br />
make trips to Starbucks was growing greater and greater.<br />
But Bacon couldn’t make it happen alone. So, he consulted<br />
the one person who knows more about coffee than<br />
anyone in the high school: Jason Oden. Oden, despite<br />
never being a barista, was connected to the local coffee<br />
scene in Cincinnati and was more than eager to help<br />
make this caffeinated dream a reality.<br />
So prior to the summer of 2013, they assembled a<br />
great student team, purchased the equipment and<br />
made a plan to commit all profits to <strong>CHCA</strong> Intersession<br />
scholarships (What is “Intercession”? See our Eagle’s<br />
<strong>Eye</strong> Cover Story). It wasn’t long, however, until the task<br />
of starting the coffee cart was left to Oden to complete.<br />
Shortly after summer break began, Bacon took a new<br />
position in the high school directing the International<br />
Program, and had to concentrate all of his efforts on<br />
launching this exciting new addition to the high school.<br />
But Oden didn’t flinch, and worked throughout the<br />
summer to launch <strong>CHCA</strong>’s first-ever coffee cart.<br />
By the beginning of the school year, a team of welltrained<br />
upperclassmen and parent volunteers, three<br />
newly constructed coffee cart components and a slew<br />
of new equipment were ready to bring one of the only<br />
high school coffee bars in Cincinnati to the halls of<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong>’s MSL high school. The first day of operation of<br />
The Leaning Eagle was the day of the 2013 Homecoming<br />
Extravaganza. In that single day, Michael Schwabe, Will<br />
Drosos, Yimeng Fan, Clarissa Jacobs, Tian Fu, Xingmeng<br />
Ding, Alex Stevens, Emma Vincent and Caroline Lawley<br />
worked virtually nonstop to make enough drinks to go<br />
through ten pounds of coffee, over fifteen milk cartons<br />
and multiple bottles of flavor syrup and chocolate sauce.<br />
Needless to say, it was a success beyond expectations in<br />
the eyes of both customers as well as the student staff.<br />
And the same thing can be said about the operation and<br />
outcome of the coffee cart in its first full school year. By
the end of the 2013-<strong>2014</strong> school year, the coffee cart became a<br />
new <strong>CHCA</strong> institution that gave several high school students<br />
an opportunity to learn business and leadership skills, and<br />
successfully achieved its goal of giving back to our community.<br />
Year two is looking to continue its momentum by expanding its<br />
menu and operational hours, having a presence at more student<br />
functions—including all of the home football games - and will<br />
be hosted by dedicated student leaders, like Toria Adkinson,<br />
Clarissa Jacobs, Will Drosos, Will Ellis, Michael Blair, Chris<br />
Bolsinger, David Becthold and others. The Leaning Eagle is<br />
also adding an integrated entrepreneurial class taught by Brian<br />
Gardner and Bobby Willard. In the words of Matt Coleman, it’s<br />
a great day to be a <strong>CHCA</strong> Eagle.<br />
The Brand<br />
Many people who have been to the cart have been impressed<br />
with its size, style and functionality. The actual layout and<br />
design of the cart itself is based on the bar layout of a Third<br />
Wave coffee shop in Over-the-Rhine called Collective Espresso.<br />
Third Wave Coffee is a movement—probably more accurately<br />
a subculture—characterized by such features as artisan crafted<br />
products, minimal environmental impact and equitable sourcing<br />
(farming and purchasing), roasting and extraction (turning<br />
beans and water into coffee) practices and quirky, retro style—if<br />
you’re familiar with “hipsters,” then you won’t be surprised to<br />
learn that Third Wave Coffee is intertwined with hipster culture.<br />
The goal of the cart’s simplistic design and functionality, its<br />
quirky and good-natured lampooning name like The Leaning<br />
Eagle (lean into life + Eagle = Leaning Eagle), and its attention to<br />
a sustainable ethos attempts to embody all of these elements.<br />
The combination of both the Third Wave emphasis on<br />
ethical sourcing as well as a biblical ethos is the reason that<br />
The Leaning Eagle partners with a local roaster called Deeper<br />
Roots Coffee here in Cincinnati. Deeper Roots ethically sources<br />
and roasts coffee, as well as outfits coffee shops with the best<br />
equipment in the industry. One of the most exciting aspects of<br />
Deeper Roots’ business model is its personal relationship with<br />
small, independent coffee farmers. Les Stoneham, the owner<br />
of Deeper Roots, has direct relationships with many of these<br />
farmers, especially in Guatemala, and directly purchases their<br />
coffee at a fair price. That means that all the coffee sold at The<br />
Leaning Eagle not only benefits <strong>CHCA</strong> students; it also benefits<br />
the independent farmers with which Stoneham directly works.<br />
This is definitely a “win twice” venture!<br />
Finally, one of the most salient and distinguishing features of<br />
Third Wave coffee is the roasting method employed. Places like<br />
Starbucks are known for their “burnt” coffee, because Starbucks<br />
roasts most of their coffee to be bitter and “strong.” A way you<br />
can tell that coffee beans are roasted to taste this way—some say<br />
‘over-roasted’ — is a shiny coffee bean. The shine on the bean is<br />
the oil that has been extracted from the bean during the roasting<br />
process. Third Wave coffee roasters believe that allowing oil to<br />
seep out of the bean during the roasting process causes it to lose<br />
its inherent flavors and therefore making it taste “burnt”, similar<br />
to burning something in the kitchen or on the grill. Coffee beans<br />
from Deeper Roots Coffee, and other roasters like them, never<br />
produce beans that are shiny, allowing each bean to retain its<br />
natural oils and flavors. So, when you purchase coffee at The<br />
Leaning Eagle, you can expect to go beyond “bold” coffee to<br />
begin tasting the subtle fruity and earthy flavors of the different<br />
types of coffee beans from all over the world.<br />
Trenton Pfister’s <strong>2014</strong><br />
Intercession trip was spent<br />
visiting the Guatemalan<br />
plantation that provides<br />
beans to Deeper Roots.<br />
Mission, Goals and Getting Engaged<br />
The goal of The Leaning Eagle isn’t just centered on a<br />
self-interested need to give students and faculty the caffeine<br />
needed to complete the rigorous demands of the <strong>CHCA</strong><br />
school year (though it does help…) Nor is it to give an opportunity<br />
for students to brag about their school’s coffee cart to<br />
their non-<strong>CHCA</strong> students—which, based on student anecdotes,<br />
also happens quite frequently. Rather, within all the<br />
noises, smells and stains generated by the coffee cart, there is<br />
an altruistic purpose to give back, not only to the <strong>CHCA</strong> community,<br />
but also to the local and global community: from its<br />
ethically-sourced beans to its compostable cups to its mission<br />
to fund Intersession scholarships, The Leaning Eagle is just as<br />
much missional as it is novel and profitable.<br />
The future success of The Leaning Eagle, however, is solely<br />
dependent on the support of the <strong>CHCA</strong> community. There<br />
will be plenty of opportunities to engage in this fun mission<br />
in the coming year: 1) Purchase coffee beans from the coffee<br />
cart. You’ll not only get great tasting coffee, you’ll also be<br />
helping the cart and the coffee farmers. 2) Be a volunteer<br />
barista. You learn how to make great coffee and you give<br />
back to <strong>CHCA</strong> with your time and talents. (A bonus, you’ll<br />
get to experience a ‘day in the life’ with our students.) And<br />
3) frequent the coffee cart next year for your daily caffeine<br />
fix.The Leaning Eagle plans to be open daily from 7:30am to<br />
the end of the school day. After all, wouldn’t you rather get<br />
quality and artisanal coffee at a lower price, while giving back<br />
to the greater good? Another “win twice” moment!<br />
To stay on top of events and news from The Leaning Eagle,<br />
you can follow the cart on Facebook and Twitter. For more<br />
questions on purchasing coffee or volunteering, you can<br />
email Jason Oden at Jason.Oden@chca-oh.org.<br />
5
Dynamically engaged<br />
Human Trafficking Awareness Week<br />
Artwork by Tim Hilderbrand<br />
“It is Finished”.<br />
SDG ’14 stands for Soli Deo Gloria,<br />
or To God alone be the glory<br />
6
Every year, Martha S. Lindner High School’s Student Organized Services (SOS) comes together to<br />
bring awareness to worldwide issues such as hunger and the lack of fresh water. This spring, SOS<br />
chose to bring awareness to the fastest growing issue in our world today: human trafficking. There<br />
are 27 million slaves in the world today - 1,078 of them being children in our own state of<br />
Ohio. That’s more than the population of <strong>CHCA</strong>’s middle school and high school combined.<br />
Karen Hordinski, Outreach Coordinator/Student Organized Service at Martha<br />
S. Lindner High School shared, “ When student leaders chose human trafficking as<br />
a topic they wanted to explore, I was hesitant. It felt like a hot social justice issue<br />
that’s popular to discuss, but too distant for us to do much about. Difficult issues<br />
of social justice can also overwhelm and promote fear. Truthfully, it can just be too<br />
scary to think about for young women, and young men tend to think it’s not an issue<br />
that impacts them. However, the more we researched, the more we realized we<br />
had to talk about it. We realized that we needed to let people know that it’s not just far away in India, Cambodia &<br />
Thailand – it’s right here in our backyard. We learned that children in Ohio are trafficked in larger numbers than we<br />
expected. We also learned about people who were trafficked for labor in Cincinnati. And, now we believe that it is<br />
our responsibility as Christ followers to challenge people to find ways to stop the demand for - and the perpetuation<br />
- of trafficking.”<br />
During that week, students attended chapels and events where they heard speakers from organizations such<br />
as International Justice Mission (IJM) and Destiny Rescue. To balance the heaviness of the stories and statistics<br />
the students received, they were provided with opportunities to “do” something about trafficking. SOS students<br />
organized homeroom collections of items to send to local survivors of trafficking. Students and guests also had<br />
an opportunity to attend Nefarious Night, a documentary event hosted by students and student vendors, where<br />
purchased items made by survivors in a fair trade market and movie ticket sales all went to support the rescue of a<br />
person being trafficked. For perspective, it costs $1,500 to rescue one child from trafficking. <strong>CHCA</strong>’s SOS goal is to<br />
raise much more.<br />
Post event, to help raise funds to rescue a second child, MSL High School’s Fine Arts Teacher Tim Hilderbrand<br />
also auctioned off an artwork piece entitled “It is Finished”.<br />
“We believe that it is our responsibility<br />
as Christ followers to challenge people<br />
to find ways to stop the demand for -<br />
and the perpetuation - of trafficking.”<br />
Students at <strong>CHCA</strong> have raised over $2,000 (and counting) to fund the rescue of children from human trafficking.<br />
This is a cause that is near to the hearts of these students, some of whom have personally encountered and prayed<br />
over rescued children on Intercession trips. These students have truly taken action and pray daily over this world issue.<br />
7
Dynamically engaged<br />
Watch How Our Garden Grows...<br />
by Alex O’Brien ‘17<br />
Quite simply, the<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Sustainable<br />
Garden by its very<br />
nature, will be able<br />
to provide fresh fruits<br />
and vegetables to<br />
families that cannot<br />
afford to put these<br />
‘luxuries’ on their<br />
kitchen table.<br />
The summer was hot, and the college visits were being piled on. The day was a couple of years<br />
ago; we were on a college visit at Yale for my brother, Michael. We took a tour around campus,<br />
appreciating the charm that always comes with college grounds. While we walked around the<br />
dorms, I saw an organic garden the students created to help sustain themselves and neighbors in<br />
need around them. Because my family has always been one to garden, the idea of having a garden at<br />
our own home sprung into my head. Once our small domestic garden started flourishing, I thought<br />
it would be amazing if we could expand it somewhere. Eventually, that somewhere would turn out to<br />
be <strong>CHCA</strong>.<br />
I approached Mr. Brunk about my organic garden idea during the spring of my 8th grade year, and<br />
the planning stage subsequently followed his approval and plot selection for the garden. From the<br />
Fall through this Spring, family and friends at <strong>CHCA</strong> helped to make this garden a reality. Hauling<br />
planks, building beds and planting seeds became several weekend’s worth of labor and love.<br />
According to 2007 U.S. Census data, Cincinnati is the tenth poorest city in the country with a<br />
poverty rate of 23.5%, compared to a national (and Ohio-wide) poverty rate of 12.5%. That means<br />
that approximately one in four Cincinnatians falls below the poverty line, and our city’s poverty rate<br />
is almost twice the national average. Our main goal is to grow as much produce as we can. Once the<br />
produce is harvested, we will donate it to these people in need within our city.<br />
The plan is for the food to be donated through the<br />
Freestore Foodbank, an organization in downtown<br />
Cincinnati that distributes canned and organically<br />
grown food to the poor in the local tri-state area. After<br />
a “chance” introduction at the 5K Hunger Walk in<br />
downtown Cincinnati, I recently met with Freestore<br />
Foodbank’s CEO, Kurt Reiber. He shared with us,<br />
“Since our founding 43 years ago, the types of food<br />
that we distribute to our neighbors in need has taken a<br />
dramatic shift. Previously, we provided canned goods<br />
and boxed goods to our customers - what we would call<br />
“shelf stable food items’. Today, we are distributing fresh fruits and vegetables along with frozen<br />
meats and cut meats - food items that would be considered “highly perishable”. We began our own<br />
8
community garden known as ‘The Giving Fields’ three<br />
years ago, so that we could provide these perishable<br />
fresh fruits and vegetables to our neighbors in need. The<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Sustainable Garden will allow us to build on that<br />
foundation and expand the amount of fresh fruits and<br />
vegetables that we can distribute to the roughly 100,000<br />
food insecure children living in the 20 counties served<br />
by the Freestore Foodbank. Quite simply, the <strong>CHCA</strong><br />
Sustainable Garden by its very nature, will be able to<br />
provide fresh fruits and vegetables to families that cannot<br />
afford to put these ‘luxuries’ on their kitchen table.”<br />
Another long-term goal is for the garden to serve as<br />
an educational tool for all students at <strong>CHCA</strong>. It can be<br />
tied in to Dr. Savage’s Environmental Science class, and<br />
can also work well within middle and elementary school<br />
science curricula. Once it is well-established, we hope to<br />
even further expand the garden. Our resources for the<br />
garden have come from Dr. Savage, Mr. Brunk, and many<br />
other generous donors.<br />
This garden is a symbol of <strong>CHCA</strong> reflecting its Christian<br />
morals and ideals. I believe that it is important to express<br />
love and give back to the community in which we live. As<br />
we’re all part of the story of building God’s kingdom, we<br />
should treat everyone equally and give as much help as<br />
we can to those who are in need.<br />
This work cannot be done without help. The idea is to<br />
get our <strong>CHCA</strong> students and families involved with the<br />
garden, as it is truly a model of initiative in the community.<br />
Students can even work in an SOS group for the garden,<br />
gaining leadership skills and getting service hours while<br />
having fun. If we can sustain the garden ongoing and help<br />
it to grow throughout the next couple of years, then it can<br />
become an integral part of <strong>CHCA</strong>. The garden can be a<br />
model to other schools and communities.<br />
With the help of Dr. Savage, Mr. Brunk, a few teachers at<br />
the middle school, and the Freestore Foodbank, the garden<br />
is progressing and becoming everything I imagined it to be<br />
and more. This garden is important to me because of all<br />
the potential and hope it possesses. It was hard to envision<br />
my dream being fulfilled at the beginning, and now that it<br />
has been, our goals can soon be completed. I hope you will<br />
consider joining us as the story is just beginning…<br />
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain<br />
in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;<br />
apart from me you can do nothing. - John 15:5<br />
If you wish to be involved in planting,<br />
harvesting and weeding the garden<br />
this upcoming year, sign-up opportunities<br />
will be available in the Fall via<br />
Campus Connection.<br />
9
Marketplace A.D.<br />
AfterProm<br />
Dynamically engaged<br />
Campus Highlights<br />
Celebration<br />
Hands Against Hunger<br />
National Honor Society
Learn, Lead and Serve Scholarships<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> proudly announced the winners of the 7th Annual Learn, Lead<br />
and Serve Scholarship Competition. “These merit scholarships provide<br />
a way for us to recognize students in the class of 2018,” says Wendy<br />
Easterday, <strong>CHCA</strong> Admissions Counselor. The Learn Scholarships are<br />
awarded to students who score highest on our Freshman Entrance Exam,<br />
and the Lead and Serve Scholarships recognize students whose essays<br />
and resume experiences demonstrate a commitment to leadership and<br />
service. “I’m so excited to welcome these students to the high school<br />
in the Fall. As we’ve seen from past winners, our Learn, Lead, and Serve<br />
Scholars make a great impact in the high school and beyond. And two of<br />
our winners come from outside of <strong>CHCA</strong>, so we are thrilled to welcome<br />
them into our community!” added MSL High School Principal Dr. Dean<br />
Nicholas. The scholarships will be paid out to the recipients over their<br />
four years of high school at <strong>CHCA</strong>.<br />
Perfect ACT Score Junior Michael O’Brien earned a top composite<br />
score of 36 on the ACT. Nationally, on average, less than one-tenth of one<br />
percent of students who take the ACT earns the top score!<br />
Learn Scholarships<br />
Front row: Susan Easterday, Lauren<br />
Rogus Middle row: Josh Braden,<br />
Jacob Koopman Back row: Sebastian<br />
Rodriguez, Dean Nicholas, Ryan Hunt<br />
Lead & Serve<br />
Scholarships<br />
Front row: Colin Keenan, Maya Yates<br />
Middle Row: Julianna Collado, Rachel<br />
Suh Back Row: Kristopher Carnes,<br />
Dean Nicholas, Candace Pfiister<br />
National Merit Finalist<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Seniors Sarah Cunningham, Angela Carver and Andrew Minnich<br />
were all named <strong>2014</strong> National Merit Finalists in February. “We are so<br />
proud of Angela, Andrew, and Sarah on this accomplishment. Not only<br />
are they excellent, inquisitive, thoughtful students, but they are engaged<br />
members of our broader <strong>CHCA</strong> community. In their own ways, each of<br />
them have shared their unique gifts with our school,” commented High<br />
School Principal Dean Nicholas.<br />
National Merit Commended<br />
Ten of our students were also named National Merit Commended<br />
students. They’re 10 of about 34,000 nationally commended students<br />
being recognized for outstanding academic achievement. The<br />
commended students are Sarah Ottenjohn, Kendall Hart, Ellie Coggins,<br />
Hannah Chait, Josh Mangels, Chris Zhang, John Wells, Kevin Bao,<br />
Kimmi Bolsinger and Morgan Shiveley.<br />
Lindner Scholars and Susan Miller Winner<br />
Cum Laude Scholarships<br />
Alex O’Brien, Maggie Mize, Jonny Mize and Adam Rice are the newest<br />
Cum Laude Scholarship recipients for the upcoming year. To be eligible for<br />
this honor, students must be currently enrolled or accepted for admission<br />
to <strong>CHCA</strong>. Students in grades 8 and 9 qualify by taking the Independent<br />
School Entrance Exam (ISEE) and having the scores sent to <strong>CHCA</strong>.<br />
Students in grade 10 qualify based on their PSAT score. Students must<br />
also demonstrate exceptional academic performance in the classroom.<br />
Congratulations to these three scholarship winners who will be freshman<br />
at Martha S. Lindner High School this fall. Joy Dehner -Lindner Scholar,<br />
Darian Woods-Lindner Scholar, Paris Simpson-Susan Miller Scholarship<br />
(Pictured above with Head of School Randy Brunk.)<br />
Cum Laude Scholarship-Distinguished level Ryan Hunt<br />
qualified for our highest academic merit scholarship, the Cum Laude<br />
Scholarship, at the Distinguished level, which awards 90% of his high<br />
school tuition renewable for three additional years.<br />
Hispanic Scholar Recognition Zachary Alvarado was named a<br />
Hispanic Scholar by the National Hispanic Recognition Program. He was<br />
one of 5,000 selected from over 259,000 eligible worldwide.<br />
Cum Laude Scholarship<br />
- Distinguished<br />
Hispanic Scholar<br />
Recognition
Refreshingly insightful<br />
…[creating ] an environment where … guided by expert Christian<br />
teachers, students wrestle with increasingly complex, timeless,<br />
essential questions in order to strengthen their minds and their faith<br />
Theological Integration<br />
by Dean Nicholas, PhD,<br />
Martha S. LindnerHigh School Principal<br />
A New Model for Creating a Christian Mind<br />
12<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> is indeed intentional about being academically<br />
excellent as well as Christ-centered in all we do. While<br />
academic excellence is widely understood, the term “Christcentered”<br />
is more ambiguous. This is one of our most<br />
deeply held core values in our school, yet its meaning has<br />
become nebulous. If we were to ask various people within<br />
our community what Christ-centeredness meant, the only<br />
consensus would be the initial response that Christ is the<br />
center of everything we do. But if pressed past the jargon,<br />
one would find as many different answers as those asked. And<br />
this creates an institutional dilemma, because a term that can<br />
mean anything to anyone actually means nothing for all. So<br />
how do we understand Christ-centeredness as it relates<br />
to <strong>CHCA</strong>, and how does this inform the way we instruct our<br />
students?<br />
When we think about the role of a Christian school, we must<br />
first think about vocation. What is a Christian school uniquely<br />
called to do? This is a significant consideration and one that<br />
is too rarely considered. We must remember that a Christian<br />
school is a para-church organization, or an organization that<br />
comes alongside the church. That is an important distinction<br />
because we are different in our function or calling from a<br />
church. As we come alongside the church, our purpose is<br />
to develop Christian minds to consider how we live out a<br />
Christian life and how we engage God’s world. In order to<br />
think as broadly as possible in this arena, we have used the<br />
metaphors of “Head, Heart, and Hands”. By Head, we mean<br />
the intellectual investigation of the areas of Bible, Theology,<br />
Church History, and Spirituality. This takes place not only in<br />
our Christian Studies curriculum; it is woven throughout all<br />
subject areas. By Heart, we mean the spiritual formation of our<br />
students through weekly chapels, worship and the expression<br />
of each student’s God-given talents. By Hands, we mean the<br />
acting out of the Head and Heart components in practical<br />
ways. This is carried out formally through service and outreach,<br />
and informally by creating an environment in which we expect<br />
everyone in the community to live out the teachings of Jesus.<br />
And while we deal with the Head, Heart, and Hands, as an<br />
academy, our number one calling is to educate our students.<br />
So it should not be surprising that our primary focus is on the<br />
Head aspect of the equation.<br />
So what is “Theological Integration”?<br />
Theological Integration is the process by which our teachers<br />
engage the “Head” of our students on a deep level about how<br />
thinking in a “Christ-centered” way affects all areas of study<br />
and learning. Our Theological Integration is rooted in the<br />
biblical text. But we are careful to use the language of<br />
“Theological Integration,” rather than the older term “Biblical<br />
Integration,” for how we attempt to theologically enrich our<br />
curriculum. As a multi-denominational school, it is important<br />
that certain denominational interpretations are not given<br />
priority and/or preference by teachers based on their own<br />
personal interpretations. The Bible is our foundation, but we<br />
must acknowledge that we all read the Bible based on our<br />
theological presuppositions. For instance, both Calvinists
and Armenians read the same Bible. Yet one sees God’s<br />
predestination while the other sees God’s gift of free will,<br />
both from the same book. Dozens of other examples could be<br />
given. Theology shapes what we see. So in an attempt to find<br />
a theological common ground that aligns with our Statement<br />
of Faith and fits our theological community, we sought to find<br />
a simple, straightforward theological construct which could<br />
summarize the key points of the Bible, yet leave room for deeper<br />
mining of the depths of Scripture. To this note, we train our<br />
faculty in a basic understanding of Christian theology. If we are to<br />
be a school that claims Christ-centeredness as a core value, we<br />
must begin with people who can think in Christ-centered ways.<br />
It involves more than having teachers who love Christ and follow<br />
Him. It involves more than teachers who read and know the Bible.<br />
Our school must have a foundation of teachers who comprehend<br />
theologically how our understandings of Christ, the Bible, and<br />
the world interrelate. Only then can we begin to integrate our<br />
theological worldview into all we do and all we teach.<br />
To this end, as a school we focus on five key theological “Big<br />
Ideas” based on Cornelius Plantinga’s Engaging God’s World: A<br />
Christian Vision of Faith, Learning, and Living. These five “big ideas”<br />
are 1) all humans have a longing and hope for something greater,<br />
2) God is Creator, 3) the Creation is Fallen, 4) Jesus Redeems<br />
Creation through His Life, Death, and Resurrection, and 5) We<br />
Can Be Part of God’s Restoration through our Vocation.<br />
As our teachers engage students in their specific disciplines,<br />
we desire for them to find connections where their subject<br />
matter intersects with our theological “big ideas.” The way in<br />
which teachers engage the students is through “theological<br />
essential questions.” Theological essential questions are openended,<br />
thought-provoking questions that prod students to think<br />
theologically and deeply about the subject. These questions can<br />
continually be reconsidered at different ages and developmental<br />
levels with varying levels of sophistication. Theological essential<br />
questions require students to reflect on their knowledge and<br />
synthesize it with theological understandings from the Scriptures.<br />
Over the past year we have shared a lot about essential<br />
questions. An example of an essential question is “What is<br />
history?” If one wanted to make this a “theological essential<br />
question,” one might ask, “(How) Does God Act in History?”<br />
This question stretches students to consider what history is<br />
and how they understand the academic discipline. Then they<br />
must consider the theological issue of Divine presence and to<br />
what degree God intersects our time and space. Is history the<br />
story of natural and human cause and effect or is God also part<br />
of the equation? Students now need to understand historical<br />
analogues and biblical material to argue for their perspectives.<br />
What evidence is available? Theological essential questions can<br />
then be more specific. Was God on a “side” in the American Civil<br />
War? Does God ever take sides? How does the biblical picture of<br />
God on Israel’s side in victory but also the reason for their losses<br />
fit into a modern consideration of world politics? Clearly these are<br />
not straightforward, easy answers. But they force teachers and<br />
students to consider Scripture, our theological understandings,<br />
and the world in which we live. This way of teaching demands<br />
that every teacher wrestle with how their Christian faith and<br />
worldview intersect with their academic discipline.<br />
Using theological essential questions like the ones above greatly<br />
benefits the faith development of students as they begin to<br />
construct how Christ is at the center of all things. But a question<br />
like “(How) Does God Act in History?” assumes a high level<br />
of sophistication which requires older students. What about<br />
elementary school students? This same theological essential<br />
question could be asked in a different, more age appropriate way.<br />
For instance, one might ask a grade school child, “How do you<br />
see God today?” At a different developmental level, this question<br />
is getting at the same theological construct—How is Christ in<br />
all and through all? Asking this theological essential question in<br />
various ways throughout the stages of our students’ education<br />
allows them to continually reconsider what it means for God to<br />
be at work in the world. As students acquire more knowledge and<br />
reality becomes more complex, they will be able to reimagine<br />
answers to this question with greater and greater sophistication<br />
and complexity. In this way, we believe that our students grow<br />
intellectually and spiritually in a way that fosters faith without<br />
simple indoctrination.<br />
Our task is not an easy one. But as we educate our students in a<br />
truly Christ-centered environment, we prepare them to leave our<br />
school with a faith that is thoroughly grounded, tested, and deep.<br />
They are willing to ask the hard questions that faith demands,<br />
not just compartmentalizing their beliefs into a safe category.<br />
They are willing to engage God’s world and work in His Kingdom<br />
in ways that are dynamic and life affirming. And for this reason,<br />
it is our belief that our students will “achieve significant impact<br />
and influence with discerning wisdom, courageous curiosity and<br />
resilient Christian faith.”<br />
As we educate our<br />
students in a truly<br />
Christ-centered<br />
environment, we prepare<br />
them to leave our school<br />
with a faith that is<br />
thoroughly grounded,<br />
tested, and deep.<br />
13
Refreshingly insightful<br />
by Todd D. Bacon, J.D., M.A.T.S., International Student Program Director<br />
Guests and Hosts-Hospitality Opens Doors<br />
“<strong>CHCA</strong> has allowed me to experience a completely<br />
different culture in a Christ-centered environment in which<br />
I have been able to make new friends, learn different things<br />
and overall, experience the adventure of living abroad.”<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> International Student, Guillermo Farfán II<br />
14<br />
From the growing number of international students attending<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong>, one might easily conclude that our International Student<br />
Program and global emphasis is simply an act of hospitality receiving<br />
students from other countries. This is only a small part of a much<br />
bigger picture! <strong>CHCA</strong>’s network of global friends and relationships<br />
has grown steadily and is becoming increasingly reciprocal and<br />
mutually enriching. Beyond the beautiful relationship that continues<br />
to blossom between our students and children in Monterrey<br />
Mexico (supported through Back2Back Ministries) and countless<br />
international Intersession mission trips, relationships are growing<br />
around the world from Israel to Guatemala, Kenya, China, and Korea.<br />
The writer Karen Hering beautifully captures the essence of the word<br />
‘hospitality’ as she explains its origin. Hering notes that the Latin<br />
root ghosti, contains both “guest”’ and “stranger” in “an etymology<br />
beautifully intertwined as a reminder that hospitality is born of a rich<br />
reciprocity in which guest and host are merely roles exchanged over<br />
time.”1 She notes that both Greek and Arabic also fuse the meaning<br />
of guest and host into one broad, generous word.
<strong>CHCA</strong>’s network of global friends and relationships<br />
has grown steadily and is becoming increasingly<br />
reciprocal and mutually enriching.<br />
Although there are many examples and stories of the<br />
ways in which <strong>CHCA</strong> has been both guest and host, let me<br />
offer three. First, I think of <strong>CHCA</strong>’s faculty, students, and<br />
parents who have travelled frequently to the Tent of Nations<br />
and Daher’s Vineyard, an organic farm located in the hills<br />
southwest of Bethlehem. There they have learned first-hand<br />
of the extraordinary Christ-like example of Daoud Nassar<br />
and his family who tirelessly work towards building bridges of<br />
understanding, reconciliation, and peace in Israel. The MSL<br />
High School in return<br />
welcomed and hosted<br />
Mr. Nassar at <strong>CHCA</strong> as<br />
he spoke in Chapel and<br />
helped our community<br />
understand first-hand<br />
the calling we have<br />
as Christ followers to<br />
engage in working for<br />
shalom within our world.<br />
Next May, we anticipate<br />
sending an Intersession group of students and faculty to both<br />
learn about the struggle for peace and reconciliation between<br />
Palestinian Christians and Jews, as well as to help develop and<br />
install an aquaponic system on the farm.<br />
Another example of growing reciprocity is the relationship<br />
that has emerged between <strong>CHCA</strong> and an exceptional<br />
school and community in Guatemala. <strong>CHCA</strong> has been the<br />
beneficiary of two remarkable students from MAES Modern<br />
American English School in Antigua, Guatemala, and <strong>CHCA</strong><br />
students and faculty have also had the opportunity to travel<br />
there to learn, share, and deepen their understanding of<br />
Spanish language and Guatemalan culture. Last summer<br />
John Prado, one of our Spanish teachers at the High School,<br />
travelled with a small group of students to Antigua and were<br />
lovingly enveloped into MAES’ community, as they were<br />
immersed into their life and culture living with host families.<br />
The opportunities for deepening the relationship between<br />
MAES and <strong>CHCA</strong> in the future are only just beginning.<br />
The third example represents an exciting new development<br />
for <strong>CHCA</strong> and a natural extension of the International<br />
Student Program. Next spring, the first <strong>CHCA</strong> student will<br />
spend a semester studying at Gehzi High School of Shanghai,<br />
located in the heart of downtown Shanghai, China. Because<br />
of the mutual trust and relationships that have developed<br />
among <strong>CHCA</strong>, the Shangahi Dian Zhi Ya Cultural Exchange<br />
Company, Gehzi High School and its parents and students, a<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> senior - whose passion is to study and prepare for an<br />
International business career in Asia - will become possible<br />
while in High School abroad. The opportunity to study and<br />
live in China for a semester will provide an extraordinary<br />
rich experience on which to draw in shaping her goals and<br />
coursework in University. In addition to our first <strong>CHCA</strong><br />
exchange student, the growing relationship between <strong>CHCA</strong><br />
and schools in both Shanghai and Hangzhou, will soon<br />
provide significant opportunities for collaboration and shared<br />
learning between students and programs in both countries.<br />
“For us, welcoming Guillermo into our home expanded<br />
our family. In addition to Guillermo joining us, we have a<br />
special bond with his family in Guatemala. This has been a<br />
double blessing. Our lives are richer because our families are<br />
connected. It has been an extraordinary experience for us all.”<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Host Parents Todd and Natalie Pfister<br />
Only one year ago <strong>CHCA</strong> launched the International<br />
Student Program to comprehensively meet the needs of<br />
a growing number of international students. Rather than<br />
relying on traditional agencies to recruit and support these<br />
students, <strong>CHCA</strong> designed a program that would facilitate the<br />
recruitment of excellent students, place them with <strong>CHCA</strong><br />
families, and provide a level of academic and social support<br />
that would allow these students to thrive and succeed as<br />
integral members of our community. International Student<br />
fees, in addition to regular tuition pay for these services and<br />
the program, has been remarkably successful. Seven initial<br />
students finished their first year within the program and we<br />
anticipate welcoming an additional 16 new students from<br />
China, Korea, Guatemala, and Mexico this fall. Ever since<br />
the first international student arrived at <strong>CHCA</strong> in 2007, the<br />
presence of international students in our school has deeply<br />
enriched our academic program, lives, and community. We are<br />
profoundly thankful for their presence in our lives and to the<br />
host families who have lovingly opened their hearts and homes<br />
to these young men and women. Please consider ways in which<br />
your family might participate in the International Student<br />
Program as guests or hosts in our growing communities<br />
of friends around the world. If you would like additional<br />
information on our program and specifically on opportunities<br />
to host an international student, I would be delighted to<br />
connect with you!<br />
Please consider ways in which your family might<br />
participate in the International Student Program as<br />
guests or hosts in our growing communities of<br />
friends around the world. Contact Todd Bacon for<br />
more information - Todd.Bacon@chca-oh.org<br />
1 Karen Hering, Writing to Wake the Soul. (New York, New York: Atria Books/Beyond Words, 2013), 192.<br />
15
Refreshingly insightful<br />
What an amazing<br />
opportunity for<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong>’s Middle School<br />
students to be the<br />
physical hands and<br />
feet of Jesus – and to<br />
hear, see and feel the<br />
difference being<br />
made in the lives of<br />
orphans in Mexico.<br />
Experiencing<br />
Life Change through<br />
LEGOs<br />
16<br />
by Julie Carnes,<br />
Donor Relations/Events Coordinator<br />
and Lance Webel, Director of Student<br />
Development & Socials<br />
The week of March 1, <strong>2014</strong> was an exciting time for <strong>CHCA</strong> Middle School. 54 students in 7th and 8th<br />
grade and chaperones traveled to Monterey, Mexico to experience a week working with Back2Back<br />
Ministries. This was not a resort vacation trip by any stretch, rather, it was a life changing week full of<br />
challenging work, sacrificial service and incredible fun for our students.<br />
While not every Middle School student went on the journey to Mexico, the anticipation leading up to<br />
this trip was experienced by all Middle School students.<br />
When Jared Treadway, 8th grade Christian Studies teacher, was preparing to go on this annual mission<br />
trip, he noticed that LEGOs were on a list of items that were acceptable to bring for the children in the<br />
orphanages. Putting two and two together, he realized that many of our middle school students may<br />
have outgrown their own collections (or at least had so many that they could spare to part with some),<br />
so he decided to mobilize the middle school student body to collect LEGOs to bring to the children in<br />
Mexico.<br />
Mr. Treadway challenged each advisory to bring in as many LEGO pieces as possible, then assemble<br />
a masterpiece designed around the theme, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” And our Middle School<br />
students showed that when presented with a challenge – they will deliver!<br />
The results were overwhelming...tens of thousands of LEGO blocks were donated, and the creations<br />
that 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade advisories built showcased their creativity, problem-solving, faith, and<br />
generosity.<br />
Mr. Daniel’s 8th grade advisory won the LEGO challenge with a massive display, highlighted by a<br />
LEGO Wall containing a cross and the words “Our God”.
This experience<br />
gave them an<br />
opportunity to<br />
rally together<br />
to meet a<br />
need with the<br />
resources God<br />
provided them,<br />
uniting as one<br />
student body to<br />
further advance<br />
the Kingdom.<br />
“I enjoyed seeing the wide assortment of LEGO pieces,<br />
with everything from spaceships to castles to LEGO<br />
people to horseshoes, come together.” said Mr. Daniel.<br />
“But it was even more impressive to me to witness the<br />
wide range of interests and personalities in my advisory<br />
boys converge as they worked together as a team on this<br />
project.”<br />
On the last day of the LEGO challenge, dozens of<br />
advisories came to the stage to view the finished<br />
creations, then disassemble the thousands of blocks<br />
to pack and send down to Mexico. These LEGOs were<br />
then added to the proceeds ($3,729.69) from National<br />
Junior Honor Society’s “Funding Faith” fundraiser to bless<br />
the orphans in Monterrey. (Yes, in addition to donating<br />
thousands of LEGOs, our students collected thousands of<br />
dollars in spare change!)<br />
Cut to the mission trip – where countless hours of work<br />
contributed by students doing things such as hauling<br />
concrete, building a playground wall, repairing a roof and<br />
serving meals, were paired with simply spending time with<br />
the children in Monterey. If you could see the joy in the<br />
eyes of the children in Monterey as they played LEGOs<br />
with the <strong>CHCA</strong> students. Hours were spent around the<br />
tables of Legos, having fun building and exploring their<br />
imaginations!<br />
What an amazing opportunity for these Middle School<br />
students to be the physical hands and feet of Jesus – and<br />
to hear, see and feel the difference being made in the lives<br />
of orphans in Mexico. One of our students profoundly<br />
shared that their work was similar to a tree. The roots are<br />
“our beliefs”, the trunk is “how we see ourselves” based<br />
on our beliefs, and the branches are “our actions” coming<br />
from the trunk via the roots. You can’t make change unless<br />
you start with the roots. We did “root work” that will start<br />
the growth of many healthy trees.<br />
Ultimately, Mr. Treadway’s simple idea had a profound<br />
effect, not only upon the children who received the<br />
LEGOs, but also upon the students who collected them<br />
and delivered them. This experience gave them an<br />
opportunity to rally together to meet a need with the<br />
resources God provided them, uniting as one student<br />
body to further advance the Kingdom.<br />
17
Boldly determined<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Athletics<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Athletics could not be prouder of the performance of its athletic teams, athletes, coaches, parents and<br />
supporters. Our teams competed in 20 sports that are recognized by the Miami Valley Conference (MVC) and<br />
excelled in nearly every one of them! Our athletes were recognized for sportsmanship, excellence and<br />
courageous spirit and several teams and/or athletes advanced to district, regional and state level competition.<br />
While many talented students will hang up their gloves,<br />
shoes or rackets, six special athletes committed to play<br />
their sport at the collegiate level. They include:<br />
Kyle Davis Baseball, West Virginia University<br />
Kendall Hart Swimming, Liberty Universtiy<br />
Marissa Koob Basketball, University of Charleston<br />
Nick Marsh Football, Amherst College<br />
Ricky Silvestri Baseball, Mars Hill University<br />
Aliza Williams Tennis, Centre College<br />
Congratulations and best wishes for a successful<br />
college experience!<br />
Character and academic achievement awards presented to highly deserving athletes<br />
Dick Snyder Sportsmanship Award: Jonah Gardner, Marissa Koob, and Matt Overstreet<br />
18<br />
OHSAA Courageous<br />
Student Award<br />
Beth Hansford<br />
Army Reserve National Scholar<br />
and Athlete Award<br />
Zachary Alvarado and Benita Munnerlyn<br />
Archie Griffin<br />
Sportsmanship Award<br />
Marissa Koob and Nick Marsh
Highlights from our outstanding 2013-14 seasons<br />
Baseball<br />
Finished with an undefeated conference<br />
record to win MVC Championship<br />
Won Section, District and Regional<br />
OHSAA Tournaments<br />
Won OHSAA DIII State Runner-Up honors<br />
First Team MVC Players: Kyle Davis, Blake<br />
Swanger and Cameron Varga<br />
MVC Player of the Year: Kyle Davis and<br />
Cameron Varga (pitcher)<br />
Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year Award:<br />
Cameron Varga<br />
Tampa Bay Rays signed right-handed<br />
pitcher Cameron Varga, their second<br />
round selection from the <strong>2014</strong> Major<br />
League Baseball First-Year Player Draft and<br />
the No. 60 pick overall<br />
All-Star Division III Baseball Coach of the<br />
Year: Jeff Keith<br />
All-Star Division III Baseball Player of the<br />
Year: Cameron Varga<br />
All-Star Division III Baseball First Team:<br />
Kyle Davis<br />
All-Star Division III Baseball First Team:<br />
Blake Swanger<br />
Basketball-Boys<br />
Clinched a share of the MVC Gray Division<br />
Championship, the first time since 2005<br />
Basketball-Girls<br />
First team MVC player: Marissa Koob<br />
District III Player of the Year: Marissa Koob<br />
Southwest Ohio All-District Div. III 1st<br />
Team: Marissa Koob<br />
Football<br />
Finished with an undefeated regular season<br />
to win MVC Championship<br />
Qualified for its fourth straight appearance<br />
in OHSAA playoffs<br />
First Team MVC players: Kyle Davis, Jacob<br />
Halter, Nick Marsh, Cameron Murray, Connor<br />
Osborne, Ryan Prescott and Tyler Renners<br />
MVC Player of the Year: Nick Marsh<br />
Anthony Munoz Offensive Lineman of the<br />
Year for Div. V: Ryan Prescott<br />
Golf-Boys<br />
Won the MVC Championship<br />
First Team MVC players: Sean Eslick and<br />
Noah Marshall<br />
Qualified for Districts<br />
Golf-Girls<br />
Qualified for Districts in only its second<br />
year as a team<br />
Lacrosse-Boys<br />
First Team MVC players: Jonah James<br />
and Cam Kennedy<br />
Soccer-Boys<br />
First Team MVC player: Will Phillips<br />
Soccer-Girls<br />
First Team MVC players: Katherine Meyer<br />
and Casey Ochs<br />
Southwest Ohio All-District Girls Div. II 1st<br />
Team: Casey Ochs<br />
Softball<br />
First Team MVC players: Alex Ledford &<br />
Cassidy Yeomans<br />
Athletic All-Star Division III Softball First<br />
Team: Cassidy Yeoman<br />
Swimming-Girls<br />
First Team MVC player: Kendall Hart<br />
(200 IM & 100 Butterfly)<br />
Sectional Champion: Kendall Hart<br />
(100 Butterfly)<br />
Qualified for State: Kendall Hart<br />
(100 Butterfly & 100 Backstroke)<br />
Division II All-Area Team: Kendall Hart<br />
Kendall Hart placed 3rd at State and set a<br />
new school record in the 100 Butterfly<br />
Tennis-Girls<br />
First Team MVC players: Allie Harker,<br />
Kimmi Bolsinger and Natalie van den Berg<br />
All seven varsity players qualified for<br />
Districts.<br />
Track & Field<br />
First Team MVC players: Morgan Bradley<br />
(high jump), Marissa Koob (shot put),<br />
Matthew Overstreet (400 m), Alex<br />
Stevens (pole vault) and Adam Baker,<br />
Ben Collado, Will Drosos and Matthew<br />
Overstreet (800 m relay)<br />
Qualified for Regionals: Morgan Bradley,<br />
Marissa Koob, Matthew Overstreet and<br />
Alex Stevens<br />
Morgan Bradley tied the school record in<br />
the high jump<br />
Marissa Koob set a new school record in<br />
the shot put<br />
Volleyball<br />
Finished with an undefeated regular season<br />
to win MVC Championship<br />
First Team MVC players: Emily Beckes and<br />
Rachel Wichmann<br />
MVC Player of the Year: Rachel Wichmann<br />
District 16 All City Team DIII: Emily Beckes<br />
and Rachel Wichmann<br />
District 16 All City Team DIII Player of the<br />
Year: Rachel Wichmann<br />
Wrestling<br />
First Team MVC players: Carson Brooks<br />
(112), Zachary Alvarado (132), Kealii<br />
Cummings (152)<br />
MVC Player of the Year: Kealii Cummings<br />
Sectional Champion: Zachary Alvarado<br />
(126)<br />
District Qualifiers: Zachary Alvarado<br />
(126), Kealii Cummings (152)<br />
Division II-III First Team: Zachary<br />
Alvarado (126)<br />
Southwest Ohio Wrestling Coaches<br />
Association All-Star: Zachary Alvarado<br />
(126)<br />
Zachary Alvarado set a new school record<br />
for number of career wins<br />
19
Boldly determined<br />
Winning Twice with Habitudes<br />
Habitudes is a national student-leadership course <strong>CHCA</strong> offers to freshman, sophomore and junior<br />
students who have participated in at least one sport during the school year. It is a 13-week class, held<br />
on Wednesday mornings before school begins.<br />
20<br />
by Amy Lutts,<br />
current <strong>CHCA</strong> parent of<br />
Colin ‘17, Megan ‘19 and<br />
Taylor ‘22<br />
Habitudes, a national student-leadership course<br />
we offer at <strong>CHCA</strong>, allows freshmen, sophomore and<br />
junior student athletes to learn about different aspects<br />
of leadership in team settings. The course is offered<br />
on Wednesday mornings before school begins and a<br />
rotation of speakers, including Matt Coleman, Michael<br />
Coleman, Amanda Moore and Mariah Warburton<br />
speak to the students and discuss the importance of<br />
leadership in community. Students who attend 80% of<br />
the classes or more by the end of the course receive<br />
medals for their participation.<br />
Our student athletes need a “growth process”, not<br />
just an “event”—a growth process that can engage<br />
“This program is unique in our area. I don’t know of<br />
another school in the Cincinnati area with a dedicated<br />
program cultivating student athletes as leaders.<br />
This certainly will benefit our athletics program, but it<br />
will benefit the school in general as well. At <strong>CHCA</strong> we<br />
equip students to lead and change the world and this<br />
program is just another way to accomplish that.”<br />
– Matt Coleman, <strong>CHCA</strong> Athletic Director<br />
them in dialogue and action. Habitudes calls this<br />
growth process EPIC Generation: Experiential in that<br />
they do not want a sage on the stage with a lecture for<br />
them; Participatory in that they want to participate<br />
in the outcomes of the program; Image-rich in that<br />
these students have grown to speak a language of<br />
images through exposure to television, video games<br />
and the Internet; and Connected in that they are both<br />
technologically and socially connected to the world<br />
around them. The program Habitudes consists of a<br />
10-minute video full of images that ignites discussion,<br />
followed by experience.<br />
Freshmen in the Habitudes program spend their<br />
course learning about “The Art of Self-Leadership”.<br />
The major themes discussed include the development<br />
of character, self-discipline, personal values,<br />
responsibility, initiative, self-esteem, time-management,<br />
construction of a support network, positive attitudes<br />
regarding conflict and a personal plan for growth.<br />
Sophomores learn about “The Art of Connection with<br />
Others”. Effective leaders must build personal power<br />
before exercising positional power. This course helps<br />
students build relationship skills in communication,<br />
social awareness, handling criticism, listening,<br />
encouragement, confrontation and more.<br />
Juniors focus on “The Art of Leading Others and<br />
Changing Culture”. The third year of the program<br />
consists of major leadership principles including<br />
casting vision, setting goals, leading effective teams,<br />
handling criticism and leveraging influence to positively<br />
impact others on the team.
Coaches & Staff<br />
Eric Taylor was named Football DV District Coach of the Year<br />
Bryan Daniel, the Boys’ Varsity Soccer Coach, was named the<br />
recipient of the OHSAA SEI (Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity)<br />
Award<br />
Mariah Warburton was named the Volleyball MVC and<br />
Southwest District Coach of the Year<br />
Julie Dietrich was named the MVC Boys’ Track Coach of<br />
the Year<br />
Jonathan Williams was named MVC Boys’ Golf Coach of<br />
the Year<br />
Jeff Keith was named MVC Boys’ Baseball Coach of the Year<br />
Adam Meyer, the Boys’ Varsity Wrestling Coach, was awarded<br />
the Frank Montgomery / James Wright Award<br />
Joe Lucas, our athletic trainer, began serving our athletes on a<br />
full-time basis and his service was expanded to the middle school<br />
as well.<br />
For the first time in history, all football and basketball games were<br />
broadcasted, as well as other athletic events.<br />
Baseball Goes to State<br />
It was a send-off worth remembering as<br />
students at EBL and the MS cheered them<br />
on the last week of school!
Exuberantly creative<br />
Children of Eden<br />
“There is no journey gone so far we cannot stop and change direction.”<br />
These are my favorite lyrics from the show “Children of Eden” sung by a<br />
loving Father comforting his children after generations of bad decisions<br />
and missed opportunities. This show was filled with messages of truth and<br />
love, and those messages, along with the cast dynamics, the freedom of<br />
creativity, and the dedication of everyone involved, resulted in one of the<br />
best theatrical experiences that I have ever had.<br />
22<br />
by Susan Jung,<br />
Director of Theatre<br />
The message of Children of Eden (which tells the story of Creation and The Fall in Act I and<br />
Noah and The Flood in Act II) can sometimes be overlooked by directors and cast members who<br />
focus too much on the wrath of God (named as “Father” in the script) and the distance that is<br />
created after the Fall. For me, the message to communicate was simple: God loves us as a Father<br />
loves his children, perfectly and unconditionally. Everything we do has the potential to break His<br />
heart with sorrow, or swell His heart with pride. The choice of free will is ours; the gift of it is His.<br />
Although the message was simple, the enormity of the show was not. We had one of the<br />
biggest casts ever. Every show has a different cast dynamic, regardless of its size. Sometimes<br />
the leads and ensemble don’t have much onstage time together, or there are certain groups<br />
that inherently form because of the way the show is written. However, this cast, more than any<br />
other, was truly a family that bonded in a deep and profound way. Several times the phrase<br />
“unconditional love” was used by cast members to describe the relationship that developed
among them. They spontaneously prayed together for a sick cast member,<br />
they welcomed several newcomers (both freshman and seniors) with open<br />
arms and hearts, they celebrated the achievements of hitting high notes,<br />
nailing fight choreography, perfecting African choreography, and blending<br />
like a collegiate level choir. They were truly all a beautiful family, and I can<br />
see that still existing months after the curtain closed on the show.<br />
Families have to exist together, much like the production team of a show.<br />
And I couldn’t be more blessed with the team that I have here at <strong>CHCA</strong>.<br />
It’s been said around town that we do things differently here and that our<br />
shows always seem “fresh”. I couldn’t agree more. I owe it all to the people<br />
that listen to my ideas and agree to be part of the collaborative process.<br />
I can dream here at <strong>CHCA</strong>. I called this show the result of my “untamed<br />
creativity.” This team doesn’t say “We can’t do that,’ they say ‘absolutely<br />
we can do that.” (and then we have to actually figure out HOW to do that,<br />
which is a whole other article). They say ‘yes’ to the ideas, they provide their<br />
own creativity, they encourage students to explore THEIR creativity (did<br />
you see that elephant head?). And the end result is that we all experience<br />
something thoughtful, moving, and spectacular that stays with its audience<br />
and cast for a lifetime. That is the true measure of a successful production.<br />
There are other appropriate ways to measure this. To be successful in<br />
a production as a crew member is to be invisible. To be successful in a<br />
production as an instrumentalist is to heighten and clarify. To be successful<br />
as a singer or actor is to communicate truth. I honestly believe that all were<br />
excellently done in Children of Eden. The story didn’t get lost in clumsy set<br />
changes, weak musical phrases, or fake emotions. The story was focused,<br />
enhanced, and sharpened. The story was what needed to be told. We all -<br />
cast, crew, and orchestra - were privileged to be chosen as storytellers.<br />
Now, don’t get me wrong, it is wonderful to win awards and have people<br />
outside your community validate your work, but I would venture to say<br />
that years from now when the students dig that video out and watch the<br />
show, they won’t remember who won what award, or what they said in their<br />
acceptance speech (unless their parents posted it on Facebook). They will<br />
watch and remember with fondness the feeling of being part of something<br />
that moved people, that strengthened faith in them and in their friends, and<br />
they will cherish all those moments that piece together the unique fabric<br />
that was Children of Eden. And for many years to come, I will be doing the<br />
same thing.<br />
Families have to exist together, much like the production<br />
team of a show. And I couldn’t be more blessed with the<br />
team that I have here at <strong>CHCA</strong>.<br />
23
Exuberantly creative<br />
ArtBeat <strong>2014</strong><br />
Mona Summers, Director of Fine Arts<br />
ArtBeat <strong>2014</strong> by<br />
ArtBeat <strong>2014</strong> “Created to be Creative” marked our 16th Annual Fine Arts Festival. This campus-wide event was a huge success thanks<br />
to ArtBeat Chair Tammy Pacheco, Performance Chair Michael Kuremsky, the ArtBeat Committee, <strong>CHCA</strong>’s Fine Arts faculty and staff and<br />
300+ volunteers. It was also successful due to the support of our presenting sponsor Friends of Fine Arts, our corporate sponsor Cindy<br />
Coggins and the Coggins Group at Morgan Stanley and eight other ArtBeat sponsors – all for whom we are so thankful.<br />
24<br />
16 years ago when I originally had this vision<br />
for a fine arts festival, I certainly did not envision<br />
the spectacular that this event would become.<br />
While the entire <strong>CHCA</strong> arts program is my<br />
passion, ArtBeat has a special place in my heart.<br />
ArtBeat is that one day where our entire <strong>CHCA</strong><br />
community has an opportunity to come together<br />
and celebrate the arts, our students and our<br />
Creator who gave us the gift of arts. Our students<br />
continue to amaze me with their talents, passion,<br />
hard work and determination for excellence.<br />
This inspires our entire Fine Arts faculty and<br />
staff to continue to grow what is one of the most<br />
outstanding Fine Arts programs in our city.<br />
ArtBeat by the numbers:<br />
Over 2,300 people attended the event.<br />
The Hang Your Art Out art exhibit featured over 1,000<br />
pieces of student artwork.<br />
Over 750 students performed on three stages.<br />
Over 640 arts and crafts projects were completed at<br />
our 8 Hands-on-Art stations.<br />
The ArtBeat <strong>2014</strong> poster featured 8 students’ artwork.<br />
In the MSL HS Juried Art Competition, 19 cash prizes and<br />
awards were presented in 8 different categories, which were<br />
judged by 5 community artists and art educators.<br />
7 professional artists (including two alumni) and 4 students<br />
were featured as this year’s Demonstrating Artists.<br />
13 different sponsors provided delicious food and drinks.
fine arts<br />
awards<br />
Exuberantly creative<br />
This year was another wonderful and talent-filled year for Fine Arts at <strong>CHCA</strong>!<br />
Students across all four schools earned honors and awards for their hard work and<br />
creativity in theater, instrumental music, vocal music, dance and visual arts. Although<br />
the awards are not the most important part about participation in the Fine Arts, the<br />
following students had the joy of being recognized for their outstanding creativity:<br />
Sophomores James Rootring and Lauren Slouffman competed in<br />
the finals for the Cincinnati Arts Association Overture Awards and won! James<br />
won in the vocal music category while Lauren won in the dance category.<br />
Senior Sarah Cunningham and sophomore Hannah Donovan<br />
each won silver medals in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for their artwork.<br />
Earning a National medal from this prestigious scholarship program places Sarah<br />
and Hannah in the top one percent of 255,000 participants.<br />
The <strong>CHCA</strong> Dance Program brought home 10 trophies from the Jamfest<br />
Dance Supernationals held in Northern Kentucky this past spring!<br />
Armleder students Jireh Burton and Mannie Tait were selected as<br />
lead dancers and MS students Doug Hansford and Peyton Bach were<br />
selected as understudies in the Cokesbury Publishing and Dunlop Productions<br />
2015 Vacation Bible School Video Project. The video will be distributed worldwide.<br />
The MSL HS Theater Production of “Children of Eden” earned 16<br />
Cappies Nominations and eight Cappies awards including: Best Musical, Best<br />
Song-“Let There Be”, Lead Actor-Gabe Hoyer, Supporting Actress-Merrie<br />
Drees, Featured Actress-Anna Mirlisena, Female<br />
Dancer-Hannah Chait, Creativity-Hannah Rhoads<br />
and Grace Wesson, and Best Orchestra.<br />
Ivy Guan won Best of Show in the juried art competition at<br />
ArtBeat.<br />
Over 20 MS and MSL HS students participated in the<br />
OMEA District 14 Honor Choir, Jr. High Honor Orchestra,<br />
Honor Orchestra and Honor Band.<br />
Congratulations to these students and the winners of<br />
the many other awards and honors achieved this year!<br />
What started out as a small group of students dancing competitively under the tutelage<br />
of Melissa Kidd, has evolved into something much larger. Sashaying onto stage this coming<br />
year is the <strong>CHCA</strong> Dance Academy, a dance school just for <strong>CHCA</strong> students. Classes will<br />
be available for students of all ages and experience levels—from basic technique classes<br />
in jazz and ballet to competitive dance options. Starting in Kindergarten, students can<br />
learn the technique and build up to a performance or competitive level as they get older.<br />
This new unique program makes it easy for students to learn, perform and compete in the<br />
company of <strong>CHCA</strong> friends.<br />
25
“<strong>CHCA</strong> freed me to discover<br />
who I really am.”<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> class of ’14 graduate<br />
Fully prepared & boundlessly hopeful<br />
Class of <strong>2014</strong><br />
Beginning with the end in<br />
mind, <strong>CHCA</strong> graduates young<br />
adults fully prepared to<br />
succeed in college and beyond;<br />
to engage effectively and<br />
lovingly with different cultures,<br />
viewpoints, and ideas; and to<br />
achieve significant impact and<br />
influence with discerning<br />
wisdom, courageous<br />
curiosity, and resilient<br />
Christian faith.<br />
Leading Lives of Impact and Influence<br />
• 80% completed Advanced Placement (college level) classes<br />
during their high school career<br />
• 44% are recognized with High Honors<br />
• 11% earned National Merit recognition<br />
• Seniors fulfilled over 27,000 hours of service, averaging<br />
200-250 hours per student<br />
• 100% traveled abroad, participated in an internship, explored<br />
a personal passion or talent, or served on a mission trip through<br />
Intersession, <strong>CHCA</strong>’s unique experiential learning program<br />
• 90% competed in athletics or participated in fine arts<br />
• Students launched <strong>CHCA</strong>’s first student-run enterprise,<br />
The Leaning Eagle Fair Trade Coffee Shop #leaningeagle<br />
Leaning into the Future<br />
• 127 students will attend 64 colleges and universities<br />
in 23 states & the District of Columbia<br />
• Students received over $12 million in college scholarships<br />
• Over 75% received merit scholarships/grants<br />
• 16% plan to compete in college athletics
Graduation weekend kicked off with the student send-off, Diaspeiro. Alumna<br />
Rebecca Chait ’05 encouraged the Class of <strong>2014</strong> to stay connected to <strong>CHCA</strong> after<br />
graduation, and reminded them that God is always making their journey beside them. Sarah<br />
Ritter, a member of the Class of <strong>2014</strong>, shared ‘the gift of time’ with her fellow classmates.<br />
At graduation on Sunday afternoon, Salutatorian Kimberly Bolsinger celebrated the<br />
“overwhelming sense of community and spirit” she experienced at <strong>CHCA</strong> and shared<br />
how thankful she was to find “a perfect fit” in the Class of <strong>2014</strong>. Valedictorian Hannah<br />
Chait reminded her fellow classmates to serve their purpose. “Living to serve Him in that<br />
purpose,” she shared, “will bring you true success.”<br />
Commencement speaker Dr. Santa Ono expounded on the importance of purpose.<br />
“You are each a gift of God. You have a purpose,” he encouraged the graduates. “My hope<br />
is that you will live your life purposefully. Do not leave character or integrity to chance.<br />
Live purposefully, just as Jesus did.”<br />
Q&A<br />
with our Val and Sal<br />
Interview with the Class of <strong>2014</strong>’s<br />
Kimmi Bolsinger, salutatorian<br />
& Hannah Chait, valedictorian<br />
by Morgan Massa ‘14<br />
What was your most impactful<br />
experience at <strong>CHCA</strong>?<br />
Kimmi: Through the various sports teams that I’ve been involved<br />
with and the other student organizations like student government<br />
and even the classes I’ve been in, I’ve loved being able<br />
to form a sense of community with the people around me.<br />
Hannah: My freshman year, I went on a mission trip to Nashville,<br />
Tennessee serving the homeless living there. This inspired<br />
me to lead a service group serving the homeless here in downtown<br />
Cincinnati with City Gospel Mission. Leading this service group has<br />
greatly impacted me, teaching me about homelessness and what I<br />
can do to serve them.<br />
How has <strong>CHCA</strong> prepared you?<br />
K Because I’ve had to balance playing three varsity sports along<br />
with the workload involved with taking multiple APs, I have<br />
learned a lot about compartmentalizing and managing my time.<br />
H My 13 years at <strong>CHCA</strong> have shaped me into a person eager to<br />
accept a challenge. I feel more than prepared to study chemical<br />
engineering after learning to balance a busy schedule in high<br />
school, taking on a rigorous academic schedule with multiple AP<br />
classes while still pursuing what I love--community service, piano,<br />
dance, and musical theater.<br />
How would you describe the relationships<br />
you’ve made at <strong>CHCA</strong>?<br />
K I honestly can’t imagine going to any other school. The<br />
friends that I have made at <strong>CHCA</strong> are people that I hope to<br />
keep in contact with my whole life. They have both helped<br />
me in my faith and made me a better person. Furthermore, I<br />
have to give a ton of credit to my teachers for being so great<br />
to me. It’s amazing how much they care about not only how<br />
we’re doing in class but also how we’re doing outside of school.<br />
I definitely hope to get involved in the alumni program after I<br />
graduate, and stay active in the <strong>CHCA</strong> community.<br />
H The friendships I’ve made at <strong>CHCA</strong> are so special to me.<br />
Many of my friends I’ve known since kindergarten, so they are like<br />
family to me, always supporting and encouraging me in anything I<br />
do. Not to mention, the teachers I’ve built relationships with have<br />
impacted me immensely. For example, it was my AP chemistry<br />
teacher who inspired me to study chemical engineering in college.<br />
In short, the relationships I’ve made both with my peers and<br />
teachers have shown me firsthand how meaningful the community<br />
of <strong>CHCA</strong> is, and how grateful I am to be apart of it.<br />
What are your plans for the future?<br />
K I’m planning on attending Dartmouth in the fall and hope to<br />
major in Economics. Afterwards, I would love to go on to graduate<br />
business school and then see what happens from there.<br />
H I am attending University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in<br />
the fall to study chemical engineering in the James Scholar Honors<br />
Program, and then I’ll see where God leads me from there!<br />
27
300 Service Hours<br />
200 Service Hours<br />
Fully prepared & boundlessly hopeful<br />
<strong>2014</strong> Service Awards<br />
400 Service Hours<br />
500 Service Hours<br />
28<br />
700 Service Hours<br />
1000 Service Hours<br />
200 Service Hours<br />
Students who performed 200-299 service<br />
hours: Mackenzie Ackerman, Cole Eisenhauer,<br />
Tim Fuller, Becky Hammond, RD Hofferberth,<br />
Sabrina Kazee, Mindy Kong, Emily Martin,<br />
Conner Osborne, Delaney Scott, Nathalie<br />
van den Berg, Mikey Collins, Jess Elder, James<br />
Gravely, Sam Hayes, Tom Jester, Conner<br />
Kirbabas, Maggie Lahti, Conner Murray,<br />
Caroline Schutte and Jason Simpson.<br />
300 Service Hours<br />
Students who performed 300-399 service<br />
hours: Charles Andrews, Cole Conley, Raelyn<br />
Klusmeyer, Morgan Massa, Will Phillips, Sidney<br />
Young, Hannah Chait, Rachel Finch, Alex<br />
Mashny, Daniel Morgan and Kyle Steidle.<br />
400 Service Hours<br />
Students who performed 400-499 service<br />
hours: Sarah Cunningham, Benita Munnerlyn,<br />
Ellie Parker, Alex Stevens, Sarah Morgason,<br />
Sarah Ottenjohn, Trenton Pfister and Grace<br />
Strader.<br />
500 Service Hours<br />
Students who performed 500-699 service hours:<br />
Casey Ochs, Chandler Huffer, Michael Schwabe<br />
and Ellie Coggins each logged more than 500<br />
service hours during their high school careers.<br />
700 Service Hours<br />
Olivia Lee performed more than 700 hours of<br />
service over four years.<br />
1000 Service Hours<br />
Caroline Kuremsky performed over 1,000 hours<br />
of service during her high school career.<br />
Presidential Service Award<br />
Olivia Lee (Bronze), Morgan Massa (Bronze),<br />
Morgan Shively (Bronze), Caroline Kuremsky<br />
(Gold)<br />
SOS Leadership Award<br />
Caroline Kuremsky, Olivia Lee, Morgan Massa,<br />
Ellie Parker, Michael Schwabe, Sidney Young<br />
Mayerson Service Leadership<br />
Caroline Kuremsky
44% of our seniors were recognized with High Honors at this year’s Academic Signing event<br />
“<strong>CHCA</strong> challenged me to think about the kind of person I want to be and the<br />
impact I can have as an individual.”<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> class of ’14 graduate<br />
Lifers Picnic<br />
(L-R:) Hannah Chait,<br />
Sarah Ottenjohn and Sarah<br />
Cunningham reminisce with<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> first grade teacher<br />
Mrs. Suzanne Collins.<br />
“Our teachers taught us there are no easy answers.<br />
They made us wrestle with hard questions in every<br />
subject. It’s much more rewarding to think deeply.”<br />
Mr. Bagby and Zachary<br />
Alvarado greet each other.<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> class of ’14 graduate<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> seniors flip through yearbooks<br />
from their elementary and<br />
middle school years.<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> third grade teachers Mrs. Holly Getter and Mrs. Nancy<br />
Anderson catch up with students from years past.<br />
29
Graduation reflection Fully prepared & boundlessly hopeful<br />
How<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong><br />
Shaped<br />
My Life<br />
by Ellie Coggins ‘14<br />
For the past thirteen years of my life, I have been at <strong>CHCA</strong>. Although it feels like only<br />
yesterday that I was stepping off of the yellow school bus for my first day of kindergarten<br />
with Mrs. Johnson, I can without a doubt in my mind affirm that <strong>CHCA</strong> has fully<br />
prepared me for my future, in college and beyond. From kindergarten to my senior year of<br />
high school, I have been prepared both academically and spiritually to be able to go out<br />
into the world and be an active citizen.<br />
A tremendous thank you must go out to the many teachers<br />
I have been blessed with for instilling in me a love of learning.<br />
I have without a doubt received a quality education that has<br />
prepared me to move into my next level of learning. But more<br />
important than having a good education, I have received<br />
incredible encouragement. When I was in kindergarten, I was<br />
given encouragement when I was learning how to read and<br />
words on a page still looked like a foreign language to me; in fifth<br />
grade, I was encouraged in my band class when every other note<br />
I played was a squeak; and in high school when I was delving<br />
into my love of writing, my English teachers worked extra hard<br />
to show me that my love of writing was a true talent that should<br />
be continued. All of this encouragement played out to make me<br />
passionate about learning - something that will be vital to me as<br />
I continue to college and into my career down the road.<br />
Far more important than academics, <strong>CHCA</strong> has prepared<br />
me spiritually, and I am fully confident that I can move into my<br />
next phase of life grounded in what I believe. My faith journey<br />
began because of <strong>CHCA</strong>, when I accepted Jesus into my heart<br />
as a five-year old during Spiritual Emphasis Week. From there,<br />
my faith has only grown. Throughout all thirteen years, I have<br />
learned not only Bible basics, but I have also discovered my<br />
own views on various Christian viewpoints – from theological<br />
issues presented in my Christian thought class to bioethical<br />
issues from my Bioethics class.<br />
By far, I am most thankful for the spiritual lessons I learned<br />
on my most recent Winter Term Intercession trip to Kenya<br />
(cover story). I spent those two weeks playing with kids at St.<br />
Nicholas’ Orphanage, experiencing Masai culture, going on a<br />
safari, and playing band concerts, among many other things.<br />
We had the unique opportunity to meet a girl named Emily<br />
while at the home of Masai woman Peninah, whose God-given<br />
mission is to rescue child brides - a form of slavery which is a<br />
continuing problem among the Masai. Emily was a child bride<br />
who ran away from an arranged marriage to Peninah’s home<br />
while we were there. Had we not been there when we were,<br />
we would never have had the opportunity to meet Emily and<br />
see the true impact of Peninah’s mission. In our own small way,<br />
too, we hope we showed God’s love to Emily just as Peninah<br />
showed love to all of her rescued girls and even to us visitors.<br />
Most importantly, I learned the lesson of trusting in God’s plans<br />
and in His unfailing love in a way far more impactful than any<br />
class could ever teach me.<br />
As I am about to embark on the next huge phase of my<br />
life, the lessons I have learned at <strong>CHCA</strong> – both academic and<br />
spiritual – will stay with me the rest of my life. I know I am<br />
fully prepared academically to excel in college, where I will be<br />
attending The Ohio State University to study environmental<br />
science and business. I also know I am fully prepared spiritually<br />
to defend my faith in the future, wherever that future takes me.<br />
Even if I cannot answer all of the difficult spiritual<br />
questions, I am confident because I know I have a God<br />
who loves me and who I can trust.<br />
Ellie has received the honor of being named an Eminence Fellow as she attends<br />
OSU this Fall. The Eminence Fellows Program and Scholarship is Ohio State’s<br />
premier merit award, offered to just 25 stellar new first-year students admitted<br />
to the Columbus campus for Fall semester. The honor includes full cost of attendance<br />
at Ohio State for four years, plus a $3,000 enrichment grant accessible<br />
after the first year of successful study. Recipients of the Eminence Scholarship<br />
typically rank in the top three percent of their graduating classes and have an<br />
ACT composite score of 34 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math<br />
score of 1520 or higher.* (*information provided by The Ohio State University)<br />
30
Inspiringly benevolent<br />
What I learned from Mr. Steitz<br />
by Molly Packer ‘10<br />
I learned a great deal from Mr. Ed Steitz when I had him as<br />
a math and science teacher in the fourth grade nearly 13 years<br />
ago. I learned that practice makes perfect when it comes to<br />
long division. I learned that the difference between “may”<br />
and “can” is crucial when asking to go to the restroom. I even<br />
learned that the solar system can be fun when our whole class<br />
put on the annual Penelope Planet play for our parents. The<br />
most important thing I learned from Mr. Steitz was that he not<br />
only cared about my education, but also for my happiness and<br />
well-being.<br />
After 25 years of faithful service to <strong>CHCA</strong>, Ed Steitz retired<br />
this spring and plans to move to Colorado with his wife where<br />
he can be closer to his family.<br />
Having been at <strong>CHCA</strong> since the beginning, Ed Steitz has<br />
touched the lives of nearly every student to pass through the<br />
school’s doors. He worked as a fourth grade teacher at first and<br />
then moved up to the Middle School where he taught fifth grade<br />
math. “I am honored to say that all four of our boys had Mr.<br />
Steitz,” <strong>CHCA</strong> mom Shelley Hoyer shared. “We are so grateful<br />
for the amazing math foundation he instilled in them all.” Don<br />
Faimon, a <strong>CHCA</strong> father, commented “Mr. Steitz was a fabulous<br />
teacher to our kids. He made math fun and learning a pleasure.”<br />
But Ed Steitz’s influence was not only educational. Students,<br />
parents and fellow teachers alike remember the prayerful<br />
attitude Mr. Steitz had concerning his students. “For all his<br />
masterful teaching abilities, what impacts children the most is<br />
the Christian role model he provides,” Nancy Buckman, Upper<br />
Elementary Principal and mother of one of Steitz’s former<br />
students, stated. “Ed loves his students and prays for them and<br />
their families on a regular basis.”<br />
Students Abigail and Elliott Armstrong who both had Steitz<br />
for fifth grade math remember the comical way Steitz related to<br />
his students. “Mr. Steitz always told funny puns,” Elliott said. “I<br />
understood the way he taught.” Other students remember the<br />
large collection of rubber ducks that stood for more than what<br />
it seemed. Each duck that Steitz displayed in his room stands<br />
for the person from whom he received it and stands as a daily<br />
reminder to pray for that person and his/her family.<br />
Fellow teacher Nancy Isenberg who taught at the Elementary<br />
School with Steitz spoke of his constant representation of<br />
Christ-like love at the school. “Ed has always been such a<br />
positive and upbeat influence on the environment of <strong>CHCA</strong>,<br />
both in the Elementary building and the Middle School,” she<br />
said. “Ed carries with him a deep abiding faith and joy that<br />
seems to always spill over into laughter - helping to put any<br />
student at ease and any situation into perspective.”<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> families, teachers and administrators will always<br />
be thankful for the impact that Steitz has had on our school.<br />
Congratulations for 25 years of excellence and impact, and enjoy<br />
your retirement, Mr. Steitz!<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> families, teachers and administrators will always be<br />
thankful for the impact that Steitz has had on our school.<br />
Congratulations for 25 years of excellence and impact, and<br />
enjoy your retirement, Mr. Steitz!<br />
31
Inspiringly benevolant<br />
Principal Cammie Montgomery,<br />
A Story of Accountability<br />
and Love<br />
by Pamela Bailey, Executive Assistant, Armleder<br />
32<br />
“Accountability with a deep sense of love…” are the choiceful<br />
and meaningful words Randy Brunk used to described Armleder’s<br />
Principal, Mrs. Cammie Montgomery, at this year’s faculty and<br />
staff closing assembly.<br />
The vision of <strong>CHCA</strong> states that “Cincinnati Hills Christian<br />
Academy will unleash each student’s God-given gifts through<br />
Christ-centered academic excellence. We are devoted to developing<br />
the whole person, and instilling a lifelong passion for learning,<br />
leading and serving”. Principal Montgomery takes this vision<br />
very seriously, and believes the start of the day is critical to each<br />
student’s success.<br />
So let’s begin with the start of the day. On any<br />
given school day, you’ll find Principal Montgomery<br />
prominently waving in the carpool line, at the door,<br />
or in the lobby waiting to greet each and every<br />
student and parent with an enormous smile, a hug,<br />
high-five, or fist bump. She often follows that with a<br />
personal comment about a recent accomplishment,<br />
happy birthday, field trip reminder, well wishes for<br />
a test or quiz that is being given later that day, or<br />
even an inquiry on an ailing sibling or family member<br />
(yes, she knows all of this). For that student who
students who dedicated themselves to being timely to school,<br />
having perfect attendance, and stellar behavior. She came up<br />
with a Principal’s Lock-In for the first quarter of each year and<br />
a STAR Luncheon for the second quarter of the year. These are<br />
highly coveted invitations, and students are extremely honored<br />
to be treated to these special events that are always fun and<br />
filled with surprises. <strong>CHCA</strong> parents Dan and Kim Meador have<br />
been supporters of Cammie’s annual events. Kim sums it up this<br />
way, “I love that in all things she brings God’s love to all of the<br />
students.”<br />
You can’t help<br />
but be energized<br />
and encouraged<br />
by this amazing<br />
woman whose<br />
love of God shines<br />
through and<br />
permeates<br />
the air.<br />
shuffles in a little sleepy-eyed,<br />
Principal Montgomery’s booming<br />
voice and enthusiasm wins him over<br />
and puts a bounce back in his step.<br />
You can’t help but be energized and<br />
encouraged by this amazing woman<br />
whose love of God shines through<br />
and permeates the air. As nurse<br />
Kathy Zabbatino states “Principal<br />
Montgomery has such a heart for<br />
Armleder”.<br />
The bell soon rings for the “official”<br />
start of the day. On Mondays,<br />
Principal Montgomery has a popular<br />
segment in the Channel 7 news “Manners are Magic” and as<br />
soon as she can, she heads off with her famous rolling desk-- on<br />
a mission. She has extremely high standards for her students,<br />
and she’s on a roll, literally. She may have a student that has<br />
his second tardy of the week, so she’s emailing the teacher to<br />
inquire, follow-up and reiterate the importance of being timely<br />
to school. All the while, she is en route to the fourth floor<br />
where middle school students have recently taken a test and<br />
a couple have scores that reflect well below what she knows<br />
their ability to be. Savvy students now know the sound of the<br />
cart and expect to have a personal meeting in the hall about the<br />
score, their plan for correcting, and a hug; but don’t give her any<br />
excuses—this is a mistake clearly to be made once and once<br />
only! However, “cart” meetings are often more celebratory.<br />
Favorite meetings are those of congratulations and kudos<br />
for jobs well done. What students can count on day-to-day<br />
is their Principal’s unconditional love and support. Principal<br />
Montgomery wants every student to own their education and<br />
to be fully accountable and responsible for their learning - and<br />
she makes sure they all know it. In her first year as principal,<br />
Mrs. Montgomery determined she had to acknowledge the<br />
For those students in grades 3-8 with all A’s, they receive an<br />
invitation in Chapel for an event with Principal Montgomery.<br />
These events tend to be unique and different each year, such<br />
as a Cincinnati Cyclones game, a newly released movie with<br />
popcorn, a lunch at a downtown location or a private tasting<br />
tour of Findlay Market, to name a few. She does like to have<br />
fun, so she will always make sure the fun factor is high for these<br />
special events!<br />
After three years of sending faculty and staff to leadership<br />
seminars, Principal Montgomery will be extending leadership<br />
opportunities formally to the students as well. This is the next<br />
step in her vision of students owning and being responsible<br />
for their education. The students will be offered leadership<br />
opportunities on various teams supported by staff members<br />
to include areas such as: communications, technology, news<br />
team, events, recycling, and more. Most, if not all of these<br />
initiatives will be planned and supported by student teams. With<br />
ownership, comes pride in knowing not only are you trusted with<br />
an important role, but you accomplished something meaningful!<br />
The Bible verse that comes to mind for Principal<br />
Montgomery’s plans for Armleder in the coming year comes<br />
from Habakkuk 2:2-3, Write the vision; make it plain on tablets,<br />
so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed<br />
time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for<br />
it; it will surely come; it will not delay.<br />
Mrs. Montgomery and her staff are boldly determined to help<br />
students discover, hone and steward the God-given gifts and<br />
talents of each student, and to fold each individual into the<br />
story that is <strong>CHCA</strong> - - a story in which each child owns and is<br />
responsible for his and her education and a story where those<br />
gifts are used to serve God’s purpose in His kingdom.<br />
33
A Parent’s Legacy<br />
by Cindy Coggins, <strong>CHCA</strong> Alumni Parent of Patrick Coggins ‘04 & Ellie Coggins ‘14<br />
Sometimes God<br />
presents us with opportunities<br />
to serve in the<br />
most unlikely places.<br />
In 2001, my son Patrick<br />
was playing football for<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong>, and no one was<br />
planning pre-game meals. That just didn’t sit right with me, and God<br />
was nudging me to do something. So I began working with <strong>CHCA</strong>’s<br />
trainer, Bill Shomaker, on the “ideal” pre-game meal. Along with<br />
other dedicated moms who were for the most part parents of our<br />
sons who played for an undefeated 8th grade season, we began the<br />
fantastic journey of “mom meals.” We were an enthusiastic set of<br />
Football Moms! And what a blessing – we saw our sons before the<br />
games and had the fantastic opportunity to serve them as well as<br />
pray for their safety. Hence – my marvelous journey took a unique<br />
turn in supporting the <strong>CHCA</strong> football team.<br />
Fast forward to the fall of 2010 when Ellie entered high school. Now<br />
this child was not an athlete – rather, an avid musician. Ellie couldn’t<br />
get enough of it – Lab Band, EJO, Sacred Music Concert, and of<br />
course, Pep Band. So now, football was back in my life in a completely<br />
different way, and I was presented with how to support the Pep<br />
Band in order for them to encourage and support the football team?<br />
During Ellie’s Freshman and Sophomore years, I would bring treats<br />
and waters when possible. Then in 2012, the stadium renovation<br />
happened in the stands and around the press box, which now offered<br />
a patio and enabled the pep band to sit in the stands again with the<br />
crowd and other students. As I found myself more and more involved<br />
with Dan Grantham in organizing various needs for the instrumental<br />
program, an idea came to me. And when I have an idea I just have<br />
to get on with it (recall, ‘mom meals’). There God was, tugging at<br />
me again with that still, small voice – do something to support and<br />
encourage these kids. And that was all I needed to push forward.<br />
That was the beginning of the patio grilling. At first, the plan was<br />
to grill only at half time for the pep band. But God had something<br />
bigger in mind. We soon birthed what is now known as the ‘student<br />
patio’. For the past two football seasons, <strong>CHCA</strong> family and friends<br />
have enjoyed the wonderful aroma of the patio grill for each entire<br />
game, serving all <strong>CHCA</strong> students and pep band members free food<br />
and drink. Many volunteers – all pep band parents – willingly and<br />
joyfully served the entire student body. What a fabulous “gift” to see<br />
the instrumental department bridging with the athletic department!<br />
I believe bringing together the two worlds of athletics and music is<br />
the legacy I leave the school. At <strong>CHCA</strong>, we say that we believe in the<br />
‘whole child’ - that we are trying to develop well-rounded Christians<br />
to enter the world with varied experiences and with an appreciation of<br />
each person’s talents. In this one small way, I hope I have modeled that<br />
respect for each unique student. I pray that others continue to carry on<br />
the tradition and pour love on all of our students, celebrating all of their<br />
talents.<br />
Everything I have ever done over the years at <strong>CHCA</strong> - from football<br />
to fine arts - has been grounded in verses from I Peter 4:10-11… “Each<br />
one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully<br />
administering God’s grace in its various forms…If anyone serves<br />
he should do it with the strength God provides so that in all things<br />
God may be praised through Jesus Christ To Him be the glory and<br />
the power forever and ever. Amen”<br />
The student patio was fully funded by the Coggins family and other<br />
generous volunteers and donors. Now that the last Coggins child has<br />
graduated, our prayer is that other families will work to carry on<br />
the tradition of not only the ‘student patio’ experience, but of<br />
legacies that celebrate our children’s gifts and carry on traditions<br />
that will serve <strong>CHCA</strong> for the next 25 years and beyond!<br />
34
Alumni News<br />
by Casey (Sutherly) Purnhagen ‘00<br />
Resiliently faithful<br />
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the newest class agents. They are impressive on so many fronts, and I can’t help<br />
but smile at the stories they tell, because they sound so much like my own. They leave <strong>CHCA</strong> with lifetime friendships, full of<br />
questions, their faith resilient and ready to engage with a hurting world. They are humble enough to serve and fully prepared to lead.<br />
The class of <strong>2014</strong> is the twentieth to graduate from <strong>CHCA</strong> – can you believe it? They join over 1600 alumni around the globe,<br />
and we look forward to how we can support them as they shine their light and soar into this next season of life.<br />
Our Alumni Committee works hard to connect alumni back to <strong>CHCA</strong>, to each other, and to the greater <strong>CHCA</strong> community.<br />
Here are just a few of the ways alumni connected during this past year...<br />
To <strong>CHCA</strong><br />
Academy Nights Live: April 25-26 alumni<br />
joined faculty and current students on<br />
stage for a fun Saturday Night Live-style<br />
performance of sketches, skits, and improv.<br />
Rob Fahrmeier (’98), Jenn (Reynolds)<br />
Schmidt (’00) and Logan Lally (’12) took<br />
advantage of this first-time opportunity<br />
to re-engage with the parts of <strong>CHCA</strong> they<br />
loved the most.<br />
Alumni Chapel: May 7 worship was led by<br />
our talented alumni Will LoVellette (‘10), Jen<br />
Kaufman (’01), Ellen Hodges (‘11), Matthew<br />
Alvarado (’11) and David Snyder (’97) who<br />
gave an inspiring message that focused on<br />
being genuine and engaging humbly with the<br />
world, knowing you don’t have all the answers.<br />
In an effort to engage our alumni not able to<br />
be with us in person, chapel was streamed live<br />
online for alumni around the globe.<br />
Homecoming Extravaganza (formerly Fall<br />
Festival) Despite the pouring rain, many<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> alumni and their families joined in<br />
the combined festivities including listening<br />
to the live performances from our MSL<br />
High School EJO and Steel Drum Band<br />
while sharing in fellowship and building<br />
community as we cheered the Eagles to a<br />
shutout against New Miami.<br />
Alumni Cookout: May 19 Dan Grantham<br />
and other faculty hosted alumni for a<br />
cookout back on campus. It was a great<br />
chance for some of our local alums (and<br />
especially those finishing a year of college)<br />
to grab a burger and catch up.<br />
To each other<br />
Regional Alumni Events: March 11 we had<br />
our most well-attended event to date! More<br />
than 30 local alumni plus teachers and faculty<br />
enjoyed time reconnecting at Keystone Grill<br />
in Clifton. These regional events are growing<br />
in popularity and we’re looking for locations<br />
outside Cincinnati for future events.<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Football: November 17 we faced<br />
Hamilton-Badin in the second round of<br />
playoffs at Mason High School. Alumni football<br />
players and fans from as far back as 1998 met<br />
to reconnect and cheer on the Eagles.<br />
To the greater <strong>CHCA</strong> community<br />
Alumni Business Network: Quarterly<br />
networking events are held for those in the<br />
greater-Cincinnati business community.<br />
ABN exists to create connections, support<br />
job searches and career advancement, and<br />
ultimately to impact current students as<br />
experienced professionals and mentors.<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> Business Roundtable: Alumni<br />
are joining parents and business-owners<br />
to develop a roundtable of trusted<br />
professionals and network of peer<br />
businesses in the <strong>CHCA</strong> community.<br />
Looking ahead, we have work to do. We<br />
want our alumni to connect with us, but<br />
we know that begins with how we connect<br />
to them. Here’s a glimpse of what we’re<br />
working on:<br />
• Developing an Alumni Association<br />
• Streamlining our communications<br />
• Sharing more of what alumni want to<br />
know<br />
• Engaging older alumni as spiritual,<br />
academic, and professional mentors<br />
for younger alumni<br />
In closing, a quick note to the class of 1995,<br />
<strong>2014</strong>, and all those in between: Please<br />
come back to visit! Stay connected with<br />
us. Share your ideas and thoughts on how<br />
we can better support and engage you<br />
as you impact the world. You matter to<br />
us. We are proud of all you have and all<br />
you will accomplish. There’s nothing that<br />
proves the value of <strong>CHCA</strong> like you!<br />
35
alumni<br />
Class notes<br />
36<br />
Class of 1996<br />
Isaac Gould and his wife Christy celebrated<br />
the birth of their fourth son, Toby on January<br />
6, <strong>2014</strong> and Isaac’s ordination in the<br />
Evangelical Presbyterian Church on March<br />
23, <strong>2014</strong>. His brother, Aaron Gould ’95 visited<br />
from Washington state for the ordination<br />
service. Isaac currently serves as the<br />
assistant pastor of Evangelical Community<br />
Church in Cincinnati. Their other children<br />
are Levi (5 years old), Owen (3½ years old),<br />
and Silas (2 years old).<br />
Class of 1997<br />
Katie Robinson<br />
Smith and husband,<br />
Jeremy answered<br />
God’s call<br />
to foster children.<br />
Aubreigh came<br />
to them in November<br />
of 2011<br />
as a two-week<br />
old infant attached<br />
to oxygen<br />
and a monitor<br />
for about three months. Immediately, they<br />
knew they wanted to adopt and after many<br />
bumps in the road with her birth parents<br />
drifting in and out of the process, they were<br />
able to formally adopt her on April 1, <strong>2014</strong>.<br />
Nick came to them from another family as<br />
a 4-year old in 2012 and they adopted him<br />
last summer. Katie is a stay-at-home mom<br />
and Jeremy is a Cincinnati firefighter. They<br />
reside in Anderson, Ohio.<br />
Class of 1999<br />
Samuel Schottenstein is developing his<br />
own company called Scholar Compass. His<br />
company is designed to help students find<br />
scholarships and assists them with getting<br />
into college. Scholar Compass has been<br />
featured in Cincinnati Magazine, as well as<br />
being the cover story for the Annual School<br />
Guide. Recently, his company hosted a joint<br />
conference with Star 93.3 and Indiana Wesleyan<br />
University.<br />
Class of 2000<br />
Karen Hewitt<br />
graduated from the<br />
Ohio State University<br />
receiving her<br />
M.A. in Educational<br />
Administration<br />
on May 4, <strong>2014</strong>.<br />
She is currently<br />
working with Ohio<br />
Girls Basketball<br />
Report as a consultant.<br />
She is also<br />
looking to work in Human Resources or administration<br />
moving forward.<br />
Kourtney Klendworth is on staff with<br />
OceanPointe Christian Church, a brand<br />
new church plant that launched on April 6,<br />
<strong>2014</strong>! She hosted eight visiting churches and<br />
college groups this spring as they came to<br />
serve their brand new church. She’s the tech<br />
producer on Sundays, oversees their missions<br />
and summer intern programs, among<br />
other administrative duties. Kourtney is<br />
currently living in Newport, Rhode Island.<br />
Chris Koenig and his wife Sarah welcomed<br />
their second son, Henry Christopher, on June<br />
12, <strong>2014</strong>. Chris currently works for the Ohio<br />
State University in New Ventures - which<br />
commercialize world-class research through<br />
start-up companies, entrepreneurs, and capital.<br />
They also have 2 year-old son Jack. Both<br />
Chris and Sarah will be busy this summer<br />
running their Ohiolina Music Festival which<br />
celebrates the music and culture of Ohio and<br />
North Carolina. For more info: ohiolina.com<br />
Chad Leland<br />
and his wife, Allison<br />
welcomed<br />
Aurora “Rory”<br />
Jane into their<br />
lives last winter<br />
and she has<br />
changed their<br />
lives in every<br />
way. “Being a<br />
dad is amazing!”<br />
Chad will be starting his 8th season as the<br />
head coach of the <strong>CHCA</strong> middle school<br />
football team this summer. “Coaching,<br />
working and family leave little time for anything<br />
else. But God has blessed us and we<br />
are passionately pursuing Him!”<br />
Michelle Pembaur<br />
is engaged<br />
to be married in<br />
July, <strong>2014</strong> to Michael<br />
Pater. Michael<br />
is one of<br />
eleven children,<br />
so between wedding<br />
planning,<br />
work and family<br />
events, there has<br />
not been much time for anything else. After<br />
their honeymoon in Hawaii, they will be living<br />
in the Kenwood area.<br />
Casey Sutherly<br />
Purnhagen and<br />
her husband, Brad<br />
will celebrate seven<br />
years of marriage<br />
on September 1.<br />
Casey says “I am<br />
awed at how God<br />
has blessed us, as<br />
partners and parents.” She stays very busy<br />
with her most important job- raising two<br />
world-changers. Her son Tommy will be 3<br />
years old in August and her daughter Penny<br />
will be a 1 year old in August. “Parenting<br />
provides me the clearest picture of the perfect<br />
love He has for us, and there’s nothing<br />
like it to teach me how absolutely dependent<br />
I am on Him!”<br />
Shana Stull<br />
got engaged<br />
on November<br />
16, 2013 to Dan<br />
Eling and they<br />
were married<br />
on June 21,<br />
<strong>2014</strong>. They held<br />
their ceremony<br />
at the Chapel at<br />
Crossroads Church in Oakley with a reception<br />
at Maketewah Country Club. Dan is a<br />
doctor of physical therapy, and Shana and<br />
Dan met because Shana had a knee injury<br />
in 2011 and was referred to his clinic. After<br />
knowing each other for about a year and a<br />
half, they started dating, and the rest is history!<br />
“Dan is the most kind, gentle and hilarious<br />
man I’ve ever met, and I can’t wait to<br />
spend the rest of my life with him.”
Resiliently faithful<br />
Class of 2002<br />
Lindsay Adam,<br />
MD completed her<br />
Ophthalmology<br />
Residency at The<br />
Ohio State University<br />
Havener <strong>Eye</strong><br />
Institute in June<br />
<strong>2014</strong>. She will then relocate to Wilmington,<br />
North Carolina to join Coastal Carolina<br />
<strong>Eye</strong> Clinic. Lindsay was diagnosed with<br />
a very serious, rare and often disabling autoimmune<br />
disease her senior year at The<br />
College of William and Mary. Despite years<br />
of active disease and treatment requiring<br />
major medications and IV infusions, she<br />
has persevered through the rigors of medical<br />
school, internships, and her three year<br />
post-graduate residency on schedule and<br />
without special consideration-truly a miracle<br />
for even the most determined. May<br />
God continue to strengthen her to do great<br />
things as she begins her career!<br />
Phil Glotfelty and<br />
Elizabeth Cesler<br />
Glotfelty and their<br />
son Rudy are excited<br />
about the changes in<br />
their lives. Elizabeth<br />
graduated May 17,<br />
<strong>2014</strong> from the University<br />
of Cincinnati<br />
College of Law. She<br />
will be practicing employment and labor<br />
law for a national transportation company<br />
located in Cincinnati. Phil continues to fly<br />
Blackhawk helicopters for the Ohio National<br />
Guard and is the Company Commander<br />
for the 1-137th HHC. Phil is also fixed-wing<br />
flight instructor out of Lunken airport. Rudy<br />
is 4 years old. He loves the Reds and practices<br />
baseball and tennis nonstop.<br />
Valerie Herrmann Galbraith recently made<br />
a big move from Cincinnati to Charlotte,<br />
North Carolina where she currently acts as<br />
the Research Monitor and Educator for the<br />
Carolinas Healthcare System. Valerie and her<br />
husband, Louie with their three pugs moved<br />
into their new Charlotte home this year.<br />
Class of 2003<br />
Jason Bellan<br />
has worked for<br />
Nestle since he<br />
graduated from<br />
Miami University<br />
in 2007. He is<br />
the Key Account<br />
Manager for the Stouffer’s business at<br />
Walmart. He and his wife, Chloe, currently<br />
live in Bentonville, Arkansas.<br />
Katey Dowd<br />
Gonzalez and<br />
her husband,<br />
Rene welcomed<br />
in their<br />
second child,<br />
Sofia Kate on<br />
October 25,<br />
2013. They also have a little boy, Santiago<br />
Rene who is 2 ½ yrs. old. Katie works for<br />
Back2Back Ministries as a graphic designer.<br />
Danny Stull started<br />
an apparel<br />
and gift company<br />
called Be Ohio<br />
Proud<br />
(www.beohioproud.com).<br />
His deep roots and<br />
love for this state<br />
led him to create a<br />
brand that designs<br />
creative yet simple<br />
ways to show<br />
state pride. His products can now be found<br />
in over 60 retail locations around the state.<br />
His company has also expanded into Kentucky<br />
and Michigan under the company<br />
My State Threads (mystatethreads.com). “I<br />
am very thankful for the <strong>CHCA</strong> community<br />
who helped form my love and appreciation<br />
for Ohio. We have something special here.<br />
Truth, loyalty and love are stitched deeply<br />
into the fabric of Ohio. My hope is that<br />
everyone can feel this same sentiment and<br />
want to express it through our gifts and apparel.”<br />
Class of 2004<br />
John Barnhart is working on completing his<br />
PhD at the University of Kentucky by 2015.<br />
He currently has his MBA and Masters of<br />
Economics. He is also a Research Assistant<br />
for the University of Kentucky.<br />
Rachel Shepard<br />
Bowen is currently<br />
a pharmacist<br />
and patient<br />
care manager for<br />
Kroger Pharmacy<br />
here in Cincinnati.<br />
As part of her<br />
job, she acts as<br />
the primary direct patient care preceptor for<br />
one of their pharmacy practice residents,<br />
and is able to serve as an Adjunct Assistant<br />
Professor of Clinical Pharmacy Practice at<br />
the University of Cincinnati. She and her<br />
husband Chad were married in 2011 and<br />
recently welcomed their first child, Ainsley,<br />
on April 8, <strong>2014</strong>. They are enjoying their<br />
new roles as parents and spending time with<br />
Ainsley and their dog, Daphne.<br />
Rachel Chait got engaged to Brian Whims<br />
on December 2013. She and her fiancé, met<br />
during their senior year at Miami University<br />
at a Christmas party hosted by his fraternity.<br />
Rachel was a member of the Christian sorority,<br />
Kappa Phi, and Brian was a member<br />
of their brother fraternity, Sigma Theta Epsilon.<br />
Brian works for Macy’s as a software<br />
developer, and Rachel currently works with<br />
Mercy Health Physicians. Since they met<br />
around Christmas time, they found it fitting<br />
to become man and wife on December 13,<br />
<strong>2014</strong>! They are currently planning their winter<br />
wonderland wedding in Cincinnati with<br />
the ceremony at Tri-County Baptist Church<br />
and the reception to be held at the charming<br />
and historic Glendale Lyceum. They<br />
plan to live in the Cincinnati area after they<br />
are married.<br />
Salen Churi<br />
received his<br />
Juris Doctorate<br />
from the<br />
University Of<br />
Chicago Law<br />
School in 2011.<br />
He is currently<br />
employed with<br />
the University<br />
of Chicago<br />
Law School as<br />
a Lecturer in Law and Assistant Director for<br />
the institute of Justice. Sal is engaged to fiancé,<br />
Jessica Merel and to wed on September<br />
2, <strong>2014</strong> in California.<br />
37
alumni<br />
Class notes<br />
Rachael Herrmann Martinez completed<br />
her PhD last year in Social Psychology from<br />
Loyola University Chicago and continues<br />
in her position as a Social Science Analyst<br />
in health research for the Department of<br />
Veterans Affairs. She and her husband,<br />
Ian, with their 2 mini Huskies, still reside in<br />
Chicago.<br />
RyanAtkins ‘07<br />
’07<br />
38<br />
Class of 2005<br />
Tommy Andrews<br />
on July 1 started<br />
his 5th year<br />
of working for<br />
Speaker of the<br />
House John A.<br />
Boehner (OH-<br />
08) in Washington,<br />
DC. In<br />
October 2013, he<br />
was promoted to<br />
the title of Special Assistant to the Speaker,<br />
serving as the Speaker’s personal aide.<br />
Rebecca Chait<br />
on May 1st, <strong>2014</strong>,<br />
received her doctoral<br />
hood, graduating<br />
with honors<br />
from The Ohio<br />
State University<br />
College of Medicine.<br />
Her dad,<br />
Robert H. Chait<br />
M.D., accompanied<br />
her on stage<br />
to bestow the<br />
doctoral hood.<br />
Becca will continue<br />
her medical training at her two top programs,<br />
The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati for<br />
one year of internal medicine, and The Ohio<br />
State University Wexner Medical Center for<br />
three years of training in ophthalmology. In<br />
January <strong>2014</strong>, Becca traveled to rural Kenya<br />
near the Maasai Mara to serve at two<br />
community health centers. Global missions<br />
have long been a passion of Becca’s and will<br />
be a fundamental component of her career<br />
in ophthalmology. She plans to return<br />
to Kenya as a resident to initiate projects<br />
in community eye health and also hopes<br />
to complete an International Fellowship in<br />
Ophthalmology after her four years of residency<br />
training. Finally, Becca is SO proud of<br />
her little sister Hannah for graduating from<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> this year at the top of her class, and<br />
she would like to congratulate the entire,<br />
very special, Class of <strong>2014</strong> - Work hard and<br />
never give up! God will give you the tools<br />
you need to accomplish His work.<br />
Joseph Polzin finished his second of four<br />
years at Concordia Seminary in Saint Louis,<br />
where he is in the M.Div. program, studying<br />
to be a pastor. He will be spending the <strong>2014</strong>-<br />
2015 on a vicarage assignment at St. Lorenz<br />
Lutheran Church in Frankenmuth, MI. He<br />
and his wife Jennifer are expecting their<br />
second child at the end of June. Their son,<br />
Miles is 2 years old.<br />
Teddy Siegel is employed by Catholic<br />
Health Partners as a Specialist in their Advocacy<br />
and Government Relations department.<br />
She resides in Cincinnati, Ohio.<br />
Lauren Rasmussen Sparks is working fulltime<br />
as a graphic designer and in childcare<br />
at Peoples Church in Clifton. Besides that,<br />
she is also currently illustrating a short story<br />
for Cincinnati company Assailant Comics<br />
which should be published by the end of<br />
<strong>2014</strong> (issue #2 of the series “Open Tree”,<br />
written by Chris Charlton) as well as miscellaneous<br />
album designs and other illustration<br />
work. Lauren and her husband Matt are<br />
both passionate about reducing the amount<br />
of waste in their lives. “We’ve succeeded in<br />
reducing a LOT of waste in our small apartment<br />
by cutting out unneeded packaging,<br />
paper products, cleaning chemicals, appliances<br />
and miscellaneous clutter. My “next<br />
big dream” is to be able to get around with<br />
just public transportation and a fully-electric<br />
car to majorly cut our carbon emissions.<br />
We’re doing our best to follow God’s first<br />
commandment and take care of our Earth.”<br />
Class of 2006<br />
Tyler Anderson and his wife, Abby welcomed<br />
a little girl, Theodora Jane Anderson,<br />
born on April<br />
2, <strong>2014</strong>. Tyler<br />
is a Financial<br />
Planner<br />
and recently<br />
moved to<br />
Omaha, NE<br />
from Chicago,<br />
Illinois.<br />
Alumni spotlight<br />
Ryan Atkins launched FlatOnMyBack.com, a<br />
blog detailing the lessons learned on the road<br />
God has taken him on since a car accident led<br />
to paralysis in 2009. Each Sunday, Ryan also<br />
leads a bible study with a dozen <strong>CHCA</strong> high<br />
school boys, all who met Ryan as freshmen in<br />
2012 at Outback America. At the time, they<br />
were looking for a structured environment to<br />
meet in a small group with their friends. Ryan<br />
provided that and has been meeting with<br />
them as a group and one-on-one ever since.<br />
He shares, “Jesus sets an example of hanging<br />
out with 12 guys for three years as a model<br />
for discipleship and calls all believers to make<br />
disciples in Matthew 28:19. Investing in other<br />
people on a one-on-one basis goes further<br />
than most teachings, sermons, or classes. I<br />
want these guys prepared to step onto a secular<br />
college campus, know the reason for the hope<br />
that they have (1 Peter 3:15), be able to share it<br />
with others, and begin to disciple people in their<br />
dorm and college campus themselves living out<br />
the verse 2 Timothy 2:2-‘what you have heard<br />
from me in the presence of many witnesses<br />
entrust to faithful men who will also be able<br />
to teach others.’” After launching his blog,<br />
Ryan received various invitations to speak at<br />
churches and other events, including chapel at<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> high school in February (pictured above<br />
with sister Laura ‘12). “It may be cool to speak in<br />
front of thousands at a place like Crossroads,”<br />
Ryan shared, “but what I enjoyed most was<br />
returning to the high school in February <strong>2014</strong>,<br />
when I was able to share and interact with<br />
students afterwards. I sat in those same seats<br />
nearly a decade ago and know what it’s like to<br />
be in that environment. I have a passion for<br />
seeing teenagers get serious about their faith.”<br />
He continues to share his message of “Seeking<br />
the Healer, not just the healing”. He is also<br />
currently working on writing a book.
Class of 2007<br />
Bryn Clark married<br />
Mollie Trager<br />
in January <strong>2014</strong> a<br />
fellow Packer fan<br />
and Wheaton College<br />
graduate. The<br />
two of them live<br />
just north of Boston<br />
where they are both<br />
attending graduate<br />
school at Gordon-Conwell Theological<br />
Seminary. They will be spending this summer<br />
in Iceland conducting an internship with a<br />
pastor and church planter in the capitol city<br />
of Reykjavík. If that doesn’t work out, Bryn<br />
would consider studying Cryptozoology.<br />
Epiphany Elease Davis completed her second<br />
contract as a Performer on the Norwegian<br />
Sky Cruise Ship. Since graduating from<br />
NYU Tisch School of Arts in 2010, she has<br />
performed around the world with dance<br />
companies and appeared in many TV and<br />
film projects, most recently Spider-Man and<br />
Girls. She will visit home to relax for a few<br />
weeks in May and head back to New York<br />
City in June to pursue her performing career<br />
as a triple threat dancer, actor and singer.<br />
ter. Amy and Tanner enjoy watching Mary<br />
Evelyn roll over, pick up her toys and stand<br />
(with their help of course!). “I am so blessed<br />
right now to get to stay home with her so<br />
I don’t have to miss a moment.” They are<br />
currently planning to move to join family in<br />
Wilmington, NC and begin civilian life again.<br />
Brian Thomas Hunter is currently an agricultural<br />
Extensionist in the District of<br />
Caazapa, Paraguay. He lives in a small community<br />
of about 140 people and works with<br />
the people of the community. His work<br />
entails projects that help to improve food<br />
security, help to improve the nutrition of<br />
the community and helping to educate the<br />
people of the community how to better improve<br />
the yield from their crops. Tom also<br />
spends a lot of time working with children/<br />
people in their personal gardens teaching<br />
them about different vegetables and how to<br />
prepare them and teaching English to children<br />
in the community. He will be working<br />
and living in the countryside of Paraguay<br />
until his 27 months of service is up in December<br />
of 2015.<br />
Kyle Smith and Rachael Arington Smith<br />
’09 had a son, Roman Gabriel Smith born<br />
on March 14, <strong>2014</strong>. “Roman is a great baby!<br />
He looks just like his daddy. He is very mild<br />
mannered and loves being held. Mommy<br />
and Daddy love spending time with him and<br />
getting to know his unique personality. He<br />
has brought so much joy into our lives in<br />
such a short period of time”.<br />
Resiliently faithful<br />
is currently employed by Key Bank World<br />
Headquarters as a Credit Risk Analyst.<br />
Thomas resides in Strongsville, Ohio.<br />
Ameila Glenchur<br />
is currently working<br />
at Mason Christian<br />
Village as an Activity<br />
Assistant. She thoroughly<br />
enjoys being<br />
around the residents<br />
and coming<br />
up with creative and<br />
interactive type activities.<br />
She recently<br />
started a custom jewelry business called<br />
Mia Ramona Designs.<br />
Class of 2009<br />
Graham Gilmer graduated from University<br />
of Cincinnati on April 16, <strong>2014</strong> with a Bachelor’s<br />
Degree in Urban Planning. He finished<br />
2nd in his class with a 3.752 GPA. He has 2<br />
job offers with which he is currently in negotiations<br />
and hopes to make a selection<br />
very soon. He married Lauren Moushey<br />
from Mason, Ohio on August 9, 2013. She<br />
is a Pharmacy Major at the University of<br />
Cincinnati and expects to graduate in May,<br />
2015. They are currently living in East Walnut<br />
Hills, Ohio.<br />
Paul Tepfenhart, III is working in the Medical<br />
Technology sector marketing biometric<br />
solutions to hospitals throughout the US.<br />
The company he works for is CrossChx. He<br />
resides in Columbus, Ohio.<br />
Class of 2010<br />
Morgan Feeney graduated this year from<br />
Miami University and is seeking a job in<br />
Atlanta. She is interviewing currently with<br />
Teach for America – Atlanta. Teach For<br />
America (TFA) is an American non-profit<br />
organization whose mission is to eliminate<br />
educational inequity by enlisting<br />
high-achieving recent college graduates<br />
and professionals to teach for at least two<br />
years in low-income communities throughout<br />
the United States.<br />
Doyen Harris<br />
graduated<br />
Amy Stevens Hendley and husband, Tanner<br />
are currently living in Virginia Beach, Virginia<br />
from the Citadel<br />
on May<br />
while he finishes up his enlistment as a US<br />
Navy Submariner. Their beautiful daughter,<br />
Matthew Siewny is currently in his third<br />
10, <strong>2014</strong> with<br />
Mary Evelyn Grace was born on October 30,<br />
year of his PhD program at the University of<br />
a Bachelor<br />
2013. She is named after Mary Housh, Amy’s<br />
Colorado. He is loving life in the mountains!<br />
of Science in<br />
best friend of twenty one years whom she<br />
Business Administration<br />
with a concentration in Man-<br />
met in Mrs. Kloster’s first grade class. She Class of 2008<br />
was her co-maid of honor in their wedding Thomas Barnhart received his MBA in Finance<br />
from Xavier University in 2012 and<br />
agement Information.<br />
and is now the Godmother of her daugh- 39
Alumni spotlight<br />
’10<br />
Amanda Mary ’10<br />
After Amanda graduated from <strong>CHCA</strong>, she<br />
went to Evangel University to study elementary<br />
education. She assumed that she<br />
would be living the normal college life for<br />
the next four years: living in the dorms, eating<br />
cafeteria food, going to school, studying<br />
into the late hours of the night, hanging out<br />
with her friends, going to football games,<br />
and finding her husband. But God’s plans<br />
for her were different than that typical four<br />
to five year college experience.<br />
During the second semester of her sophomore<br />
year, the Lord gave her dad a vision of her taking a semester off of school to “Be still and<br />
know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). After praying for six weeks, she made her decision the day<br />
before spring semester started. She would take the semester off. The first part of her dad’s vision<br />
was for her to spend forty days removed from all of society. So for forty days she removed<br />
herself from friends, church, and social media. She would spend her days worshipping God,<br />
reading the Bible, and just being still in His presence. It was the most intimate forty days with<br />
her heavenly Father she had ever experienced. Though some days were tough, she was able<br />
to truly see and experience the Holy Spirit being the best teacher. She was able to experience<br />
God’s peace during stressful times, and a new hunger and passion for her Bible arose. The Holy<br />
Spirit showed her that the Old Testament can still apply to us today, and she became comfortable<br />
with being quiet and still. If there were questions she had either within seconds, minutes,<br />
days, or weeks, the Lord would eventually reveal them to her.<br />
After the forty days, she began to pray about next steps for the fall. Within that week of her<br />
praying, the President of The Agora School for Global Leadership, Randy Young, came to her<br />
church and spoke about his “one-year gap school” with the motto: “The World is Our Campus”.<br />
Feeling a nudge, she spoke with him after church, went home, spoke to her family, and<br />
prayed for confirmation. Within a day, the Lord confirmed it.<br />
Agora is a school for students who want to make a difference in the world while still getting a<br />
college education. The purpose and passion behind Agora is for students to be in the marketplace<br />
day in and day out, while getting a solid education, doing communal living together and<br />
being discipled. She took 15 credits each semester with 12 hours of cross-cultural ministry a<br />
week. The second semester she did the same things, but the last month of school she went on a<br />
one-month mission trip. Last year, in 2013, she went to Thailand and Vietnam. There her group<br />
worked with the nationals, ran kids’ programs, went into the slums of Bangkok and traveled into<br />
the northern villages of Chaing Mai where they worked with a Thai pastor who took the Gospel<br />
to unreached villages. In Vietnam, they worked at a conversational English-speaking coffee<br />
shop where nationals would come and chat for five to six hours a day to practice their English.<br />
In their free time, their new Vietnamese friends would take them all around the city (Karaoke,<br />
the movies, dinner, and so on). They also went to an orphanage where they played with infants<br />
and disabled children.<br />
She was then asked to come back to Agora for a second year as a junior staff member. This<br />
past school year she has done all of the same things as the year before, but this time she helped<br />
lead the outreaches, mentored the new students, was a teacher’s assistant, and was a leader<br />
on their overseas trip. This year her team went to Myanmar. While they were there, they went<br />
to unreached people groups, worked at orphanages, taught conversational English to Burmese<br />
students and were able to establish relationships with young Burmese Buddhists.<br />
“The Lord has done so much changing and shaping in my life, but His plans are always so much<br />
better than mine. I thought I would be graduating this spring from Evangel University, but instead<br />
He has taken me on a journey that is far beyond my wildest dreams.”<br />
This summer she has been asked back on as a part-time staff with Agora. Her job will entail:<br />
administration, recruiting prospective students, and investing in the current students’ lives as<br />
well as promoting Agora at churches/events and going on one mission trip a year. This summer<br />
and next year, her focus will be to finish getting licensed as an Assemblies of God minister,<br />
acquire her TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate, and pray<br />
about going overseas to be an English teacher!<br />
40<br />
Class Notes<br />
Stephanie Harris graduated from Calvin<br />
College in May, <strong>2014</strong> with a double major in<br />
Business Marketing and Sociology. She has<br />
accepted a position as Account Analyst at<br />
Adtegrity, an online marketing firm in Grand<br />
Rapids, Michigan. She continues to be the<br />
Membership chair on the board of the Habitat<br />
Young Professionals for Habitat for Humanity.<br />
Rachel Le-<br />
Compte<br />
and Alec<br />
Swartz ’10<br />
were married<br />
on June<br />
14th, <strong>2014</strong>.<br />
She will be<br />
graduating<br />
from Penn<br />
Foster as a<br />
Veterinary<br />
Technician<br />
in the fall of <strong>2014</strong>. Alec will be graduating<br />
from Mercy Hurst on May 18, <strong>2014</strong> with a<br />
degree in Business. Initially, they will be residing<br />
in Loveland, Ohio.<br />
Erin Lloyd graduated<br />
from Wittenberg<br />
in May. She<br />
has been accepted<br />
to and will be attending<br />
Medical<br />
School at Oakland<br />
University, beginning<br />
in the Fall<br />
of <strong>2014</strong>. While at<br />
Wittenberg, she<br />
played two years of<br />
basketball, was VP<br />
of her sorority, and<br />
was named to the<br />
Dean’s List every<br />
semester.
Resiliently faithful<br />
John Lloyd<br />
graduated in<br />
April <strong>2014</strong> from<br />
UC. He is now<br />
attending graduate<br />
school and<br />
will be playing<br />
football again<br />
for the University<br />
of Cincinnati<br />
in <strong>2014</strong>. John<br />
Led the American<br />
Athletic<br />
Conference in<br />
punting in 2013 with a 44 yards per punt average.<br />
He has also been named to the Big<br />
East and American Athletic Conference All<br />
Academic Teams the past 3 years.<br />
Mallory O’Connor graduated from The<br />
Ohio State University in May, <strong>2014</strong> with a<br />
Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences.<br />
She will continue at The Ohio State<br />
University pursuing her Doctorate of Pharmacy.<br />
Andrew Philip graduated from The Ohio<br />
State University in May, <strong>2014</strong> with a Bachelor<br />
of Science degree in Zoology and Ethnic<br />
Studies. He will be continuing his involvement<br />
with his campus fellowship at OSU,<br />
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, for the<br />
year of <strong>2014</strong>-2015 as a campus minister.<br />
Specifically, he will be working with South<br />
Asian and Asian American students, continuing<br />
to plant a new ministry reaching<br />
South Asian Christians, Hindus, Muslims,<br />
and others. After his internship with Inter-<br />
Varsity, Andrew will be attending The Ohio<br />
State University’s College of Medicine to<br />
pursue an MD.<br />
Chris Taylor graduated from Duke University<br />
this May, <strong>2014</strong> with a double Major in<br />
Economics and Public Policy and a Minor in<br />
Political Science. Chris will begin a job with<br />
PricewaterhouseCoopers in Washington,<br />
DC. He was recently became engaged to<br />
Andria Merkel ’10 who also graduated this<br />
May from the University of North Carolina<br />
with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration<br />
with a concentration in Mar-<br />
keting and Operations. She will be working<br />
for Kraft Foods in Tampa, FL.<br />
Andrew Wallace graduated in May, <strong>2014</strong><br />
from Butler University with a Bachelor degree<br />
in Accounting. He will be pursuing a<br />
Masters in Accounting at Butler University<br />
in the Fall. Andrew completed his four years<br />
of running track at Butler University by being<br />
named All Big East 1st team and Big East<br />
Academic Team. He also was team captain<br />
for his sophomore through senior year.( pic)<br />
Matt Williams graduated from the University<br />
of Cincinnati in April, <strong>2014</strong> He played his<br />
200th game for The University of Cincinnati<br />
Bearcats Baseball program on May 4 against<br />
West Point. He is just the 11th player in UC<br />
Baseball history to do so. During his senior<br />
year as a Bearcat, he tied a career high with<br />
four hits against Temple (4/4), collected<br />
two hits and scored one run versus UCF, led<br />
the team with four hits, three RBIs and two<br />
runs scored in a win over Youngstown State,<br />
knocked 11 hits in a span of four games had<br />
four hits in a win over Wake Forest with one<br />
double and a run scored and scored two<br />
runs in the season opener against Elon. Matt<br />
completed a total of 211 games and earned<br />
All-Conference honors for the American<br />
Athletic Conference!<br />
Kristen Zabbatino<br />
began<br />
her freshmen<br />
theater experience<br />
at<br />
Mount St. Joseph<br />
College<br />
as the Wicked<br />
Witch of<br />
the West and<br />
is ending her<br />
senior year at<br />
the Mount performing Alice from Alice in<br />
Wonderland! She graduated with honors<br />
from Mount St. Joseph in May <strong>2014</strong>. She has<br />
started her graduate studies toward a Master’s<br />
Degree in Nursing.<br />
Class of 2011<br />
Meredith Allgood completed her junior<br />
year at Wake Forest University in the Honors<br />
Psychology program, and will be spending<br />
her summer studying in Europe and beginning<br />
her Honors research in Stress and<br />
Resilience before beginning her senior year.<br />
She is a Research Assistant to Dr. Christian<br />
Waugh, a member of the Psi Chi National<br />
Honor Society in Psychology and the Phi<br />
Eta Sigma National Honor Society, and<br />
serves with Wake Forest’s service outreach<br />
program.<br />
Abby Brown is coming into her senior year<br />
at Ohio Northern University, with a major<br />
in Advertising Design and a minor in Marketing.<br />
She currently serves as president<br />
of Kappa Pi and as vice president of Ohio<br />
Northern’s AIGA chapter. She also works<br />
as the Art & Design Editor for Polaris, a student-run<br />
undergraduate journal of art and<br />
literature. Abby plans on studying abroad<br />
this summer in Florence, Italy. Her design<br />
work, photography, and illustrations are<br />
available at abbyvbrown.wix.com/abbybrowndesign.<br />
Madeline Drees just<br />
completed her junior<br />
year at Kent State<br />
University as a BFA<br />
Musical Theatre<br />
major. She recently<br />
starred as Elizabeth<br />
Bennet in Pride and<br />
Prejudice, for which<br />
she won the Leading<br />
Actress award and<br />
the <strong>2014</strong> Outstanding<br />
Performer award<br />
at the Kent State<br />
School of Theatre<br />
and Dance’s annual<br />
banquet. She was also the recipient of the<br />
Cynthia Stillings Scholarship (Department<br />
of the School of Theatre and Dance Award/<br />
Scholarship). Next year, Maddie will serve<br />
as Vice President for both Alpha Psi Omega,<br />
an honorary theatre fraternity, and to the<br />
School of Theatre and Dance’s student organization,<br />
Roundtable.<br />
41
alumni<br />
Class notes<br />
Amy Mirlisena<br />
is working<br />
with Teach for<br />
America and<br />
very active<br />
in education<br />
field work in<br />
the greater<br />
Cincinnati<br />
area. Recently,<br />
she was cast in<br />
the Miami University fashion week to model<br />
for the brand new Fashion Design Majors<br />
this spring. Former <strong>CHCA</strong> student Michaela<br />
Owen ‘12, is a designer for the show - two<br />
different <strong>CHCA</strong> alumni on both ends of the<br />
Miami Fashion Show this year! This fall Amy<br />
will also be playing a featured role with the<br />
Miami University Drama Workshop in “One<br />
Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”. The production<br />
will take place during the first few<br />
weeks of November in Cheviot, Ohio<br />
Andrew Paroz completed his Junior year<br />
at The Ohio State University. He will be<br />
interning at the Ford Motor Company in<br />
Dearborn, Michigan this summer in Supply<br />
Chain Management.<br />
Brad Tepfenhart completed his Junior year<br />
at Miami University. He is pursuing a degree<br />
in Mechanical Engineering and will have<br />
a summer internship working for HEB as a<br />
Process Engineering Intern in San Antonio,<br />
Texas.<br />
Sidney Zimmerman graduated from Liberty<br />
University in July, <strong>2014</strong>. Sidney will be<br />
getting married to her fiancé, George Dirling<br />
on November 1, <strong>2014</strong>. They will be moving to<br />
Florida after the wedding.<br />
Class of 2012<br />
Amanda Barry spent her first semester of<br />
college in Ireland and will be graduating with<br />
her four year degree in Communication<br />
from the Indiana University-East in only two<br />
years. She will be graduating in December,<br />
<strong>2014</strong> and then plans to pursue a Masters degree<br />
in the spring of 2015.<br />
AnnMarie Kadnar completed her Sophomore<br />
year at the University of Kentucky<br />
pursuing a degree in Equine Science. She is<br />
also a member of the UK Equestrian Team<br />
and competes throughout the year.<br />
Tanner Kuremsky will spend this summer<br />
before the start of his Junior year at Virginia<br />
Tech University working as a Chemical Engineering<br />
Intern for P & G in Cincinnati. His<br />
work will be in Research and Development<br />
within the Personal Care Division supporting<br />
brands like Old Spice and Secret.<br />
Tyler Tepfenhart completed his Sophomore<br />
year at Baylor University where he is<br />
pursuing a degree in Molecular Biology. He<br />
plays lacrosse for the university and joined<br />
the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.<br />
Josh Thiel was<br />
recently honored<br />
by the Robert<br />
Morris University<br />
School of Business<br />
as recipient<br />
of the Dean’s<br />
Scholar Award.<br />
The honor recognizes<br />
students<br />
with superior cumulative<br />
grade<br />
point averages for at least three consecutive<br />
terms. Josh has been named to the School<br />
of Business Dean’s List for each of his four<br />
semesters as a Marketing Major at RMU.<br />
Josh is a member of the Colonial’s football<br />
team, where he has moved from the Left<br />
Tackle position he anchored at <strong>CHCA</strong> to<br />
win a spot on the offensive line’s first team<br />
as Right Guard. He has been honored all<br />
four semesters as a member of the Northeast<br />
Conference Commissioner’s Academic<br />
Honor Roll. Josh represents RMU’s 550<br />
Division-I athletes as Vice President of the<br />
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and<br />
is one of ten students in the Class of 2016<br />
that have been selected for the Colonial<br />
Leadership Academy—a three-year leadership<br />
development program. Josh remains<br />
active in the Pittsburgh community as an<br />
outreach leader for the Children’s Hospital<br />
Pediatric Cancer Center, Coraopolis Community<br />
Foundation, and Best Buddies. He<br />
is working in Pittsburgh this summer as a<br />
marketing research intern with Manchester<br />
Bidwell Corp. and the National Center for<br />
Arts and Technology.<br />
Eli Vizcaino completed his junior year at St.<br />
Edwards University in the Honors Program<br />
while pursuing a Bachelors in Business Administration<br />
and has recently decided to<br />
also get a Bachelors in an Economics. Last<br />
summer he interned at Aerospace Industries<br />
Association and this summer he will<br />
be taking summer classes at the College of<br />
Mount St. Joseph while working in the Cincinnati<br />
Area. While at St. Edwards University<br />
he has been active in the development<br />
of the St. Edwards University TV channel,<br />
Topper TV, and has been active in the Delta<br />
Sigma Pi Fraternity. He is looking forward<br />
to completing his education at St. Edwards<br />
University and for what the future holds.<br />
Class of 2013<br />
Abby Bowman just finished her freshman<br />
year at Wheaton College and loves everything<br />
that college has to offer. This year,<br />
she joined the Wheaton Improv Team, and<br />
also developed a new hobby for exploring<br />
Chicago and navigating the train systems.<br />
In April, she ran the Nashville Rock N’ Roll<br />
Marathon, which was her first marathon<br />
ever! This summer, she will be studying<br />
abroad with Wheaton in London, England,<br />
and will also be returning to Hyderabad, India<br />
with Back2Back Ministries to continue<br />
short term mission work there. In the fall,<br />
she is planning to declare a double major,<br />
studying Spanish and Anthropology.<br />
42
Resiliently faithful<br />
Wes Braden<br />
is backpacking<br />
throughout<br />
Europe this<br />
summer for<br />
10 weeks. He<br />
will be traveling<br />
to the<br />
Netherlands,<br />
Switzerland,<br />
Austria, Croatia,<br />
Hungary, Germany and the Czech Republic.<br />
Wes completed his Freshman year at<br />
Wheaton College and is pursuing a degree<br />
in International Relations/Business.<br />
Jonathan Churi completed his freshman<br />
year at Arizona State University pursuing<br />
a degree in Business. He plans to travel to<br />
Israel this summer.<br />
Natalie LeCompte received a 4.0 at Miami<br />
University this year. She also accepted an<br />
Art Scholarship/Award through the Miami<br />
University Art Department. She was nominated<br />
by one of her current Art professors.<br />
Kaity Venters enjoyed<br />
her first year<br />
as a freshman at<br />
Saint Mary’s College.<br />
One the many<br />
highlights was playing<br />
college tennis.<br />
She is pursuing a<br />
degree in Global<br />
Studies.<br />
YiLi host daughter of the Hilderbrand family<br />
for three 3 years, was selected from the<br />
top 5% of her class at MSU to be a member<br />
of the MSU Beaumont Tower Guard, a very<br />
select sophomore honorary that helps special<br />
needs students at MSU succeed. The<br />
Hilderbrands surprised her the morning of<br />
her initiation (6:00 a.m.) as is the tradition<br />
of all of the new members’ parents. When<br />
YiLi checked in that morning she was told,<br />
‘your parents are out of the country and<br />
your “other” parents are out of state so<br />
no one will probably be here.’ Hilderbrand<br />
shared, “One of the best moments EVER of<br />
having YiLi in our lives was seeing the look<br />
on her face when she saw us walking toward<br />
her through the crowd of other students<br />
and parents. She and my wife hugged (and<br />
cried) for the longest time!” What a great<br />
memory and congrats to YiLi for finishing<br />
her freshmen year in the top 5% of her class<br />
and being accepted into the MSU Beaumont<br />
Tower Guard.<br />
<strong>2014</strong>-2015<br />
Alumni Events Schedule<br />
August 9, <strong>2014</strong><br />
Alumni Soccer Game<br />
*October 3, <strong>2014</strong><br />
Homecoming Extravaganza and<br />
25th Anniversary Celebration<br />
Weekend<br />
3:00 pm<br />
Homecoming Football Game<br />
7:30 pm<br />
October 10 - 12, <strong>2014</strong><br />
MSL High School Play,<br />
“Little Shop of Horrors”<br />
November 28, <strong>2014</strong><br />
Class of 2004<br />
10 Year Reunion<br />
January 7, 2015<br />
MSL HS Alumni Chapel<br />
10:00 am<br />
February 7, 2015<br />
Celebration Dinner & Auction<br />
March <strong>2014</strong> TBD<br />
College 101 Panel Discussion<br />
with Class of 2015<br />
*March 6 – 8, 2015<br />
MSL HS Musical,<br />
“West Side Story”<br />
April 11, 2015<br />
ArtBeat Fine Arts<br />
Festival<br />
April 17 - 18, 2015<br />
MSL HS Theatre<br />
“Academy Night Live”<br />
Check the www.chca-oh.org/alumni website for updates for additional alumni events throughout the year<br />
*These events feature special alumni-only discounts or freebies. Contact Alumni Coordinator, Julie Carnes via email at julie.carnes@chca-oh.org to learn more.<br />
43
44<br />
Resiliently faithful<br />
by Liz Bronson Rosenau ‘00<br />
Q&A<br />
with Liz (Bell) Young ’95<br />
Liz (Bell) Young (pictured above) graduated with <strong>CHCA</strong>’s first<br />
class in 1995, attended Furman University in South Carolina,<br />
Lee University, then back home to Xavier—and eventually<br />
went on to get her master’s degree in creative writing from The<br />
School of the Art Institute of Chicago and UC. Along the way,<br />
she fell in love with Ryan Young—an ROTC cadet at Furman<br />
who’d actually grown up in the same church as Liz—and later<br />
asked Liz to marry him and journey to Italy for his first, four-year<br />
military assignment.<br />
Between raising two sons (Moses, 5, and Tommy, 3) with<br />
Ryan, working part time as a writer and creative at Crossroads<br />
Church, serving as half of Haven (a bakery and studio run out<br />
of her home) and doing the occasional freelance writing job, Liz<br />
somehow found time to write a memoir. Her book, In the Wide<br />
Country of Love, is a story about her young marriage in another<br />
country, grieving through a war-time separation, and finding<br />
what it means to be home.<br />
Being a writer myself (and having loved In the<br />
Wide Country of Love), I couldn’t pass up a<br />
chance to interview Liz for Eagle’s <strong>Eye</strong>.<br />
First, I have to ask: why a bakery?<br />
I started Haven with my friend Becky Norris—<br />
Becky’s an incredible pastry chef. She was looking<br />
for a place to bake; I offered our kitchen.<br />
We’re both entrepreneurs with a similar design<br />
taste, so it felt energizing to join forces. It’s<br />
turned into a wedding cake dreamland (happy<br />
and chaotic), and together we do styling for<br />
magazine and video shoots.<br />
When did you discover your<br />
love for writing?<br />
When I was about seven, my mom created a<br />
box. Inside were scraps of paper with creative<br />
prompts, things like “Draw your favorite room in<br />
the house” and “Write a story about a girl who<br />
gets surprised.” My mom’s an artist and teacher;<br />
she has a keen way of pulling creativity out of<br />
people. I loved this box—it was all I wanted to<br />
do for the summer. I was fairly reserved as a<br />
child, so this box was a powerful way for me to<br />
express myself and stir up imagination.<br />
My <strong>CHCA</strong> English teacher, Karen Smeltzer,<br />
was fantastic, too. She played a big part in me<br />
choosing writing as a profession. The way she<br />
approached literature was smart and creative<br />
all at once, and that’s what I was craving. She<br />
kept asking for more from me, challenging me.<br />
It was daunting and I loved it.<br />
What inspired you to write<br />
your memoir, In the Wide Country<br />
of Love?<br />
I felt unmoored. Ryan had just been deployed<br />
by the Army for a one-and-a-half year assignment<br />
to the Middle East, and I was lost in the<br />
grief and confusion of it. At that point, I was in a<br />
writing program at the University of Cincinnati,<br />
so the book started as a collection of stories for<br />
my thesis. And my professors were incredible.<br />
They understood that me writing about that<br />
present-day experience was almost a necessity.<br />
It gave me an anchor.<br />
What was it like to write a book?<br />
At first, it was fast, and came out raw and<br />
unhinged. When I finished that first draft, my<br />
professors saw promise in that mosaic of stories<br />
and encouraged me to find an agent. I had<br />
no idea how much work it would take to get<br />
it from that hodgepodge of stories to bookready—there<br />
were a few years when I had an<br />
agent, spent time connecting with publishers,<br />
worked with an editor. It was exciting and<br />
exhausting at the same time. I loved it, but<br />
realized going through that process means you<br />
often are asked to make compromises and it<br />
can take years to find the right way to tell a
story. For example, my agent wanted my book to be<br />
more emotive and commercial—like Eat, Pray, Love,<br />
which was really big at the time—so I tried to take it in<br />
that direction and didn’t like it at all. That just wasn’t<br />
the style or format I was going for. We parted on good<br />
terms and I shelved the book for about a year and a<br />
half. Finally, about a year ago, I pulled it back out. I gave<br />
myself the freedom to reshape it, with no pressure of<br />
impressing an audience. I finally felt like I found my<br />
footing, so I went the self-publishing route to have the<br />
most creative control, and invested in a short run of<br />
printed books. I’m still kind of shocked it’s out there.<br />
You were pretty vulnerable in this book.<br />
How difficult was that?<br />
I initially didn’t write it with publication in mind—I<br />
wrote it with a thesis in mind, so in my head, the general<br />
public was never going to see it. I’m not someone<br />
who goes around talking a lot about who I am and what<br />
I feel. Honestly, I’m still a little surprised that I wrote<br />
some of it. And there were times when I erased whole<br />
blocks of text. One thing I learned about memoir in<br />
grad school is that it’s not a journal—you direct it at<br />
something, or else it loses the power of story. I skipped<br />
whole sections of our lives because some experiences<br />
weren’t right for this memoir.<br />
I’m also surrounded by people who constantly model<br />
vulnerability for me, so that had an enormous influence.<br />
And I prayed that God would push it in the right<br />
direction, and into the right hands.<br />
How involved was Ryan?<br />
He was a backseat encourager, and it turns out that’s<br />
exactly what I needed from him. He’s always believed<br />
in me as a writer, but this book brought out a new level<br />
of support.<br />
What do you want people to take<br />
away from this book?<br />
The best books I’ve read are the ones that have made<br />
me feel understood—maybe they’re conflicted in the<br />
same way as me, they love in the same way as me, or<br />
they share a similar experience—that’s the kind of<br />
book I wanted to write. I want it to feel like a gift, and<br />
feel like comfort.<br />
What advice would you give to any<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong> students or alumni who think<br />
they want to be a writer?<br />
I think if it’s a driving force in you, you’ll find your way.<br />
You’ll read and write as if it’s instinct. You’ll take any<br />
writing assignment you can get, no matter how trivial.<br />
You’ll find writing workshops, study sound, follow the<br />
best writers and learn from a place of humility. I’ve also<br />
noticed that the writers I’m drawn to are the ones who<br />
really live in the present—they don’t stay holed up in<br />
a cabin in the woods. They study science, social work<br />
and their neighborhoods. They have children. They<br />
write at night or before everyone else wakes up.<br />
What was it like to be at <strong>CHCA</strong><br />
from day one?<br />
It was exciting for my family to rally around something.<br />
I remember once when I looked out the classroom<br />
window, and my dad was out lining the soccer field—in<br />
the middle of his work day. My parents sacrificed a lot<br />
to help establish the school and get us there, and my<br />
sister and I felt deep gratitude. It was also fun that it<br />
was brand new—we could sense that we were part of<br />
something big and exciting.<br />
What’s next on the horizon?<br />
I’m trying to take it day-by-day, because I have the<br />
tendency to scurry in many directions. But a publisher<br />
read my memoir and contracted me to write a book<br />
of fiction, so that’s my current book project and I love<br />
getting to do it. I’m also starting a magazine that I’m<br />
wildly excited about, and I leave for India this month<br />
to get that off the ground. We’re also having another<br />
baby this winter—so that’s easily the best part of the<br />
horizon.<br />
Interested in reading Liz’s book? Buy a print or digital copy of<br />
In the Wide Country of Love at www.lizbellyoung.com.<br />
Liz (Bell) Young’s<br />
book, In the Wide<br />
Country of Love,<br />
is a story about her<br />
young marriage in<br />
another country,<br />
grieving through a<br />
war-time separation,<br />
and finding what it<br />
means to be home.<br />
45
25<br />
years<br />
...a light to the world<br />
Matthew 5:16<br />
11525 Snider Road<br />
Cincinnati, Ohio 45249<br />
Please save the date!<br />
<strong>CHCA</strong>’s Homecoming Extravaganza and<br />
25th Anniversary Celebration will be held on<br />
October 3rd at the Martha S. Lindner High<br />
School starting at 3:00 p.m.