EST. 00 ERUDITA PRUDENTIA C L A R I T SALHTASINGISNIMUITRA E T I C A LIONS LEGACY inside OAKS CHRISTIAN MISSION REPORT 2021-22 Expanding to a TK-12 Campus 6 From Generation to Generation 8 Legacy Lions Lauded 10 Arts Under the Oaks Debuts 18 EP Release Showcased 20 Student Indie Film Premieres 22 Transcending Culture 26 Storytelling with a Cause 30 A Dominant Year 34 The Team Behind the Team 36 Commissioner’s Cup Win 38 Gala Evening Inspired 46
To dedicate ourselves to Christ in the pursuit of academic excellence, artistic expression, and athletic distinction, while growing in knowledge and wisdom through God’s abundant grace. OUR MISSION
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Rob Black Head of School Karen Coyle High School Principal Cozette Darby Chief of Staff
Academically, the school completed its accreditation processes with our agencies awarding us the maximum accreditation term possible, a testament to the high quality of our college-preparatory curriculum and our incredibly dedicated faculty who strive every day to be the “living curriculum” for our students.
2021-22 Administration
year also saw a milestone in our school’s history as we celebrated alumni who graduated during the school’s early years and are now enrolling their own children here: the second generations of Lions is underway! We also graduated our first pride of “Legacy Lions” - students who have been at Oaks Christian from when Academy V started back in 2014-15. One of our most exciting moments of the year came during our record fundraising dinner auction gala when we announced the decision to expand the OCS mission to transitional kindergarten through fourth-grade elementary-aged children.
Pastor Larry DeWitt Interim Associate Head of School for Spiritual Life
And while the Lord was speaking directly to Samuel in the Old Testament, this verse, like all of Scripture, could also apply to our current situation. We could worry about what things looked like on the outside. Would we be able to continue learning together fully in person? What would be the result of any virus resurgence? Were any more mandates coming? How was the social fabric of the nation being stressed and tested? But as followers of Jesus, God calls us to not to look at how things appear on the surface. We were confident He was in control, including how the school year would begin and end. And so, we opened the doors to full in-person learning, sports, and artistic events with hopeful optimism. And, as state, county and city pandemic mandates were rolled back, our community rebounded with enthusiasm and a renewed purpose!
Kris Thabit Chief Financial Officer Dr. Bryan Wong Director of Medical Services Lions Legacy Editor Maria DirectorCowellofMarketing and Communications Graphic Designer Blanca Schnobrich Photography Amber Seat, Blanca Schnobrich, Maria Cowell, Cornerstone Photography, High School Yearbook Staff, The Acorn Newspapers, Ricky Davis, Caylen Smith, Olivia Medrano, Caleb Polaha Printing Jeff Benes The Smart Group from the head of school Dear Oaks Christian School Families, Each year we take the opportunity, through Lions Legacy, to look back at the academic year recently completed. As we began the 2021-22 academic year not knowing how it would unfold with the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. As we welcomed back the OC CommUnity to the campus full-time, we knew that we would all be returning to a world significantly changed. As such, we intentionally asked ourselves to “look at each other” through the eyes of God, who created all in His image, with all of the care, grace and love that entailed. Our CommUnity verse for the year came from 1 Samuel 16:7b “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Thank you for allowing us to partner with you this past year and investing in the character development of your students. May God bless you, your family, and Oaks Christian School in the years ahead.
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Kristi Fitzgerald Director of Human Resources Garett Freeman Middle School Principal John Huffman Vice President of Admissions Eddie Moore Chief Development Officer Dr. Matt Northrop Associate Head of School for Academics and Arts Nicole Oakes Director of International Student Program Mike Parkinson Chief Operating/Risk Management Officer
HeadRobBlessings,BlackofSchool
This past year saw the return of live art performances to the joy and delight of in-person audiences. Sports, which had been sidelined for a couple of years, roared back to great victories, including CIF state and regional championships, and multiple player and coach Thishonors.past
and Onward
Maria DirectorCowellofMarketing and Communications
Students at the fifth-grade retreat.
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editor’s note
This is a familiar phrase that evokes images of battlefield rally cries and proclamations of victorious achievement. Officially it means toward a better condition or a higher level, especially after some misfortune or unpleasant circumstances, to become increasingly successful, continuing to advance or make progress. Its earliest known use in the American lexicon is from Frances Anne Kemble (1809-93) in her piece entitled “Lines Addressed to the Young Gentlemen Leaving the Lennox Academy: Massachusetts”—Fail not for sorrow, falter not for sin, but onward, upward, till the goal ye win Since then, it has made its way into literature, pop culture and the arts. Author C.S. Lewis wrote in his classic children’s series: “Onward and Upward! to Narnia and the North!” Canadian score composer Christophe Beck wrote the “Onward and Upward” musical number for the popular Disney film Frozen. The New Yorker magazine used the phrase, with irony, for a collection of amusing news about the arts. Both words are necessary for true progress to be achieved. If you simply move onward—or forward—without moving upward, then you are only moving laterally. If you only move upward, but not forward, you are simply hovering over your circumstances. You must move above and away from the situation to advance. For the past two years the pandemic was the “unpleasant circumstance” we were dealing with. We started the year with in-person learning with some mandates still in place, not sure how it would all play out. Slowly, we began a pivot to normalcy with sports, arts, retreats and other in-person events returning. We were not completely out of the woods and there were still some residual effects, but we began an onward and upward trajectory to advance and make progress. Our year was characterized by this trajectory. Kemble’s words to the young men at Lennox Academy echo the charge found in Philippians 3:13-14: “...but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
As you read through the following stories, you will realize the resilience and rebound of the OCS community as we kept pressing forward. Not simply to just move on from a hard two years, but to deliver a Christ-centered education, complete with academics, athletics, and the arts, to achieve the upward call of God in the lives of our students.
“Assisting” Black with the announcement at the gala was threeyear old Faith, whose older sibling will be a freshman at Oaks Christian in 2022-23. “Faith is the face of the future,” said Black as he took the stage with the preschooler. “She, and other young children like her, are who Oaks Christian desires to engage with a Christ-centered and academically excellent education. The opportunity to impact these young lives, helping to develop their character and values, is the reason we are making this tremendous effort to expand our reach and mission.”
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EXPANDING to a TK-12
The OCS admissions department has developed a waitlist for families interested in exploring future enrollment in grades TK-4. Families can reach out to the OCS admissions office at TKadmissions@oakschristian.org.isthefirstyearofatwo-year transitional kindergarten program. Upon completion of TK, students are promoted to standard kindergarten. TK is for students age five between Sept. 2 and Feb. 2. Those interested in learning how they can further support and invest in the school’s expansion vision are encouraged to contact Black at rblack@oakschristian.org.
T his spring, the Oaks Christian School Board of Trustees approved the expansion of the current 5-12 collegepreparatory, day and boarding school to become a fullfledged TK-12 school.
Senior leadership has begun the process of identifying a suitable location and funding for the new elementary school. The gala was the first public fundraising announcement, and to date a significant investment has already been committed by donor families and the OCS community at large. “In just a short time, our community has stepped up in a big way to help ensure the success of this expansion. We are still in the early stages, but we are extremely grateful for these preliminary commitments, which will encourage others to invest in our community’s children and build on this foundation,” said Black.
The news was well-received by guests in attendance at the gala. “We were excited to hear that Oaks is expanding into elementary. We will have three kids going to Oaks next year, and two more in elementary, so we are thrilled with the announcement,” said OCS parent Jeff Bernd.
OCS Head of School Rob Black made the announcement March 26 at the school’s annual dinner auction gala attended by over 800 members of the OCS community at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. “Our school has a rich history of educational innovation,” said Black. “From our founding days to the expansion of the middle school campus, the recently opened residential dorms, the IDEA Lab for STEM studies, and the launch of our institutes of arts and innovation, engineering, and global leadership, we are providing distinctive and unparalleled opportunities for students. This expansion of the school’s academic reach will provide these opportunities for future OCS students.”
CAMPUS academic EXCELLENCE
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Generation Generation
“Overall, the guiding beliefs and values that led to the formation of the school back in 2000 are still evident in the way the school operates,” Karlee shared as one of the reasons she and Trevor, decided to enroll James at Oaks Christian. It was clear to the Thompsons that Oaks Christian was the best place for him to grow as a Christian, and of course, a well-rounded student. In his short time here, James has already played on the middle school football and basketball teams. He follows the athletic footsteps of his mother who was one of the students who started the OCS girls’ water polo team.
L to R: James, Karlee, and Trevor Thompson at the dinner
Fromto After celebrating its 20th anniversary just three years ago, Oaks Christian School reached another milestone this year as alumni from the early graduating classes now have children enrolled. A new generation of Lions have started attending their parents’ alma Jamesmater.Thompson was a seventh grader this past year at Oaks Christian. His mother, Karlee (Sterling) Thompson, graduated in 2005. Karlee, and her husband, Trevor, along with James, were honored guests at the OCS dinner auction gala, and were featured in a special video that debuted at the event in March.
shared the significance of the accreditation process in two key areas: allowing the school to self-evaluate strengths, weaknesses, and areas of growth, and secondly, to give the school an objective “Accreditationperspective.
Oaks Christian School received a full, five-year accreditation from the Southern Association of Independent Schools, the maximum term a school can receive from SAIS. The SAIS Accreditation Review Committee granted the full term after their visit in November. This news was a confirmation of the tremendous work the school has accomplished not only this year, but for the past six years since the last accreditation.
“First of all, I want to give a huge congratulations to our OCS community and particularly to Rachel Morales, who coordinated this effort,” said Dr. Matt Northrop, Associate Head of School for Academics and NorthropArts.
Maximum Accreditation Term Earned
• Bold choices to invest resources and physical space into a stateof-the-art “constructionist” learning program with the IDEA Lab, where learning is inquiry and problem based, interdisciplinary, and connected to real world competencies and experiences
• Launching a positive start to the residential boarding program and serving 64 students in this current school year and actively working to grow boarding enrollment
• FemSTEM focus to increase and include female students in science and engineering-based pathways, thereby adding diversity to STEM programs and maximizing impact and opportunity
The full term is especially significant considering the difficulties faced in the last two-years during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the exemplary way the school has navigated the temporary pivot to remote learning, continued safe and healthy protocols, and other challenges.
The OCS self-study and accreditation preparation review process was spearheaded by Middle School Academic Dean Rachel Morales.
English and French teacher Emily Sadler graduated with Karlee in 2005, and this past year had James as a student. Sadler describes him as a star student, diligent and hardworking, and states that “Oaks should be very proud of James as our first ‘grandchild.’” auction gala.
Little did those early water polo female athletes know that the success of the girl’s water polo team would eventually produce an alumni Olympic gold medalist, Amanda Longan, Class of 2015. Like Karlee did in her day, this past year James took advantage of the many programs Oaks Christian offers, and especially enjoyed Intro to Engineering and Aerospace taught by middle school teacher Leisa Moore. “My grandpa flies planes, so I wanted to figure out more about that to gain that connection with him,” said James.
gives us a perspective outside of ourselves. In a sense, we are inviting peers from other Christian and independent schools to let us know where we are ‘knocking it out of the park’ as well as where we might need to grow. This continuous improvement process is just as important to the overall health of an educational organization as it is to our individual selves. This process sets us up well for continued growth over the next five years and beyond,” he shared.
The committee commended Oaks Christian in several areas including:
• Deepened student opportunities to learn real-world skills and specialize their academic experiences by intentionally developing sophisticated pathways in the three institutes for Arts and Innovation, Global Leadership, and Engineering, which has provided students with more choice and more exposure to industries and experts
“We were proud to get the girls’ water polo team at Oaks started,” said Karlee. “It’s clear that the school still does a great job engaging students.”
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For one unique group of OCS graduates, those bonds began back in fifth grade, giving them a total of eight years together at Oaks Christian – double the high school experience. These “Legacy Lions” began their OCS journey in 2014 as part of the inaugural Academy V class and are now part of school history.
Nine of those original students graduated on June 2, becoming the first Legacy Lions, students who have experienced the Oaks Christian journey from the earliest grade offered. As they graduated, they took away various lessons.
“As I leave Oaks, I feel like I am definitely leaving a community I know I can fall back on, whether it’s theatre friends, peers, or my teachers. I feel like no matter where I go in life, I am leaving a place that I can come back to anytime,” shared Abby Riggle.
Riggle is also grateful for the spiritual learning she had while at Oaks, and how it helped her faith remain consistent.
Original Academy V Students Graduate
“Without Oaks I would not have had a Bible class that I could go to daily and a place to talk about God so openly with friends and teachers,” she said.
In August 2014, Oaks Christian decided to conduct an “experiment” and add a fifth-grade level and see how successful - or not - that endeavor would be. Academy V debuted with 21 students in the first class. The “experiment” exceeded all expectations and today Academy V is a robust program for the youngest OCS students to build a strong Christian, academic, artistic, and athletic foundation for their middle school and high school years.
LaudedLionsLegacy
Cameron Hall Charlotte White Irisa Masino Abby Riggle Reagan Henthorn
10 OAKS CHRISTIAN MISSION REPORT | 2022 High school can be a time where lifelong friendships are made. After all, students spend four years together in classrooms, on field trips, retreats, lunchtime, sporting events and more.
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To commemorate their journey, OCS Advanced Film Teacher Andrew Christopher created a special video that was shared at graduation, where the student reminisced about their time on campus and how they have changed from their first day as fifth graders to their last day as graduates. Scan the QR code to view the video.
Carson Henthorn
“I am very humbled to be a part of this group. I am taking away a sense of family as I leave Oaks.”
Stephan Beach Owen Tross Alexander Henson
- Stephan Beach Owen Tross, who will play baseball at Middlebury College in Vermont, is thankful for the strong academic and athletic work ethic he developed as a Lion. And like, Riggle, he too is grateful for the spiritual growth while at Oaks Christian. “Oaks has helped me reinvest in Christianity and in Christ. It has confirmed that this is the belief that I want to pursue,” he said.
Is there a doctor in the house?
“Iwarriors.waswilling to help support other medical missionaries that had trained in our program and were now in Ecuador full time. I went with my wife, Mary, and our two older children who were three and six at that time. We were there to provide relief to the missionaries who needed respite,” he said. The mission field God did call him to was at VCMC where he had a lasting impact.
“Before I made that decision, I took a three-month sabbatical, which is pretty unheard of in the medical field, to reevaluate and reconsider if it was the right decision and by the end of it, I decided, yes, it was time to move on,” he Hesaid.was already an OCS parent and was also the coach for the boys’ beach volleyball team and well as assisting with the boys’ indoor volleyball team. When Oaks Christian started looking for a new director, the Wong family prayed to see if God was leading them to a new chapter, and he decided to pursue the opening.
During his tenure at VCMC, he was instrumental in several key endeavors. He was part of the planning of the building and moving of the hospital site; he helped reopen the pediatric intensive care unit which, for a while, was the only NICU in the Conejo Valley; after the Thomas Fire knocked out other psychiatric care hospitals, VCMC was the only facility treating psychiatric patients. During COVID-19 he also practiced telemedicine, seeing patients online for consultations, helping them deal with a lot of fear and anxiety and walking them through the next steps. The intensity of the work and the years of spearheading successful endeavors at VCMC, led him to step away for over a year, and to seek the Lord as to what his next steps would be. While he had enjoyed professional success at VCMC, he also sensed that it was time for a change.
12 OAKS CHRISTIAN MISSION REPORT | 2022 W ell, now Oaks Christian School can answer with a resounding YES as students and staff welcomed aboard Dr. Bryan Wong as the new director of medical services. Dr. Wong picked up the mantle from Leslie Heimbuch, RN, who served as the OCS director of medical services for the last two years, and whose outstanding efforts during the COVID-19 shutdown last year were recognized in Conejo Lifestyle Magazine. Prior to that role, Heimbuch served as an OCS staff nurse. Dr. Wong came to Oaks Christian after nearly two decades as a general practitioner at Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) where he did his residency. In his third year, he became the chief resident. After graduating from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, he came on staff at VCMC, eventually joining the teaching faculty and in turn training young doctors in clinics and hospital settings for the next 16 years. As the new medical director, Dr. Wong leads the nursing staff and works closely with the school’s social emotional wellness counselors and athletic training staff. He has oversight for OCS medical policies and procedures student wellness for both day and boarding students and medical communications. He also assures OCS compliance with medical mandates and “Thelaws.warm reception I have received from families has been such a blessing. Families value having a physician here dedicated to the safety of their children. But beyond that, to be able to walk with families here, not just as a doctor, but in my role as a husband and dad to three OCS students, has also reassured them. Many families have expressed gratitude and appreciation for that, and for me it is an affirmation that I am walking in God’s will to be here,” he shared. Growing up in the San Gabriel Valley, Dr. Wong always knew he wanted to do something in the service industry, but he wasn’t exactly sure what. His great grandfather was a doctor in China, and when he enrolled in college, he started taking prerequisites for a medical degree. But it wasn’t the academics that led him to his life’s calling. It was a personal, human interaction that cemented his focus. As a student, he had an opportunity to shadow a surgeon in Los Angeles and he marveled at the doctor’s ability to have an intimate impact on patients who were experiencing anxiety and “Thisuncertainty.hadaprofound influence on me,” he shared. He decided to train as a general practitioner to acquire a broad set of skills to help as many patients as possible in case God ever called him to the mission field. He felt those skills would be easily transferable in many settings. While he did not land on the mission field long-term, he did have an opportunity as an attending physician to travel with Samaritan's Purse to a village in Ecuador, near the jungle where missionary Jim Elliot was martyred in 1956 by Huaorani
“This could be a multi-year capstone project. The longest part is the permit process which can get bogged down, but after that, things fly,” he said. “There is value in being part of an ongoing collaborative project. In engineering you always work in groups, and basically when you think about it, life is a group project, so these are good skills for students to acquire.”
LESS IS MORE
The tiny house or mini house movement is popular. People are downsizing for a variety of reasons: finances, ecological desire to reduce waste or conserve energy. Shows like Tiny House Nation have also put the spotlight on the trend.
At Oaks Christian, mechanical engineering students are also jumping on the trend with the motivation of helping others. Made from two 20-foot containers, students engineered and designed a 320-square-foot home complete with electrical and plumbing systems, full-size refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, bathroom, office space and bedroom.
The inspiration for the tiny home comes from the wildfires that ravaged forest homes in the Sequoia Complex Fire over a year ago, including engineering teacher Greg Gillis-Smith’s cabin. Using his personal experience, combined with this educator’s mindset, he proposed to the class the idea of building a small, portable home as temporary housing.
“In fire recovery people may be improperly insured and need a place to live while they are rebuilding. They aren’t really homeless, but that could lead to people living in unsafe conditions just because of affordability,” he said. This type of housing isn’t unique. Tiny house enclaves exist in California, Texas, Florida, Colorado, Michigan, and Oregon. But what is unique is the opportunity for high school students to be a part of such an endeavor.
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Seventeen OCS student teams participated at the expo where their projects were reviewed and judged. Four of the teams were awarded for their projects: Fithub, Catch, Fatwax and Staffify. E pr E n E urs Impr E ss!
After the New Venture Expo, students also held a Shark Tanklike Demo Day in the Bedrosian for students and staff as the final showcase event for the class. Team members from the Catch project celebrate their win.
Entr
Oaks Christian has participated in this competition for the last few years. This year the OCS teams went up against Thousand Oaks High School and Bakersfield Christian High School.
ntrepreneurship has fast become one of the most popular career tracks for young professionals. Whether it was the popularity of Shark Tank a few years back or the global reach and connections via the internet, increasingly young adults are taking big and bold steps to create their own Withbusinesses.theestablishment of the OCS Institute of Global Leadership, Oaks Christian students are getting a jump in this field. Led by entrepreneur teacher Kristin Bell, intrepid students are dreaming big! High school entrepreneurial students successfully competed in the California Lutheran University New Venture Fair, an expostyle event where teams share their innovative startup projects in a competitive environment.
Under Bell’s guidance, the students worked on their startup ideas for a few months, talking to customers, honing their business models, and creating commercials, pitch decks, and prototypes of their projects.
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As an educator, she enjoys helping entrepreneurs succeed.
“It’s incredibly inspiring to work with entrepreneurs and see their grit and determination, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to play a role in their journeys,” says Bell, who mentors students at various stages on their journey to “Sometimes,entrepreneurship.Imeet with entrepreneurs who are on fire and excited about their idea, and their energy is electric and infectious. And other times, I meet with entrepreneurs who are stuck, defeated, and pretty burnt out. And then there will be a moment in the program where something clicks, and I see their eyes light up and witness that fire reigniting. It’s such a joy to see them complete their programs having made significant progress not only on their startups, but also on their mindsets and problem-solving skills,” she shared. OCS Institute of Global Leadership instructor Kristin Bell was featured in Conejo Valley Lifestyle Magazine as an exceptional woman in education! Below is an excerpt from the article.
Fithub team members at the expo.
“My goal is to contribute to the development of a robust start-up community in the Conejo Valley that is driven by collaboration, entrepreneurial thinking, exceptional talent, and innovative technologies. It is incredibly exciting and rewarding being a part of a community that is making a significant impact in our world,” she encourages.
“As an instructor, my goal is for students to learn. However, the best part of my job is that I’m constantly learning from my students—which is also probably the most challenging aspect,” she said. “In any program, I could be working with an entrepreneur looking to power renewable energy with lithium ion batteries, another developing a social platform for women over 50 and another tackling crypto self-custody. There’s never a dull or boring moment!”
“Be confident in your strengths, and never stop learning,” she says. “Don’t be intimidated by the things you don’t know, but rather feel encouraged by the opportunity to do things you haven’t yet done and excited by the opportunity to learn.”
Kristin Bell: Igniting Entrepreneurs
In her roles as entrepreneurship educator at Oaks Christian School, mentor to startups at Cal Lutheran University’s Executive MBA Program in Europe and program manager at Cal Lu’s Hub101, a coworking space and start-up incubator for entrepreneurs, Bell aims to help the community flourish.
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“I have a deep passion for innovation and entrepreneurship, including working with startups, investors, mentors, organizations, and other integral parts. I want to continue to create and implement educational programs that nourish the local start-up community and help entrepreneurs develop their ideas,” says Bell. She encourages entrepreneurs to have the courage to take action, even when they don’t have all the answers.
Helping entrepreneurs turn their light bulb ideas into a bright light in the world inspires Entrepreneurship Educator Kristin Bell, who works with hundreds of students each year at Oaks Christian School and Cal Lutheran University.
Valedictorian Catherine Rao encouraged peers to embrace life beyond high school. “There is so much life to be lived...we all have new opportunities and new beginnings as we head off to college. Beginnings in which I hope you all find what encourages your soul to flourish, that you have no regrets as you chase your heart’s desire. Don’t let anyone put out that fire,” she said.
Rao graduated with a 4.79 GPA, having taken over 20 honors and advanced placement courses. She will attend Princeton University in the fall. She was also named the Ventura County Star’s Girls Golfer of the Year, and ranked in the top 10 female student golfers in America. In addition to her academic and athletic abilities, Rao is also uniquely gifted as an artist, having taken numerous art classes and drawing murals on campus and backdrops for performing arts.
“Having a divine appointment in your life is necessary. We all have something that sets us apart; you can feel it in your heart and soul. You are gifted and driven to be the best at something—some people call it your dream, some call it your purpose. I call it God’s assignment,” she said. “It is a fact God has given each of you an assignment. It is also true we are like Ikea furniture: assembly required. Learn as much as you can, as fast as you can. Put yourself together. Become excellent at what you do. And when God gives you an assignment, He has not just given you a job: He has given you territory. We know that from the Bible. People will look to you from this day forward now—that you are putting yourself together piece by piece—for your expertise and your leadership.
Oaks Christian also had five sets of twins and one set of triplets in the graduating class: Albert and Kristin Chamoun; Carson and Reagan Henthorn; Anna and Ry Keough; Luke and William
CLASS OF 2022 Celebrated for Resilience, Achievements
She also applauded this particular class for their “superpower” of resilience, having completed their high school years during COVID-19 and achieving despite obstacles.
16 OAKS CHRISTIAN MISSION REPORT | 2022 O aks Christian School celebrated its 204 graduates of the Class of 2022 in early June, marking the first graduating class to have a full year of on-campus learning since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The commencement ceremony was held June 2 at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village. Emmy-winning journalist and Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner was the keynote speaker. She challenged the graduates to live a life of purpose, reminding them that God has an assignment for their lives.
Left: History teacher Connie Choi celebrates with graduates.
Original ResidentsDormGraduate Warner; Franco and Lucia Scalamandre, and Caleb, London, and Peyton Zirretta. The Class of 2022 was accepted into 238 universities and colleges in 28 states and four countries. Additionally, 96% of graduates were admitted to a four-year college, with 47% admitted to highly selective schools. The Class of 2022, to this date, has earned over $6.6 million in scholarship awards this year. Scan the QR code to view the graduation recap video.
Students honored with special awards: Salutatorian Ian Robinett Weinberg Spiritual Leadership Award Taylor Harrison Dallas Price-Van Breda Artistic Expression Award Skylar Alves Dallas Athletic Distinction Award Catherine Rao and Micaela Kastor Unsung Hero Award
Congratulations to the 14 residential dorm students who graduated this year, especially Xinkai “DanDan” Dan, Jiaxi “Kelly” Hu, and Jie “Jack” Lin who started their sophomore year in August 2019 as part of the first group of 40 students who moved into the residential life dorm that DanDansummer.will be going to Boston University, Kelly Hu to Pepperdine University, and Jack Lin to New York University.
The three senior international dorm students enjoyed a lovely brunch with the other international graduates at the Westlake Village Inn on June 2. They bid farewell to Oaks Christian School as they head to their future colleges. The brunch was filled with friendship, family, and Notreminiscing.everyinternational student’s family members can travel to see them graduate. International Student Program (ISP) Manager of Host Families and Student Life Dina Castillo, known as Auntie Dina to the students, and ISP Director Nicole Oakes encouraged them to invite OCS faculty members who impacted their lives and their academic careers. Graduates Charles Gao and Darcy Wang, who are both going to the University of California, Irvine, and Jenny Yu, who will be going to the University of California, stepped up to speak not only for themselves but for their fellow graduates and friends. Gao invited his English teacher Mike Zirretta to the brunch where Gao gave a beautiful speech about how Zirretta helped him appreciate the English language. Yu dedicated her future career to studying history in college, all thanks to the impact that history teacher Connie Choi had on her.
Graduating Senior Rui Chen who will study film at the University of California, Berkeley created a heartfelt video of their senior year. As the brunch came to a close, Auntie Dina and Oakes gave farewell gifts to the seniors that included sweatshirts of the colleges they will be attending.
Xinkai “DanDan” Dan Jie “Jack” Lin Jiaxi “Kelly” Hu
Isabella Marasco Head of School Award Carlos Anguiano
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18 OAKS CHRISTIAN MISSION REPORT | 2022 artistic EXPRESSION ArtsOaksUnder the
The OCS Performing Arts Department debuted Arts Under the Oaks, a coffee house-style venue where students showcased their instrumental, original music, vocal and spoken word talents. The first event premiered in October under the sparkling market lights of the outdoor patio of the residential life dorm. Guests also enjoyed the comedic performance of the OCS Comedy Sportz Team.
VENUE DEBUTS
In addition to the debut performance in the fall, Arts Under the Oaks had three additional shows, one in December, one in February and one in May.
COFFEE HOUSE-STYLE
“We have so many wonderful performers that it would be impossible to accommodate all of them in one musical or one play. Also, the coffeehouse format is becoming more popular as we see our student musicians becoming more individualized. We are seeing a surge of singer/songwriters and music producers, but they don’t often quite ‘fit’ in the larger events or shows,” she shared.
Caleb Polaha performs. Performing Arts Chair Mary Kay Altizer with students.
The motivation behind Arts Under the Oaks came from a desire in the performing arts department to find new and different performing venues and events for students. The department already has a rich history of larger shows like the fall and spring musical and play, dance showcases, ensemble concerts and Spring Spectacular, but Performing Arts Chair Mary Kay Altizer was thinking of something more intimate, and a little less formal.
c
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Those were just some of the words to describe the process that led seven students in the Institute of Arts and Innovation songwriting pathway on an endeavor that resulted in an EP release party showcasing their work over the year.
“Songwriting is like a muscle,” shared Polaha. “Before taking this class I thought of songwriting as this thing where I had to be struck by inspiration and stay up late at night and wait for it to come, like this big sacred act. That can happen, and a lot of times it is awesome if it does. But in order to make a living, you also have to learn to turn it off and on.”
The seven students—Luke Rockney, Ellie Segal-Blackburn, Caleb Polaha, Maxwell Ross, Waverly Wildman, Hannah Lowe, and Sullivan Smith—had an opportunity to professionally record their music at New West Studios in the spring, under the guidance of Brickell-Aguilar and her husband, Daniel Aguilar, who handled the recording and engineering. The six selections were the ones that made the final cut from over 50 songs that were written over the year. At the release party students shared what they learned through the experience.
The party, held in the Bedrosian Pavilion on May 18, was a celebration of the result, but also of the growth and learning that took place during the creative process.
Spotify users can scan the link below to listen to the playlist: Apple Music users can scan the QR code below for the playlist:
“I have realized that songwriting is fun as a collaboration. I have noticed what my strengths and my weaknesses are in songwriting and how to work with other people who have opposite skills. I may not feel as confident in lyrics, but Caleb and Ellie are amazing at lyrics. So, to be able to work with people like that is a great experience,” said Rockney. For others, the class was an opportunity to step outside of their comfort zone and consider other areas they had never explored “I am very R&B. I came from a background of hip hop and soul. Through this class I was able to put myself in different categories of music genres and it was so amazing to be able to experience that,” shared Lowe. While the spotlight at the release party was on the final result, the hard work was done far from the limelight, in early morning classes under “crazy conditions” fighting lack of sleep, bleary eyes, low creative juices, and working in an “ice box” piano lab were given prompts weekly, such as the words “bus” “school” and “frosted” and had to collaborate with others to
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Studentsroom.
“This EP is just such a gift from the Lord, to have this opportunity. I don’t know of another school that is doing this with students so they can have these experiences,” said Performing Arts Teacher Cammy Brickell-Aguilar, who taught the songwriting class.
EP ShowcasesRelease Original Music Collaboration, Teamwork, Discovery
write a song from the prompt, sometimes in just 10 minutes or sometimes for a whole class period.
Songwriting students at the EP release party in the Bedrosian.
After hearing from each student and playing their music for all to enjoy, Performing Arts Chair and IAI Director Mary Kay Altizer closed the evening, reflecting on the quality of the work. “This evening has been so inspiring. The level you have written to is just beyond anything we would have ever imagined as your instructors. I am just blown away. It’s a beautiful thing to see the synergy, and see the body of Christ, who we are, and talents we have to come together and create such beauty,” she said.
“To my knowledge there is no other program like this in the country,” said O’Quinn of Damascus Road Productions. “Students at the high school level have access to industry professionals that are speaking into their future careers and mentoring the next generation of filmmakers. Among other things, this offers them a huge leg-up in the college application process.”
The IAI also works with the Institute of Engineering. Students have access to 3-D printers, design software and technology programs. Last semester, students from both institutes collaborated on Missperception and together they designed and built a rolling crane that holds a film camera and was used in the filming process. In addition to the student-led projects, institute students also can work on projects with industry professionals. During the remote learning phase of 2020, IAI students spoke into the development of a script produced by Damascus Road Productions and were also virtually on set during some aspects of filming.
The Colosseum is the second film IAI students have written, produced, directed, and edited. Last year’s film, Missperception, has already garnered over 10 awards from festivals around the country including the Los Angeles Film Awards, the Seattle Film Festival, and the San Diego International Kids Film Festival and featured a cameo by actor Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings and The Goonies).
Above: Cast and crew pop open a bottle of Martinelli’s sparkling apple juice to celebrate the end of filming at the wrap party. Right: On the set of The Colosseum.
While many high school film departments produce videos and short documentaries, The Colosseum stands apart as a student driven film from conception to opening. Few schools nationwide produce a full-length feature film completely directed, produced, filmed, and edited by high school students.
T he full-length feature film, The Colosseum, uniquely produced and directed by students in the OCS Institute of Art and Innovation (IAI) premiered in late spring as the showcase piece of the inaugural OCS Film Festival in the Bedrosian Pavilion. The film explores the issues of the price of fame and the basis for self-worth.
In addition to The Colosseum, the festival highlighted other student projects created this year such as music videos, two covers and one original song, and silent films that span comedy to dramas. Also highlighted was an award-winning documentary about clinical trials in China that has already won seven festival laurels. Capstone short films on freedom, student athletes, friendship, grief, and revenge were also featured.
In addition to Polaha, the IAI advisory council includes Grammy Winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Jimmy Jam, Alan Carter (The Voice), as well as producer/actor Ryan O’Quinn (Believe, Paul’s Promise).
Students are creating these works under the auspices of the IAI, which partners with entertainment industry professionals and some Hollywood celebrities to offer mentorship to students to accelerate their creative and professional growth. Students can concentrate on various disciplines in the arts such as vocal performance, music and film production, dance, music production, songwriting, and photography.
STUDENT INDIE FILM Explores Issues of Fame, Self-worth
“These students are creating award-winning films that are on par with anything coming out of some of the best college programs in the country,” said Kristoffer Polaha, actor (Wonder Woman 1984, Little Fires Everywhere) and IAI advisory council member. “These films highlight the creative work going on at Oaks that is preparing our students to be future leaders in the entertainment industry.”
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Scan QR Code to watch The Colosseum 2022 | OAKS CHRISTIAN MISSION REPORT 23
Inspires!Lifeline 24 OAKS CHRISTIAN MISSION REPORT | 2022
The high school visual art show Lifeline had a successful opening! The show featured high school student artwork in the disciplines of drawing and painting, graphic design, photography, ceramics, film, AP Art History, and art portfolio. This show is the pinnacle of the high school visual arts classes as hundreds of pieces of student artwork were beautifully displayed for guests to see the beauty and creativity behind each work.
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Culture
Fifteen years later, at 23, she returned to Paris on her own, this time with her very first manual camera, ready to capture the distinct visuals of Paris to create her original photographic art. Fast forward a few more years, and Seat still has her eyes and hands on the camera. As the middle school yearbook and photography teacher, she helps budding photographers learn the ins and outs of apertures, shutter speeds and composition. When not in the classroom, she continues to develop her own style. Her work has appeared in galleries in San Francisco and New York.
Amber Seat literally stumbled upon her love of photography in the most romantic city in the world. When she was in second grade, her father took the family on a business trip to Paris.
This series chronicles the lives of children who are given the responsibility to run their own world. A world where there is the potential for disaster yet a praiseworthy sense of accomplishment. Through the playful, lighthearted surface, a deeper question remains: How much responsibility is too much? Winning competitions and garnering honors mean more than accolades to Seat. She gains deep satisfaction that through art she can reach people and connect globally.
THROUGH
“None of us spoke French at all, and on one of the days that we got lost in the city, we stumbled upon a fashion photo shoot in one of the squares,” she recalled. “I fell in love with the idea of creating scenes like those made in the ancient square. There were big lights, props, a full crew of photographers, assistants, make-up artists, and models. Many young girls may have been intrigued with the models in a situation like this, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off the cameras.”
this fall to see my work hanging on the walls of a gallery and to meet and work with some of the biggest names in contemporary photography,” she said. In the spring she was awarded the 18th Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Professional Section: Children. The competition was centered around women photographers internationally, and the jurors of the competition selected four winners. Her pieces came out of her series she created for her Master of Fine Arts Project, “We’re Unable to Answer the Door.”
“Several photographers that I admire and that inspire me will also be displaying their work at the same gallery in October, when these will be displayed. I’m excited to go to Barcelona
It starts with the first time a parent leaves a child home alone with admonishments such as: Do not cook in case you burn down the house; Do not wear socks on the stairs, you will slip; Do not run with scissors; and whatever you do, DON’T ANSWER THE DrawingDOOR!from personal experiences and observations, “We’re Unable to Answer the Door” explores children’s resilience and a parent’s protective balance with giving them responsibility.
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This past year she was lauded for two significant achievements. This fall, her work will be featured at the 17th Annual Pollux Awards in Barcelona, Spain. Sponsored by the Foto Nostrum Photo Magazine and the Mediterranean House of Photography, the exhibit will debut in October 2022 in Foto Nostrum’s gallery.
“I am so honored that the message transcends language and culture,” she shared.
“My sisters and I recount childhood stories and often ask ourselves, ‘Where were our parents while we were doing this?’ I found life a thrilling adventure—too young to really understand what was going on around us—and too naive to know that maybe a five-year-old shouldn’t be cooking unsupervised. We focused on the good and escaped mostly unharmed,” she said.
Seat took a series of photographs in the fall semester titled “The Wasteland” taken at the Lake Delores abandoned water park in Barstow, CA. She submitted three from the series and was awarded honorable mention in the Street Photography Category.
Transcending PHOTOGRAPHY
Visual SweepsArtsthe Board Seat photography, top to bottom: The Doctor, The Wasteland, The Phone Call
High school visual arts students had a big year! Drawing and photography students swept the board at the “Hang with the Best” Student Art Competition sponsored by the Arts Council of the Conejo Valley. They also had a great showing at the Westlake Village Artist Guild High School Competition for juniors and seniors. It is a juried show, so the guild chose 75 pieces of art to be in the show out of hundreds of entries from local high schools. From those 75, they selected the winners!
David Hessemer’s photography students and Anna Wadman’s 2D art students submitted entries for first, second, third place wins and honorable mentions. This was OCS best overall showing for photography in this competition.
Amber
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Below: High school musical Seussical
Bradley Gosnell believes Seussical was a microcosm of how COVID forced many to slow down and notice the smaller things in life for the first time: “Seussical begins with Horton the elephant hearing a small call for help from a passing speck of dust. These last two years have brought some big challenges and changes to almost every aspect of life,” Gosnell said. “These changes forced many of us to listen to the small things in life. Like Horton, I think it is important to see the seemingly mundane with compassion, as something worth protecting.” “That and it’s a blast and a half. Seussical is a show driven by its joy and personality and that’s exactly what students brought to this production,” he Aftersaid.
After nearly a two-year hiatus, live performances returned to the OCS campus on Nov. 18 when the curtain rose on opening night for the muchanticipated high school production of Seussical. The whimsical, off-beat musical was the perfect production to kick-off the 2021-22 theatre season, and also to welcome back live shows after COVID-19 curtailed many inperson Directorshows.andProducer
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Above: High school dance production
And...We’reLive!
Seussical, other shows that also returned with live performances included: the high school winter dance showcase; the high school and middle school Christmas concerts; the middle school fall play Surviving Middle School: A Night of One Acts; the high school spring play Cyrano de Bergerac; the middle school dance production Where Dreams Come True; the middle school spring musical Madagascar; the high school spring dance production A Night at the Movies; and, the beloved Spring Spectacular City to State show.
Left: High school spring play Cyrano de Bergerac
Top: Middle school fall play High Middle Band High musical
school
Surviving Middle School Above:
Seussical
Bonanza Above:
school
school Christmas concert Top:
Top: Middle school musical Middle
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Madagascar Middle: Spring Spectacular Above:
Storytelling
Initially, he thought he could accomplish that through feature filmmaking, but when he took Andrew Christopher’s Film III class (Documentary for Social Change), he had a second epiphany. At first, he was neutral about the class. Christopher handed out guidelines and asked the students to review them. Chen dove in and after a couple of weeks his interest in documentaries was piqued and he decided he would explore that genre. He took to it like a duck to water.
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W hen Rui Chen came to Oaks Christian as a sophomore from China, his interest was in STEM, but after taking the Film I class that interest went right out the window.
Guinea Pig Documentary Wins Multiple Awards with a Cause
“After going through the hard process of research, I just fell in love with documentary filmmaking,” he shared. Chen excelled as a documentarian and by the end of the year had produced a piece about clinical trials in China. Guinea Pig has garnered seven awards and several nominations. It was showcased on the OCS campus at the film premiere.
“I took this film class, and it blew my mind,” he shared. “I was fascinated by film technique and the thought that film could be a tool to create good for some people and be an advocate for them.”
“Rui has a self-assuredness and a confidence in the way he wants his vision to play out,” said Christopher. “But he is an a-typical student in that I can pose a suggestion or say, ‘Have you thought of it this way?’ and he listens. Some students can be very protective of their work and feel vulnerable to critiques, especially if it requires them to go back and do more work, but not Rui. He does what needs to be done and never bats an eye. He definitely has a future in this.”
His interest in clinical trials came from an article he had read that questioned if volunteers were guinea pigs or were treated ethically in trials. The question intrigued him, and he asked his father, a doctor back home in China about it. The timing could not have been more perfect. His father was conducting clinical trials at Shaoxing People’s Hospital and Chen asked if he could shoot the process and interview patents.
To say that making a documentary in China is challenging would be an understatement. First, there were a myriad of legal government approvals to get through, the background checks, the updates that needed to be provided. But he was given an opportunity and a very tight window in which to complete the process: four days to be exact. He shot at Shaoxing People’s Hospital when he was home from school on Christmas break. Not only was the timeline
Click
“Being here at Oaks has been so wonderful. I have made so many friends in film class and we want to keep our communication going through college. There is a strong bond with the film students,” he said. here to view Guinea Pig
crunched, but he also had to do edits with Christopher at 2:00am China time because of the time difference. “There were many challenges to get this project done. First, just getting all the permissions because there were so many limitations. I had to write out a 15-page film schedule: what I was shooting each day, which kind of frame,” Chen said. But one thing he learned is that keeping a tight schedule doesn’t always work and that’s not a bad thing. “The shooting structure can change. Someone quits, some else joins. Accidents can change the film, but I think it makes it more wonderful, more authentic,” he said. He started the process in December 2020, but after the initial four days of filming and early/late night editing with Christopher, the extended editing time was a year. The film was completed in May 2021 but premiered in spring 2022. “I spent almost a year editing so my editing skills are what improved the most: the pacing, how to structure the story, how to give it color, all these various aspects. This helped me to become the editor of the feature film, The Colosseum,” he said. He said he also learned that not having a big budget, or having no budget, isn’t a deterrent. He spent only $89 for renting cameras and that was it. He is headed to the University of California, Berkeley to study filmmaking with his original film goals in sight. He wants to use documentaries to shine light on the human condition. “From my childhood to now, I see a dramatic change in the social classes of rich and poor. I want the documentaries I make to be a story telling tool to affect social change.”
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This summer he returns home to China and will begin thinking about his next documentary: the transition of fossil-fuel based energy, such as coal mining, to clean energy and what the human impact of that entails. As he leaves Oaks Christian, he not only takes filmmaking skills, but he also keeps his “American family.”
The celebration of the Middle School Arts Extravaganza was a night to remember! Families, faculty, and staff alike had front-row seats to witness all their students’ accomplishments throughout the school year. The event covered the talented visual arts students’ drawings and paintings, multicultural art, photography, film, 3D art, ceramics classes, and the Humanities Lab. Along with the visual arts, the incredible performing arts students from the choir, strings, band, and dancers performed small segments under the direction of their teachers.
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SOFTBALL
Athletics Comes Back with a Roar
athletic DISTINCTION
The girls’ basketball team finished off a spectacular postseason run with a 54-33 victory over Shadow Hills in the CIF Division 3A championship on Feb. 26. The championship is the second in program history and the first since the 2002-2003 season. To get to the championship, the Lady Lions had to fight their way through four tough opponents, as they defeated Diamond Bar in the first round, Chino Hills in the second round, Moreno Valley in the quarterfinals, and San Marcos in the semifinals.
The Oaks Christian softball team had one of the most dominating seasons in school history, reaching the CIF Southern Section semifinals as the number one overall seed and with a #1 California state ranking and a #3 national ranking. After an unbeaten season, the Lady Lions softball team advanced to the CIF Division 1 semifinals where they fell to Los Alamitos, 4-0, after a valiant effort. Their path to the finals came after they defeated Murietta Mesa 9-0 in a quarterfinal road game on May 19. The win was the 31st consecutive victory for the team. Pitching phenom Micaela Kastor continued to lead the team with her powerhouse performance with 13 strike outs in the Murietta match up. OCS softball beat Chino Hills 13-30 in the second round of the playoffs before taking on Murietta. Though the season finish didn’t go their way, the team can still hold their heads high. Under the guidance of Head Coach Pete Ackermann, the Lions reached a season-high national ranking of third in the country, along with many weeks sitting at #1 in the California state rankings. In their pursuit of a CIF championship, the team had an astonishing record of 31 wins and just a single loss, scoring 7.7 runs per game. They entered the quarterfinals outscoring their postseason opponents 33-3.
A Dominant Year
Shadow Hills put up a solid fight in the first half, but the Lions rode the sharpshooting of Lola Doñez and Brooklyn Shamblin to take a 27-17 lead at the half. In the second half, the Lions dominated the Knights, scoring 27 points and allowing just 16 to win the championship game by a score of 54-33. Doñez led all scorers with 15 points, and Shamblin was just behind with 13.
As semifinalists, the Lady Lions automatically qualified for CIF Southern California Division 1 regional playoffs where they won the title. After being sidelined during the COVID-19 pandemic, the OCS Lions athletic teams came back with a roar. This past year saw several stellar athletic accomplishments including two CIF state championships and two CIF regional titles, players of the year, and state player of the year, and two coaches of the year (see additional stories on following pages). Boys’ baseball and girls’ basketball captured the CIF state titles and girls softball and boys’ water polo took the CIF regional honors.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
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Coach Jack Kocur said it is more than an exclamation point at the end of this season. “It’s a big deal,” he said. “We’ve never done this before and it’s really about the culture we’ve tried to establish here. We always want to play among the very best teams. This is for all the guys who have played in this program and the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders who want to play here in the future,” he told the Ventura County Star. “This is a win for our legacy.”
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WATER POLO
The Oaks Christian School boys’ water polo team won its first regional championship Nov. 21, holding off opponent Redlands East Valley High School to win the CIF-SoCal Division 2 title with a score of 8-7.
Varsity baseball defeated La Quinta 1-0 on May 21 in the Division 3 match up to clinch the title. A one-hop throw from third base almost skirted by Jaden Onaca at first base, but the left-handed utility player made the play, securing Oaks Christian School’s second ever CIF Southern Section baseball championship.
Junior pitcher Joseph Steventon threw a six-hit shutout and allowed just one walk. He faced the most adversity in the first inning. With runners on the corners, a fly ball was hit to left field. Junior outfielder Tommy Farmer caught the ball and fired to home plate, beating the runner for the double play.
The Lions got their run in the third inning on a bases loaded walk issued to Farmer to bring in the game’s only run. The Lions went 20-11 this year, which was good for their first ever Marmonte League title, though it was a three-way tie at the top with Calabasas and Agoura. Both the Coyotes and Chargers were defeated in the first round of playoffs, with Agoura in the same division as the Lions, and Calabasas in Division 2.
Franco Scalamandre scored three goals and Michael Soybel scored two clutch goals in the final quarter for the win.
BASEBALL
Prieto, and Matt Nelson36 OAKS CHRISTIAN MISSION REPORT | 2022
The BehindTeamthe Team
L to R:
“The will to win is not nearly so important as the will to prepare to win.” Vince Lombardi Carlos Mendoza, Brandi
Mendoza is an Oaks Christian alum who graduated in 2012. He was a football player and turned a very successful prep career into a spot on Arizona State’s football team. This past year he served as the assistant strength and conditioning coach, and as a tutor in the high school. Trying to stay connected with studentathletes to help them train during COVID-19 was definitely one of his more challenging years. Much of the equipment was moved outside, and space was often shared with other programs. He and Nelson had to get creative with videos they could post online for the students to follow. As much as he could, he tried to check in with the studentathletes to see if they needed advice or just a listening ear. Through it all he saw his work as a calling above and beyond the physical training he provided, be it digitally or in person.
“The greatest satisfaction I get is from this job is the honor of knowing that I am using my God-given ability for a purpose and cause. If I can provide an opportunity for students to have deeper spiritual and emotional conversations, then that is definitely part of my method and training,” he said. Prieto is a graduate of California State University, Northridge, where she was an All-American in 2000. She still holds the record for the triple jump (44-3 1/4). She works mainly with track athletes, but also helps with a lot of the female athletes from other sports. “Brandi is fantastic,” Nelson said. “She competed at the Olympic Trials level as a track athlete. She has had more experience teaching than me or Carlos. She is so good at what she does. We call her the running guru because she can assess an athlete’s form immediately and know exactly what needs to be changed just from looking at the athlete once. Having a female strength coach on staff to work with our girls’ team is such a huge value. She gives them more confidence and empowers them to do their best.”
Nelson has built a successful team. Carlos Mendoza and Brandi Prieto were his assistants this past year, bringing their own experiences to draw on.
Vince Lombardi won two Super Bowls and five National League Football championships living by that mantra. Those words encompass the way that Matt Nelson, head strength and conditioning coach for the Oaks Christian athletic department, prepares student-athletes to compete.
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Long before the student-athletes hit the court, the field, or the pool, Nelson and his team have been working diligently behind the scenes to prepare them mentally, emotionally and physically. They work to prepare student-athletes not only to get stronger and faster, but to teach them valuable life lessons about hard work and overcoming adversity. “Taking the time to connect what you are trying to teach them with a Christian worldview or background is important. If they ask a question that is tied to strength training, it’s important to include my faith as part of the answer. I think it connects to the idea that our faith is not a result of the works that we do, but rather our works support our faith in order to make it authentic,” said NelsonNelson.comes from a strong background in physical training. After he graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in kinesiology and exercise science, he began working at Gymnazo, a gym in San Luis Obispo that specialized in blending performance and rehabilitation. “We were going to move our athletes and clients in three planes of motion: forward and backward, side to side and rotationally,” Nelson said. “We took a movement like a standard lunge and put it into those three planes. That was a new doorway for me mentally and educationally to walk through.” Basing his idea of training on strengthening the body across these three planes of motion, Nelson started at Oaks Christian as an assistant strength coach in 2015, under Jade Molina, now the middle school spiritual life director. In 2017, he took over as the head strength coach, and began to build his program with that vision. “It has been really fun to be able to grow the program and grow the relationships with teams and coaches,” Nelson said. “I was able to have a lead part in the project to design the new weight room, and that was a super valuable and enjoyable Theexperience.”newweight room, finished in May 2019, has five Hammer Strength Elite Combo Racks, 10 Olympic lifting platforms, five Flexline Bluetooth Air Pressure Towers, two Woodway selfpowered treadmills and thousands of pounds of weight. Student-athletes learn how the body moves, strengthen the movement of the body and improve their endurance and strength. With physical education programs on the decline nationwide, having a strength and conditioning program becomes even more important. Student-athletes master skills such body acceleration and deceleration, resistance training, directional efficiency, and strength and endurance to significantly reduce the likelihood of injury. There is bonding and camaraderie when teams also spend time in the weight room. But beyond the bells and whistles of a first-rate facility, Nelson strives to make the weight room a place where mentorship and faith-based values are as much a part of the environment as the bench press or the combo racks.
Having such a strong ‘team behind the team’ empowers all Oaks Christian Lions to compete with a vigor, grit and confidence.
Mathias Malaki-Donaldson, a senior on the OCS football team, concurs. “Coach Nelson is a great coach who always pushes you to do greater things in the weight room. He does a really good job of analyzing a person’s body to make sure every movement is being done in perfect form, so you don’t injure yourself. But just being inside the weight room, he’s a great person to be around mentally. He speaks very positively and is down to earth. The environment in the weight room is very inspirational,” he shared.
“I love going in the weight room in my free time,” said Ella Wiegand, a senior on the Oaks Christian girls’ water polo team. “Sometimes when I go in there, I don’t even work out. I will go in there just to talk to the trainers and coaches because they are so inviting. I have had a lot of struggles with stress while playing, and they have really helped with my leadership skills, as well as helping me calm down so I can be at my best when trying to lead others.”
“For the first time since the 2018-19 school year, we are excited to announce the winners of this year’s Commissioner’s Cup,” stated CIF Commissioner of Athletics Rob Wigod. “This competition involves the entire athletic programs at our member schools and recognizes overall excellence throughout the 2021-22 school year,” added Wigod. “Congratulations to Oaks Christian...for their success this year as our Commissioner’s Cup Champions!”
Winners of the Commissioners’ Cup are determined by a point system which provides: five points for a divisional championship; three points for a divisional runner up; two points for advancing to the semifinal round or a third-place finish on a team place-finish sport (i.e., cross country, golf, swimming & diving, and track & field) and one point for a fourth-place finish in a team placefinish sport. “Oaks Christian High School is extremely proud of the manner in which our female teams have represented the Oaks Christian athletic department and community,” said Oaks Christian School Head of Athletics Brad Cook. “Winning the 2021-22 CIF Southern Section Commissioner’s Cup is a direct reflection of the leadership of our coaches and dedication of our student-athletes. We are blessed to have such an amazing group of individuals at Oaks Christian!”
Oaks Christian School earned the Girls’ Commissioners’ Cup honors for the 2021-22 school year, the CIF Southern Section announced. This is the second time the OCS girls’ programs has earned this honor. The first time they won the Commissioner’s Cup was 2010-11. Overall, this is the fifth-ever instance of Oaks Christian earning the honor with the boys’ programs earning the Cup in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 200708. The boys’ programs took sixth in the standings for the 2021-22 school year.
Their RunnethCupOver
Girls’ Sports Win the Commissioner’s Cup
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The boys’ teams also had an impressive year, getting five points from the baseball team’s CIF championship and three points each from runner-up finishes from the football, boys’ water polo and track and field “Thisteams.recognition program is based upon comprehensive excellence in the CIF Southern Section athletic competition on for both the boys’ and girls’ sports,” said the Wigod. “The purpose of this award is to enhance the spirit of competition, sportsmanship, and goodwill among student-athletes and member schools.”
The Lady Lions had quite the impressive year. The girls’ basketball team won the CIF championship, earning five points. The soccer, volleyball and track and field teams each were runners-up, earning three points apiece. Finally, the softball team ended as semifinalists, earning two points. Altogether, the Lions had 16 points, putting them a single point ahead of the second place Foothill/Santa Ana.
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Thibodeaux joins Jimmy Clausen (Class of 2010 – Carolina Panthers), Casey Matthews (Class of 2011 – Philadelphia Eagles), Cassius Marsh (Class of 2014 – Seattle Seahawks), Jordan Payton (Class of 2016 – Cleveland Browns), Michael Pittman Jr. (Class of 2016 -Indianapolis Colts) and Colby Parkinson (Class of 2017 – Seattle Seahawks) as Lions who have been drafted into the NFL.
Thibodeaux certainly left his mark on the Oaks Christian football record book. He transferred in as a junior and totaled the most sacks in school history, with 58, including 20 in 2017, good for the second-most in a single season. He had 153 tackles in his OCS career. After a hugely successful career at Oaks Christian, Thibodeaux continued his athletic career at the University of Oregon where, over three seasons, he compiled 123 tackles, including 35.5 tackles for loss and 19 sacks. “Kayvon is a special player,” former Oregon head coach and current Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said. “Special players change programs, and that is why KT will go down as a legend in Oregon. Not only for his playing, but for the people, the community and the culture.”
NYDraftedThibodeauxtoGiants
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“I am very proud of Kayvon and where he is at this point in his career,” said Oaks Christian Football Head Coach Charlie Collins. “I think that what I am most proud of is the fact that he has stayed true to who he is and how hard he works.”
Alum Highest Draft Pick in OCS History
Oaks Christian School alumnus (Class of 2019) and former University of Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux was drafted by the New York Giants on April 28 as the 5th pick in the first round of the National Football League draft. He is the seventh Lion to be selected in the draft and is the highest selected in the school’s history.
After winning the CIF championship, the team had the opportunity to continue competing in the CIF State Regional Championship. All teams who reached the semifinals of the CIF tournament were automatically allowed to compete in the State Regional tournament. The Lions could have been content with their CIF championships but decided to keep competing as a team and have a few more games together.
This year’s championship is the second in Oaks Christian baseball history, the first since 2013, and Clayton’s first as a head coach.
Hopkins, who also served as the OCS middle school athletic director goes out on a high note. She announced her retirement shortly after the season.
KRISTY HOPKINS ROYCE CLAYTON Yearof the Coaches
OCS Girls’ Head Basketball Coach Kristy Hopkins was named 2021-22 CIF Southern Section Division 2 Coach of the Year. Hopkins, in her first year back as head coach after a sevenyear hiatus from coaching, led the Lions to their first CIF championship since 2003 and second championship overall.
GIRLS’BASEBALLBASKETBALL
“Winning the CIF championship was surreal,” Clayton said. “I really wanted to take it all in and see the guys celebrate. I really thought about the players that preceded them that set the groundwork as far as the culture that we changed in the baseball program at Oaks Christian. Although it may not be seen in past championships, the young men that came before this team set the tone as far as how we go about our business. It was very fulfilling for everybody, including guys that were able to come out to the game to watch the fruits of their labor. The fact that so many of them were able to come out and support us means a lot.”
The year was not without challenges, of course, as the team did not outright win the Marmonte League title. The Lions ended in a tie for first place with Calabasas and Agoura.
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“We are extremely proud of Kristy and how she has not only led the girls’ basketball program but served our students and school as the middle school athletic director these past few years,” said Head of Athletics Brad Cook. Hopkins came to Oaks Christian School from Cal Lutheran University, where she served as the head coach for the women’s basketball program for seven years.
Hopkins also has extensive experience in coaching golf and other sports.
Head Boys’ Baseball Coach Royce Clayton was named the 2021-22 CIF Southern Section Division 3 Coach of the Year. The boys team took the division championship title.
OCS pitching phenom Micaela Kastor was named the 2021-22 Gatorade California Softball Player of the Year. Kastor is the first ever female athlete from any sport to be chosen from Oaks Christian School as a Gatorade state player.
“Micaela was more than just the best player on our team,” said softball Head Coach Pete Ackermann. “She was a leader both on and off the field, and a stalwart supporter of all of our players. The way she went about her business was inspiring, and she made every single person around her better. She did all of this while maintaining a 4.21 GPA, and never complained about workload. There is so much to say about Micaela, and so much of what she did, she did without any expectations of praise.”
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Kastor as California’s best high school softball player. Kastor joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, including Oaks Christian’s own Malcom Jones, who won the Football State and National Player of the Year in 2010 and Marc Tyler who won the Football State Player of the Year in 2007.
In addition to her Gatorade honor, Kastor has also been nominated for USA Today Softball Player of the Year and was named the Ventura County Star Player of the Year and the Daily News Player of the Year.
In addition to her athletic achievements, Kastor also has an artistic side. She was the director of the student produced full length feature film, The Colosseum, created through the OCS Institute of Arts and Innovation. Additionally, she excelled academically. Kastor has maintained a weighted 4.21 GPA in the classroom. She signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball on scholarship at the University of Notre Dame this fall.
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Since the program’s inception in 1985, Gatorade Player of the Year award recipients have won hundreds of professional and college championships, and many have also turned into pillars in their communities, becoming coaches, business owners and educators.
KASTOR NAMED GATORADE STATE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The 5-foot-6 senior right-handed pitcher and shortstop led the Lions to a 34-1 record and the Southern California Regional Division I Tournament championship this past season. Kastor compiled a 25-1 record in the circle with a 0.60 earned run average and striking out 255 batters while allowing just 55 hits and 23 walks in 151.1 innings pitched. Ranked as the nation’s No. 27 recruit in 2022 by Extra Inning Softball, she batted .513 with 11 home runs, 40 runs scored, 39 runs batted in, and a 1.018 slugging percentage.
Kastor has volunteered as a peer tutor and with the Special Olympics. She has also donated her time locally as a youth softball coach and lifeguard.
Rao shot a 2-under 68 to earn co-medalist honors at the Northern Regional Individual Tournament at Los Robles Greens Golf Course on Oct. 27. Her 67 also shared the medal at the CIF Southern Section Division 2 team tournament on Nov. 2 at Jurupa Hills Country Club in Riverside. She shot a 2-under 70 to finish seventh at the CIF-SS Individual Championships and SCGA Qualifying Tournament on Nov. 4 at River Ridge Golf Course.
Tom Leggett
Players of the Year
Senior golfer Catherine Rao was named the Ventura County Star Girls Player of the Year. The Princeton-bound senior had the best showing of any Oaks Christian golfer at the CIF State Championship Tournament held at Poppy Hills golf course in Pebble Beach. Rao took third place in the state tournament, shooting a twounder par 69. She is ranked in the top ten of student golfers in the nation and was named the Marmonte League’s Player of the Year for the second year in a row after leading the Lions to an undefeated Marmonte League championship and then winning the individual title.
Elijah Clayton Baseball CIF State Player of the Year honors go to Elijah Clayton with a 363-batting average, 41 hits, three home runs, two triples and eight doubles, The sophomore middle infielder was at the top of the Lions lineup and delivered the punch to lead the swingers to a Marmonte league title.
An epic season ended with the county’s highest honor for senior water polo player Tom Leggett.
After leading the Oaks Christian boys’ water polo team, the attacker was named the Ventura County Star Boys Player of the Year. He has also been a member of the USA Junior National program, elevating his game. Leggett had an incredible year in the water, compiling a teamhigh 112 goals, 62 assists and 52 steals. He led the Lions to a CIF Southern Section Division 1 final game, as well as the CIF Regional Championship in Division 2.
Leggett was one of the two starting seniors on the roster, and he delivered scoring power, taking the Lions to the top with a Marmonte League championship. The team was ranked #7 in the competitive CIF Southern Section playoffs, but they knocked out #2 and #3 seeds before falling to top-tier Loyola in the final, 9-7. Leggett scored four of the seven goals in that match. The Lions then became the first team in program history to win a CIF State Southern California Regional by defeating Redlands East Valley, 8-7, in the title match. He will head to Annapolis, Maryland next year to enroll in the United States Naval Academy and continue his water polo career with the Midshipmen. His career goal is naval aviation.
Freshman guard Brooklyn Shamblin was named the CIF Southern Section Division 3A girls basketball Player of the Shamblin,Year. a USC women’s basketball verbal commit, led the Lions in scoring this year, and was instrumental in the team’s success in the postseason tournament. She scored 13 points in the championship game against Shadow Hills, and averaged 16.6 points per game over the entire postseason tournament.
Catherine Rao
Brooklyn Shamblin
Off the golf course, Rao excelled academically and artistically. She was the Class of 2022 valedictorian with a 4.79 GPA, taking over 20 AP and honors courses in four years. She was also a set painter for theatre productions, painted murals in classroom walls, and was a standout in her visual arts classes.
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After building Oaks Christian into a nationally recognized athletic powerhouse, Hethcock notified the school of his desire to “step back” while assisting the transition to the next head of “Jan’sathletics.legacy speaks for itself,” said Head of School Rob Black. “His love for God, student-athletes, all things sports-related and his colleagues has greatly influenced and enriched our program development and school culture.” He has coached well over 1,000 games in his career, including soccer for 10 years. He was selected as the Southern California Athletic Director of the year in 2014 and has been selected as CIF Women’s Soccer Coach of the year five times. His greatest joy, however, has been to coach his grandchildren. Cook joined Oaks Christian from his former post as assistant principal of athletics at Thousand Oaks High School. Prior to Thousand Oaks, he held senior athletic and administrative leadership posts at Redwater High School in Redwater, Texas, Mission Viejo High School in Mission Viejo, California and the Whitehouse Independent School District in Whitehouse, Texas.
Hethcock capped a phenomenal athletic growth trajectory. Under his leadership, the Lions earned 169 league titles, five California state championships, two Gatorade state players of the year, and launched the athletic careers of two alumni who became Olympians. “It was very exciting to be able to start a brand-new program, with about 156 students. We knew every student and it was a lot of fun. I started working with Jeff Woodcock in San Diego in the fall of 1999 even though I was not officially on the books,” Hethcock shared. “We started to put on paper what the athletic department might look like with freshmen and sophomores for the first year, and how we would build the department from there. On Feb. 1, 2000, I came on board full time. One of the best decisions I have ever made. I believe this was a move completely orchestrated by God.”
Above: Jan Hethcock, Below: Brad Cook
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A&M University, Cook holds master’s degrees from Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary (Theology) and the University of Texas (Education).
After two decades of unparalleled success as the school’s first and only athletic director (later head of athletics), Jan Hethcock handed over the reins and scaled down his role at Oaks Christian School. Hethcock remained on part time as an athletic consultant to the new Head of Athletics Brad Cook, who joined Oaks Christian on July 1, 2021.
Changing of the Guard
Currently, he is pursuing his Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership from Abilene Christian University in Texas.
Astudent-athletes.”graduateofTexas
“Brad is a skilled and seasoned athletic leader, having previously been an assistant head football coach, recruitment coach and offensive coordinator; and women’s track and field coach,” said Black. “After receiving scores of applications and interest from across the country, Oaks Christian is fortunate to have the opportunity to welcome Brad onto our leadership team. I am confident that Brad will be a significant contributor
Hethcock
Steps Down, Cook Takes the Reins to Oaks Christian’s mission of delivering a ‘Distinctive Athletics Program’ to our young men and women
HIGH SCHOOL STATS DELPHIC LEAGUE SEMI-FINALISTS Girls Cardinal Soccer Boys Gold Baseball (7th GR) Boys BoysBoysVolleyballTennisLacrosse MIDDLE SCHOOL STATS DELPHIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONS TackleBoysFootballGolf DELPHIC LEAGUE FINALISTS Boys Cardinal Baseball (8th Grade) • COACHES OF THE YEAR • Kristy Hopkins – Girls’ Basketball Royce Clayton – Baseball • CIF CHAMPIONSHIPS • Girls’BaseballBasketball • CIF RUNNERS-UP • • CIF STATE REGIONAL • CHAMPIONSHIPS Boys’SoftballWaterPolo • MARMONTE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS • • LEAGUE MVP • Micaela Kastor, Softball • PLAYERS OF THE YEAR • Micaela Kastor - Softball Catherine Rao - Golf Elijah Clayton - Baseball Brooklyn Shamblin - Girls’ Basketball Tom Leggett - Boys’ Water Polo Girls’SwimBaseballBasketballandDive Girls’Girls’SoftballSoccerGolf Girls’ Soccer Boys’ Water FootballPolo 2022 | OAKS CHRISTIAN MISSION REPORT 45
Dinner auction guests enjoy the evening. Chicago performed their hits live.
Gala Evening was
“It was amazing to have so many of our community together again, with an opportunity for face-to-face fellowship,” said Chief Development Officer Eddie Moore. “The event was an incredible success in many ways. The highlight for me was the generosity displayed by everyone in the room, from sponsors to volunteers, to board members, all centered around the OCS mission and impacting the students of today and the future!”
The biggest moment of the evening was the live announcement by Head of School Rob Black that the OCS Board of Trustees has approved for the expansion of Oaks Christian into a TK–12 grade school (see story on page 6).
advancing
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After a two-year hiatus that included a cancelled dinner auction, and a virtual one due to COVID-19, the OCS community celebrated the return of an in-person gala in a big way! Over 800 guests enjoyed an upscale evening at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley on March 26. Themed “You’re the Inspiration,” and featuring the Grammywinning band Chicago, the event exceeded expectations. The inspiring evening raised a preliminary of $1.3 million through silent, online, and live auctions, sponsorships, and ticket sales. The online auction itself netted $300,000, a new OCS online auction record!
Dinner auction gala was characterized by smiles and fun. Emcee John O’Hurley and wife, Lisa. Paul Anka performs.
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The evening was emceed by actor and OCS parent John O’Hurley and featured the legendary singer/songwriter Paul Anak with a special rendition of “My Way” tweaked just for the OCS community. OCS performing arts students and visual arts students set the mood with their music and arts as guests entered to check in. The cocktail hour included the silent auction on the mezzanine floor and guests were able to bid on beautiful jewelry, sports items and memorabilia, vacation experiences, and other fabulous items. And back for another year was the dynamic Jim Nye, auctioneer extraordinaire who pleaded, pressured, and prodded guests to open up their wallets and support the school’s mission through the live auction. The three biggest live auction items were: a date night extravaganza for $16,000; a Goldendoodle puppy for $12,000, and a trip to the famed Pebble Beach with golf at Spanish Bay for $25,000. Chicago thrilled the audience as they played many of their classic hits such as “Saturday in the Park,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?” and of course, the evening’s theme “You’re the Inspiration.”
an Inspiration!
OAKS
Annual fund gifts make the most immediate impact in the life of the school because they are used in the year they are given.
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The Annual “One Oaks” Fund is the foundation of fundraising at Oaks Christian. Like other independent schools, unrestricted gifts provide critical resources for students, programs and teachers not covered by tuition. These gifts allow the forwardthinking and continuous improvement that is expected at a school the caliber of Oaks Christian. CHRISTIAN SCHOOL VILLAGE, CA
The “One Oaks” Annual Fund will support the needs and priorities of the school each year and ensure excellence in ALL of our programs including academics, arts, and Advancementathletics. of Oaks Christian School is a community-based effort to ensure annual funding for our outstanding programs, amazing teachers and the future of Christian education. Annual donations impact every area of the school. We work to build trust and partnership with our parents.
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Make a Gift VISIT www.oakschristian.org/support CALL 818.575.9204 CONTACT Chief Development Officer Eddie Moore at emoore@oakschristian.org SUPPORTING ONE CHRISTIANOAKS
