Legacy Lions Lauded

Cameron Hall Charlotte White Irisa Masino Abby Riggle Reagan Henthorn

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. 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. 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. 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. “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.

Original Academy V Students Graduate

Carson Henthorn Stephan Beach Owen Tross Alexander Henson

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. 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.

“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

Is there a doctor in the house?

Well, 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 laws.

“The 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 uncertainty.

“This had a profound 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 warriors.

“I was willing 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.

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.

“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 said.

He 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.

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.

“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.”

Team members from the Catch project celebrate their win.

EntrEprEnEurs ImprEss!

Entrepreneurship 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 businesses.

With the establishment 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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

Kristin Bell:

Igniting Entrepreneurs

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.

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.

“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 entrepreneurship.

“Sometimes, I meet 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. “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!”

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.

“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.

“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.”

As an educator, she enjoys helping entrepreneurs succeed.

“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.

Oaks 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.

“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. She also applauded this particular class for their “superpower” of resilience, having completed their high school years during COVID-19 and achieving despite obstacles.

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.

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

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 Isabella Marasco

Head of School Award Carlos Anguiano

Original Dorm Residents Graduate

Xinkai “DanDan” Dan Jie “Jack” Lin Jiaxi “Kelly” Hu

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 summer.

DanDan 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 reminiscing.

Not every international 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.