Cadets Magazine | Fall 2023

CADETS

a word from...

“Jesus said, ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.’” John 15:5

This past August we opened our academic year under the theme “Connected, with Christ at the Center.” In this theme based upon John 15, we recognize that Christ first connects us to Himself, adopting us as His dearly loved children, redeeming and appointing us as citizens of heaven. Empowered by the Spirit, we have the opportunity to “bear fruit” in connection with and in service to all people.

On behalf of our board of directors, faculty, and staff we are so thankful for the faithful commitment to excellent Christian education that our association congregations and community expresses. Our church body, the LCMS, operates the largest Protestant parochial school system in America. Concordia Lutheran High School is an example of our community’s enduring dedication to preparing the next generation for their vocational callings in life and their citizenship in heaven.

We celebrate growth! We welcomed 195 freshmen this fall, growing our school's enrollment by 6.6%. This trend looks to continue as we project future enrollment growth based on our community’s demographics and the strength of our Lutheran elementary schools. We also rejoice in the talented and dedicated new faculty and staff who have joined our team this year. God continues to provide for our high school in remarkable ways.

We look to our future! Concordia’s leadership has been engaged in strategic planning related to our school’s mission, vision, and campus facility master planning at our current location at 1601 St. Joe River Drive. We are currently developing goals and strategies to best support our students and staff, increase sustainability, and create spaces that best support learning. As we come to the close of our discovery phase to produce a right-sized and executable campus master plan, we enter a season of prayerful deliberation. God has big plans for Concordia!

Since 1935, CLHS has been a beacon of God’s love and forgiveness in our community. While many aspects of education have changed over the past eight decades, the timeless peace of Christ continues to fill our hallways and classrooms. Jesus’s message of reconciliation remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is that commitment to sharing the Gospel with our students and families that is launching us into an exciting time for our high school.

May the Lord bless and keep you and our entire Concordia family. With Christ at the center, we move forward into this academic year connected through faith and empowered to serve one another with joy and love.

Go Cadets!

Leaning on Jesus,

Jacob Pennekamp HEAD OF SCHOOL

Fall 2023 | Vol. 32 | Issue 1

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Jacob Pennekamp ’92

PRINCIPAL

Patrick Frerking

CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

Matthew Konow ’91

MAGAZINE EDITOR

Brent Childers

MAGAZINE DESIGNER

Julie Babb

MAGAZINE PRODUCTION ARTIST

Robert Dollens

ADVANCEMENT STAFF

Wendy Bentz Director of Development Services

Greg Rehberg ’74 Director of Alumni and Donor Relations

Jenny (Hallien) Grisez ’93 Development Coordinator

Dawn Schuller Director of Admissions & Retention

Isabel Braun Grant Writer

CLHS MISSION

Concordia Lutheran High School pursues Christ-centered educational excellence that equips individuals for lifelong learning and service as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Concordia Lutheran High School 1601 St. Joe River Drive Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805 www.clhscadets.com

Connected … with Christ at the Center!

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year, the 89th year that Concordia is serving our Fort Wayne community through education and service, with Christ as our foundation and salvation!

We are blessed and have much to be thankful for including a terrific student body and faithful, hard working faculty and staff. This year’s school theme is from John 15:5 where Jesus tells his disciples (and the rest of us), “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” To be abundant with fruit the grape plant must first have deep roots in healthy soil. Jesus cheers us on to be rooted in Him, His word, now and for eternity.

In this edition of Cadets Magazine we highlight alumni who continue to be the fruit, vine, and soil of our school community, particularly in our Fine Arts and Athletic programs. I often refer to our Fine Arts, Athletics, and JROTC programs as “Concordia’s Youth Group”given the deep healthy relationships formed with the maturation of faith as its fruit. Thank you and well done!

Through the Holy Spirit we witness the awesome work and blessings of our alumni in exciting and thoughtful ways, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I am grateful for the faithful influence of Concordia alumni who are members of our awesome faculty and staff: Jenny (Keck) Beights, Phil Brackmann, Karolyn (Davis) Dillman, Mark Dolde, Rev. Ted Hoham, Karen Johnson, Andy Klage, Nancy (Wietfeldt) Koehler, Mark Koehlinger, Matt Konow, Betsy Ladwig, Kevin Macke, Stephanie Marks, Chris Murphy, Kim Nash, Jacob Pennekamp, Jennifer (Reynolds) Porath, Greg Rehberg, Gary Reinking, Tim Reinking, Debbie Schumm, Olivia Wellman, and helping with substitute teaching when asked are Sgt. Al Conrad, Paul Faulkner, Dean Doerffler, Pam (Eastman) Rusher, Kurt Saloman, Kurt Schmidt, Thanks be to God!

I know you will enjoy reading about our alumni stories, their mission and ministry in His name, in this issue.

Enjoy, and go Concordia!

Patrick Frerking PRINCIPAL

Every athlete has to overcome different obstacles and adversities to find success in their sport.

Every athlete has to overcome different obstacles and adversities to find success in their sport.

Zach Panning, a 2014 graduate of Concordia Lutheran High School, had a difficult journey to where he is now, but now he has an excellent opportunity to earn a spot on Team USA at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics as he trains for the Olympic Trials which will be occurring in February 2024.

Zach began his running career in grade school. He was a hockey player and decided to try something new with running. Both of his parents, also Concordia graduates (‘88), ran in high school which influenced him to begin his running career. It was very tough at first, and at one of the earlier races of the seasons, Panning finished in last place. That did not stop him from continuing to improve. His training on the LutheRun middle school team positioned him to start strong as a freshman at Concordia. During this time, he had mainly been focusing on hockey, but he quit in high school and started to enjoy running more and more. One of his earliest 5K times as a freshman was 19:11.40 and by the time he was a senior, his fastest race

time was 15:18.40, the school record at Concordia. That is almost a one-minute improvement each year, though his first couple of years saw the most significant improvement of times.

By the time he was a senior, he was ranked number one in the state of Indiana. That same year at the state championship meet, Zach ended up being in first place for most of the race. With 200 meters or so left in the race, he had a 100-meter lead over the second-place runner, and was charging toward an incredible time. It looked like Zach was going to be the state champion; however, his body started to shut down and he collapsed. He tried to get up and fell, and got up again…and fell yet again.

He did finish the race but was in 22nd place by the time he crossed the finish line. The top 20 finishers receive medals and are named as All-State runners. In his interview after the race, he told the interviewer God knew the race he ran that day would have a greater impact on people than his winning the race. Panning is a very faithful man and didn’t let this unfortunate race and what could have been a large disappointment his senior year affect him. He trusted that God had bigger plans for him and he ended up continuing his running career at Grand Valley State University. His

success kept progressing and he had a very successful career while he was at the university level, making a huge impact for the team, not just as a runner, but as a Christian light to his teammates.

Once he graduated, he decided to run for Hansen-Brooks Original Distance Project, which is who he is running for to this day. He has had a very successful career. At the Budapest Marathon in August 2023, he was the top

American finisher and 13th overall. This puts him in a great position to qualify for the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024. He is currently training for a marathon that will take place in Orlando in February 2024 which will decide if he runs in the Olympics. Panning spoke at Concordia on November 7th and shared his incredible story; not only as an accomplished athlete, but also as a dedicated Christian.

By Vaughn Hendrickson, Class of 2024

Campus Master Planning Process Update

In 2018 Concordia's leadership made the steadfast decision to remain at 1601 St. Joe River Drive, cementing our place as an anchor in the Fort Wayne community and providing us the best opportunity to serve our current neighborhood, our Lutheran churches, and student community.

Embracing the decision to remain and invest on our current campus required fully recognizing the costs associated with aging facilities and developing a strategic plan that best leverages the opportunities in front of us. This has been the current work of our discovery and feasibility process to date.

Concordia’s future is an exciting one! It is a future to be defined by the careful stewardship of our resources, enduring commitment to excellence in Christian education, and striving to create a Christ-centered future for generations of students to come. The opportunity before us to create major improvements to our campus responds to a set of principles that we believe embody the CLHS experience; what sets us apart and what makes us special under God's leadership for his church and people.

We are at an exciting moment in our history where an investment in our campus will not only serve our

current students, but future students for decades to come. Through much hard work and commitment by alumni, students, staff, committed community members, school leadership and our trusted design and construction partners, we believe in the possibilities that are embodied in the new vision for our campus master plan being developed.

The time has come for our high school to embrace a new future of Christian education through a clear master plan focused on providing the highest-quality student experience rooted in the timeless message of salvation won for us in our Savior, Jesus Christ. God has brought us to this time and place according to His plan.

After receiving stakeholder feedback received at town hall meetings held in November, Concordia’s leadership is in process of finalizing a fully developed strategic plan that includes aggressive initiatives to renovate and reimagine our current campus. Please hold Concordia’s leaders in prayer and look for your opportunity to learn more in the spring of 2024.

If you were unable to attend one of the town hall meetings and would like to express your thoughts about the future of our high school, please email Jacob Pennekamp at jpennekamp@clhscadets.com and Matt Konow at mkonow@clhscadets.com.

Estate Planning Opportunities

CLHS was awarded a multi-year grant from The Lutheran Legacy Foundation last Fall to contract with SFC Estate Coaching to provide FREE consultation with our families, staff, and alumni. This award covers 90 sessions over the course of three years, and makes clients “attorney ready”. Since the program began a year ago, twenty-eight

members of Cadet Nation have utilized this FREE service. Craig Mellendorf makes the process smooth, hassle-free, and easy to understand. We are currently planning the dates that Craig will be here in Fort Wayne during 2024. You can scan this QR code to schedule a Zoom meeting with Craig.

2023 Athletic HALL OF FAME

THE CONCORDIA LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME AWARDS, RECOGNIZES, AND HONORS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS OF ATHLETES, COACHES, AND OTHERS WHO HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AND HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN PROMOTING THE GROWTH OF ATHLETICS AT CONCORDIA LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL.

ANDREA (NEWBAUER) GLASS BASKETBALL AND SOCCER

Andrea (Newbauer) Glass, a 2010 CLHS graduate, was a two-year varsity letter winner in soccer and a four-year varsity letter winner in basketball. As a basketball player, she scored more than 1,000 career points and was a member of the junior and senior Indiana All-Star teams. In addition, she was a three-time member of the All SAC Conference Team, a 2010 McDonald’s All-American nominee, All Northeast Indiana Basketball First Team, Class 3A State Champion, 2010 IBCA Girls All-State Senior Team, and 2009 IBCA Girls All- State Underclass Team.

Following graduation from Concordia, Glass played four years as a scholarship player for the Indiana University Women’s Basketball team and earned a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. She then earned a second degree in physical therapy from the University of Indianapolis. Glass currently works as a licensed physical therapy assistant at Forte Sports Medicine and Orthopedics in Carmel, Indiana where she helps athletes recover from sports-related injuries and surgeries. Andrea is married to Justin who is a medical sales rep and they have a seven year old mini labradoodle named Griffey. In her spare time, Andrea enjoys coaching workout classes at the CrossFit gym where she is also a member. She and her husband love to travel and visit new places in addition to spending time with family.

Her fondest memory at Concordia was winning the state championship at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

NEIL GREPKE BASEBALL, FOOTBALL, AND WRESTLING

Neil Grepke, a 1989 graduate, was a multi-sport athlete at CLHS participating in baseball, football and wrestling. In baseball, he was part of the 1989 final four run. In addition, he was given the L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award, was First Team All SAC, and was recognized as the most improved player his junior and senior years. He later went on to play baseball for Concordia, Ann Arbor.

Grepke, who holds a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, is heading into his 27th year in Lutheran education. He first served as an English teacher, then as an administrator and now as a theology teacher at Faith Lutheran School in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is the largest Lutheran school in the United States. During his career he has had the opportunity to coach baseball, softball, football, track and wrestling at the high school level.

Neil and his wife Sarah have been married for 28 years and have three children: Jonah, 23, a Senate policy advisor, Claudia, 20, a nursing student and volleyball player at Concordia, Ann Arbor, and Isaiah, 17, a senior in high school who is a multisport athlete and also the drum major in the band.

Neil continues to engage with baseball as a fan and a coach. He and his family enjoy hiking and tennis as well as playing board games. Grepke has also recorded two albums of original contemporary worship music.

RONALD HOLMES (POSTHUMOUS) ASSISTANT BOYS BASKETBALL COACH

Ronald Holmes joined Concordia athletics in the early 1980s. He spent more than 30 years as a part of the Cadet family.

He had previously served in the United States Marine Corps for more than 25 years and saw three tours of duty in Vietnam for which he received a Purple Heart. While at Concordia, he was an assistant coach and interim head coach of the boys basketball program. In addition to his duties at Concordia, Holmes earned his master’s degree in education and taught at South Side High School for 25 years. He was also one of the main organizers of the Summer Basketball League for Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation.

Holmes was married to his wife Claire (Cookie) for 42 years and they have three children, Terry, Joyce and Michelle. Additionally they have 11 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

He enjoyed reading, following all kinds of sports, preparing curriculum for his classes and coaching and mentoring students. He truly enjoyed being a part of the coaching team, and valued the close friendships he developed beyond the court. With every team he coached, he cherished watching them show improvement and found having a role in that improvement to be very rewarding.

DAVID MILLER GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL COACH

David Miller coached varsity girls basketball for 18 years. During his coaching tenure he amassed 299 wins, nine sectional championships, three regional championships, two semi-state and two state championships.

Miller taught for 39 years, 10 of which were for the Lutheran school system. He has been married for 48 years to his wife Deb and they have two sons, Josh and Jason, as well as four grandchildren.

His fondest memories of Concordia are the loyalty of the coaches and players as well as the great support from the administration. He enjoyed being around players, working with them and seeing them improve as a team and as individuals.

The advice that he would give to current teachers, coaches and students is inspired by Proverbs 3:6 - In everything you do, put God first and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

BRIGITTE SLACK VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL, SWIMMING, AND TRACK AND FIELD

Brigitte Slack is a 2004 graduate of Concordia. She was a multi-sport athlete at CLHS participating in volleyball, basketball, track and swimming.

In volleyball, she was part of multiple SAC Championships and won sectional championships all four years she was on the team. Her senior year, she was part of a regional championship, went to semi-state, and finished on the state runner-up team. Slack won multiple first team honors as well as the Glass Spike Award during her high school volleyball career. She was also selected to the Indiana All-Star team her junior year and awarded the area Player of the Year award her senior year. As a swimmer, Brigitte was named the most improved swimmer her junior season.

Following graduation from Concordia, Brigitte attended the University of Alabama where she continued her volleyball career. She then went on to play volleyball professionally for teams in the top league in Germany. During that time, Slack won multiple player of the game awards. During her final season in Denmark, she received MVP of the match six times and won the Setter of the League award. Following her time overseas, Slack coached at The United States Military Academy at West Point.

Brigitte, now an athletic director at Hillel Academy in Tampa, has an eight year old daughter named Harlow and enjoys challenging herself by running marathons, learning foreign languages, and competing in fitness competitions.

ISABEL BRAUN

Isabel graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor's degree in English. She has many years of experience writing and editing, and serves as a judge for the Scholastic Writing Awards. She enjoys reading, running, and spending time with her animals.

Isabel is the new Grant Writer at CLHS.

BRENT CHILDERS

Brent Childers started as the marketing and communications coordinator at CLHS in 2023. He was previously the communications coordinator for Lutheran Health Network. He also served as the station manager at College TV Fort Wayne located at Purdue University Fort Wayne. During his time there, he helped to oversee the relaunch of the cable access television station which had been shut down in 2019.

Brent spent nearly nine years at Purdue University in West Lafayette as a multimedia producer. While in this position his work was seen nationally on outlets including Big Ten Network, FOX Business and other media networks.

He holds degrees in telecommunications and public relations management from Indiana University. He enjoys spending time with his wife Meg and their daughter. In his free time, Brent enjoys acting, reading and traveling with his family.

KATIE KAUFFMAN

Katie Kauffman joined the faculty as the Women’s Physical Education & Health Teacher in Fall 2023. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Bluffton University and a Transition to Teacher degree from Taylor University. She previously taught at Central Noble Middle/High School (PE and Health) and was the Freshman Girls’ Head Volleyball Coach/Varsity Assistant Volleyball Coach and Girls’ Varsity Assistant Basketball Coach. She taught for one year at Tippecanoe Valley Middle School (PE and Health) and was the 6th Grade Girls’ Head Volleyball Coach and 6th Grade Girls’ Head Basketball Coach. For the past three years, she has taught at Lighthouse Christian Academy in Bloomington, Ind. (Pre-K through 12th Grade PE and High School Health) and was the JV/Varsity Girls’ Head Volleyball Coach, 7th/8th Grade Girls’ Assistant Basketball Coach, and Middle/High School Assistant Track Coach. She has also been a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, strength and conditioning coach, and certified nutritionist for about the last ten years.

She enjoys fishing, hiking, spending time outside, spending time with family, working out, and cleaning and organizing. She is originally from Fort Wayne as she graduated from Blackhawk Christian School in 2008.

DANI KIEFER

Dani Kiefer is the teacher and advisor for the yearbook staff. When she’s not teaching yearbook, she’s a freelance graphic designer, illustrator, and fine artist.

She received a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design and photography from the University of Saint Francis in 1999. Upon graduation, she moved to Chicago and began designing exhibits and marketing materials for the Field Museum of Natural History. Dani continued her career in Chicago at the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Lincoln Park Zoo where her brand design for the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo was awarded first place by the American Association of Museums.

Dani has also been an art teacher at Emmanuel St. Michael Lutheran School for grades four through eight.

“My approach to teaching is to build a strong team where everyone has an important role to contribute. Yearbook is different from other classes in that it is not just about a grade but a final finished product. It is the largest group project at Concordia this year.”

ANDY KLAGE

Andy Klage joined the faculty as our new Social Studies Teacher in Fall 2023.

Andy is a 2019 graduate of CLHS, who came to Concordia through Lutheran South Unity School. He graduated this spring from Indiana UniversityBloomington with a degree in Secondary Social Studies Education. He is currently engaged (Amanda) and is getting married next summer.

In his spare time, he enjoys exercising, watching sports, trying new foods, reading a mix of classics and science-fiction, and consuming any and all Star Wars media. He is a major New York Giants and Yankees fan, and also cheers on the Indiana Hoosiers football and basketball teams.

BEV MCINTOSH

Mrs. McIntosh is Administrative Assistant to the Principal. She previously worked as Administrative Assistant to the Head of School at Lutheran High School of Indianapolis. Bev grew up in the Fort Wayne area and attended St. John (Flatrock) Lutheran Church and grade school. After graduating from Manchester College with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work 32 years ago, she moved to Indianapolis with her husband, Lyle. She and Lyle have one daughter, Emma. She has returned to Fort Wayne to be closer to Emma and extended family. Bev enjoys being outdoors in nature, spending time with family and friends, traveling, and attempting to be crafty.

JON MITCHELL

Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Jon Mitchell joined the faculty in Fall 2023 as a JROTC Instructor. He previously worked at Warsaw Community High School as a JROTC Assistant Instructor. There, he coached the Drill and Color Guard Teams. He previously worked as a Human Resources Director and also worked as the Brigade Command Sergeant Major for the Indiana Army National Guard. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Management from Trine University and a Master of Science degree in Human Resources Management from Indiana Wesleyan University. He has an adult son named Justin and a Silver Lab named Kobe. He enjoys to walk/run/bike the local trails. He is a partner at Holy Cross.

HANNAH MUNDT

Hannah Mundt joined the faculty in Fall 2023 as an English Teacher. She is a 2023 graduate of Concordia University Nebraska with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education (English Language Arts) and a Bachelor of Arts in English. She also holds a Lutheran Teacher's Diploma. She is originally from Kansas City, MO and enjoys visiting her family (including her parents and one younger sister). She enjoys reading, playing board games, exploring outdoors, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

KATHRYN PEPERKORN

Kathryn Peperkorn joined the faculty as the Choral Director for the 2023-24 school year. She graduated with an education degree from Concordia University Nebraska after doing her student teaching at Concordia Lutheran High School and Holy Cross in Fort Wayne in 1993. Her first call was teaching choir and band and drama at Dallas Lutheran High School. In 1995, she married Todd Peperkorn and moved to Fort Wayne while Todd finished at the Seminary. During this time, Kathryn taught at Holy Cross while finishing her master’s degree in vocal performance.

Following graduate school, she taught as an adjunct professor at IPFW, taught voice at Carthage College, and sang with the Chicago Opera Theatre, Milwaukee Opera Theatre, and Florentine Opera where she was part of the Grammy winning cast recording of Elmer Gantry. During that time, she also began her summer opera company South East Wisconsin Performing Arts. This group for high school and college students grew from 7 to 150 performers in 7 years, performing 6 operas each summer.

All four of the Peperkorn children, Renata, Isabella, Richard (CLHS senior) and Beata (CLHS sophomore) were born while they lived in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In 2011, the Peperkorn family moved to Rocklin, California. There, she started choirs, directed musicals at their school, had a private voice studio, and taught as a public elementary music teacher. In 2021, they moved to Fort Wayne when her husband, Rev. Dr. Peperkorn received a call to teach at Concordia Theological Seminary. Mrs. Peperkorn began teaching music at Suburban Bethlehem Lutheran School, and in her private studio.

KAYLA SPRAYUE

Kayla Sprayue joined the Concordia faculty as a Media Arts Teacher in Summer 2023. She is an Emmy award-winning filmmaker with a Master's in Documentary Filmmaking from the University of Sussex and a Bachelor's in Video Production from Ball State. After several years spent studying, teaching, and creating in England and South Korea, she returned home to Indiana to pursue a career in education. In her free time she enjoys photography, Kpop, and playing with her two cats, Momo & Shay.

MICHELLE TOWLER

Michelle Towler recently moved to Indiana from Georgia. Michelle spent several years as the chief financial officer at their family-owned electrical contracting company. Michelle describes herself as a classically trained chef and a certified sweet tooth.

Her career in culinary arts started at her privately owned company as a licensed home baker, designing beautiful custom cakes and pastries. The passion for cake decorating led her to become a Certified Wilton Method Instructor to other aspiring bakers in the area. She earned a Certificate of Baking and Pastry Art from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and started teaching French pastry classes both online and in her home.

She then added to her credentials an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts from Helm’s College in Augusta graduating summa cum laude, as the class Valedictorian.

She is a national member of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and has earned a Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC) certification. She also holds certifications from the National Restaurant Association (NRA) in ServSafe Instructor & Exam Proctor, Manage First Instructor and ServSafe Food Protection Manager. Additional memberships include National Technical Honor Society and Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

Her goal is to teach aspiring students the same lessons she mastered through the years of formal culinary training – all while having tons of fun!

OLIVIA WELLMAN

Olivia Wellman is a 2013 Concordia alumni, excited to be back in the building ten years later as our Admissions Counselor. After high school, Olivia went on to study finance and operations at the IU Kelley School of Business, graduating in 2017. It was an easy choice to go into a math-related degree after her favorite senior year class: AP Calculus with Mr. Habegger at Concordia.

She has traveled the country quite a bit with her previous employer, Raytheon, living in Indianapolis, Texas, and Colorado. It was her dream to get back to Northeast Indiana as most of her family is from the area. The full circle moment of starting a career back at the high school that gave her so many opportunities feels like a gift from God.

Her hobbies include running for miles, training her one-year old Rottweiler, and planning her May 2024 wedding to her fiance, Anthony Wickey. She feels grateful to be back in the maroon and white because once a Cadet, always a Cadet.

Finding Purpose Through Koinonia Service Day

IMath & Theology Instructor and Koinonia Coordinator Mark Dolde discusses finding purpose in Koinonia groups and service to the community.

f a picture is worth a thousand words, what does the attached chart say about Concordia’s annual Service Day on Friday, September 29?

Before going any further, allow me to provide some background information. All Concordia students meet weekly in a Koinonia* group. Each of these 51 groups consists of approximately three students from each grade level (12 total), along with an adult mentor. Throughout the First Quarter of the school year every group plans the details of their own group’s Service Day experience: choosing where they work, what they do for lunch, how they spend the remaining time to grow closer together.

1. A few last-minute issues resulted in major changes for several groups.

2. It is not uncommon for a work site to underestimate what 12 high school students can accomplish in our goal of three hours of service.

Our goals for this service learning experience are to…

1. Serve others in love

2. Deepen relationships with each member of the group

3. Be ready to share the faith.

With this in mind, let’s revisit the chart. For Goal #1, we knocked it out of the park: 45 of 46 Koinonia groups that responded agreed: “We served others in love.” Goal #2 is not far behind: 44 out of 46 Koinonia groups agreed that their group “worked well with each other” AND “grew closer as a result of this experience.” Amazing!

The last two bar graphs above include some red and blue responses of “disagree.” This is understandable based on these two factors:

As the coordinator for Service Day, I am proud of each group that faced major changes to their schedule. What is notable is that the students of these groups wanted to serve their planned work sites; it was the circumstances that dictated a change. Still, much was accomplished at or near Concordia by these hard-working students.

In closing, allow me one anecdote from Service Day 2023: A group’s plans changed when their planned work site had to cancel due to a water leak. A student in the group was able to arrange for some yard work and possibly painting and moving furniture at a residence through her church as part of their outreach. When the group arrived, the task seemed insurmountable. They definitely had enough work to do for the day, and when it was time to leave there was still so much more that remained unfinished. The next week the group learned that the family they served was deeply impacted by the effort given. Here’s what the church contact shared:

“From 9 to noon these kids dug out trees, plants, helped remove carpet tack strips and scrubbed the floors. They moved boxes and blessed us so much. They worked so hard.

We are overwhelmed with the massive amount of work they accomplished. As they left some of us were wiping our eyes because it was just beautiful. [We are] moved by seeing these strangers show up and serve our family.” She declared, “It's a sign that we need to go back to church.”

She wanted to know where [the student who arranged this goes] to church because those are the types of people she wants to get to know.

We all said, she goes to our church. Then she said, “then WHY AREN'T WE GOING? So, I think we are going back to church.” The student who had arranged the work at the

home confirmed, “The family has now been going to church. This includes Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma and all the kids.”

Praise God for working through this school for His glory.

In His service,

Mark Dolde

KOINONIA COORDINATOR

*Koinonia, the Greek word for fellowship, is our school’s student-led small group ministry.

Embracing Growth and Diversity:

A Fresh Perspective on Concordia's Freshman Class

In the pages of this edition of Cadets Magazine, we shine a spotlight on Concordia Lutheran High School's burgeoning spirit, encapsulating the essence of growth and diversity that defines our community. The Class of 2027 not only represents an impressive 6.6 % increase from the previous year but also stands as a testament to the varied backgrounds and experiences that enrich our school.

Numerical Flourish:

This academic year, Concordia welcomes a 6.6 % growth in our freshman class, a clear indication of the expanding appeal and reputation of our high school. The halls are now filled with 195 fresh faces, each contributing to the vibrant tapestry of student life. This increase reflects the trust families place in our commitment to providing an exceptional high school experience.

Association Church Influence:

Demographic Tapestry:

Within our freshman class, we celebrate a rich diversity of backgrounds and perspectives, creating an environment that mirrors the real-world mosaic. With a diversity rate of 24.4%, Concordia remains a place where students from various cultural and socio-economic backgrounds come together to learn, grow, and form lasting connections.

Feeder School Connections:

An impressive 87% of our freshmen this year come from Lutheran schools, establishing a strong connection and continuity within our Concordia family. This statistic not only speaks to the loyalty of our feeder school communities but also highlights the seamless transition students experience as they embark on their high school journey.

A significant 51.8% of our freshmen hail from our Association Churches, underlining the integral role these institutions play in shaping the character and values of our student body. The partnership between Concordia and our Association Churches is a cornerstone in fostering a supportive community that extends beyond the classroom. As the Director of Admissions, witnessing the growth and diversity within the freshman class is a source of immense pride. Concordia remains committed to providing a transformative high school experience, and the Class of 2027 exemplifies the bright future ahead. We look forward to nurturing these young minds, fostering a sense of community, and preparing them for success beyond our school walls.

By Dawn Schuller DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS & RETENTION Concordia Lutheran High School

PAYING IT FORWARD AND BACK...

This edition of Cadets Magazine features a group of unsung heroes: Assistant coach alumni who have returned to their alma mater to invest in the next generation of Cadets the way they were invested in during their time at our high school.

ALLIE BENNETT GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Entering college, I had an excellent educational foundation that I felt set me apart from many of the other students in my college classes. As a student athlete I was able to succeed while taking 18 credit hours during a season and I attribute a lot of that to my education at Concordia. From a social perspective, I knew who I was. I knew what things were important to me, my faith, my family, and my values. That moral compass and confidence was beyond important as I went out on my own.

I made lifelong friendships at Concordia. Some of my closest friends today were my high school classmates, and my husband Aaron Bennett is also a Concordia Alum.

It was an easy decision for me to come back to Concordia to coach. Concordia feels like home to me. My first season was in 2013. My sister, Grace, was on the team and I was able to coach alongside my mom and biggest mentor, Trish Miller. That first year we were State Runner-up.

I love the opportunity to give back each and every day. We spend so much time teaching and talking to our players about their faith, work ethic, taking the high road, leadership, and communication. While we are always striving to become better on the court, I hope those lessons are what they take with them as they go out into the world.

Volleyball has always been a big part of my life. I love sharing my love of the game with our athletes. I know many of them pursue the sport the same way that I did as a high school athlete. It is great being able to share my experience with them and encouraging them to accomplish their goals.

I believe in the mission of Concordia Lutheran High School, and I am grateful to all of the people in my life that gave so much to me during my time there as a student. It's beyond rewarding to be able to come back and have the opportunity to make a difference in these kids' lives.

JORDAN BUSCH

BOYS SOCCER

Concordia challenged me in my academics, which prepared me well for college and into my young career. More importantly, Concordia created a firm foundation in my faith and walk with Christ.

Concordia gave me a great education while keeping Christ at the center. I met great people and gained many friendships that remain close to this day.

Even as an athlete, I always knew I wanted to come back and help coach at Concordia. I grew up in the program. I attended all of the camps as a kid, I was the ball boy during

my brother’s games, I won a championship as a player, and now I have the honor of assisting Coach Macke in furthering the development of his program.

I enjoy being able to relate to the students and give them advice on how to handle similar situations that I went through at their age. I want my players to know that I will always support them and that they can always reach out, even beyond their high school years.

I’ve always had a passion for the game of soccer. Getting the opportunity to teach the game to these young guys opens the door for me to be a resource for them in other areas of life as well.

I would absolutely encourage alumni to get involved with Concordia. Coaching these young men has been incredibly rewarding for me. It keeps me involved with the Lutheran community. It also reminds me of fun memories from my days as a student at Concordia.

KURT GUTMAN BOYS SOCCER

My time at Concordia has given me a broader, healthier perspective on life. Concordia prepared me not only academically, but spiritually. Concordia is where I met my wife. That was a major benefit! The teachers at CLHS went above and beyond to help students reach their full potential. Even today, the staff not only cares about a student’s academics, but their heart.

I played soccer at CLHS back when it was just a club sport. The coaches were volunteers. The coaches were not in it for the glory, they just loved the game. As I got older, I recognized their dedication to the players and CLHS. I am now coaching some of the kids whose parents were at CLHS when I was a student. I’m also coaching some of my coaches grandkids.

I try to pass my life lessons on to the players. Life is tricky. You need to be passionate and prepared in life. Celebrate the victories and learn from the losses. But never lose focus on what’s important… God, family and friends.

My wife and I serve or have served on multiple boards and committees at CLHS. We have chaired the Cadets in Cadence Dinner Auction. When it comes to CLHS, it is very difficult for us to say no when asked for our help. I love helping out at the high school. When I was fresh out of college, CLHS was not on my radar. Today, I cannot imagine a time when I would not be involved with Concordia.

STEVE MOELLERING GIRLS SOCCER

Attending CLHS showed me that I can be successful with Christ by my side. It encouraged me to keep my priorities straight, and taught me that through Christ, all things are possible.

Academically, I felt very prepared for the majority of my college classes.

I truly enjoy coaching soccer. When asked if I would consider coaching at CLHS, I simply couldn’t say “No” as I was getting the best of both worlds: Alma Mater and the love of coaching.

I teach good work ethic and encourage everyone to do their absolute best, whether it’s on the field or in any other aspect of life. I also remind the team that God is at the center of it all, and the importance of keeping Him there.

I would encourage alumni to come back and help if they have time. Not only do you get to help kids succeed on the field, the things they learn will help them to be successful in life after CLHS. Also, it is awesome when kids come back after they graduate to say “Hi” and share how successful they have been since graduation.

NICHOLAS WEBB BOYS BASKETBALL

Concordia prepared me for life after high school by showing me the importance of being involved with as many things as possible. Looking back at high school I do not regret any of the things I did, but I regret the times I did not try something new.

Attending Concordia made me more comfortable with and eager to share my faith. Whether it was in college, working on a project or meeting new people since graduating, I have never backed down from sharing my faith.

I came back because I love and miss basketball. The one thing I miss the most about basketball is the team-oriented focus. There have been very few opportunities since my high school days to be on a team and have everyone working toward a collective goal. I am very happy to be back on a team again here at Concordia.

I remember my time as an athlete and how my coaches put in so much time and effort with me as a player and more importantly a man. That is why I would like to do the same thing for the next generation so they will want to come back and be involved.

I would say my knowledge of basketball is what I am using to pay back Concordia, but I also use my knowledge off the court to help the kids as well. I was in their shoes seven years ago, so I still have a fresh perspective to help them out.

I would absolutely encourage alumni to come back and get involved again. There are many different ways to get involved as well. I would recommend people reach out to see how they can get involved because something is better than nothing. It is rewarding to get involved because you can positively impact the younger generation and they will hopefully want to stay involved with their high school as well even after they’ve graduated.

Thanks to your continued generosity to our high school, your support creates a lasting impact in the lives of our students! Your gifts allow us to continue our storied tradition of high-quality, Christ-centered education. Here are some examples of how your support of the Cadet Fund this school year will impact the lives of our Students:

✝ New Equipment for the Art Department

✝ Weight Room Renovations

✝ Trailer for the marching band

✝ New instruments, uniforms, and stands for band

✝ New cameras, podcast equipment for Media Arts

Educational trips for the Spanish Department

Lodging for choir retreats

Cross country supplies

True Servant and Christian GREG REHBERG

Greg has served Lutheran education for 45 years as a teacher, elementary & high school principal, basketball coach at the elementary, secondary and college levels as well as a professor. Prior to CLHS, he touched the lives of students, families, parents, and communities throughout Wisconsin, Arizona, Michigan & Indiana. Since the fall of 2018, he has served CLHS as our Director of Alumni and Donor Relations but is retiring at the end of 2023.

Greg’s calling also enabled him to connect and collaborate with many individuals and groups. Here are some fun and interesting facts about Greg:

• He has taught and mentored three current Presidents at Concordia Universities across the United States

• Greg has had lunch with celebrities including Alice Cooper, who he has shared is a strong Christian and a donor to Lutheran education; Verne Troyer, who played Mini-Me in the Austin Powers series; Willie Mays; Mohammed Ali; Michael Bolton

• He has been working on fulfilling items on his bucket list including seeing well-known music artists he grew up listening to such as the Doobie Brothers, The Temptations, and Earth, Wind & Fire; His knowledge of music from the 1960’s and 70’s is encyclopedic

• He courageously battled and won against colon cancer gaining a new perspective on life and is eternally grateful to all who walked with him during and after this illness. Through these experiences, he now helps and inspires others by his healthy eating, strong Christian beliefs, and caring heart. He has counseled others going through similar situations

• Greg is a trusted collaborator in the Fort Wayne community and was instrumental in helping to start the B.L.A.S.T scholarship that helps African-Americans who graduate from Concordia Lutheran High School and attend college

• His Advancement efforts at Concordia Lutheran High School include but are not limited to the auditorium lights and sound upgrades, Zollner Stadium improvements, the Eugene Parker Gym Floor, and the new bleachers in the Cage

• On December 31, 2023, Greg will marry his fiancé, Marty Wright ‘75, on the beach in Panama City Beach, Florida

Phil Brackmann ‘13, Dean of Students and the Head Boys Basketball Coach, shared the following about his extracurricular impacts:

I met Greg in 2014 when we were assistant coaches for the basketball team. Greg has taught me so much about the passion, history, and legacy of Concordia and the basketball program. Greg has been a positive impact on so many young men in his time as a coach at Concordia.

Greg has been an unbelievable friend and mentor to me. We have had so much fun coaching and having fun together these last 6 years. I am a better coach, educator, person, and man of God because of Greg’s influence on my life. He will be missed in many ways around Concordia, but I know his love for this school will never leave.

Greg, Thank you for your service to Concordia! God’s blessings on your retirement and your upcoming wedding!

ALUMNI notes

Stay in touch with your classmates! Send your Alumni Notes to alumni@clhscadets.com

1940s

Robert Golm ’48 retired from the Michigan State Police in 1987. He and his wife Barb celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary in September.

1960s

Dr. Kenneth Haugk ’63, the founder and executive director of Stephen Ministries, has coauthored the organization’s newest book, The Gift of Empathy: Helping Others Feel Valued, Cared for, and Understood, with longtime colleague Joel Bretscher. Drawing on research with over 4,000 individuals, the book equips readers with practical knowledge and skills for making empathy a bigger part of their lives, with individual chapters on empathizing with spouses, siblings, parents, coworkers, friends, and more.

Linda (Geiger) Christoffersen ’66 is traveling and enjoying retirement with friends.

1970s

Dianne (Klenke) Diehl ’73 retired after 35 years working for Our Sunday Visitor in Huntington, IN and she is now working part time for that company. Dianne has 6 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. She enjoys crafting and going to the kids’ sports activities!

Doug Knake ’75 finished publishing a book about his experience of dying and going to heaven. It's called “Being twenty again at Fifty.” At 50 years old, after being in a coma and recovering from a form of meningitis that is nearly 100% fatal, his mind took him back to 20 years of age. But not before he had a talk with God. This story is about forgiveness, pride, sickness, relationships and love from GOD!

Michael Mommer ’76 has three daughters and their youngest, Suzy (Mommer) Davis ’08 and husband Jared Davis ’08, are expecting their third child. This will make for Mike and wife Sherry #15 grandchild.

Emily (Rodenbeck) Eschelbach ’76 recently retired from teaching and has a long list of ways she will fill her free time. She and her husband Michael have 5 grandchildren. They hope that some of them will be Cadets at a future date. They are residing part time in Michigan (summers) and part time in Orange Co. Cal.

Her husband teaches theology at Concordia University in Irvine, CA.

Pete Watson ’79 and Bob Rodenbeck ’78 completed the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, RAGBRAI - 50th Anniversary ride. It was a grueling 502-mile ride starting in Sioux City and finishing in Davenport. The climbing on Thursday and Friday was epic but the heat was unprecedented so it made for an incredible journey…Iowa is not flat. Pete & Bob shared a tent and were up at 4:45 each day to pack up and tear down. A service charter carried their gear to their respective campsites each day. Pete shares this story as it is the outcome of one of CLHS’s alumni gatherings a few years back. Though they remembered each other from school, they ran in different circles - as they both quip, “Bob was a band geek, and Pete was an aloof jock!” They found their shared love of cycling and their indebtedness to a great high school education brought them together for this “bucket list” accomplishment.

1980s

Tracy (Albersmeyer) Houser ’88 and husband are in the midst of building a garage/ apartment as phase 1 in Montana, with beautiful mountain views. They are hoping to be done by Thanksgiving. You can follow their progress on YouTube at Housers in Montana by Tracy Houser.

Tricia (Gibson ’88) Shinneman’s 19-year-old son recently graduated (2022) and enlisted in the United States Space Force. Currently serving as an E3 Cyber Systems #SemperSupra

Ken Hoffman ’89 and his wife will soon be empty nesters as their son Austin is attending Marquette University and daughter Jaclyn is a senior in high school.

1990s

2000s

On July 3, 2023, Dr. Jacob Clendenen ’95 was awarded the Heritage Days Golden Railroader award for Medical Professional of the Year. He is a pharmacist with Parkview managing the PharmaCare in Garrett, Ind.

Abby (Slaten) Harris ’13 and Austin Harris ’13 married in July 2020 and welcomed their daughter in May 2023.

Courtney (Adams) Cox ’13 is married to Devin Cox. She is a dog mom to a mini dachshund, Relish, and a toy poodle, Thor. Courtney is an Athletic Trainer for a soccer club in Westfield, IN called Indiana Fire Academy.

Madison Nichols ’15 is a certified Pilates instructor and teaches in downtown Fort Wayne at Pure Movement Pilates Studio.

Jessie (Sample ’01) Lestinsky married Dan Lestinsky, Assistant Principal at Carroll High School.

Trent Neilson ’07 is the owner of Neilson Design and Photography.

2010s

Tonisha King ’09 graduated from the University of Saint Francis with a Master’s degree in school counseling in 2019. She has been working as a school counselor at Northrop High School since 2020. Tonisha will finish her second Master’s in the Spring of 2024 in mental health counseling. She has a 5-year old daughter named Skylar and a 4-month old daughter named Summer. She is in the process of building a home and is set to close in December 2023.

Samuel Ryan ’14 and Sayge (Dunno) Ryan ’13 married in November of 2018. In March of 2021, they had their first child, Holden James. 2022 brought a lot of changes as they purchased their first home, Sam was deployed to Iraq, and they welcomed their second child, Grayson Elias. In May of 2023, Sam returned home from Iraq.

JR Kirkpatrick ’13 is currently a Sheriff’s Deputy, Paramedic, and Firefighter.

Maria Speckhard ’16 and Zachary Mohler were married at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne on June 17. Sydney Kemme Nash ’17 served as maid of honor.

Andy Ahlersmeyer ’16 moved to Alabama for a Ph.D. program at Auburn University, studying crop, soil, and environmental science.

Ethel Taylor ’17 graduated from Trine University with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She will start her career as an outpatient physical therapist at a private owned clinic in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Jordan (Stevens) Shephard ’17 married her husband Cole Shepherd on June 11, 2022 at Suburban Bethlehem where they are currently members. She graduated from Trine University with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in May of 2023. She has accepted her first physical therapy position, specializing in patients with neurological disorders.

After graduating from the Kelley School of Business in May of 2021, Jackson Wert ’17 began working in downtown Fort Wayne as an Analyst for True North Strategic Advisors which was founded by CLHS Alum Chris Goeglein ’80. The past two years Jack has been learning the ins and outs of investment banking and has supported many successful transactions with the skills picked up in high school and college. In August, he will be starting his MBA in Finance at Kelley while maintaining a full work load.

Segin Gallagher ’18 began teaching in the Fall as a 4th grade teacher.

Caitlynn (Flaningan) Hile ’18 graduated with her LPN in May 2022 from Ivy Tech and started a new job working with kids with special needs. She married her husband Ethan Hile on July 8, 2023.

Lauren Schmidt ’18 is a caseworker for the Hamilton County Municipal Court. She works in the pre-trial department and helps people stay on their feet as they await trial after being released from jail. Lauren shares it is a blessing to be able to help the community and be involved in the criminal justice field.

Makayla (Hickle) Cole ’19 is married and has two children, one boy and one girl. Makayla has been promoted to SPC in the United States Army. She has also passed her clinical and state test for CNA and is in school for nursing alongside the military.

Taylor Burford ’19 accepted a position with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections as a probation and parole agent. Taylor credits her internship experience in high school in playing a huge role in deciding on a major in college. She is thankful to CLHS and hopes other students have benefited as much as she has from Mrs. Erdos and the internship program at CLHS.

In Memoriam

Margaret (Koehlinger) Anderson 1943

Vicky (Sommer) Best 1969

Martha (Borchelt) Bielke 1951

Cindy (Dixon) Doyal 1965

Gretchen (Albers) Breininger 1967

Keith Brown 1971

Robert Brown 1961

Linda (Chapman) Farrer 1973

Anita (Franz) Closson 1964

Gary Crownover 1976

Dorothy (Lake) Doctor 1954

Daniel Doehrmann 1979

Edward Doenges 1949

Byron Doerffler 1956

Carol (McConnell) Campbell 1962

Willard Godfrey 1949

Keith Gotsch 1979

James Graft 1968

Marybeth (Tessman) Hasz 1959

Eileen Heath 1972

Edward Hendershot 1950

Virginia (Sonne) Hollman 1952

Mayro Kanning 1970

Vanita (Kleinschmidt) Kassing 1948

Lisa Reed 1983

Mary Knoblauch 1960

Dean Koehlinger 1962

Cornel Kracium 1966

Robert Lenz 1967

Charles Litterer 1952

Suzann (Brown) Louthan 1960

John Marable 1974

Dale Mayer 1956

Lawrence Meinzen 1943

David Meyer 1961

Carolyn (Bohn) Murdock 1958

Donald Nicole 1953

Gerald Perkins 1950

Richard Rea 1976

Glen Reinking 1950

James Reinking 1961

Diane (Ferber) Schwartz 1961

Donald Shafer 1965

James Sheets 1962

Patricia (Langley) Lautzenheiser 1974

Thomas von Deylen 1952

Carl Wagner 1948

Denise (Radesk) Wolfe 1973

Charles Yunghans 1964

Ruth (Ulmer) Herb 1946

Jeffrey Tonkel 1995

Brent Doctor 1996

Kari (Doctor) Beck 1997

Justin Bills 1999

Brian Kruse 1980

Jayden Musili 2021

Aaron Collins ’19 and Aloria (Bates) Collins ’19 were married in January of 2023.

Lainey (Bentz) Gick ’19 married her high school sweetheart, Chris Gick ’19 on June 19, 2023, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Ind. Lainey works at BIG as a copywriter and Chris is finishing up his 4th year at PFW majoring in Finance.

Faculty and Staff Accomplishments

Crystal Castleman attended two Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) conferences. The HOSA State Leadership Conference in Indianapolis with the CLHS HOSA: Future Health Professionals Club and the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Dallas, TX with two students that placed third in the state in CPR/First Aid. Mrs. Castleman also attended the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) conference last fall.

Luanne Erdos coordinated the Honors Academy where five seniors made public presentations of their culminating Honors Academy Senior Research Projects. Leadership Speakers included Mr. Ryan Schoenefeld with Zimmer Biomet and Stacey Hartman with the Forensic Laboratory in Fort Wayne. Both speakers are graduates of CLHS. The CLHS DECA Chapter, supervised by Luanne, had a record membership of 36 members. Twenty nine students competed at the District DECA Competition held at Manchester University with every student qualifying through written testing and role play to advance to DECA State Competition in Indianapolis. Five students qualified for the International DECA Competition in Orlando, Florida. CLHS DECA participant Kathryn Crook made the international stage for her written test score in Principles of Marketing. This was a first for CLHS “making stage” at internationals. Luanne also worked with Senior Career Internship placements for the 2022 - 2023 school year.

Sarah Hellinger was awarded Concordia’s Staff in Service Award.

Dani Kiefer’s painting “August” was accepted and displayed at Artlink's Midwest Regional Exhibition November 2022 and her painting “Peace” was used as the illustration for the 2023 University of Saint Francis's Christmas Card.

Timothy LaCroix organized the CLHS German students who hosted 20 exchange students from our German American Partnership Program (GAPP) partner school in Lüdenscheid.

He and students then visited Germany for four weeks in March and April.

Kevin Macke, the CLHS Boys Soccer Head Coach, won his fifth Sectional title. He was named the 2023 Indiana Soccer Coaches Association Private/Parochial School District Coach of the Year. Kevin led our team to a Regional final berth after earning a Sectional championship the previous weekend. And while his on-field leadership is certainly worthy of being praised, the character he builds within his teams and the Christ-centered example he sets for his players is top-notch and something for which we are all blessed. Congratulations to Coach Macke on receiving this most deserving honor.

Chris Murphy directed over 50 alumni in the summer musical, Big Fish. There were over 110 students who participated in the summer drama/theater tech camp. Also 11 of the 16 Education Professions students that Chris is instructing intend to pursue teaching/church work as a profession.

Kim Nash was a legislative consultant to Indiana state representatives regarding new graduation requirements.

Jeanine Tietz attended a four-day Advanced Placement (AP) Summer Institute for AP English Language & Composition and participated in the AP TIP-IN Mock Exam in March to provide progress feedback to her students. She enjoyed using all her Christian classroom decorations again after several years in a public school!

Jennifer Porath was selected to be the guest conductor for Concordia University Nebraska's National Honor Band in November 2022.

Mindy Walz participated in the AP-TIP teacher support program and in Mock Exam reading, which is designed to equip AP teachers to empower their students for success. All AP English Literature students, which Mindy teaches, earned a score of 3 or higher on the AP Exam.

Sally Rish was awarded Concordia’s Teacher of the Year at our closing school chapel. Mrs. Rish is one of our four teachers who work in our Study Center, providing learning support to our students. Prior to her work in the Study Center, Mrs. Rish worked in our Student Services office.

Pam Rusher was awarded Concordia’s Teacher in Service Award.

Heidi Wilkinson traveled to Munich for an Education Foundations training tour, led her first tour with six students and one parent to Belize for a conservation biology trip and led the third annual Rocket Science camp for 6th-8th grade students.

New Bleacher Campaign Complete

The bleacher replacement is the second phase of CLHS’ $1 million gym renovation

“The Cage” recently received its newest upgrade. Spectators will enjoy new seating in Concordia’s gymnasium just in time for basketball season.

After nearly forty years of use, our gym’s bleachers were nearing the end of their life. In addition, they were not conducive for people with physical disabilities to watch events. Work began the week of October 16 to remove the old and install the new bleachers. These new wooden bleachers will seat up to 1,560 people. They are handicapaccessible and meet ADA requirements.

The bleacher replacement is the second phase of CLHS’ $1 million gym renovation. Last summer, the original 1963 gym floor was replaced and a new sound system was added. After the installation of the new floor, new bleachers were the next logical step in the renovation process. Additionally, Concordia has purchased a new damage-proof 16-foot video board that will include a digital scoreboard and interactive crowd graphics. This video board was funded from proceeds raised at this year’s alumni golf outing. The scoreboard and new lights will be placed during the final phase of the renovation.

Our gym overhaul honors the late 1974 CLHS alumnus Eugene Parker, a standout basketball player at the high school and later at Purdue. He carried his faith and

servant’s heart into his sports agency, where he served professional clients in athletics and entertainment. He was also one of the inaugural inductees to the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010 and was a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. While he passed away in 2016, his legacy continues through the Parker Friends and Family renovation effort.

The campaign to fund new bleachers began in January 2023. The Concordia Educational Foundation provided matching funds to the Concordia Educational Association Board to assist in raising money and to provide incentive for the campaign. This project wouldn't have been possible without the incredible generosity of loyal members of the Cadet Family. We are especially grateful to Dr. Al and Carol Wick (both class of 1948), W. Paul and Carolyn Wolf, Jeff von Deylen (class of 1982), David Koehlinger (class of 1957), Concordia Educational Foundation, and the Mary Cross Tippmann Foundation. Because of their support, the bleacher project is fully funded! The Lord truly blessed our fundraising efforts.

It is truly an exciting time to be a Cadet! We look forward to watching students and spectators alike continue to enjoy many events in The Cage for years to come.