Cypress Christian School CONNECTION Magazine Summer 2019

CONNECTION CYPRESS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ISSUE 29 / SUMMER 2019

Academic Excellence | Biblical Values | Cultural Impact

281.469.8829 • K-12 CypressChristian.org

11123 Cypress N. Houston Rd. • Houston, TX 77065 The CONNECTION is published annually.

Correspondence may be directed to Communications@CypressChristian.org.

Thanks to our graphic artist John Magee Design and to our photographers: G. Michael Photography, Jack Potts Photography, Photography Teacher Rachael Lechman, CCS employees, students and volunteers.

@CypressChristian

CyChristian

@CyChristian

CypressChristian.org

IN THIS ISSUE

28 40

ARTICLES

32 46

______________________________________________ 4 6 8 14

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Executive Director–The CCS Advantage Thank You, Mr. Novotny!

Welcome, Dr. Potts!

Elementary Principal–Pursuing Academics with a Higher Calling Middle School Principal–Being Mentally, Socially and Spiritually Prepared High School Principal–Learning to be Problem-Solvers

IN THIS ISSUE ______________________________________________ 16 Academic Highlights 20 Biblical Values 24 Cultural Impact 28 Class of 2019 32 Athletics 40 Arts 46 Alumni 52 Sponsorships

The mission of Cypress Christian School is to honor the Lord Jesus Christ by providing students an education based upon academic excellence and biblical values.

"Our school recognizes that each student is more than an accidental collection of physical matter, but instead we boldly declare that all life comes from God."

The CCS Advantage Mr. Stephen Novotny | Executive Director

W

hen asked what advantage attending Cypress Christian School offers to a student and their family, I would have to say that one response would not be sufficient to answer that question. Instead, a list of responses that points to areas of advantage, which could be explored in depth, is what would be required to do justice to the question.

In the area of academics, attending Cypress Christian School opens up a world of advantages to the student. Small class sizes, individualized attention, the AP Capstone program, college-preparatory courses and a private school’s power to shape its curriculum to meet the educational needs of the student, not the political or statistical needs of the government, produce amazing results. At every level, K-12, our students outperform all national averages.

Often times, the top half of our classes statistically outperform the top ten percent of other school districts academically. While these statements are generic since statistical comparisons change from year-to-

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year, the following concrete numbers from this current year’s senior class will easily prove the point I am making.

One hundred percent of our students graduate high school. One hundred percent of our graduating class have been accepted to college or university.

Eighty-eight percent of our graduating seniors were granted admission to their college of first choice. These first-choice colleges include great Texas schools like Baylor and Texas A&M, as well as top-ranked out-of-state schools such as the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Colorado School of Mines, Auburn University, California Polytechnic State University and the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, among others.

A school is much more than academic courses.

At Cypress Christian School, there is a wide range of co-curricular activities that allow each student to develop interests, friendships and explore new talents and areas of endeavor. This represents another distinct advantage Cypress Christian School offers. Each year,

there are a wide variety of athletic programs, fine arts opportunities and areas of service from which to choose. Musicals, choir, drumline, hornline (coming fall 2019), art classes at every level, one-act plays, community service, Ambassador Council, Warrior Tribe groups and rodeo art competition opportunities are just some of the activities available to students.

What gives all of these a distinct advantage at CCS is the school’s unique environment. This environment is the result of the admissions process that requires each family to understand the school’s unique mission, to believe in and honor the school’s Christian principles, to respect and follow disciplinary policies and conduct code and to enthusiastically join in advancing the school’s mission of Christian education. The resulting environment is always noteworthy to families and students who are coming to our school for the first time. I often hear from new families that students that had formerly dreaded going to school now look forward to being able to go to CCS each morning, and of families who now experience a new level of joy together as they enjoy the wonderful dynamics of a greater community of Christian families that

make up Cypress Christian School.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of Cypress Christian School is that our institution is able to recognize the needs and interests of the whole person and is free to teach with Truth. To be clear, our school recognizes that each student is more than an accidental collection of physical matter, but instead we boldly declare that all life comes from God. Our school acknowledges that there is a spiritual aspect to all of our lives, there is a moral universe and that the way to wholeness and eternal life with God the Father is through the grace offered by His Son Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus once asked, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” The answer, of course, is obvious. There is no profit, no advantage to that path. In a happy contrast, Jesus said, “I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly.”

Indeed, the greatest advantage a student gains by attending Cypress Christian School is being introduced to the person of Jesus Christ, Who is the way, the truth and the life.

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Celebrating a Decade of O

ver the last decade, Mr. Stephen Novotny has faithfully served as our school’s Executive Director. During his time of leadership, Cypress Christian School has advanced in every area of school life including Christian discipleship, enrollment, academics, athletics, fine arts, finances, security, technology, community service, transportation and facilities. Steve is wellknown by all for his sense of humor, passion for the school’s mission, and ability to motivate and organize others to succeed in achieving important goals. Needless to say, he has made a huge impact over the last ten years . . .

Steve leaves behind a lasting example of effective servant leadership, and a school filled with strong professionals and leaders who are ready to carry on the mission and lead the school into its next decade. As a school community, we are sincerely grateful for the legacy of leadership he has provided to our school and trust that Steve has great satisfaction in the knowledge of our appreciation for him and for the new levels of success the school has achieved during his time of service.

We will all personally miss Steve, his wife Rachel, and their sons Calvin ('14) and Clayton ('16), and pray for God’s blessing upon him and his family in all their future endeavors.

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Leadership and Service to CCS FUN He marched in the Homecoming Parade in a white tux carrying a curtain rod baton. He wore a Santa hat down the hallways at Christmas and a cowboy hat in carpool.

No one loves carpool like Mr. Novotny!

His fun chapel messages are loved by all. They were real messages with meat to them, but he first attracted the students’ attention with Bible Sword Drills and rewards of desserts and gift cards.

He has been known to join in a game of dodge ball as he walked through the gym and participate in Run-4-Fun with elementary students each year.

His attendance on the Washington, D.C. and Costa Rica trips meant one thing: more FUN! FRIENDSHIP He is a friend of CCS and welcomed friendships to faculty and staff, new teachers and those who have served CCS for many years.

He has taken the time to stop and talk to faculty and staff in the hallways over the years about more than just work, also about families and shared experiences.

FAITHFULNESS He has been faithful to CCS over the past decade. Every decision made has been made with our mission, future and the best interest of CCS at heart.

FIRMNESS He empowered teachers to be firm in the classroom and encouraged them to expect respect and order in the classroom because learning cannot happen in a place of chaos.

He is firm in his patriotism. This was exhibited daily, starting every school day with pledges and prayers.

He led the charge at Veterans Day assemblies, wearing his own U.S. Army uniform to honor all military veterans.

He is firm in his convictions and not ashamed of his love for God and our country.

FUTURE We are confident he is leaving the school in a great place!

Thank you for your decade of leadership!

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welcomes

CCS

Dr. Jeffrey Potts,

t

"D

he Cypress Christian School Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Dr. Jeffrey Potts has been unanimously selected as our next Head of School. Dr. Potts joins us at a time of great prosperity and growth for CCS. His appointment comes after a six-month search by the Board with the assistance of the national search firm, Carter Baldwin. CCS was blessed to see great interest in the Head of School position from highquality candidates all around the country due to the success and health of our school. After much prayerful consideration, the Board selected Dr. Potts due to his strong Christian faith, strength in academic administration and successful history of leadership in Christian education.

r. Jeff Potts possesses strong conviction in his Christian faith, living out his walk with Jesus Christ in his personal life and encouraging similar conviction in those around him. This strength of faith will benefit the Cypress Christian School community as we continue to fulfill the vision for CCS of positively impacting the culture by promoting truth, advancing the Christian faith and equipping students to serve and lead with excellence. Jeff has strong academic, administrative and theological training from well-respected universities and years of experience in the K-12 Christian education arena. Beyond these incredible attributes, Jeff's heart for ministry to children mirrors that of our current leadership team, demonstrating the strong cultural fit the Board sought for our next Head of School."

Trey Nicholson

"D

CCS Board of Directors Chairman

r. Potts earned his bachelor's degree from Baylor University, a Master of Arts in Systematic Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Master of Education from Columbia International University in Curriculum and Instruction. He has also earned a Doctor of Education from Liberty University (with High Honor) in Curriculum and Instruction. Dr. Potts joins us from Pantego Christian Academy of Arlington, Texas, where he served as President. Dr. Potts has 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher, coach and administrator, including the last four years in his current position. As President of PCA, Dr. Potts significantly improved the school's financial footing while operating on two campuses. He implemented systems to increase re-enrollment rates and led the school through ACSI/AdvancedED accreditation. He and his team also tripled the merit-based college scholarships offered to graduating seniors

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Incoming Executive Director

during his tenure as President. Seeking to ensure graduates are better prepared to take on leadership roles in college and beyond, Dr. Potts began a partnership with Student Leadership University whereby he has been able to take select students on international experiences to Jerusalem and Amman, Jordan. Dr. Potts has presented as a keynote speaker both nationally and internationally, is a published author and has previously served as a church elder and small group Bible study leader for over 10 years.

"We are very pleased with the intentionality of Jeff's approach to leadership and specific experience with leading Christian K-12 schools in the very fast-growing suburbs of Dallas. As we look to the future and our desire to build upon the strong foundation which Steve and his team have forged, our next leader needs the ability to understand and respect the past, while crafting a strategy for further improving and growing our excellent academic and biblical training.

Jeff's experiences and temperament prepare him for this challenge, and we are excited to have him as the next leader of our school."

Lyle Williams

"D

ensure a smooth transition of leadership as we continue to move forward in our mission of honoring the Lord Jesus Christ by providing students an education based on academic excellence and biblical values!"

Stephen Novotny CCS Executive Director, 2009-2019

CCS Board of Directors Head of School Search Committee Chairman

r. Potts and his wife Kristin, along with their three boys have been active members of The Church on Rush Creek while in Arlington. Their family enjoys sports, hunting, fishing and golfing together.

"Last summer, after letting the Board know that this would be my last year leading the school, I appreciated the prayerfulness and dedication our Board brought to the task of leadership transition. Partnering with the nationally recognized executive search firm Carter Baldwin, I have continued to be impressed with the dedication, professionalism and prayerfulness of this search process. I celebrate with the Board and this wonderful school, the selection and appointment of Dr. Jeffrey Potts as the next Head of School. I am truly looking forward to working together with Dr. Potts to

Please join the Board in welcoming Dr. Potts, his wife Kristin and their boys J.D. (13), Jackson (12) and Justice (8) to the CCS family. We praise and thank God for His provision, allowing continuity in leadership of Cypress Christian School. We humbly ask His continued blessing on our school.

Go Warriors!

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UNIVERSITY OF

HOUSTON

Where Will

You

Go?

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Admissions Events K-12 PREVIEWS Thursday, November 7, 2019 7 p.m.

Thursday, February 6, 2020 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 16, 2020 7 p.m.

KINDERGARTEN PREVIEWS Thursday, January 30, 2020 7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020 7 p.m.

SIXTH GRADE PREVIEW Thursday, January 16, 2020 7 p.m.

FUTURE FRESHMAN COFFEE Tuesday, December 10, 2019 8 a.m.

STUDENT VISITOR DAYS Thursday, November 14, 2019 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Thursday, February 27, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CypressChristian.org/Admissions | 281.469.7745 | Admissions@CypressChristian.org CONNECTION

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Thanks to each and every DONOR for helping us exceed our

2018-2019 Warrior Fund goal of $400,000.

What

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

DONATIONS

• Cash or Online Giving • Matching Gifts • Gifts in Honor/Memoriam • Planned Giving • Gifts-in-Kind • Stocks, Savings Bonds, Real Estate • Sponsorships

Make

POSSIBLE Academic Enhancements Facility Improvements Faculty Development Technology Upgrades Tuition Assistance

2019-2020 GOAL $400,000

HOW

To Give

Online: CypressChristian.org/Support Mail: Cypress Christian School, Advancement Office

11123 Cypress N. Houston Rd., Houston, TX 77065 Email or Call: Advancement@CypressChristian.org 281.469.8829 Heritage Circle: This partnership was created to build a stronger foundation for expanding school programs and to provide a stable future for Cypress Christian. Your five-year pledge to the Warrior Fund will go toward the unrestricted operational funds of Cypress Christian School.

Scholar ($1,000/year) Educator ($10,000/year) Master ($25,000/year)

Cypress Christian School is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which operates without financial support from a church or government entity. Donations to CCS are tax deductible as allowed by law.

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Two 15-passenger buses purchased this year thanks to generous donors!

The Warrior Fund supplements tuition dollars and provides resources for improvements to school programs and facilities.

Gifts from school families, grandparents, relatives, alumni, employees, businesses and friends are vital to ensuring educational excellence for K-12 students.

For more information on giving opportunities: CypressChristian.org/Support

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Pursuing Academics With A Higher Calling The CCS Advantage – Elementary School

Mrs. Joy Bezner | Elementary Principal

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"Academic goals are utilized in order to create higherorder thinking across all lessons so that students can think critically, analyze effectively and create content."

W

hat a year! I have been honored to build upon the rich legacy of Cypress Christian School and to continue to make our elementary campus a place that embodies the mission of CCS: “Academic Excellence. Biblical Values. Cultural Impact.”

We work diligently to prepare our elementary students for all three of those goals, but I’m exceptionally proud of the academic rigor we employ on the elementary campus.

This pursuit of academic excellence creates students who will be more noticeable and effective witnesses for Christ and will, in turn, make a greater impact on our culture.

We believe reading is a foundational cornerstone for our elementary students, as literacy is a skill needed to succeed in most every area of life. At CCS, our students are given instruction by highly qualified and trained teachers in reading where we teach phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and fluency. We like to have a little fun with this, too! This year we encouraged reading through a series of competitions and incentives. For example, in the third quarter of the academic year, I challenged our students to “Out-Read the Principal.” This led to our students reading over 5,000 books — in that quarter alone!

Strong writing goes hand-in-hand with literacy. We believe writing allows students the ability to organize and cogently communicate thoughts in a world that is increasingly textdriven. By the completion of the academic year, our kindergarten students are able to write a multiple-page story with a beginning, a middle and an end. As the years progress, older students learn to write in cursive, and they write narrative and expository pieces, along with researching and defending opinion pieces. Writing teaches students argumentation, logic and the ability to communicate more clearly in verbal situations.

We also work hard to build a rigorous mathematics curriculum. We hold an expectation that all our students will learn his or her addition, subtraction, multiplication and division math to the point of automaticity. We believe this level of mastery will help them focus on the more difficult conceptual portions of higher mathematics as they begin the fifth grade and move beyond.

All these academic goals are utilized in order to create higher-order thinking across all lessons so that students can think critically, analyze effectively and create content with the knowledge they have attained. My belief is that if students are academically excellent, then they will be excellent in the world as college students, graduate students, employees, volunteers, spouses and parents. In turn, they will be able to share the love of Christ with greater clarity and with the full respect of their peers.

At CCS, we pursue academic excellence with a higher calling in mind. Truly, this pursuit of excellence gives our students an advantage today and as they follow God’s plan for their lives in the future.

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Academic Highlights

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• College preparatory academics beginning in Kindergarten • Nationally Recognized AP Capstone School • 100% of graduates earn a distinguished diploma with three or more endorsements • 89% of graduates earn STEM endorsement • 100% of high school students take AP • 100% of graduates accepted into colleges and universities • 88% of graduates accepted into college of first choice • 59% of 6th-graders qualified for the DUKE Talent Identification Program • 1:13 teacher/student ratio in honors and AP classes • Individualized academic and college advising • 100% of high school students participate in co-curricular activities • Academic Excellence and Biblical Values since 1978

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“CCS creates a biblical framework for decision-making.”

The CCS Advantage – Middle School

Being Mentally, Socially and Spiritually Prepared Iva Nell Rhea | Middle School Principal

I

recently spent five days with our eighth-graders in Washington, D.C. Interacting with these outstanding young men and women reminded me of the wonder of the middle school years. Sixth-graders begin the year a little like deer caught in the headlights—everything seems new and there is a bit of fear about how to adapt to the changes thrust upon them.

Within a few weeks, they are handling sixth grade with confidence and success. They find out that they were ready for something new! By the time a student reaches the end of eighth grade, again they are a bit apprehensive about their next adventure.

But I firmly believe that they are mentally, socially and spiritually prepared; their toolkit is full; they are

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ready for the important game called high school. Helping to carefully and consistently move young adolescents from elementary to high school is the challenge of middle school. At CCS, the middle school team works diligently to partner with families on this critical journey.

One advantage of middle school at Cypress Christian School is the intentionality of providing a safe environment in which young men and women can develop a strong sense of identity and confidence in one’s newfound skills and talents. Middle school-aged students are vulnerable and easily thrown off course by the influences, comments or behaviors of others.

They look to peers for approval and identity. At

“Students know that they have friends and peers who are accepting of them, even when mistakes are made or when things do not go as planned. ”

CCS, students grow with peers from like-minded Christian families. This does not guarantee the absence of occasional angst or drama, but it does mean that students come to a place where there is a high standard for behavior and accountability when unwise decisions or actions are chosen. Failure is part of the growth process, and at CCS, students know that they have friends and peers who are accepting of them, even when mistakes are made or when things do not go as planned. Friends are near to encourage and walk along with each other through the journey of self-discovery.

Another important facet of the advantage of middle school at CCS is the team of adults that surround each student. As part of the young teenager’s development, he or she begins to look

to adults other than parents for perspectives on important decisions and values. At CCS, middleschoolers have coaches, teachers, librarians, technology experts and administrators who create a biblical framework for decision-making.

Students interact with these adults daily, form deep relationships and ask important questions.

How reassuring to a parent to know that any adult on campus is giving answers or responding to difficulties from a strong commitment to God’s Word. Sometimes a student is more willing to hear from a teacher or coach even when the idea is the same one the parent has shared at home. CCS offers the “third leg of the stool” to partner with the family and church to grow a strong and confident follower of Christ who can impact his or her world.

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Mission

The mission of Cypress Christian School is to honor the Lord Jesus Christ by providing students an education based upon academic excellence and biblical values.

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Biblical Worldview

Education at CCS is approached from a biblical perspective that recognizes the sovereignty and authority of God and integrates biblical principles throughout the curriculum. Students learn not only how to make a living, but how to live in a way that has meaning, purpose and honor.

Biblical Values

7 & Coaches Faculty, Staff, Administration

100% are Bible-believing committed Christians who promote the biblical character we hope to build in students.

8 Partnership with Christian Families CCS partners with Christian families to provide a quality Christian education that supports the morals and beliefs of the home.

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The CCS Advantage – High School

Learning to be Problem-Solvers Mr. Jeff Mudrow | High School Principal

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“CCS encourages independent decision-making skills in classes every day.”

T

to guide them toward he high school students appropriate responses in at Cypress Christian each situation.

School are all offered • Finally, we teach them rigorous courses taught by not to panic over typical exceptional teachers. In National Merit Hispanic Recognition school occurrences, like recent years, on average this Program Scholar Award winner Sophia Slabic an occasional poor test instruction has allowed over result or forgotten assignment. We help 90% of our graduates to be accepted into their them to learn to do what it takes in order to university of first choice. These students can write bounce back. a sonnet or software code. They easily balance a In the book, The Blessing of a B Minus, chemical equation and solve for “x.” They sing, act noted psychologist Dr. Wendy Mogel, discusses and draw with flare! “teacup students” who are overprotected At CCS, we strive to teach our students things and fragile. She notes that when teacups are that are even more valuable, which will give them presented with a challenge, they do not rise the edge in college and life. to it. They crack! Our teachers and coaches know that in order to teach students how to • We allow our students to experience solve problems, we must give them problems difficulties and failures. From these to solve. We believe that allowing a student experiences, they can learn the essential to learn from the consequences of an unwise skill of appropriately recovering when the decision is what teaches them to make better inevitable disappointments in life occur. decisions in the future. The faculty does not • CCS encourages independent decisiongive our students what they may want–help making skills in classes every day. This with every minor difficulty, instead we offer prepares our students to make courageous them what they need–wise and encouraging choices in the future. counsel. This teaches students to recognize • Whether dealing with distractions in the their God-given strength and gives them an classroom or managing conflicts with edge in high school, in college and in life! classmates, our Warriors are taught how to solve problems on their own. _______________________ • Through athletics and community service, Mogel, W. (2011). The Blessing of a B Minus: students can experience the world they live Using Jewish teachings to raise resilient in through wins and losses, successes and teenagers. New York: Scribner. failures. This allows our teachers and coaches

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Cultural Impact Highlights

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Each year, individual students, Warrior Tribes, co-curricular organizations and athletic teams take time to serve in the community. Whether helping neighbors, local churches, food banks or in hospitals and care facilities, our students enjoy the opportunity to help others and to make a positive impact in their lives through servant leadership.

CCS STUDENTS SERVED Ambassador Council Bayou City Fellowship Church Community of Faith Church Cy-Hope Cypress Assistance Ministries The Elim School Grace Care Center, Katy Houston Food Bank Lamb School Meals on Wheels The MET Church Northwest Assistance Ministries Operation Christmas Child

Vision: to positively impact culture by promoting truth, advancing the Christian faith, and equipping students to serve and lead with excellence

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Congratulations, Class of 2019!

FIRST ROW L-R:

Lauren Muehlenbrock, Emma Muehlenbrock, April Nimri, Danielle Moreira, Olivia Velez, Sophia Slabic, Ashley Deskin, Sarah Hawkins, Melinna Nguyen, Emily Fronek

THIRD ROW L-R:

Ben Bezner, Nevin Graves, Christian Fleischhauer, Samantha Swan, Dini LeBrun, Cory Chapman, Lauren Storey, Brinley Farque, Kara Otts, Susannah Hotchkiss, Regina Stankiewicz, Travis Poncho

FIFTH ROW L-R:

Sam Grabowski, Tucker Fredrickson, Ryan McCreary, Felipe Borrero, Collin Tate, Joseph Carbone, Jacob Hotchkiss, Reid Chapman, Joseph Kelly, Landen Overton, Garrett Townsend, Emily Nicholson

SECOND ROW L-R: Daniel Macune, Garrett Velez, Hailey Braun, Colby Brennan, Jacob Hall, Halle Bittick, Amanda Boyd,

Delaney Heath, Jason Hall, Josh Stewart, Estefan Steere

FOURTH ROW L-R: JT Mounce, Sam Beckmeier, Melanie Alvarez, Molly Mitton, Beto Vasquez, Brayton Barber,

Charlotte Achterkirch, Kayla Perrin, Wesley Hong, Garrett Vasek, Charlie Mills

“"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."”

JEREMIAH 29:11

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FOOTPRINTS

Students who attended CCS from kindergarten through their senior year were recognized for the footprints they have left on the hearts of those at CCS throughout their K-12 educational career.

These students are: (FIRST ROW L-R)

Sophia Slabic Emma Muehlenbrock Sarah Hawkins Lauren Muehlenbrock

(SECOND ROW L-R) Sam Beckmeier

Hailey Braun

Lauren Storey

Amanda Boyd

Beto Vasquez

Thank You from the Class of 2019!

Four Sets of Twins in the Class of 2019

To the faculty and staff, thank you for sacrificing each day to pour into us, allowing us to pursue academic goals and helping us to grow in our faith.

To our coaches, you have become mentors to us, pushing us to be stronger, encouraging us to keep going and celebrating our successes along the way. Our character has been tested and strengthened. We cannot thank you enough for your impact on us.

To our parents, thank you for always being our biggest fans. We thankfully acknowledge your constant sacrifice and unconditional love. We love you dearly and will sincerely miss your wisdom. We will never be able to repay your immeasurable hard work, time, patience, perseverance and influence. Without your unwavering support and guidance, we cannot imagine what our lives would be like or what our future would hold.

(L-R) Cory Chapman

Jason Hall

Olivia Velez

Lauren Muehlenbrock

Emma Muehlenbrock Garrett Velez Jacob Hall Reid Chapman CONNECTION

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AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND UNIVERSITIES

CCS 2019 Graduation

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President's Volunteer Service Awards: The 2019 graduating class had 86% of its members earn the President's Volunteer Service Award for 200 hours of service.

In many cases, our graduates served significantly more than those hours in their time at CCS.

Valedictorian

Salutatorian

CCS Faculty Scholarship for Academic Excellence

Cory Chapman earned the title of Salutatorian for achieving the second highest grade point average among his peers. Cory will attend Texas A&M University. His life verse is Hebrews 12:1-2,Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Lauren Storey earned the distinguished honor of being named Valedictorian for achieving the highest grade point average in her class and was awarded the Faculty Scholarship for Academic Excellence.

Along with being named Valedictorian, Lauren was awarded the Texas Education Association’s Highest-Ranking Graduate Award. Lauren will attend Texas A&M University in the fall. Her life verse is Lamentations 3:22-23, The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

Fine Arts

Spirit of Paul

Cypress Christian School has a rich heritage of producing students who excel in the areas of music, art and drama. The Fine Arts Scholarship reflects an overall excellence in the arts.

This year's recipients are Sarah Hawkins and Ben Bezner.

Sarah will attend Grand Canyon University. Ben will attend Texas A&M University.

In honor of CCS supporters Spyder Broussard (grandfather of Jackson Broussard), David Rhodes and Jerry Van Beek, Beto Vasquez was awarded this scholarship for exhibiting the driving spirit and perseverance of the Apostle Paul who accomplished much for the early church. Beto will attend Baylor University.

Scholarship

Scholarship

Will Rhodes

Athletic Scholarship

In memory of former CCS student William David Rhodes, Sophia Slabic and Joseph Carbone were chosen to receive this athletic scholarship. These graduates have made public profession of their faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrated Christ-like behavior to fellow students and athletes and were living witnesses to others as they led their teams and followed their coaches. Sophia will attend Texas A&M University. Joseph will attend Louisiana Tech University.

CYPRESS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Andrew Gladney ('05)

Heart of Gold Memorial Scholarship

In memory of alumnus Andrew Gladney ('05), Samantha Swan was awarded this scholarship, which recognizes a senior who loves and accepts all, both inside and outside the CCS community; endears others without favoritism; participates wholeheartedly in activities to reflect Christian character and sportsmanship and diligently pursues and excels academically according to his/her ability. Samantha will attend Texas A&M University.

Congratulations to Daniel Macune, who has received an appointment to and will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. Daniel also received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy.

Sam Beckmeier, Leadership Award

Amanda Boyd, Service Award

Congratulations to Charlie Mills, who has received an appointment to and will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point.

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Warrior Athletics

Cypress Christian School involves its student-athletes in interscholastic sports in order to, first and foremost, glorify

and honor God

with the talents and abilities He has given. We believe athletics is a great tool to build

Christian character, to teach discipline and to learn

to face adversity and challenges with a steady eye, a courageous spirit and reliance upon the ultimate authority, Jesus Christ.

Our number one goal is building men and women of godly character in our athletic programs. All of our sports follow a biblical

model

for competing while pursuing excellence at all times. This approach has led to multiple state championship teams and state champion athletes.

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Warrior Athletics

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Valiant Warrior

Each year, two seniors are recognized for excellence in athletics through their leadership, determination, sportsmanship, Christian character, academic achievements and integrity.

MOLLY MITTON

Molly is a bright light. She is a hard worker but loves to have fun. Her positive energy, excitement and perseverance through all challenges has been an encouragement to her teammates. She is diligent in all she does and others see the difference she makes. She commits to playing her role well, but spends time sharing with her teammates to make the team better. She is her teammates’ biggest fan and is willing to play where she is needed. She is a competitor and will stand up to anyone, while appreciating their strengths and looking to improve herself.

She has earned All-District and Academic All-State awards in her sports and she began a new sport her senior year and immediately rose to the top.

Behind that sweet smile and fun-loving personality is a young lady who strives to be the best in everything she does, but not for the recognition. This is how God made her. She is a natural athlete and has been a joy to coach.

She has been incredible on the net, in the pool and on the basketball court every year. This year she added softball to her list and made a big difference.

DANIEL MACUNE

As we considered the tremendous athletes in this year’s senior class, we looked for athletes who were dedicated and committed to their sport and to their teammates, athletes who led by example, setting a high standard. We looked for classroom abilities and determination to continue through adversity as well as in good times. As we looked through many great candidates, Daniel stood out.

Daniel has earned All-District and Academic All-State awards. He is an example of excellence on the field and in the classroom.

He is a great team player, supporting, encouraging and giving his best, leading by example. He is a diligent worker in the classroom and on the field. He is truly committed to all that he tackles. Daniel has given his all for four years in football, cross country, soccer and track & field. He looks at challenges as exciting and is going to continue to be a big success because he understands the value of hard work. He is an inspiration to players, coaches and administrators.

Daniel is also the recipient of the Brandon Burlsworth Character Award for outstanding character and sportsmanship.

All-State

The highest TAPPS award that an individual athlete can earn is to be named to the All-State Team. This is an incredible honor that is earned by very few athletes. Not only are these athletes given an award, they also sign a special ball that is kept in the CCS trophy case to permanently display this accomplishment.

This year’s recipients are: VOLLEYBALL–Alexis Vaughn (Honorable Mention); FOOTBALL–Joseph Carbone (1st team offense) and Christian Fleischhauer (1st team offense & 2nd team defense); SOCCER–Faith Cullison (2nd team), Abigail Davis (2nd team), Rachel Smith (Honorable Mention) and Lauren Storey (1st team); CHEER–Brinley Farque (2nd team), Jenna Hall (2nd team), Abbie Hirth (2nd team), Gabby Kostecki (1st team) and Avery Smith (1st team); SWIM–Elliott Jones (1st team) & NEW STATE RECORD in TAPPS Divison II Men's 100 yard backstroke and Men's 200 yard IM; BASEBALL–Joseph Carbone (2nd team), and J.T. Tackett (Honorable Mention); TRACK & FIELD–Delaney Heath (Honorable Mention), Abbie Hirth (2nd team), Emma Muehlenbrock (Honorable Mention), Avery Smith (Honorable Mention) and Rachel Smith (Honorable Mention).

Academic All-State

This award is given to junior and senior athletes who have not only shown tremendous ability on the field, but have also shown themselves to be dedicated students in the classroom. These athletes were named to the All-District Team and maintained an academic average of 90% or better.

This year’s recipients are: VOLLEYBALL–Melanie Alvarez, Molly Mitton, Danielle Moreira and Alexis Vaughn; FOOTBALL–Joseph Carbone, Cory Chapman, Reid Chapman, Lawson Ellisor, Wesley Hong, Jackson Landrum, Daniel Macune and Collin Tate; CROSS COUNTRY–Sophia Slabic; SOCCER–Amanda Boyd, Abigail Davis and Lauren Storey; BASKETBALL–Molly Mitton and Sophia Slabic; SWIM–Elliott Jones, Konnor Kovacs, Molly Mitton, Danielle Moreira, Connor Newell, Collin Tate; BASEBALL–Joseph Carbone, Clayton Dean, JT Mounce and Luke Thompson; TRACK & FIELD–Amanda Boyd, Katherine Echols, Delaney Heath, Angelina Holl, Jacob Hotchkiss, Emma Muehlenbrock, Connor Newell, Avery Smith and Lauren Storey.

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College Signings

T

he NCAA reports that just

Christian Fleischhauer – Football, East Central University

under 8% of high school

Nevin Graves – Basketball, Louisiana Tech University

athletes will participate in college athletics. In total, eight CCS athletes (14%) out of the

Daniel Macune – Football, United States Military Academy West Point

2019 graduating class of 56

Emma Muehlenbrock – Track & Field, Dallas Baptist University

students will play at the next

Joseph Carbone – Baseball, Louisiana Tech University

level in football, basketball, track & field, baseball and cross country for the 2019-2020 season.

Garrett Townsend – Football, Texas A&M University Landen Overton – Track & Field and Cross Country, Dallas Baptist University JT Mounce – Baseball, Oklahoma State University

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Warrior Athletics Sword and Shield

Chloe Roberson and Max Landrum have shown excellence in athletics through their leadership, determination, sportsmanship, Christian character, academic achievements and integrity. They have represented middle school athletics well for three years, especially stepping up and demonstrating leadership as eighth graders.

Middle School Sports

VOLLEYBALL CHEER

TRACK & FIELD

BASKETBALL

FOOTBALL

BASEBALL

SOCCER

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SOFTBALL

CROSS COUNTRY

Elementary Sports

BASKETBALL

Cypress Christian School participates in the West Houston Christian Sports Association. The philosophy of the league is to promote understanding of the game, as well as sportsmanship and Christian fellowship. Each participating family is expected to provide Christian support, care and encouragement to all other participants, families, coaches and officials.

Baseball, softball, soccer and basketball are offered.

SOCCER

BASEBALL SOFTBALL

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T

he Fine Arts program is alive and thriving at Cypress Christian School with over two-thirds of our secondary students actively participating in

DRAMA, CHOIR, PHOTOGRAPHY, ART, YEARBOOK and DRUMLINE. Across the board, our programs have experienced great success this year. We are excited to introduce HORNLINE and THEATRE ARTS TECH for 2019-2020.

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Fine Arts _

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“I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” ~ P S A L M

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1 3 9 : 1 4

Fine Arts _

G

od is the author of all creativity, and by forming us in His image, He has passed on a love of creativity to all of His children. The

mission of the Fine Arts Department at Cypress Christian School is to provide students with excellent performing and visual arts training that honors God by acknowledging that our gifts and talents are bestowed on us by Him, and therefore should be used to glorify God and serve others.

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Fine Arts _

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Alumni Spotlight ~ Daniel Rodriguez ('11) Alumnus Graduates Law School with Honors

Daniel Rodriguez ('11) graduated on April 27, 2019, from Baylor University School of Law with cum laude honors. He was honored for making the dean's list six trimesters in a row, and was awarded the 2019 Swenson Intellectual Property Award, a scholarship that recognized him as the number one student in his chosen field of study at Baylor Law. Scholarships Received Daniel received his undergraduate degree from The University of Texas on a full academic/leadership scholarship from the Terry Foundation. He still serves the foundation by reviewing applications, interviewing potential inductees and selecting new scholarship recipients. Daniel was also awarded a $65,000 per year scholarship to attend Baylor Law School.

Thank You, CCS! "My education at Cypress Christian School, and the mentorship of the coaches and teachers, helped me to earn both scholarships. Thank you to the faculty for helping to prepare me for the rigors of post high school education. I did not even graduate in the top 30% of my class at CCS, but attending Cypress Christian helped me build a strong academic foundation that has given me a huge advantage over my peers.”

"My life changed for the better in eighth grade when I gave my life to God and started attending CCS. With the help of faculty members, my grades and study habits greatly improved. Now I can say that I earned the highest grades in my entire class in law school, which required hundreds of pages of reading every day, constant writing assignments and up to eight-hour essay exams. No one would have ever expected that I could achieve so much, but with God, all things are possible. He gave me a purpose and developed in me the motivation and wisdom to achieve His best. My life is a testament that when you commit your every action and ambition to the Father and trust Him through the failures and challenges of life, He will direct your path and give you a life full of purpose and fulfillment. It won't always be easy, but I can guarantee you it will be a vibrant adventure that will bring honor and meaning to your life, always knowing that you are doing your very best to serve Him and make this world a better place for everyone around you.”

Career In September 2019, Daniel will begin a prestigious one-year clerkship under Federal Judge Andrew Edison in Galveston, TX. After he completes his clerkship, Daniel plans to clerk in the Texas Supreme Court and then practice patent litigation law. Daniel is excited and says, “All the glory goes to God for blessing me with such an incredible opportunity!”

CELEBRATING WARRIOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN COLLEGE, CAREER & MINISTRY 1. Catrina Beaty Hull (’09) is a former Romanian orphan adopted by her American parents, Tom and Bonnie Beaty. Her blog, "Adopted & Redeemed," was created out of a desire to share God's story in her life and to proclaim His truth: “through Christ, we have been adopted and redeemed.” She hopes readers will be inspired and will share her blog with others.

Catrina is available for speaking engagements and encourages readers to connect with her via AdoptedAndRedeemed.com or via social media. Catrina and her husband enjoy spending time with their son Nathaniel (4) and attend Trinity Bible Church.

2. Grayson Beck (’14) graduated from Southwestern University in 2018 with a degree in business. He is a sales development representative for Khoros.com, a social media management software company that makes it easy for marketing and support teams to deliver their best customer experiences and messages.

3. Taylor Broadway (’15) is a student-athlete at the University of Mississippi. He is thankful God has allowed him to attend Ole Miss and play Division I baseball, a lifelong dream of his. He says, “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for all the amazing people at CCS who guided me in the right direction and encouraged me to become the man I am today, not only in the classroom or on the baseball field, but most importantly in my faith.”

4. Seth Doggett (’15) will graduate in December 2019 from Houston Baptist University with a degree in business management. He enjoyed his roles as CCS Head Middle School Baseball Coach and as a leader for a flag football group for middle school, high school and college students to have fun and spread the word of God. Seth also worked as a substitute preschool teacher at St. John’s Lutheran School. He attends Real Life Church and serves on the usher team.

5. Mark Earhart (’03), a Texas Tech graduate, is a history teacher and Head Football Coach for Cotton Center ISD. His wife Alyson teaches elementary English for CCID. They live in Plainview, TX, and attend Family Harvest Church.

6. Shannen Longridge (‘13) graduated from Texas A&M University in 2017 earning a degree in biology, minors in Spanish and composite science and a secondary teacher certification.

Shannen was accepted to the UNT Health Science Center’s Master of Physician Assistant Program in Fort Worth, TX. She is excited and thankful to be able to impact lives through working in the medical field.

7. Emily Mahan (’16) graduated magna cum laude from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX, in May 2019, with a B.A. in English and mass communication. She is pursuing a job as an editor or public relations practitioner in Houston, TX. Emily attends The MET Church in northwest Houston. continued on page 48

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Alumni Spotlights ~ Kelsie Suter ('11) and Samantha Longridge ('16) Alumnae Serve Harris County During Recent Fires and Floods Kelsie Suter ('11) earned her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and her master’s degree in international affairs from The Bush School of Government & Public Service. Kelsie was part of the communications team of the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) during two recent Harris County disasters. Kelsie's office "activates" before a weather event like the recent spring floods, a big sporting event like the Super Bowl or the World Series or in the case of an unanticipated emergency–like the ITC fire in Deer Park, TX. As part of the communications team, Kelsie worked in Deer Park in the ITC Joint Information Center as a Harris County representative. She coordinated with ITC, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies like the EPA to collect data and communicate the clean-up progress

both to the public and to other Harris County personnel.

Kelsie was also active in response to the 2019 spring floods in Houston in coordination with the Office of Judge Lina Hidalgo and partner agencies such the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the Fire Marshal's Office, Harris County Toll Road Authority and the Harris County Constable Precincts.

She was recently promoted to Intelligence Analyst for the HCOHSEM Intelligence Task Force (ITF). The ITF consistently provides timely, useful and actionable intelligence to local first responder agencies, emergency management personnel and county officials via its Threat Information Summary Report and In Focus products.

Kelsie attends Houston's First Baptist Church and enjoys reading, writing blogs and novels and playing with her dog, Rhea.

Samantha Longridge (’16) is majoring in oceanography and minoring in math at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX. As part of her studies, she has participated in research cruises to assess the condition of Galveston Bay, with the first cruise being in response to Hurricane Harvey, and her most recent research cruise taking place two days after the ITC fire in Deer Park, TX. Crew members went as close to the ITC site as the U.S. Coast Guard would allow them. They took measurements for visibility and collected water samples to be analyzed for dissolved oxygen, nutrients, PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), salinity and chromophoric dissolved

organic matter (CDOM). The cruise was very successful in that they located “what looked like surface slicks of clear oily residue in the surface waters," according to Jessica Fitzsimmons, an assistant professor in the Department of Oceanography. After the cruise, the group began work to deliver their data so that an assessment of the impact could be made. _____________________ Excerpts taken from an article written by Mekena Rodriguez for KBTX-TV in Bryan, TX. The complete article is available via KBTX.com.

CELEBRATING WARRIOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN COLLEGE, CAREER & MINISTRY continued 8. Sarah Mathewes (’06) is the Children's Pastor, Christian Education Coordinator and a member of the Women’s Leadership Board at Houston First Church of God. She has served on the planning committee for the Texas Ministries of the Church of God Annual Assembly and Convention and spoken at the One Day Super Leader event, leading the state's children's ministers through a training course on family discipleship. Sarah also enjoys serving in the community as a Cy-Fair ISD mentor and global volunteer.

9. Jordyn McCain Milenkovic (‘09) holds a B.B.A. in marketing from Texas A&M University and is the owner of Jordyn Elaine Digital and Graphic Design. Jordyn and her husband Steven enjoy working and raising their two sons Christian (2) and Grayson (1) in College Station, TX. Jordyn is thankful her career path has allowed her to work from home and provide as much nurturing, love and attention as possible to her two boys.

Jordyn’s husband Steven is a global healthcare consultant for Deloitte Consulting. They attend Central Baptist Church, and Jordyn is Zeta Tau Alpha's Panhellenic Advisor for the Theta Gamma Chapter at Texas A&M. Jordyn says she greatly enjoys mentoring young women. For more information about Jordyn’s business, please contact her at JordynMilenkovic@ gmail.com. continued on page 49

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CELEBRATING WARRIOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN COLLEGE, CAREER & MINISTRY continued 10. Cameron Tipton (‘12) graduated from West Texas A&M University with a B.S. in psychology and minor in English. He was active on campus and served as the president and board member of the WT Wesley Foundation, an on-campus college ministry that hosted weekly outreach programs and campus-wide small groups. Cameron was also appointed Chief Justice two consecutive terms and oversaw campus disciplinary committees, ran elections and managed a staff of associate justices. Shortly after graduating, Cameron and a friend founded an aviation company in Houston called Flight Level Partners. Their company provides private aircraft acquisition and appraisal services to litigators, lending institutions and aircraft owners. Cameron oversees all aircraft transactions in addition to the daily operation of the firm. In 2018, he became an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in the aircraft specialty. Cameron attends Bayou City Fellowship (Spring Branch Campus) and is involved in a community group.

11. Chelsea Vincent (’11) holds a B.A. from Houston Baptist University and recently earned an M.A. in classical studies from Villanova University. Before graduating, she presented a paper at the annual CAMWS conference. CAMWS is the Classical Association of the Middle, West and South, which promotes the study of Greek, Latin and the ancient Greco-Roman world. She taught Latin Elegy at the undergraduate level, substituted for the Philadelphia Substitute Teacher Service and served at the Church of the Open Door in the choir, on the worship team and in the ladies Bible study. This summer, she participated in an archaeological dig with Rutgers University in Sabina, Italy, and taught apologetics courses with World Hope Ministries in Kathmandu, Nepal. She is currently seeking employment in the Houston area as a humanities teacher at the secondary and college levels.

12. Sarah Wilkinson Ganger (’99), husband Tim and children Eliza (10), Naomi (8), Jude (8) and Nate (7) moved to London, England, as missionaries of Covenant Community Church in Pearland, TX, which they helped to plant nine years ago. They joined a team working in church revitalization and church planting in the south London borough of Croydon. Sarah says, “God’s provision and kindness has been evident in this move, and many family members and friends have reached out to us via text, email, phone and video–all a tangible reminder of God’s love for us. We are so thankful.”

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Alumni Spotlight ~ Brian Gibbs (’99) and Dr. Holly Van Dyke Gibbs (’02) Alumni Professors at Texas A&M University

Brian Gibbs (’99) and wife Dr. Holly Van Dyke Gibbs (’02) are celebrating their 15th anniversary this year, after having met at CCS. They are thankful to be enjoying life with children Thistle (8), Rex (5) and Leo (2), as well as with fellow co-workers, friends and family.

Brian earned a B.S. in environmental design and M.S. in architecture from Texas A&M University. He has enjoyed developing his skills as an architect and businessperson as co-founding principal of PACT Design Studio in Bryan, TX, and enjoys mentoring students as a studio professor in the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University. Brian was recently recognized by his college for his contributions to the graduate program.

Holly holds a B.S. and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Texas A&M University and an M.S. in genomics and pathways medicine from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She has enjoyed lecturing for the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University for the past few years while researching early brain patterning and development using multiphoton microscopy and zebrafish as a model organism. With funding from the Chan Zuckerberg initiative, she has joined an imaging core facility on campus, the Microscopy and Imaging Center, as an associate research scientist to broaden her expertise in different microscopy and image processing techniques.

Both Brian and Holly are board members for Tiny Hope Village (TinyHopeVillage.org), a non-profit organization formed to reduce homelessness in Bryan/College Station, TX. In addition, they enjoy their affiliations with Friends Congregational Church and Pilgrims in the Park.

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CELEBRATING WARRIOR WEDDINGS

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1. Kevin Poppe (’06) married Rachel Owens on December 14, 2018. CCS alumni were part of their special day: groomsmen Josh Graber ('06) and Josh Neuneker ('06), soloist Monika Graber ('03) and accompanist and soloist Andrew Graber ('04).

Kevin is an owner at Dynamic Sports Training (DST) and Director of the DST North facility in Tomball, TX. He has worked for DST since 2011 and trained there during his college baseball career. Rachel is the DST Digital Content Manager and trained there beginning in high school throughout her professional soccer career. Kevin and Rachel are members and volunteers at Bayou City Fellowship Church.

Photo by Nick Cordray of CordrayCreative.com

6 4. Ashley Teague Fagnant (’11) married Nathaniel Fagnant on September 29, 2018, in Cypress, TX. They met in college at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor while playing NCAA soccer. They live in The Woodlands, TX, and are pursuing their careers–Ashley as an event coordinator and Nate as a doctor of physical therapy.

Photo by Cathi Smeader Photography

5. Lauren Cater Tilton (’15) married Michael Tilton on May 18, 2019, shortly after graduating cum laude from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor with her B.S. in nursing.

She began her nursing career at Scott and White in Temple, TX in June. Michael is pursuing a degree in information systems at Texas A&M University–Central Texas. They attend Temple Bible Church. Michael and Laura met while 2. Josh Rhodes ('08) married Alisha Cox on August 13, attending CCS! Michael attended CCS in grades 3-11.

2018. After a private ceremony, they ate at Josh's favorite restaurant, Whataburger, where the staff gave them the 6. Sabrina Tovar Metcalf (‘15) married Paxton Metcalf on numbers "20" and "18" to commemorate the day. Josh March 9, 2019, in Pensacola, FL. They met at Chi Alpha and Alisha met while living in southern California and are Campus Ministry at The University of Alabama. This May, they both graduated from the University of Alabama– in the process of relocating to Cypress, TX. Sabrina with a degree in public health and a minor in 3. Katrina Boulter Streckert (’09) married David Spanish and Paxton with a degree in civil engineering.

Streckert on April 13, 2019. They met through Grace They attend Tuscaloosa First Assembly of God Church and Community Church in Tyler, TX. Katrina is a registered are in full-time ministry with Chi Alpha Campus Ministry at nurse in the Neuro ICU at Christus Trinity Mother The University of Alabama.

Frances Hospital in Tyler. David is a special education math and English/Language Arts/Reading teacher at Henderson Middle School.

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CELEBRATING LITTLE WARRIORS Former ’07 Classmates Give Birth on Same Day

Keeley Lambert Jones (’07) and her husband Clayton live in Los Angeles, CA and are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Liv Kimberly Jones born on May 9, 2019. Keeley is an actress and also works part-time for a faith-based, arts nonprofit organization, which she helped start while living in New York City. Keeley and Clayton recently produced and starred in a short film that they hope will be featured in festivals this year.

Kelsey Salmon Moore (’07) and her husband Kent welcomed their first child, Miles Garrison Moore, on May 9, 2019, in Lubbock, TX. Kelsey is the Business Office Coordinator at Covenant School of Nursing, and Kent is an escrow officer at Title One. They attend Hillside Christian Church and are actively involved in a small group Bible study.

1. Ashley Alford Vara (’03) and husband Kyle are thrilled to announce that Finley Hope Vara was born April 30, 2019. “We thank God for this answer to prayer,” says Ashley who is a graduate of Texas Tech University and teaches fourth grade in Klein ISD. Kyle is in sales at PPG Industries. They attend The Church Global in Tomball, TX.

5. Andrew Robertson ('06), a graduate of Texas A&M University with degrees in architecture and film studies, is a video producer/director at Zurvita, Inc., owns a wedding videography company and lives in Katy, TX with his wife Cheranda and daughter Aria (eight months).

Cheranda is an attorney at Montgomery County Women's Center where she fights for justice for survivors of domestic violence. They recently dedicated Aria at Hope City Church. Andrew says, "We are overjoyed and so grateful that God has blessed our family with her."

2. Leslie Follmar Creath (‘99) and husband Matthew adopted Henry Joseph on May 13, 2019, in St. Louis, MO, after his birth on October 4, 2018. Leslie holds a Master of Education, Curriculum and Instruction degree from Southwest Baptist University and teaches seventh-grade science. Matthew is the Associate Pastor at The Groves Church in Webster Groves, MO. 3. Nathan Gertson (’05) and wife Claire are pleased to announce the birth of their second son Parker Curtis Gertson. Parker was born on April 22, 2019. Graham, who is three years old, is a proud big brother. Nathan and Claire have recently launched their own home goods company.

Go to HomesteadCollectiveCo.com or @HomesteadCollectiveCo on Instagram to learn more about their business.

4. Will Johnson (’01) and wife Amanda celebrated their son’s baby dedication on Mother’s Day 2019. McKoy Frank Johnson is nine months old and is the younger brother to Tucker Lane Herron who is eight years old. They live in Fort Worth, TX, where Will is a project manager for Southland Holdings. The family attends Fellowship of the Parks Church in Haslet, TX.

6. Matt Turner (’05) and wife Bekah welcomed their second son Isaac on March 26, 2019. He was born just outside of Oslo, Norway, where they have been living for the last two years. Matt is a subsea production systems engineer for OneSubsea, a Schlumberger company. Older brother Caleb is three years old.

7. Todd Ulrich (’99) and wife Ashley welcomed their second child, Uriah Duke Ulrich, on January 22, 2019. He loves his older sister Ariel (2).

Todd and Ashley attend Hope City Church where they dedicated Uriah to the Lord on May 25, 2019, “promising to raise him up in the way he should go, to follow God. We’re so thankful for our little blessing.”

8. Kaitlyn Wray Baca (’05) and her husband Brett are pleased to introduce their firstborn, Emerson Elizabeth who was born on May 11, 2019. They are beyond thrilled to welcome their bundle of joy. Kaitlyn is an assistant kindergarten teacher at Presbyterian School in Houston, TX, and Brett is a kindergarten teacher at Cimarron Elementary School in Katy, TX.

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Save the

Date

Homecoming 2019 – Friday, October 11

The CCS Alumni Association invites former students and their families to join us for Homecoming 2019.

Class of 2009 REUNION

Free food and giveaways in alumni area (6-9 p.m.)

Campus tour (6 p.m.)

Free admission to the game (7 p.m.)

Alumni photo on the field (halftime)

Jordyn McCain Milenkovic (‘09), along with fellow CCS graduates, is planning the class of 2009 ten-year reunion at Homecoming 2019. For more information: JordynMilenkovic@gmail.com or CypressChristian.org/Alumni/Alumni-Events.

Phyllis H. Tuthill, D.D.S., F.A.G.D. CCS ALUMNI PARENT Tuthill Dental

11111 Jones Rd. , Suite 5 Houston, TX 77070 (281) 955-0251 SparkleDentist.com Serving the dental needs of our community with Smiles that Sparkle!

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Your Neighborhood Orthodontist

James E. Martinez, DDS Specialist in Orthodontics • Board Certified Orthodontist • Free Orthodontic Consultation • Orthodontic Treatment for Children, Teens & Adults • Clear & Mini Braces Available • Certified Invisalign Provider • Flexible Payment Plans • Saturday Appointments Available

CCS

TM

CypressBraces.com

12440 Grant Rd • Cypress, TX 77429

281-320-0220

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The expertise to

KEEP ATHLETES MOVING

At Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, we are experts in helping the body do what it was designed to do — stay in motion.

Applying our expertise as team doctors for professional athletes, we are focused on helping athletes recover at every level. Using the most advanced treatments and technologies to care for a wide range of injuries, we provide: • • • •

Spring Willowbrook

Sports injury treatment Concussion diagnosis and management Sports-medical clearance and wellness exams State-of-the-art physical therapy

Schedule an appointment: houstonmethodist.org/athlete 281.737.0999

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Pediatric and Adolescent Center of Northwest Houston PA

Cypress Clinic

Elizabeth Sanchez Fowler, MD

14502 Cypress Mill Place Cypress, TX 77429

ESC

C YP R E S

S W O OD D R

HK ER D

14502 ★ Cypress Mill

US-2

Place

90 F

RON

TAG E

SKIN NER RD

MU

Tel: (281) 374-9700 Fax: (281) 357-8765 www.PedsofNWH.com

C YPRE SS ROSE HILL RD

Board Certified in Pediatrics 19059 Champion Forest Dr. Suite #101 Spring, Texas 77379

ING D S P RE S S R R CYP

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