Traverse City Christian School Magazine

Messenger The

Summer 2020

The School Year In Review Highlights of the 2019-20 School Year

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Summer 2020

The Messenger

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A Community Comes Together

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Beyond The Classroom

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Graduates Prepared For Life

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Helping The Community

20

Sporting Achievements

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Adapting To The Shutdown

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An Amazing Team

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How You Make A Difference

A publication of Traverse City Christian School 753 Emerson Road, Traverse City, MI 49696 (231) 929-1747 | www.tcchristian.org

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A Community Comes Together What better way to welcome new families to TC Christian than some Up North feasting and swimming!

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Beyond The Classroom TC Christian students are busy outside the classroom, too.

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An Amazing Team Our teachers play a vital role in educating and shaping our children, the future leaders of our community.

Welcome to The Messenger “Glorifying God, Partnering with Parents, and Equipping Students to Transform the World for Jesus Christ.” In a school year unlike any other, the purpose statement of Traverse City Christian School continued to ring true despite having to close the doors to our physical campus in mid-March. Our campus was closed, but our learning continued. TCCS teachers did a phenomenal job in making the transition to a new model of education through our distance learning. In the span of a few short days, we adjusted plans and provided a new form of education to our students. Our students rose to the occasion by continuing to stay engaged during this time. Through recorded video lessons, at home activities, and Zoom classes students remained engaged in the learning process. As for parents, we are extremely grateful for the unique way in which you partnered with us during this time. We could not have done it without you! Through it all, we praise God for his faithfulness to us. In these times of uncertainty, we can continue to rest in the hope and assurance of God’s faithfulness.

For this, He should be greatly praised!

In looking at the 2020-21 school year, we continue to move forward in planning for the fall. There is much to talk through and logistical details to work out, but we will be ready to go come September 8!

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How You Make A Difference The cost of educating each student at TC Christian is much greater than tuition covers.

I look forward to reconnecting in person with you and with the TC Christian family. Until then, God’s blessings as you enjoy the summer ahead!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Tyler Van Schepen Superintendent The Messenger | 3

A Community Comes Together New Family BBQ & Pool Party What better way to welcome new families to TC Christian than some Up North feasting and swimming! Thanks to some fine friends who turn their backyard pool area over to TCCS, we get to host new families around delicious food and fun in the water. While the kids play, moms and dads gather round the firepit and the picnic tables to relax and talk. It’s the perfect way to start the school year by connecting and making new friendships.

First Friday TC Christian loves traditions. A favorite is ‘First Friday’ where the whole school celebrates the successful conclusion of the first week of the new school year. Festivities start at 8am with everyone gathering for fresh-fried donuts cooked on-site, followed by an All-School Chapel in the gym.

This special chapel has three elements: worship, prayer, and community. The Middle and High schoolers start things off with joyful worship before welcoming their elementary schoolmates into the gym through a tunnel of arms and high fives. There’s more worship singing before everyone breaks into small groups that 4 | The Messenger

mix all the grades together. The small group setting is a time for students and staff to get to know one another, pray for families, teachers and each other, and reflect on the coming year. Chapel wraps up with a blessing and benediction from TC Christian’s Superintendent, Tyler VanSchepen.

especially when the students connect at a level beyond the usual.

‘First Friday’ concludes in the early afternoon when the school leadership team assumes the role of ice-cream vendor and moves between classes handing out chocolate covered icecream treats. ‘First Friday’ is a lot of fun and another reason why we love the TC Christian community.

See You At The Pole Each year, Christian students around the nation meet for the ‘See You At The Pole’ prayer gathering.

At TC Christian it is always a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do. Student Council organize and lead the morning with Council members coming forward to announce a particular prayer focus followed by a Bible reading.

Focal points include school, family, church, local, state, and federal government, First Responders, and so on. Participants are invited to respond and pray in a variety of ways as led by each Council member. There’s something special about seeing children and young adults joining with millions of their

peers around the country to intercede on behalf of their families and communities.

Starwood Ranch Soon after school starts, TC Christian staff and students head out to Starwood Ranch in Kalkaska County on a retreat to spend time bonding together around worship, prayer, teambuilding exercises, recreation, and food. It’s always a fun experience and often poignant,

A staff member shared this special moment: “One of the best memory for me was watching a young man in the junior class encourage and support a sophomore student who was nervous about some of the challenges. This junior reassured him with words that his team would be there for him and not let him fall. This junior reassured him in action, by physically showing him how his team was going to support him. This junior led the entire team in celebrating the sophomore when he completed the task! I was so proud to watch this young man LEAD SO WELL! He showed his support and encouragement before, during, and after the challenge.

And, that sophomore....he went on to gain enough confidence to successfully try each and every challenge. That would NOT have happened without the support and encouragement of the community around him! It was Christlike character in action and it made my heart swell!”

This annual retreat is all about building community and drawing closer together as brothers and sisters in Christ.

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Buddy Day A feature of the TC Christian community of which we hear a lot of good feedback is the sense of family that exists between students. We actively encourage that with activities like ‘Buddy Day’. It’s probably one of the easiest and most enjoyable activities we do. Simply match older students with younger ones and set them loose with games and puzzles. Very quickly the kids are drawn together with a common purpose. It’s fun and light-hearted, yet very relational and so important. Here are some of the pictures from the day. It was a blast!

Big Day Out! “Would you please pass my thanks along to TC Christian School for allowing Gillian and I to attend their BIG Day Out! We had a great time and it was a wonderful event for us to attend. Everyone there was very kind and helpful as well.” – Caitlin (Shared by Big Brothers/Big Sisters).

Comments like Caitlin’s certainly warm our hearts and remind us of two big reasons we developed BIG Day Out! – to bring joy to children and to be a witness for Christ.

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The inaugural BIG Day Out! In mid-October was simply terrific. Set-up began on Friday and ran well into the evening. Volunteers were back at 7am the next morning to continue set-up and ensure everything was ready for the community party about to launch. Despite a brisk wind and talk of snowflakes, we easily saw 300-500 kids and their parents on the campus and judging by the smiles and exuberance of the children, everyone was having a blast.

To everyone who volunteered, donated, participated, and attended, thank you so very much. For a selection of pictures, click here.

Swingshift and the Stars Thanks to the efforts of the generous folks at Knorr Marketing, TC Christian was selected to participate in the 2019 Swingshift and the Stars program. Originally based on the ‘Dancing with the Stars’ format, Swingshift and the Stars has raised over $4 million for area nonprofits. Their events are held at the City Opera House and are typically sold-out affairs. TC Christian was one of just eight area nonprofits to participate in 2019

and performed in both a Dance and a Lip Dub competition. Our star dancer was TC Christian Junior, Simeon Popa (Class of ’21), who was paired with Rachel Trim, a professional dance instructor. Together they worked up a beautiful dance routine to present to the judges and guests which resulted in them being awarded the coveted Audience Choice Award. In the Lip Dub competition, TC Christian featured five high school students (Bria Anderson, Kaia Beebe, Abi Bouwmeester, Aly Boven, and Darci Trierweiler) coached by Philip Leete and Kristyn Taylor. In a highly choreographed and entertaining presentation, the Lip Dub team performed a five-decade musical retrospective that wowed the crowd and judges. The two teams raised almost $60,000 for scholarship at TC Christian. Outstanding!!

Handmade Market and Craft Show In late October, after a two-year hiatus, Traverse City Christian School re-introduced the Craft Show with some updates. Under the banner, TC Handmade Market, the show is now an Arts and Crafts event focused on gathering together artists, artisans, and crafters who specialize in original handmade designs. The TC Handmade Market is also a ‘Juried’ event so visitors and vendors were assured they were seeing some of the finest crafters and artists in the area.

Set on the (very friendly) TC Christian School campus, in addition to the wide

array of specialty handmade designs on offer, the show included ample free parking, free wi-fi, and food vendors.

With all the changes, this new Marketplace could soon be the ultimate arts and Crafts event in Northern Michigan. See more pictures here.

Youth Unite Many years ago, five area youth groups gathered once a quarter to worship, hear God’s Word, and relate with one another. These youth groups came from different Christian traditions but they all had one thing in common: a desire to know Jesus more deeply.

Years later, TC Christian resurrected the idea and in early December, 2019, hosted the first Youth Unite gathering.

Youth leaders brought their Middle and High School students to the TC Christian campus for what turned out to be an inspiring evening of music and testimony. A dynamic worship team kicked things off, followed by a speaker whose life of rebellion and substance abuse was upended by God’s call on his life. The second Unite event was scheduled for late March, 2020, but due to the Covid lockdown, was cancelled.

We are looking forward to scheduling the next event once schools reopen.

Youth leaders brought their Middle and High School students to the TC Christian campus for what turned out to be an inspiring evening of music and testimony.

All-School Thanksgiving Celebration An annual event that keeps growing, the TCCS Thanksgiving Feast is a great time of food, fellowship, and worship!

Families volunteer to prepare food, serve, and clean-up afterwards. A big thank you to the food prep volunteers,

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volunteers the night before, and extra hands the morning of the feast. We filled up the gym with 400+ people, including around 25 of our local pastors, to enjoy a meal together and express ourselves in worship as a sign of our gratitude for all He has done for us!

Christmas Tree Lighting and Carol Sing We love getting together with our families. And nothing says ‘gettogether’ like a community Christmas Tree lighting followed by Christmas carols. This family favorite falls on the last Friday in November and starts with a BBQ and hot refreshments by the fire followed by the lighting of the trees lining the playground. Thankfully, the lights were set up earlier by some hardy dads armed with a cherry-picker.

Once lit, everyone lights candles and sings some of our favorite carols to usher in the festive season. It’s a simple and beautiful way to celebrate the ‘Reason for the Season’.

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Christmas Cruncher Where else can you go for a school morning filled with raucous laughter, goofy costumes, and good, clean fun? TC Christian’s lead up to the Christmas break featured all that and more during the annual Christmas Cruncher. The Middle and High School students mixed themselves up into small teams and competed for a variety of prizes and treats, all under the watchful eyes of the equally wacky teachers and alumni who flocked to school for this annual ritual.

Moms In Prayer “Pour out your hearts like water in the presence of the Lord; Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children…”

Lamentations 2:19 As a mom, do you ever feel burdened for your children? As you watch them struggle with the issues of life: school, peers, faith, relationships, choices, do you ever feel powerless? There’s good news:

purchased with PTO funds, such as new gym and playground equipment and technology additions. PTO’s biggest fundraiser is the Read-AThon which sees students across the school committing to read as many minutes as they can in a prescribed timeframe. This year’s reading total closed in on 200,000 minutes and raised over $11,600 for the PTO.

The mission of the PTO is to foster an atmosphere of community for students, families and staff.

you are not! From one mom’s vision in 1984, an international organization has sprung up uniting the hearts of praying moms around the world!

The mission of Moms in Prayer is simple: a group of praying moms in every school, across the nation… and now in 140 countries! t is our privilege to be a small part of this big movement! We invite you to join with moms from TC Christian, the nation, and the world as we join in one accord to lift up our most precious commodity: our children. We’d love to have you join us and experience the blessing of praying together with fellow moms, and seeing God move in the lives of our children and our school! Questions? Call Jenni Blodgett 231-499-0521. You can find out more about Moms in Prayer here.

PTO Around The Campus With PTO The TC Christian Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) is a service-oriented group that fosters an atmosphere of community for students, families and staff through school-wide activities such as Muffins with Mom, Donuts with Dad, the end of the year Field Day, Book Fairs, Christmas Store, hallway decorating, and other special events. PTO also honors teachers at special times throughout the year, providing lunch and treats along with recognition during Teacher Appreciation week. Classrooms are supported with materials and equipment

Donuts with Dad

Last Day Of School Parade What a blast! The parade to celebrate the last day of the 2019-2020 school year (aka ‘The Longest Senior Skip Day Ever’) was a smashing success judging by the smiles, waves, and happy honking of car horns. Along with the families, graduates, and staff of TC Christian, we were joined by Jason and DC from Fuel FM who brought the music, Deputy Matt and the crew from the Sheriff’s department (including the K-9 unit) keeping the peace, Big Red and the firefighters keeping us safe, and a few hearty alumni along for the ride.

Even Monty from the Pit Spitters swung by for the fun.

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Beyond The Classroom obstruction and restored Ethan’s breathing. It was a close call, one for which Ethan’s mom and dad are exceedingly grateful Erica could resolve.

When Seconds Count TCCS Middle Schooler, Ethan Ehlert, was happily munching on his lunch when the old adage ‘That went down the wrong way’ came true.

Ethan began choking as a piece of food became lodged in his windpipe.

Fortunately, TC Christian teacher, Erica Boven, was on-hand. She quickly ascertained the situation and without hesitation, spun Ethan around and administered the Heimlich maneuver – a series of abdominal thrusts – which, after a couple of attempts, dislodged the

“Our TC Christian teachers are amazing,” said Ethan’s mom, April Ehlert. “Not only does Erica take time out of her lunch break every day to meet Ethan to administer insulin to him for diabetic life saving reasons, she was there today at the perfect time to rescue him while he was choking. She saved his life!”

For her part, Erica was modest. “I did what anyone would have done.

Ethan needed help and I knew what to do. I’m just glad he’s OK”.

Great job, Erica! We’re praising God that He had you right there to head off what was obviously a dangerous and distressing situation.

World Quest Several Juniors from Nathan Weemhoff’s US History class entered the regional competition of Academic World Quest for the first time this year. Academic World Quest is a national program designed to test players’ knowledge of current international politics, geography, global economics, history, and world cultures. The regional competition was held at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City and attracted teams from around Northern Michigan. The Sabres, appearing in their first World Quest, performed well with a score that put them just outside the Top 3.

The Abby Effect TC Christian Freshman, Abby Stevens, has a mission of helping others and making a connection with those in need of support. Abby started a program with care boxes she’s calling “Building Strength” that’s bringing happiness to patients at Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. It was an idea that started about a year ago and now dozens of babies, teens and even parents of the patients are receiving her positive effect.

These boxes have really given me the opportunity in such a small way to change somebody’s life and change their experience in the hospital while I’m not even there.

So, I’m just helping others see that they’re not alone in the hospital.”

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Everything from journals to games and even washcloths and socks for the babies staying at Mott Children’s Hospital are inside Abby’s Building Strength boxes. She knows what the patients are feeling since she herself was also a patient at Mott since she not only has Type 1 diabetes but also a heart condition. Abby is also on the teen advisory board at Mott and helps to improve patient experiences. Part of her work is directly connected with her heartfelt boxes.

Homecoming Highlights

Click here for some great student pictures of this year’s Homecoming celebration.

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Graduates Prepared For Life

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s the school year concluded, we had the privilege of celebrating our graduating Seniors in a family graduation ceremony made intentionally smaller due to the Covid lockdown. Though a small class, they packed a punch. Athletic scholarships, plans for missions, and a variety of degrees and professional pursuits are all on the horizon. Congratulations, ladies. You finished well and can proudly say you were part of the longest Senior skip day ever!!

Jillene Bouwmeester Jillene’s one of our star volleyballers and an accomplished artist. Jillene chose to pass on an athletic scholarship in order to improve her game and thus her college opportunities next year. Once a school is selected, she will pursue studies in Graphic Design. Jillene’s life verse is 1 John 1:5.

Sydney Broderick A Sabre softball stand-out and TC Christian Co-Valedictorian, Syd is heading to Chicago to attend Wheaton College on a Softball Scholarship and to study Marketing and Communications. Syd’s life verse is Isaiah 55:8-9.

Abigail Brower Another Sabre Softball stand-out who also shares the distinction of being Co-Valedictorian, Abbey will attend Cornerstone University in the Fall where she will play softball for the CU Golden Eagles while double-majoring in Pre-Physician Assistant and Psychology (with a minor in Spanish). Following graduate school, Abbey would like to establish a medical clinic overseas. Abbey’s life verse is John 16:33.

Rachael Burch Rachael is one of our powerhouse bowlers who helped her team make it to States this year. The next step for Rachael is Cornerstone University where she will major in Science (Pre-Physician’s Assistant). Rachael’s life verse is Matthew 6:27-28.

Sophie Rampe Sophie is this year’s Salutatorian and in addition to her academic achievements, is a devoted horsewoman, riding the local circuit since she was 10. Sophie loves all things musical and following graduation, heads to Belmont University in Nashville where she will pursue a degree in Music Business Management. Sophie’s life verse is Joshua 1:9.

Ella Trierweiler When not busy in the kitchen baking and decorating, Ella enjoys helping children and doing mission work. After graduation, Ella will attend Cornerstone University where she will major in Elementary Education. Ella’s life verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

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HIGH HONOR and HONOR ROLLS 2nd Semester, 2020 6th/7th/8th Grade High Honor Roll

High School High Honor Roll

Evelyn Appier Elijah Bauer Brant Blodgett Rebekah Burch Isabel LaFranier Meghan Polzien Lydia Tebben

Kaia Beebe Carter Blodgett Kaitie Boyd Sydney Broderick Abbey Brower Julianna Brower Lydia Brower Emily Cherkasova Hannah Elenbaas Hunter Haldaman Lucy Leggett Meredith Mead Faith Phelps Simeon Popa Nick Rampe Sophie Rampe Adam Rasmussen Emily Rasmussen Brooke Smith Chloe Stanton Taylor Tebben Ella Trierweiler Ellie Visser Clint Walker Ava Wendel Ella Wendel Katie White

6th/7th/8th Grade Honor Roll Owen Beebe Eden Boeve Reece Broderick Christian Brower Caleb Chinland Judah Cole Mason Earl Ethan Ehlert Naomi Elenbaas McKenna Gelinas Elizabeth Hoy Hattie Leggett Madeline Mead Austin Miller Jonah Moon Emma O’Farrell Kacy Palmer Emeline Phelps Eleanor Slator Lily Stanton Brady Stoops Kyle Trierweiler Zach Wheat Jack Wierda

High Honor Roll – This High Honor Roll includes students in the marking period with no individual grades lower than an A-

Honor Roll – This Honor Roll includes students in the marking period with no individual grade lower than a B-

High School Honor Roll Abigail Brower Jillene Bouwmeester Rachel Burch Olivia Connor Izzy Hagelstein Alexa Mann Emma Mirabelli Nathan Mustard Ben Polomsky Madelyn Rodgers Brie Slikkers Caleb Smith Abby Stacy Abby Stevens Darci Trierweiler Cole Wierda

Spencer loved his first day of school so much!!!! It was truly unexpected. (His dad) almost cried in the car as Spencer described his day and happiness. He loves the teacher and classmates and already has a buddy which makes him very excited. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity and making him feel so comfortable. Your staff is amazing and his happiness proved it...Thank you for all your help with this transition.”

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A Day In The Life of TCCS

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Helping The Community Capturing Kindness During the Covid-19 lockdown, TC Christian students shared some of the ways they got involved in blessing others to help ease the burdens of separation.

It was a lovely example of sharing the love of Jesus with friends and neighbors. Here’s a short video featuring some of the student photos we received.

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Your Turn In May, TC Christian launched a Facebook Live show called ‘Your Turn’. Hosted by Tyler Van Schepen, ‘Your Turn’ offers guests a chance to share their perspective on topics relevant to TCCS and the community. At the same time, viewers get their turn to ask questions, both ahead of time via email and live as it happens.

The inaugural show featured Congressman Jack Bergman discussing a variety of issues including COVID-19, a perspective on DC, and the ongoing relationship between the Congressman and TCCS. Other guests have included a pastor, a life coach, a physician, and a financial planner, all discussing the ramifications of COVID, the shutdown, and how to emerge from it gracefully.

Mission Trip A much-anticipated rite-of-passage at TC Christian is the Senior Mission Trip. Each year, the Senior class, accompanied by chaperones and staff, heads to the Caribbean and/or Central America where they plug into a community and serve. This year’s class was in Belize where they served a new church plant in the town of Caledonia. A key component of the trip was the presentation of Bibles made possible by the Elementary School’s Mission-Based Reading Program. Eighty TCCS Elementary students were able to personalize their gift of a New Testament Bible by writing their first names on the inside flap of the Bible and presenting them to the Senior class before departure. These Bibles are now in the hands of children and families in Belize. A big thank you to our parents for encouraging and supporting this special outreach program!

Protect Young Eyes Whether it’s online pornography, predators, sexting, social media, screen time, cyber-bullying, our children need to be equipped to discern digital threats and thrive in an increasingly hostile online world. Hosted by TC Christian, the “Protect Young Eyes” program featured a series of presentations to students in age-appropriate breakout sessions held during the school day. Students were encouraged to comment and exchange ideas and experiences with the presenters and based on the feedback received, was a worthwhile and important event. A free seminar scheduled for parents and churches unfortunately had to be cancelled as it fell on the day the governor ordered a statewide shutdown.

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Vietnam Wall On a visit to the Vietnam War Memorial during WinTerm, the TC Christian Freshmen ran into a couple who were trying to get a picture of the name of a cousin on the Wall.

The cousin was Steve Escallier who died in Vietnam on October 31, 1969. Social Studies teacher, Melissa Wheat, picks up the story, “Steve’s name happened to be high up on the wall. Two of our guys hoisted Carter Blodgett up to take a photo and while there, he also did an etching (called a ‘name rubbing’). It was a very emotional experience for everyone.

And it was a great way for the students to see the personal impact the Vietnam War had on those who lived through it. We received a message from the family we helped:

I want to thank you all for helping me get a name rubbing of my cousin, Steve. I’ve shared the photos with my grandmother and she is overwhelmed with emotion because she has never been able to come to the Wall ...Thank you again from my entire family. We appreciate you all!”

Single Mom Ministry Every Spring, the Middle and High School students team up with parents and fan out across the county to provide a day of caring to Single Moms.

The Single Mom Ministry provides a list of those who need help with spring cleaning. Armed with rakes, shovels, pruners, and brooms, the kids get to it.

It’s always a special time that provides a blessing to both the moms and the students.

TCCS helps single moms in another unique way. Karin Stevens, Area Coordinator for Single MOM Ministries in Traverse City, shares an example: “Double Edge has been helping to fill needs for our moms during the COVID crisis at no charge to them. I recently received a call from a mom who was concerned about clothes for her ever-growing middle/high school boys. I contacted Double Edge and JoAnn, the store manager, told me to have this mom meet her in the back of the store. This has been where she has left the clothes for the other moms so I thought that was what she was going to do today. When this mom called me back, she said that JoAnn let her and her children come into the store and look through the 18 | The Messenger

clothes so her boys could each pick out items that they liked and would wear, all at no cost.

Mom was so grateful for this!! She said they each found a pair of jeans, some shirts and even one pair of swim trunks!

This was such an act of kindness to this mom. Mom said she wanted to pay for the clothes, but JoAnn wouldn’t take it. So, this mom decided that when they got home, she was going to have her boys clean out their closets and drawers for outgrown clothes and give back to Double Edge so they can make money off of their donation! Another story of kindness during crisis for both giver and recipient.”

Sporting Achievements Hunter Haldaman - State Bowling Champion TC Christian Junior, Hunter Haldaman, went the distance at the MHSAA State Bowling Championship at Royal Scot Lanes in Lansing in early March, emerging as the State Champion. Hunter started the morning session qualifying for the afternoon bracket play by finishing 2nd overall. In the sweet 16, Hunter defeated Muskegon Western Michigan Christian’s Senior Gabe Gauthier 412-325. In the Elite 8, Hunter faced off against Jake Schultz from Grass Lake High School. It was a tough match-up and Hunter needed two strikes in the 10th frame to have a chance. He rolled 3 to seal the victory and move on with a score of 409-401. In the final four, he knocked out Aaron Stephens from Breckinridge High School

427-391 to move into the Championship game.

Hunter wasted no time, rolling a 216 in game one to take a 49 pin lead and he didn’t look back, eventually winning 404-373. Congratulations to Hunter, our first State Champion bowler.

Seniors Sign Letters Of Intent It was a great year for Sabre athletics as we celebrated two of our seniors who signed Letters of Intent to play collegiate athletics.

Sydney Broderick will play softball for Wheaton College. Syd maintains a 3.99 GPA and is this year’s Co-Valedictorian. She will major in Marketing and Communications.

Go Thunder!

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Abbey Brower will play softball for Cornerstone University. Abbey also maintains a 3.99 GPA and shares the honor of CoValedictorian. Abbey will major in Pre-Med. Go Eagles!

Varsity Girls Bowlers Finish in Top 3 In State The Lady Sabres made school history by placing 3rd overall in the State after an incredible day of play. That’s the best placement by our Girls’ Bowling team ever, and was accomplished despite illness and injury. Way to go, ladies!

Following that exhausting effort, two members of the team, Hannah Elenbaas and Ella Wendell, were back at it on Saturday morning playing for the State Girls’ Singles title. After a valiant effort, their season came to an end, but Hannah and Ella can take pride in knowing it was just the second time we’ve had female players advance that far in a State Singles tournament.

TC Christian Junior, Emma Mirabelli, was selected for both the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association AllState team and the RecordEagle Volleyball Dream Team.

Congrats to Brock Broderick for being named Honorable Mention All State for D4 basketball.

Congrats to TC Christian Junior, Ellie Visser. for qualifying for the USA Youth Hockey Nationals with her team, the K-Stars.

Congrats to TC Christian Junior, Ben Polomsky for being named All Area Dream Team Honorable Mention for Hockey.

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Adapting To The Shutdown

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hen the school shutdown was announced on Friday, March 13, the TCCS leadership team and faculty worked through the weekend to develop a Distance Learning model that was totally new for us. ‘TCCS Virtual’ was launched on Monday, March 16, resulting in no break in student studies. As the news media reported on school systems wrestling with bureaucracy and processes as they worked to forge a path forward, TC Christian was on mission, delivering education.

“We have been super impressed with the way TCCS has handled the ‘distance learning’. We love that the teachers are actively praying for their students and families as we all adjust to this new normal. Our children’s teachers have clearly spent a lot of

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time putting together their distance learning curriculum, which has been interactive, fun, and easy to navigate.

Our children have enjoyed the videos they send and loved having the opportunity to interact with them through video conferencing. I am so thankful for the community at TCCS! We are sad to not finish out the school year at TCCS, but super thankful for the ways the teachers are still pouring into our kids!”

Meanwhile, on the homefront TC Christian students were busily creating their ideal Distance Learning workspaces at home.

Their creativity was such that we felt compelled to launch a contest to ‘grade’ students in three categories: Most Studious/Schoollike workspace; Most Comfortable/ Relaxed workspace; Most Creative workspace. Examples of their efforts are here.

We are sad to not finish out the school year at TCCS, but super thankful for the ways the teachers are still pouring into our kids!

An Amazing Team

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ur teachers play a vital role in educating and shaping our children, the future leaders of our community. They are kind, patient, hard-working, dedicated, and understanding professionals who love Jesus and disciple our children, guiding them in positive directions. Simply put, they are terrific! The love between teachers, staff, and pupils was such that in April, the faculty and staff produced a video for the students expressing their feelings about the separation.

You can watch that here.

The staff and teachers at TC Christian have impressed us greatly from the start.

Their love, drive, passion and desire to see our kids succeed is obvious and invaluable to our family! Double kudos for loving and guiding teenage girls, and helping them discover God’s plan for their lives! These teachers are demanding yet caring, tough yet fair, expect effort and hard work yet are full of grace and discernment. You are amazing!!”

This year we welcomed - and farewelled - several members of the TCCS team.

Additions

Carrie Johns (4th Grade) Carrie is a graduate of Spring Arbor University with a Major in English and Minor in Education and Early Childhood Education. Carrie has 10 years of teaching experience within Elementary classroom settings, most recently serving as a Reading Interventionist with TCAPS. Carrie is a member at New Hope Community Church, volunteering in numerous areas within her church home. Carrie shared, “My relationship with Christ is the centerfocus of my life. We are all called to shine His light and I would love to continue to do that in an educational setting!”

Amanda Keene (Middle School Math) Amanda, formerly Amanda Ufer, is no stranger to TCCS. She is a TC Christian alumnus and has spent time with us over the years coaching, subbing, and tutoring. Amanda attended Calvin College where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education, with dual majors in Math and Spanish. She also has unique experiences internationally in both Peru and Costa Rica where she completed a portion of her studies. Amanda will primarily teach Middle School Math at TCCS. She shared the following during the application process: “Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I desire to honor and glorify him with my life. I am passionate about Math and faith and I want to be able to encourage my students in their faith.”

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Charmaine Lipscomb and Betsy Rudolph Many of you will remember Charmaine from the incredible productions she did at the school several years ago: Mary Poppins, Oklahoma!, The Best of Broadway, and more! In addition to being a Choreographer and Director, Charmaine and her husband, Rich, are proud Sabre parents of David (‘14) and Tyler (‘16). Betsy is also a well-known figure at TC Chrstian. She is a graduate of the Class of 2009 and in addition to theatre, was a Sabre athlete who has since subbed and coached at the school. Charmaine and Betsy will focus on working with students interested in drama, dance, and song.

Syndi Knorr ((Elementary Aide) Syndi Knorr is our new Elementary Aide! Syndi and her husband, Josh (TCCS class of 1999), have three Junior Sabres: Caleb (5th), Charis (2nd), and Christian (K). Syndi has a degree in Psychology with a concentration in Counseling, along with a Masters in Human Services. Over the years, Syndi has had various job and volunteer experiences working with young children.

Colette Nichols (MS/HS Aide) Colette is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a degree in Elementary Education (K-8) along with a major in Science, a minor in Reading, and an endorsement in Child Development. Colette has a variety of teaching experiences over the last several years and has also served as a mentor for middle school and high school students. Colette and her family attend Living Hope Church in Traverse City. Colette shared the following during the application process: “Our family values and believes in the vision of Traverse City Christian School. I love the Lord with all of my heart.

He is my Savior and Redeemer. I also know how deeply I need His grace and mercy and try everyday to share this with my children.”

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Retirements Ron Christie, head coach of the Traverse City Christian soccer program, has retired after 19 seasons. Coach Christie amassed a record of 284-99-15 with eight district championships and three regional championships. He was named District Coach of the Year five times and Regional Coach of the Year three times. Roy Montney will succeed Ron in head coaching duties. Coach Montney has coached athletes through Traverse Bay Area Youth Soccer for the past 15 years and also serves on its Board of Directors.

Coach Christie, we tip our hat. What an excellent coach, mentor, role model, and friend you have been to a generation of Sabre soccer players and their families.

Thank you for an outstanding run. Congratulations, Coach Montney. We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the Sabre family.

Teresa Mitchell Our Learning Lab Aide is retiring after 10 years at TC Christian.

During her time with TCCS, Teresa was a vital part of the teaching team helping students transitioning from other schools who needed remedial support.

She also provided support for students with learning impairments. We will miss your hands-on skills and cheerful spirit, Teresa. Happy trails!

Jackie Richer came to us through TCAPS and spent several years at TCCS, both as an Elementary school aide and a translator for our hearing-impaired students. Although retiring from teaching, Jackie is excited to continue serving in the community as a translator. Thank you for your skills and kindness to our children, Jackie.

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How You Make A Difference

T

he cost of educating each student at TC Christian is much greater than tuition covers. Our Annual Appeal is essential to help fill the gap between tuition and operating expenses.

Each year, the Annual Appeal helps control tuition increases – making a Christian education affordable to families in our community - while providing funding for many of the school’s most pressing needs such as technology in the classrooms, academic enhancements, tuition assistance, faculty support, the purchase of supplies and equipment, and operating expenses.

Every dollar raised is used to enrich the school and the lives of our students in their pursuit of academic, character, and spiritual development so that they may be the future Christian leaders our world so greatly needs.

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If we have to work two jobs to make sure our kids can continue to go to school at TC Christian, we will. Our son has never been as happy or content, and he has grown so much. I’m not sure who’s reading this but ‘thank you’. Thank you for providing us with an amazing staff to teach our children and some financial help that makes it possible for our children, and other children, to attend this school.”

Every gift to TC Christian is important and typically comes in the form of one of the following: Friends of TCCS Donors who like to give monthly, and others who make special one-time gifts, all share the distinction of being a Friend of TCCS. These regular gifts and pledges are crucial to Traverse City Christian School’s budget, helping to bridge the gap between tuition and the actual cost of education. To make a gift today, please click here.

Annual Events These fun activities draw our school community together to promote awareness of the school and raise financial support. These include: • • •

Big Day Out! Swingshift and the Stars Challenge Dinner (Note: this year’s Challenge Dinner was cancelled due to the state-wide shutdown)

Special Appeals Beyond events and monthly donations, twice a year - at Christmas and in late Spring - we ask for help specifically to support our tuition assistance program.

These take the form of a letter and allow donors to make special gifts, often tied to a matching challenge, to satisfy a specific goal.

Double Edge Thrift Shop When TC Christian started Double Edge Thrift, it was created with one purpose: to generate a profit to support the ministry of TC Christian School. Located at one of the busiest intersections in Traverse City, Double Edge is thriving, and has transformed its patch of commercial space into a little slice of Heaven. Key components to its success include the steady stream of partners who help run the store, combined with the outstanding inventory donated on a daily basis. These two keys ensure that overhead remains low while quality merchandise attracts customers. Increasingly recognized as one of the must-see thrift shops in town, Double Edge has regularly grown its revenues to the point that what the store brings is providing significant support to TC Christian’s Variable Tuition program.

In addition to this regular fund development, there are other creative ways to support Christian education. These include giving through: • • • •

Memorials and Honorariums Estate Bequests Trusts and Endowments Grants

To learn how you can help TC Christian equip more students for success, please contact our Director of Mission Advancement, Craig O’Connor.

Office: (231) 929-1747.

Email: coconnor@tcchristian.org

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