June 2019
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory. Psalm 115:1
If Walls Could Talk What is it like inside the walls of GCA? What happens here day to day? Celebrating Grace gives you a glimpse of the amazing ways the Lord has blessed our school. June 2018
By God’s Grace and For His Glory by Robbie Mason, Head of School
Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4
In 2009, in the middle of the recession, GCA was established. It was only by God’s grace and provision that GCA was able to open our doors as a K-5 Christian school with just over 65 students. We are truly thankful for those families that trusted and invested in establishing a distinctly Christian school. Now, 10 years later GCA serves over 700 students in grades Pre-K-12th and is a thriving ministry that serves not just Williamson County, but the 5 surrounding counties as well. GCA is not a perfect school, but it is passionate about partnering with Christian families and providing their students a distinctly Christian and academically excellent education. Today, we are seeing incredible successes in academics, the arts and athletics and you will hear more of those accolades in this publication. We are proud of these accomplishments, but we are prouder of the spiritual growth that we have seen in our students. They are learning to lead well, serve others, and have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. As we move forward, let’s not forget, GCA is here only by God’s Grace and for His Glory.
Academically Excellent and Distinctly Christian
CONTENTS
June 2018
Head of School News
3
Pre-K & Elementary News
6-11
GCA Feature Family
12-13
Middle School News
14-15
High School News
16-23
Fine Arts
24-29
Development & Fundraising
30-31
Athletics
32-35
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Pre-K & Elementary News By Rona Branson
together.
It can get a little crazy in May with award ceremonies, blessings and celebrations. However, it is not haphazardly done. We have a purpose for each event and we believe it is worth it. At GCA we celebrate that each student is a unique creation of God. Each year we are intentional about making sure that each student knows their value as a child of God, knows that they are loved by their teachers and peers, and that some of their unique gifts or qualities are called out publicly. This is not just ‘every kid gets a trophy’ kind of thinking. Our teachers take a thoughtful and prayerful approach to commend the accomplishments and character qualities of each student. We appreciate all of the participation and help that parents contribute to make all of these events come
We believe that lifting up the traits that best model the life of Christ will lay a foundation of truth in our students’ lives that will yield dividends in the future. Recognition is given to students who have led in a Christ-like, service minded manner in areas such as serving others, kindness, encouraging words, work ethic, Godly character and academic excellence. As we lift these qualities up, our hope is that students will be drawn to pursuing a life in Christ in all areas of their life. It is one of the ways we partner with families to raise up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).
Easter Week “Stations” of the Cross This year during Easter week, we had a special chapel outside down by the barn. Each teacher took a part of the story of Christ’s life leading up to the time of His death and talked to the students about the relevance of that part of the story and how it could apply to them today. Examples included the robe and crown of thorns which were put on Jesus to mock Him, remembering the spices put on His body to prepare it for burial, and the silver coins that Judas sold Jesus out for. Students were challenged to evaluate their own lives and to live more honestly committed to Christ. It was a powerful and memorable day.
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“Children are a heritage from the LORD…” Psalm 127:3a Every year, without fail, the Pre-K staff ends up in tears during the Pre-K Blessing Ceremonies. The day is a time to celebrate the character traits that God has instilled in each child and to pray a blessing over the Pre-K classes. It is the realization that we, the Pre-K staff, are blessed so much by every child and parent throughout the year that brings the tears. From the first day of the year to the last, I am always amazed by how much the children learn and grow academically, socially, and most of all, spiritually. The Pre-K kiddos have learned their letters, numbers, sounds, counting to 100 (100 Day is always a favorite!), and so much more. They had so many hands-on experiences in class that it was always an adventure for visitors to step in and observe! Pre-K students are always busy, busy, busy, just like their class mascot, Buzzy the Bee, who helped them learn how to “Bee Ready, Bee Respectful, and Bee Responsible.” th
The teachers’ love and dedication to their students was unwavering as well as their passion for teaching, based on God’s Word! Their love of reading the Bible was passed on to each class, as when it was time to open Bibles, cheers were heard. A staple throughout the year is learning and applying the Fruit of the Spirit. Pre-Kers LOVED being spotted and receiving super skittles for displaying the fruits, especially, selfcontrol. The love and support of students and families carried us through several challenges this year. A student faced a life-threatening stay in the hospital, a staff member lost a loving spouse, and several other difficulties as well. Every time, the GCA school rallied behind us with prayers, gifts, cards, and words of encouragement. Children would say, “let’s pray”, and expect the answer to come. They have taught us so much by their faith! The words spoken over each child by teachers and seeing parents pray the Fruit of the Spirit Prayer at the programs brought tears to more than one set of eyes. The memories shared also provided many laughs, and students sharing that they would miss their teachers and friends brought many “Awes.” It has been a wonderful journey together in Pre-K, participating with each family in the formation of each student. As a staff, we have been blessed beyond measure. GCA students (and parents!) are indeed a heritage from the LORD!
Much love, appreciation, and prayers, The Pre-K Staff
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On Tuesday night, May 21, Kindergarten students and their families celebrated a wonderful year with a Kindergarten Graduation ceremony. The 34 students recited the pledges, watched a short movie filled with pictures from throughout the year, sang songs led by music teacher, Maribeth Johnson, and each received a character trait award from their teachers, Mrs. Lindsay Warren and Miss Hope Martin. Afterwards there was a reception in the cafeteria with a coffee bar, dessert bar, and photo booth. It was a beautiful ceremony and a wonderful celebration of a job well done this year in Kindergarten! Congratulations to the GCA Class of 2031!
Intermediate School for 2019-2020 Next school year, we are thrilled to launch a new Intermediate School model on the lower campus. The Intermediate School will house our 5th and 6th grade students and serve as a bridge between Elementary and Middle School. Prayerfully, we feel that this grouping of students fit together developmentally, emotionally and spiritually. Our 5th and 6th grade students will be served by an incredible team of teachers who love this age group and, most importantly, love the Lord. Our Intermediate School will be participating in the same activities and trips that they have in the past, while incorporating new and exciting traditions! The 5th grade will continue to go to JA BizTown, while the 6th grade will travel to the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL. This will be a time of training our 5th and 6th graders of expectations of the Middle School, while still enjoying the grace of a new system. As always, we are thrilled to partner with our parents to teach and disciple our GCA students and look forward to a wonderful school year ahead!
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On April 17th and 18th, the 5th graders from GCA participated in a 2-day interactive experience at JA BizTown in Nashville. Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee offers volunteerdelivered, Kindergarten—12th grade programs that foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills, and uses experiential learning to inspire students in our community to dream big and reach their potential. JA BizTown is one of those programs. The students spent several months preparing for their visit by creating a resume, filling out a job application, going through an interview process on campus, learning to keep a transaction register, writing letters to the editor, making ads for their businesses, and working in groups to fill out a cost sheet to see what funds they would need to pay employees and run their businesses. Students held various jobs in their businesses such as CEO, CFO, television anchors, and retail clerks. GCA partnered with several homeschool groups to run the simulated town for 2 days. The businesses our 5th graders ran were Dollar General, the TV station, the Wellness Center, the Newspaper, the Memorial Foundation Philanthropy Center, and City Hall. Russ Berger was elected to be the mayor of JA BizTown. The goals of the students were to take out a business loan, run a successful business by buying and selling goods, keep personal checking accounts using checks, debit cards and electronic banking, and keep accurate business accounts. Their goal was to make enough money to pay all of their business expenses and have enough left to pay off their business loan. Students received two breaks where they were able to shop, go to the bank, and visit the restaurant for popcorn and drinks on their break. The students did a great job! Mrs. Walker and Mrs. Lain were so pleased with their hard work before the trip and their great work ethic while at JA BizTown. Thanks to the many parent volunteers who helped out for the 2-day visit.
In April, 35 GCA students from 3rd through 8th grades went to ACSI Math Olympics in Huntsville, AL. Out of the 35 GCA students, 18 won ribbons for scoring in the top 5 of their competition. Congratulations to these students on a job well done! Peyton Collins – 1st Place, 3rd Grade Computation (also won a medal for scoring 85% or above on all tests!) Graydon Reed – 2nd Place, 3rd Grade Reasoning Benjamin Collins – 4th Place, 3rd Grade Reasoning Elena Abart – 4th Place, 4th Grade Computation Hutch Blank – 5th Place, 4th Grade Reasoning Heidi Ring – 1st Place, 5th Grade Computation (also won a medal for scoring 85% or above on all tests!) Tori Mullaney – 2nd Place, 5th Grade Computation Andrew Skinner – 3rd Place, 5th Grade Computation Hudson Gregg – 5th Place, 5th Grade Reasoning Madelyn Gregg – 1st Place, 7th Grade Computation (also won a medal for scoring 85% or above on all tests!) Jayse Huxford – 4th Place, 7th Grade Computation Jake Breland – 2nd Place, 7th Grade Reasoning Evan Nelson – 3rd Place, 7th Grade Reasoning Carter Patterson – 5th Place, 7th Grade Reasoning Jeremy Walling – 1st Place, 8th Grade Computation (also won a medal for scoring 85% or above on all tests!) Jonathan Walling – 2nd Place, 8th Grade Reasoning Zaine Hutchison – 3rd Place, 8th Grade Reasoning Amy Vogt – 4th Place, 8th Grade Reasoning
Meet “All the Joneses” Every afternoon in the car rider line you see the big red van and hear, "All the Joneses—We need all the Joneses" on the walkie talkie. Who are “all the Joneses?” Meet Mike and Hayley, Michael (alumni 2017), Samuel (alumni 2018), Gabrielle (Senior), Levi (Sophomore), Malachi (Sophomore), Tyler (Freshman), Judah (8th grade), Isaiah (7th grade), Zion (6th grade), Tucker (5th grade), and Tobiah (3 years.) They have been part of the GCA family for four years and you can see (and hear) them at all the soccer games. They are living proof that God has great plans for our lives and those plans don't always look like ours. With a desire to adopt a child or two in their hearts, Hayley got involved working with an orphanage in Sierra Leone, West Africa. What began with the thought of adopting a child, God quickly revealed His plans were quite different and it included a sibling group of eight children. Realistically, it was an impossible task; but God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. This seemed crazy and most people told them how crazy they were for even considering it. They didn't have the money, the house, or the means to take on such a large family, but God's call was clear. A three year battle began with Hayley having to resign from teaching and spending most of that time in Sierra Leone. Luke 1:27 says, "What is impossible with man is possible with God." As always, God came through. The road didn't look like what they had imagined it would, but His ways are always best. Six years ago, the 'Great 8' as they were affectionately called came home to finally join their two brothers, Tyler and Tucker. Life was a whirlwind. Learning a new language, a new culture, and having all the American commodities, like electricity and running water made for some adventurous and exciting days. Much to everyone's surprise, God wasn't finished with their family yet. Three years ago, Tobiah was born and has them all wrapped around his finger. Hayley says, "It has been amazing to see how God has provided for our family's needs. It's like manna from heaven. He gives us just what we need each day and we know He will not fail. Our hope is that our family will be an example of following God in whatever He calls you to do, even when it seems impossible."
LYDIA FISH AS JANE GOODALL
We are so thankful for another successful year in the Middle School at GCA! The last quarter was full of celebration, excitement and learning as we wrapped up our time together. God’s faithfulness has been evident to us all as He led us through final exams, projects, and so much more.
By Suzanne Bechman
Middle School News
ZOE JONES AS MARIE CURIE
Our 8th grade class has been trained up and ready to take on new adventure, while our 6th and 7th grade students look forward to continuing the traditions of GCA Middle School. A few highlights of the last quarter include the Living History Museum in 6th, the Biome project in 7th grade and first taste of final exams for our 8th grade. We also capped off our time together with a “Decades” pep rally, and amazing “color run” field day! We celebrated our 8th grade students during this last quarter as they launch into a new chapter as High Schoolers. They visited the High School campus and enjoyed a time getting to know teachers, touring the upper campus and receiving “Class of 2023” t-shirts (see photos on page 15.) We continued to honor our 8th grade class with a special week in May. The 8th graders were treated to a luncheon, led us in chapel, made a time capsule, and spoken over by their teachers during the blessing ceremony. We pray they leave the Middle School feeling “known and loved” and will treasure their memories made during these years. We are enthusiastic in our planning for next school year! We are launching the Intermediate School (5th-6th) in 2019-2020, while prayerfully continuing to create an environment where each student is trained and recognized for the unique individuals God has created them to be. We hope you have a wonderful summer and we can’t wait to see you in August!
Middle School Spiritual Life By Dan Spencer
8th Grade-led Chapel & Blessing Ceremony This year’s 8th grade-led chapel and blessing ceremony were especially thoughtful and spiritually strong. Our 8th grade class planned, rehearsed, prayed, and shared testimonies of God’s faithfulness and love for us. I’m very proud of these students, their humble approach to worship, and the dedication they had all year leading their peers in worship
Below are the video links from the 8th-grade events. Parents and/or students can view, download, and share these videos with family and friends. 8th Grade Blessing: https://vimeo.com/336628741 8th Grade-Led Chapel: https://vimeo.com/336619033 Password (case sensitive) for both videos: Lions2019
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Grace Christian Academy would like to recognize t following Middle and High School students for an incredible academic year.
6th Grade A Honor Whit Birch Katherine Blankenship Ryan Breland Sofia Carman Audrey George Ty Gibbs Samuel Glasel Lani Grasmanis Julie Anne Hart Jenna Huxford Nolan Maloney Ellis Mason Nathan Maxson Jackson Monkley Isaiah Myers Kade Nord Carly Orne Eisley Pankratz Ava Pate Lily Patrick Olivia Pierce Maddox Potter Luke Rains Sophia Rhodes Caroline Russell Slade Spencer Wesley Stewart Sydney Whitehead Tucker Wolf Nicole Wright
7th Grade A Honor Roll Hudson Barton Aubrey Black Jake Breland Thomas Camacho Sophia Clark Caroline Collins Addy Cook Mackenzie Curle Isabelle DeShong Ella Kate Gill Madelyn Gregg Ansley Harris Stellie Higby Jayse Huxford Ellie Karner Mei Lin Konyn Evan Nelson Joshua Poenitske Georgie Tillman Parker Vanden Oever Rebekah Windland Brock Woodard
8th Grade A Honor Roll Emma Abart Charlie Black Rylan Blank Anna Claire Boster Ruth Fish Nathan Greene Zaine Hutchison Bess Karner Brendan Koreiba Aubrey Lane Marxie Myers Mae Pirtle Luke Ring Eden Sanders Evan Spychalski Daniel Stewart Dylan Tolliver Jeremy Walling Jonathan Walling Bryce Woodard Parker Wright
the
High School Principal’s List (GPA of 4.25 and Higher) Sydney Blankenship Sammy Camacho Anna Cella Kailey Davis Katie Dial Caeli Finch Molly Hankins Sidney Hauk Josh Hilner Malachi Jones Michael Koellein Mattie Van Mason Addison McGinnis Mary Bradley Myers Anna Claire Riggs Bella Scott Caleb Varner Bradey Yarbrough
High School Honor’s List (GPA of 4.0—4.249) Levi Allen Alex Armstrong Connor Armstrong Sam Barrionuevo Blake Barton Davis Beasley Anna Kate Bechman Dawson Bechman Dean Bechman Emma Boster Josh Breland Caroline Briley Presley Burk Victoria Buzek Raybecca Calvert Sam Cannon Daniel Coley Christian Collins Maddie Cowan Jude Cox Lance Dial Nicholas Dial
High School Honor’s List (GPA of 4.0—4.249) Ian Farrar Anna Blair Fish Carson Ford Rebecca Foster Hubbard Galloway Luke Gill Tristen Goree Josh Griswold Christina Hale Joe Hauk Sophie Higby Audrey Johnson Sam Johnson Meg Karner Ashton Kelley Charlie Koellein Miyah Konyn Gracyn LaRocca Paige Lewis Ben Lukasiak Kristen Mahy Carson Maloney Carter Murphy Tanner Nelson Silas Pankratz Mark Parker Savannah Phillips Ruthie Pirtle Alena Pitts Christian Rhodes Haley Ring Hope Ring Audrey Sanders Cole Scott Braden Sipkovsky Anna Smith Grant Solomon James Summers Averi Thorne Elizabeth Vogt Nate Westmoreland Avery Williams Rachel Windland Erin Wojcik
High School News
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By Richard Anderson “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19) “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) “No man steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.” (Heraclitus) “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.” (Dr. Seuss). . .as spoken to the Class of 2019 at Graduation It is Exam Week as I write and I’m already getting sad. . .We just graduated the Class of 2019. . .the underclassmen are in their last week. . .and I am already bemoaning our soon-to-be-empty High School building. The students bring the “energy” that is GCA. You see, a building is simply a box. It is a big box. . .subdivided into smaller boxes. But it is what takes place in those smaller boxes that makes a school a school. And, thanks to our amazing faculty, what takes place in those smaller boxes is nothing short of excellent! The quietness of this place in the summer does lend itself, however, to reflection upon the 2018-19 school year just past. Just a blink of an eye ago, we: --Took the Senior class to Deer Run for an overnight retreat. . .followed by an all-school retreat the next day. --Held the annual Sporting Clay Shoot at Gentry’s Farm. --Had a great Homecoming involving both campuses and the Hoedown dance enjoyed by all. --Celebrated family and friends with a Grandparents Day program. --We prayed. . .(“See You at the Pole” in September) and “National Day of Prayer” in May). --Held a Pastor Appreciation breakfast for the 70 churches represented at GCA. --Honored those who have served in the Armed Forces with a Veterans Day program. --Went (literally) all over the world—locally, regionally, globally—with Winter X activities. --Had a meaningful Maundy Thursday chapel in preparation for Good Friday/Easter. --Watched our students use their gifts in ballgames, plays, musicals, and “GCA’s Got Talent.” --Celebrated achievements at the Academic Awards ceremony, spoke the Senior Blessings. --Held a worshipful, teary, joyful, celebratory Graduation for the Class of 2019. So now we’ll catch our breath. . .take the summer to “gear up” for the 2019-20 school year. What will it hold for GCA? As someone once wrote: “I know not what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future.”
Soli Deo Gloria. To God Alone be the Glory. . .for GCA’s past, present, and future. The best is yet to come! Have a great Summer!
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Academic Accolades and Updates By Judy Barnette Grace Christian Academy welcomed a new club into the High School. Mu Alpha Theta, a mathematics honor society for High School and College students, was offered to the students for the first time. MAƟ has over 2200 chapters in the United States and in 20 foreign countries. The club’s main goals are to inspire keen interest in mathematics, develop strong scholarship in the subject and promote the enjoyment of mathematics in High School and College students. The name
is a rough transliteration of math into Greek (Mu Alpha Theta) In order to be eligible for MAƟ membership, students must have completed two years of College prep mathematics and must have an average of 88 for each semester of the previous year’s mathematics class. In order to maintain membership, students must maintain the 88 or above average and must obtain 8 or more points per semester. Students are able to accumulate points in many different ways such as: attendance at monthly meetings, tutoring their peers, volunteering at a Family Math night and participating in local math contests. This year GCA and MAƟ hosted the First Annual Family Math Night on April 1st. The event was a huge success with over 100 Elementary students in attendance. The students participated in fun math games which were hosted by MAƟ and other High School students. The parents were very complimentary of the event saying that, even though their students loved playing the games, what they really enjoyed was interacting with the High School students. Twenty students were officially initiated into MAƟ on the night of May 7th with a nice ceremony honoring them. MAƟ is always interested in having speakers at their monthly meetings who actually use math in their job. If you use math in your job, or if you know of someone who does, and you would like to speak to High School students (for about 15-30 minutes), please contact Judy Barnette at jbarnette@gcalions.com
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GCA continues to grow in its graduation traditions. The Senior Blessing Ceremony is one of those wonderful traditions that has evolved into a very special day for each individual graduate. This year, the Senior Blessing Ceremony was on Wednesday, May 15, and was attended by parents and the High School student body. The service begins with worship led by a senior worship team. For the past two years, each senior has asked a specific teacher/coach/administrator to perform his/her blessing. This year, the 39 seniors chose 22 different faculty members. Each blessing is written by the faculty member for the particular student, and then the faculty member reads that blessing to the student at the ceremony. Blessings are personal, memorable, and often followed with a challenge to the student. The senior receives a copy of the blessing as a reminder of what has been called out in that student as he/she leaves GCA. Parents also have a special time of prayer over their senior. This year, Will McGinniss, father of senior Addison McGinniss, led the special time of prayer by reading Scripture over the students while the students sat with parents and parents laid hands on and prayed over their child. The Senior Blessing Ceremony is one of the most special days at GCA as we send out our seniors. Concerning the length of the ceremony, High School Principal Richard Anderson said, “I don’t care if we have to serve box lunches, we must continue this tradition regardless of class size.” By Andi Hauk, High School Spiritual Life Director
GCA High School juniors hosted the seniors at Westhaven Golf Club on April 27, 2019 at the GCA Prom. All of the students had a great time as they were able to enjoy one final night with their friends before this year’s seniors move to the status of alumni. Students arrived and were treated to the Senior Presentation where each senior student entered the ballroom as some of their favorite memories of GCA were read to parents, friends, and fellow students. As the Senior Presentation ended, students were seated for a delicious dinner followed by dancing. All of the students had a great time and made lifelong memories.
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Senior Capstone Presentations By Jen Neilson
This was the fourth year to have a Senior Seminar/Capstone class at GCA. The Capstone class at GCA is designed to provide seniors with the opportunity to apply all that they have learned in the four years of High School to a project which will extend their learning, stretch their potential, and challenge their abilities. Completed during the senior year in the Senior Seminar class, the work of the GCA Capstone Project consists of four major pillars: paper, product/performance, portfolio (digital), and a fifteen minute presentation. The goal is to choose a topic that interests students and explore it. This might include investigating a topic that students have always been curious about or choosing something they know a little about and taking their understanding of it to a new and challenging level. The Capstone Project concept has been highly acclaimed and proven successful in many High Schools across the country, and this group of seniors really did a fantastic job.
In addition to completing classwork, students completed shadow experiences of at least 16 hours outside of school in their chosen career field. This year’s class had students shadowing in hospitals, schools, nonprofits, churches, and government buildings. Our seniors were able secure GREAT shadow experiences this year. The products for the Capstone class were very impressive with everything from medical demonstrations and assessments, dresses fashioned from recycled school supplies, books, translation guides, and supplies for crisis pregnancy centers. The Class of 2019 did an amazing job of taking their Capstone Presentations to the next level.
High School Easter Chapel By Andi Hauk For the past two years, the High School students have participated in a special Easter chapel on the Thursday afternoon just before the Good Friday break. This chapel takes place on the High School property, and it ends the day as students leave to celebrate the Easter weekend with their families. This year, guest worship leaders Matt and Julianne Longworth led the students in a worship time centered on the cross and the sacrifice of Jesus on Good Friday. After the intentional time of worship, students were dismissed to quietly go through four different stations at their own pace. Each station had a Good Friday/Easter focus. Stations included a communion station, a cross station where students could write down a burden/sin/shame they were carrying and nail it to and leave it at the cross, a reflection station where students could read passages about Good Friday and the crucifixion, and then a garden station where students could spread out on blankets in the grass and pray together or alone, taking time to thank God for all He has done. This chapel looks different for each student, as students are not required to go in any particular order or to visit every station. Instead, students go where they need. This type of day challenges many of our students to try something new in the form of worship, meditation and prayer. It is a beautiful time of watching our students grow and mature into a faith that is their own.
By Laura Camacho GCA recently sent four rising seniors as delegates to the 2019 American Legion Auxiliary Volunteer Girls State and the 2019 TN American Legion Boys State. Audrey Sanders and Alex Armstrong were the GCA delegates to Girls State, which was hosted at Lipscomb University. Daniel Coley and Bradey Yarbrough were the delegates to Boys State, held at Tennessee Tech University.
GCA faculty select delegates each year based on student’s academic performance, leadership and service Boys State and Girls State have been a part of the American Legion since the early 1900’s. This prestigious week long program offers rising seniors an opportunity to learn about how government functions, run for offices and hear from different speakers. Governor Bill Lee spoke at both Boys and Girls State this year. The learn more about Girls State visit http://alavgs.org/2019-session/ and Boys State visit https://www.tnboysstate.org/
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Graduating Class of 2019
Samuel Cannon
Cooper Fowler
Liam Cauley
Tristen Goree
Eli Cooper
Molly Hankins
Charlee Baker
Kailey Davis
Sidney Hauk
Anna Kate Bechman
Anna Blair Fish
Sophia Higby
Madison Brown
Carson Ford
Audrey Johnson
Gabriel Buzek
Rebecca Foster
Samuel Johnson
The
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Baylor Jones
Addison McGinniss
Isabella Sanicola
Austin Kasick
Luke McKnight
Cole Scott
Jason Lestarjette
Khalynn Miller
Chloe Sheets
Catherine Mahy
Jack Ray
Matthew Smith
Kristen Mahy
Christian Rhodes
Laura Totty
Mattie Van Mason
Hope Ring
Camryn VanDrunen
Annie McBride
Rachel Roberts
McKenna Varner
By Maribeth Johnson We had a great time in Elementary Music this spring preparing for our annual spring concert “The Principles List...Songs and Words to Live By.� It featured our 1st through 5th grade Music classes, and all of the songs featured were based on principles and character traits that reminded the students of how God would want them to live. It was a very memorable evening for all! Also, our 5th grade class had the opportunity to perform a song with their ukuleles. This was the first year our music program introduced the ukulele curriculum, and several of our 5th grade students earned the highest level of achievement in the program.
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By Holly DeLong
On May 4, 2019, the High School Choir participated in its first adjudication event hosted by the Middle Tennessee Vocal Association. They performed two choral selections and were judged on things like technique and tone. They were awarded a Superior - the highest rating - for their performance! Mary Chandler Hicks, Kristen Mahy, and Madison Brown entered the Solo division, and they were also awarded Superiors for their performances. GCA choirs will continue to participate in these festival events with other schools in the middle TN area and beyond!
By Kay Farrar
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Each year Grace Christian Academy has an in-school art competition to celebrate our young artists. This year we were excited to have almost two hundred artworks with a variety of creative ideas, media choices and amazing artworks! God's beauty is all around us and seeing these young artist’s original interpretations reminds us that He also gifted us with creativity and expression. These artists used their gifts and worked independently on their projects, without any parental or classroom assistance. The award winners from 4th through 12th grade progressed to regional competition with four other Christian schools in Athens, Alabama. Below is a list of artists who received awards for the Annual GCA Art Competition. Page 28 lists the award winners from the regional competition in Athens, Alabama on May 3rd, 2019. A special thanks goes to those who helped with preparation and judging for our in-house competition: Teresa Kolts, Dan Spencer, Haley Riggs, Meredith Salmon, Brooke Elrod, and Nicole Smith Twelfth Grade 1st place - Khalynn Miller “Black” - monochromatic drawing 2nd place - Khalynn Miller “Blue Mountains” - acrylic painting 3rd place - Anna Kate Bechman “Moon” - mixed media painting Eleventh Grade 1st place - Ian Farrar “Lunar Gaze” - pastel and charcoal 1st place - Ian Farrar “Apex” - ink 2nd place - Ian Farrar “Original Six Descent” - ink 3rd place - Raychel Calvert “Youthful Memories” - mixed media Tenth Grade 1st place - Jenna Pedicini “Mountainscape” - acrylic paint 2nd place - Elizabeth Jordan “Mexican Sunset” - acrylic paint Ninth Grade 1st place - Blythe Hutchison “Coral Reef” - mixed media 2nd place - Sean Farrar “Scout” - pastel 2nd place - Sean Farrar “Clean” - ink 3rd place - Sean Farrar “Quick” - ink Eighth Grade 1st place - Braden Walters “Dilophosaurus” - pencil drawing 2nd place - Braden Walters “A Deadly Strike” - pencil drawing 3rd place - Daniella Medina “Two Sides” - mixed media Seventh Grade 1st place - Mackenzie Curle "Ring, Ring, Says the Telephone” - digital photography 2nd place - Dean Gray “Bird Man Live in Space” - mixed media 2nd place - Carter Patterson “A World of Color” - colored pencil and graphite drawing 2nd place - Mackenzie Curle “Gold Through the Rust” - digital photography 3rd place - Thomas Camacho “Patriotic Tomatoes” - acrylic painting
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Sixth Grade 1st place - Nathan Maxson “Pick Nashville” - mixed media painting 2nd place - Maggie Curle “Scotland Sunset” - digital photography 3rd place - Maggie Curle “Sun on the Grass” - digital photography Fifth Grade 1st place - Asa Baker “Thanks for Dropping By” - digital photography 2nd place - Caroline Hampton "A Flower After Rain” - digital photography 2nd place - Madi Tolliver “Autumn” - digital photography 3rd place - Madi Tolliver “Life” - digital photography 3rd place - Alexa Medina “Colossians 3:13” - painting Fourth Grade 1st place - Noah Maxson “Color Explosion” - mixed media 2nd place - Ava Elrod “Sunset Rider” - acrylic painting 2nd place - Ava Elrod “Day at the Park” - three-dimensional sculpture 2nd place - Noah Maxson “Holy Day” - mixed media 3rd place - Zoe Jones “Nighttime Mountain Range” - painting 3rd place - Emmie Salmon “Best Friends” - painting 3rd place - Tessa Pate “Nature’s Sunrise” - painting Third Grade 1st place - Ryder Murphy “Waterfall” 1st place - Will Hampton “The Roaring Lion” 2nd place - Hayden Goodman “Swinging Downtown” - colored pencil 3rd place - Carson Green “The Recital” - painting Second Grade 1st place - Ava Dietrich “Saguaro Sky” - digital photography 2nd place - Emery Anliker “Dancing Bright Colors” - painting 2nd place - Weston Dennis “Hauling Hay” - painting 2nd place - Kayla Gordon “Let’s Watch the Stars at Night” - drawing 3rd place - Ava Dietrich “God’s Creation” - drawing First Grade 1st place - Liam Myers “Frog”- painting 2nd place - Reese Payne “Eiffel Tower” - painting 3rd place - Ailee Carver “My Amazing Gems” - drawing 3rd place - Nealan Maxson “God’s Colors” - painting 3rd place - Jack Norman “Jesus’ Cross” - three-dimensional 3rd place - Reese Payne “Cute and Cuddly” - drawing 3rd place - Sophia Weiss “1” Kindergarten 1st place - Levi Dennis "Barn at Morning” - painting 2nd place - April Hodgson “Moonrise"
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Twelfth Grade 3rd place award - Anna Kate Bechman in mixed media painting - “Moon” Eleventh Grade 1st place award - Ian Farrar in polychromatic drawing in ink - “Apex” 2nd place award - Ian Farrar in monochromatic drawing in charcoal - “Luna” Ninth Grade 1st place award - Sean Farrar in polychromatic drawing in ink - “Quick”
Eighth Grade 1st place award - Braden Walters in monochromatic drawing in pencil - “A Deadly Strike” Sixth Grade 3rd place award - Maggie Curle in digital photography - “Scotland Sunset” Fifth Grade 2nd place award - Madi Tolliver in digital photography - “Life” Fourth Grade 1st place award - Ava Elrod in three dimensional clay sculpture - “A Day at the Park” 2nd place award - Zoe Jones in polychromatic drawing - “Nighttime Mountain Range” 3rd place award - Tessa Pate in painting - “Nature’s Sunrise”
Maggie Curle
Anna Kate Bechman
Sean Farrar
Tessa Pate
Alexa Medina
Zoe Jones
Madi Tolliver
Ian Farrar
Ian Farrar
Braden Walters
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Dear GCA Family, Thank you for the enthusiasm and support you have shown for Grace. Family. Legacy.! As we celebrated the tenth year of GCA this spring semester, we also celebrated the most recent graduating class, and reflected on the legacy of our school over the first decade. As we look to the future, Grace. Family. Legacy. will build upon the foundation established over the last ten years. At GCA, this is more than just a job for our team. This is a calling to Christian education and to kingdom work, and our faculty and staff work tirelessly to make sure that our mission is constantly being moved forward. We are not just a school. We are a family. GCA is our students, our board, our faculty, our staff, and our families working together to educate and disciple the next generation. As we strive toward excellence, we know that we can continue to refine what we do, and also expand our programs, which will serve and benefit our current families and the generations to come. Grace. Family. Legacy. reflects the vision and mission of our school, and calls the GCA family to join together to build the needed facilities on our existing property, including more classroom space and facilities for fine arts and athletics. Details about the plans and ways to give can be found at: gracefamilylegacy.com. Throughout the construction process on our campus, we ask that you pray for wisdom in our stewardship of all financial blessings, and we invite you to be all in with us in the Grace. Family. Legacy. campaign. We encourage everyone to attend a Grace. Family. ALL-INfo small group session, where our leadership will be available to talk with you in detail and answer any questions you may have about the campaign. You may sign up for one of these small group sessions by clicking HERE. More dates will be added to the ALL-INfo sessions calendar for the coming fall semester. If the reserved sessions do not work with your schedule, we are happy to meet with you at your convenience. We celebrate all that God has done in the last decade since our school's founding, and we are thankful for each of the families He has brought to us. Sincerely, Brad Myers Director of Development 615.578.3021 bmyers@gcalions.com
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Spring Athletics By Len McKnatt
What a ride that our spring sports teams took us on. God blessed us with the most successful season in GCA sports history. The student athletes were successful on and off the track, courts, and field. I am excited to get to share some highlights with you. Our High School softball team concluded their second season. It was exciting to see several Lady Lion victories and their first season of playing home games in Leiper’s Fork. The team improved greatly and returns its entire starting lineup. Our Middle School team played in a very competitive HVAC conference. They were placed in the A Division HVAC tournament and went on to win the championship. The softball program is definitely on the rise.
Our girls’ and boys’ High School tennis teams had their second consecutive successful season. They both placed second in the district and regional tournaments. We had two girls’ doubles teams that did exceptionally well. Audrey Johnson and Addison McGinniss won the District Championship and finished runners up in the Region Tournament. Mattie Van Mason and Hope Ring finished runners up in the district tournament and reached the region semifinals. Congrats to our girls’ and boys’ tennis teams. Our Middle School track team completed their inaugural season. We look forward to watching the growth in this program. Our girls’ and boys’ High School track teams had a very successful season filled with many individual and team accomplishments. We had many girls and boys qualify for the state track meet. Our girls’ team finished 2nd in the sectionals and 4th in the state. Our boys’ team finished 3rd in the sectionals and 13th in the state. Anna Blair Fish finished 4th in the state Pentathlon. Abby White also qualified and competed in the State Pentathlon. Fish also finished 3rd in the 100-meter hurdles and 4th in the 300-meter hurdles. Bella Sanicola finished 4th in the Pole Vault. Sanicola also finished 7th in the 100-meter hurdles. Anna Cate Beachum finished 3rd in the 1600 meter run. Beachum also finished 5th in the 800 meter run. Aubrey Lane finished 6th in the 400 meter run. Our girls 4 x 400 relay finished 6th led by Beachum, Fish, Lane, and Sanicola. Cole Scott finished 2nd in the state Decathlon and Gabriel Buzek finished 4th. Scott also finished 8th in the Pole Vault. Sam Johnson finished 7th in the Pole Vault. Jackson Olivo finished 7th in the 800 meter run. Will Beasley finished 8th in the 1600 meter run. Congratulations to all of our track athletes.
Our High School boys’ soccer team was determined to improve on their 2018 state semifinal appearance. The boys did just that by winning our schools first ever State Championship with a 4-1 win over Gatlinburg-Pittman. The Lions took advantage of 3 early goals and a GCA community that showed up in droves to support them. GCA defeated Columbia Academy in the district championship. The Lions defeated LEAD Academy in the region championship. GCA defeated Trinity Christian in the sectionals to earn the team’s second consecutive trip to the state tournament. The Lions opened the state tournament with a big victory over Sweetwater. Up next in the state semifinals was Signal Mountain, who defeated GCA last year in the state semifinals. The Lions outlasted Signal Mountain 2-1 to advance to the state finals. GCA dominated the championship game from start to finish against Gatlinburg-Pittman. Congratulations to our boys’ soccer team led by Coach David DeFatta and his entire staff. Sophomore Carson Anderson was an inspiration to all of us during this state championship run. Thanks for teaching all of us about faith, perseverance, grit, and fighting the good fight. Carson and the boys’ soccer team took us on a ride of a lifetime. Team Carson/Genesis 28:15.
G O T E A M C A R S O N
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Our Middle School baseball team did well and finished as runner up in the A Division of the HVAC tournament. Our High School baseball team followed up a sectional appearance in 2018 with a state tournament appearance in 2019. The Lions were district champs, region champs, and defeated Monterey in the sectionals to secure the schools first ever berth in the state baseball tournament. The Lions had a tough draw with Loretto and Trinity Christian on their side of the bracket. GCA defeated Loretto in game 1 advancing to the winners bracket. The Lions fell to Trinity Christian in their second game setting up another contest with Loretto, the defending state runners up. GCA had another gritty performance and eliminated Loretto to advance to the State Semifinals. The Lions came up a little short against Trinity Christian in their 7th inning rally ending their season in the semifinals. Congratulations to the GCA Baseball team on a historic season. We hope all of you have a great summer. Thanks for your support of GCA Athletics.
Mark Your Calendar
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June 13-15
August 1
Hot Lunch Ordering for August is Open
Hot Lunch Ordering for September is Open
August 5
August 6
August 8
Back to School Bash New Family Orientation New MS & HS Student Orientation
Elementary/MS Parent Orientation
August 9
August 13
August 14/15
HS Retreat at Deer Run
PreK Open House
PreK Phase In Days (Half of the class each day)
August 20
August 23
First Day of PreK Hot Lunch ordering for Sept. ends at 3:00 PM HS Parent Orientation
MS Retreat at Deer Run
Consignment Sale
July 1—July 20 at 3:00 PM
First Day of School Srs. Retreat at Deer Run
Mission Statement
3279 Southall Road Franklin, TN 37064 615-591-3017 www.gcalions.com
The mission of Grace Christian Academy is to assist Christian families in the teaching of their children by providing them an experiential education that is distinctively Christian, biblically saturated, Christ glorifying, academically excellent, and service and mission oriented. We exist to help parents cultivate the legacy of Christ's hope in each student and to prepare them to spread that hope along every avenue God provides.