R RROAR& ROAR& eejoice joice
As we reflect on the las quarter of the 2025-2026 school year, there is much to be grateful for and celebrate. We hope you enjoy this recap AND look forward to our Creative Arts Semester Report! You will be amazed. God is so good! Enjoy!
Members from the Class of 2026 pose with their Kindergarten Graduation poster.
THREE EARN SPOTS IN SERVICE ACADEMY SUMMER PROGRAMS
Jake Survil has been accepted into West Point’s Summer Leadership Experience, where he will spend time on campus gaining firsthand insight into the life of a cadet.
Hannah Smeltzer will attend the United States Naval Academy’s Summer Seminar, an immersive program that introduces students to the academic, physical, and professional demands of the Naval Academy. Grant Patton has been selected for the United States Air Force Academy Summer Seminar, where he will explore the Academy’s many programs.
LION BUSINESS ACADEMY SENIORS RECEIVE CORDS
On Tuesday, April 21, 22 seniors were recognized with a special cord for their involvement in Faith’s Lion Business Academy, celebrating their commitment to growing as future leaders. LBA was founded by former student Christian Wahby, and this year, his sister Abi served as the organization's president.
The Lion Business Academy is designed to give students insight into the business world by bringing in experienced professionals to share their journeys. Throughout the year, students hear directly from business leaders across a variety of industries, gaining perspective on career paths, leadership, and the challenges and opportunities within each field. What sets LBA apart is its focus on faith-centered leadership. Each speaker not only shares professional experiences, but also how their faith has guided their decisions, values, and approach to leadership.
These 22 seniors have taken full advantage of this opportunity—learning, asking questions, and engaging with leaders who model both professional excellence and strong character. Their recognition with a cord reflects their dedication and the meaningful role the Lion Business Academy has played in their high school journey.
LION LEADERSHIP STUDENTS MEET WITH 20 C-LEVEL
EXECUTIVES
On Saturday, April 18, Faith hosted its 8th Annual C-Suite Leadership Initiative, continuing a powerful tradition of connecting students with real-world leadership experience. This year, 20 C-level executives and business owners volunteered their time to conduct mock interviews with our Lion Leadership 301 students, offering an invaluable glimpse into professional expectations at the highest levels.
The event is designed to go far beyond practice interviews. It gives students the opportunity to sharpen their communication skills, receive direct feedback from experienced leaders, and begin building meaningful professional connections. What makes this initiative especially meaningful is that every participating executive is a current or former Faith parent, demonstrating the strength and generosity of our community. Their willingness to invest in the next generation is what makes programs like this so impactful.
The C-Suite Leadership Initiative continues to grow each year, and we are always looking to expand our network of professionals. If you are a seasoned executive interested in serving as an interviewer and supporting our students, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out to sheryl.burleson@grapevinefaith.com to learn how you can get involved.
Campus Campus
Student Affairs
Coordinator Amy Gallegos recently wrote a blog for Baylor's Center for School Leadership Insights. AMY GALLEGOS
AUTHORS BLOG FOR BAYLOR’S CENTER FOR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS
"How can we, as leaders, reflect the goodness and character of Jesus through the practices of our school communities? It is through the intentional practices of our spiritual lives that we align our hearts’ desires with God’s purposes and maximize the impact of our leadership," Mrs. Gallegos writes in the article.
Click here to read full article.
Spotlight Spotlight ARTS ARTS on the... on the...
TAPPS 5A STATE CHAMPIONS IN ACADEMICS, SPEECH + DEBATE, + ART
3 VASE GOLD SEALS
TAPPS 5A ACADEMIC OVERALL STATE CHAMPION
“HELLO, DOLLY!” SCHMIDT AND JONES NOMINATIONS
BROADWAY DALLAS NOMINATIONS
ELEMENTARY ART AWARDS AND MORE!
WATCH FOR OUR CREATIVE ARTS SEMESTER REPORT IN JUNE FOR A FULL RECAP!
UPDATES UPDATESAthletics Athletics
TENNIS
STATE CHAMPIONS
(W) Doubles
Izzy Demarque, Vivian Stoll
STATE QUALIFIERS
(M) Doubles
Zealand Demarque, Dawson Rhoades (District Champions) Mixed Doubles
Beckett Walsh, Sarah Cates
TRACK
5A GIRLS STATE RUNNER-UP OVERALL
STATE CHAMPIONS
4x100M Relay (S. Born, Combe, Simpson, B. Born)
Sophia Belcher, 800 M
STATE RUNNER-UP
Sophia Belcher, 1600M
Carlie Combe, 400M
OTHER RESULTS
3rd Place, Bree Born, 100M / Bree Born, 200M / Kami Stares, Shot Put 4th Place, Koda Hunt, High Jump / Kami Stares, Discus 7th Place, 4x400M Relay (S Born, Combe, Brown, Belcher)
Congratulations to Knox Wharton and Charlie Donovan and the Coppell Lacrosse Team on winning the State Championship of the Class C bracket of the Texas High School Lacrosse League. Knox was also named State Defensive MVP.
UPDATES UPDATESAthletics Athletics
GOLF
STATE RESULTS
Cam Perry - 19 overall th
Girls Team - 7 overall th
STATE QUALIFIERS
Cameron Perry, Whitney Phillips, Riley Berlin, Claire Mitchell
BASEBALL
Overall Record, 14-11-1
SOFTBALL
Overall Record, 19-8-1
Area Champions, Regional Finalists
Andrew Willoughby & Iris Ondrey (With special guest, Mrs. Keylor!)
Addison Skelly baptized by her father.
GENERATIONS GENERATIONS Kindergarten Kindergarten
Twelve Kindergarteners Celebrate Graduation as Legacy Students
A record 12 kindergarten students graduated in May from Kindergarten as Legacy students, where their mother or father attended and graduated from Grapevine Faith
Alumni Alumni
DR. JACKSON GREER, CLASS OF 2016, FINISHED THE BOSTON MARATHON IN 2:55.
ONTHEMOVE ONTHEMOVE
GFCS CLASS OF 2025 GRADUATE VIVIAN ANDERSON HAS BEEN NAMED NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR, SWIMMER OF THE YEAR, WINNER OF THE BLACK CAP AWARD FOR 50 BACK, 50 FREE, AND 100 BACK, AND NIC RECOGNITION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS.
BRYCE WASSERMAN, CLASS OF 2014, WAS RECENTLY NAMED FOOTBALL COUNSEL/HEAD OF FOOTBALL RESEARCH FOR THE TENNESSEE TITANS.
OF 2022 GRAD LAUREN O'REAR WON THE TICKET SALES ETITION AT THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE SPORTS SALES OMPETITION, REPRESENTING AUBURN UNIVERSITY.
CLASS OF 2017 GRAD SAYS HIS FAITH LED TO WIN ON "EXTRACTED"
RJ Reynolds, Grapevine Faith Class of 2017 and winner of the second season of “Extracted,” a reality TV series where survivalists try to be the last team standing in the Canadian wilderness, says his faith helped him on the show “Overall, the show tested me in every way: mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There are moments where I had to brute force my way to continue and there are others where I needed to lean on my faith and trust that my Creator had my best interest in mind.”
With the $250,000 winnings, Reynolds said he is setting up a place for students to connect with nature
“This is something that actually started at Faith with Dr. Smith. He took a group of 8th grade young men out to his ranch for a week of fellowship, skills development, and leadership training before going into high school. That has had a lasting impact on who I am today and I would love to create an experience similar for all to enjoy.”
“I really want to thank the staff and leadership at Faith. You all have had a hand in molding me into the person I am today and giving me various skills to lean on in the hardest of times,” he said
High School High School
O R D E R O F T H E L I O N
Joshua Murphy
Presley Kirchhoff Naomi Nickell
Joshua Murphy
Presley Kirchhoff Naomi Nickell
Joshua Murphy
Presley Kirchhoff Naomi Nickell
Evan Norman
Sutton Born
Noah Staats
Morgan Reynolds
Champ Hunter
Addie O’Rear
Dawson Rhoades
Peyton Primrose
Luke Cobb
Avery Branch
Evan Akin
Dylan EtheridgeLambert
Joshua Murphy
Faith Floyd
Colton Edwards
Izzy Gunnip
Jace Walker
Reese Hamel
Javed Drew
Audrey Norman Zane Duffy
Larson DeFeo
Corbin Irwin
Eleri Housmans
D E B O R A H & E L I J A H
Max Siebert Joshua Murphy
Max Siebert Joshua Murphy
Isaiah Carrasco Jocelyn Monroe
Max Siebert Joshua Murphy Benjamin Greenstreet Madison Stewart
Seth Anthony Rowen Adkins
Jensen Anthony Sarah Cates
CLASS
OF 2026 AWARDS
Scarlett Page Bair
Carlie Peyton Combe
VALEDICTORIAN SALUTATORIAN
Jensen Anthony
NOLAN LEBEAUX
LEADERSHIP AWARD
Sarah Cates
NOLAN LEBEAUX
LEADERSHIP AWARD
Javed Drew
BRUCE WILSON FOUNDER
Carlie Combe
SCHOLARSHIP SHARI VANDERWORK
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
H I G H P O I N T A W A R D S
LEADERSHIP & CULTURE
Ancient Civilization, Sophia Meyer
Honors Ancient Civilization, Birdie Holland
World Cultures, Lou Cottrell
Honors World Cultures, Bree Born
Leadership & Ethics, Connell Kramer
Honors Leadership & Ethics, Hannah Smeltzer
Honors Worldview, Carlie Combe
Honors C.S. Lewis Film and Literature, Reese Hamel
LITERATURE
World Literature I, Moses Smeltzer
Honors World Literature I, Declan Steckel
World Literature II, Carolina Martinez
Honors World Literature II, Bree Born
American Literature, Michaela Hamilton
AP English Lit. and Comp.,Tomas Carbonell
AP English Language and Comp., Savannah Ballard
British Literature, Joey Francetic
Dual Credit College English Composition, Audrey Norman
Dual Credit Research Writing, Audrey Norman
MATHEMATICS
Algebra I, Piper Allen
Geometry, Alex Kinworth
Honors Geometry, Avery Stokes
Algebra II, Blake Mitteis
Honors Algebra II, Declan Steckel
Pre Calculus, Rowen Adkins
Honors Pre Calculus, Tomas Carbonell
AP Calculus AB, Josh Hancock
AP Calculus BC, Owen Akin
Statistics, Dani Doucet
AP Statistics, Savannah Ballard
AP Computer Science, Grant Patton
SCIENCES
Chemistry, Van Schoemaker
Honors Chemistry, Joshua Hancock
AP Chemistry, Carlie Combe
Anatomy and Physiology, Savannah Ballard Biology, Alex Kinworthy
Biology Honors, Evan Norman
AP Biology, Zenee Erb
Conceptual Physics, Weston Maples
AP Physics 1, Scarlett Bair
Principles of Engineering, Grant Foster
H I G H P O I N T A W A R D S
HISTORY
World History, Leah Smith
AP Human Geography, Avery Stokes
US History, Lou Cottrell
Honors US History, Bree Born
US History II, Bella Bonnola
AP US History, Presleigh West
Macroeconomics, Savannah Ballard
AP Macroeconomics, Ian Harriger
Government, Savannah Ballard
AP Government, Carlie Combe
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Spanish I, Declan Steckel
Spanish II, Stella Anderson
Spanish III, Elyana Ansley
Honors Spanish IV, Carlie Combe
Mandarin I, Rhealee Brobst
Mandarin II, Ali Ciccone
Mandarin III, Jace Walker
CREATIVE ARTS
Yearbook Award, Kylee Brandenburg
Broadcast Journalism, Luke Cobb
Broadcast Journalism II, Taylor Albritton
Outstanding Art I, Addie Nester
Outstanding Art II, Scarlett Bair
Outstanding AP Art, Ella Armstrong
Outstanding Digital Media I, Hudson Smith
Outstanding Digital Media II, Dawson Rhoades
Outstanding Digital Media III, Jack Borern
Outstanding Digital Media IV, Eleri Housmans
Outstanding Art of Moving Image, Brenton Worsley
Outstanding Band Student, Greyson Rhoades
Outstanding Ensemble Choir, Ben Demarest
Outstanding High School Choir, Rachel Grabow
Outstanding Honors Ensemble Chorus, Abi Wahby
Outstanding Musical Theatre, Gabriella Adair
Outstanding Advanced Musical Theatre, Kate Wilcox
Outstanding Honors Speech & Debate, Zane Duffy
Outstanding Speech & Debate I, Carson Thomas
7
8
6 L I O N H E A R T A W A R D
D E B O R A H / E L I J A H
6
8 7
Joshua Murphy
Grace Atwood Grahm West
Piper Guthrie Ryan Phillips
Zoey Hallet Blake Oetman
Joshua Murphy
Stella Hunt Evan Horn
Wrigley Lorigan Levi Gallegos
Zoe Adams Cooper Black
Junior High Junior High
7
8
6 H A N N A H / A B R A H A M
E S T H E R / M O S E S
6
7
8
Joshua Murphy
Amelia Haasch Graham Jonas
Izzy Ayaram Carson Bolling
Lizzy Blaize Elijah Albin
Joshua Murphy
Ellie Cunningham Brett Oetman
Anni Sobecki Joe Sherzer
Piper Powell Logan Salomone
Junior High Junior
High A B I G A I L / P E T E R
8 7 6 8 7 6 AWARDS AWARDS
C O L O S S I A N S 3 : 2 3
Joshua Murphy
Riley Drew Cohen Black
Emery Zonker Davis Jeffrey
Addie Kirchhoff Mateo Gallegos
Joshua Murphy
Lilli Thomas Isaac Boyd-Hamp
Ainsley Anderson Garrett Browning
Kate Becker Jackson Stewart
Junior High Junior High
Bela Moreno Oliver Dickey
7
6 S P O R T S M A N S H I P
Natalie Khoury Davis Jeffrey
8
CREATIVE ARTS AWARDS
Drama
Junia Albin | William Buchwald, Grade 6
Keene Duffy | Miranda Cortez-Tally, Grade 7
Elijah Albin | Kaylee Christian, Grade 8
Band
Izzy Ayaram, Grade 7
JJ Mohr, Grade 8
Choir
Junia Albin | Isaac Boyd-Hamp, Grade 6
Breck Crow, Grade 7
Claire Plasek, Grade 8
Art
Lorelei Hogenson | Harry Croft, Grade 6
Joshua Murphy
Kylee Frasier Caleb Medina
Ainsley Anderson | Jax Stanzione, Grade 7
Allison Head | Eli Fortier, Grade 8
Typing
Piper Wibracht | Isaac Soltwisch, Grade 6
AWARDS AWARDS Junior High Junior High
6TH GRADE
US History: Junia Albin (High Point) | Evan Horn (Outstanding)
I G H P O I N T A W A R D S
Math: Brett Oetman (High Point) | Stella Hunt (Outstanding)
Advanced Math: Junia Albin (High Point) | Grahm West (Outstanding)
Bible: Evan Horn (High Point) | Grace Atwood (Outstanding)
English: Ellie Cunningham (High Point) | Eli Maples (Outstanding)
Foundational Skills: Junia Albin (High Point) | Finley Zonker (Outstanding)
Science: Ellie Cunningham (High Point) | Lilli Thomas (Outstanding)
7TH GRADE
English: Macklynn McClurg (High Point) | Izzy Ayaram (Outstanding)
Bible: Ryan Phillips (High Point) | Micah Sykes (Outstanding)
Spanish: Jordan Johnson (High Point) | Tristan Edwards (Outstanding)
TX History: Maddie Seda (High Point) | Ryan Phillips (Outstanding)
Math: Brighton Brady (High Point) | Nehemiah Born (Outstanding)
Advanced Math: Ryan Phillips (High Point) | Alex Akin (Outstanding)
Science: Natalie Khoury (High Point) | Eloise Tate (Outstanding)
Advanced Science: Ryan Phillips (High Point) | Kaige Little (Outstanding)
Junior High Junior High
AWARDS AWARDS
8TH GRADE
World History: Kylee Frasier (High Point) | Elijah Albin (Outstanding)
I G H P O I N T A W A R D S
Bible: Naomi Lesmeister (High Point) | Kaylee Christian (Outstanding) | Jonah Ailshie (Outstanding)
English: Elijah Albin (High Point) | Caleb Medina (Outstanding)
BCIS: Ava Upton (High Point) | Zooey Hallet (Outstanding)
Advanced Algebra 1: Kylee Frasier (High Point) | Blake Medlin (Outstanding)
Pre-Algebra: Elijah Albin (High Point) | Addison Primrose (Outstanding)
Science: Ellis Hanna (High Point) | Reagan Coward (Outstanding)
Advanced Science: Claire Plasek (High Point) | Andres Valencia Montiel (Outstanding)
Spanish 1: Caleb Medina (High Point) | Naomi Lesmeister (Outstanding)
HOMESCHOOL
7TH GRADE
Nehemiah Born | English | Math | Texas History
Brighton Brady | English | Math
Luke Carrasco | Math
Alivia Marchetti | English | Math
Ruthie Staats | English | Advanced Math
Garrett Woskie | English | Texas History
8TH GRADE
Savy Larson | Bible
Aidan Boyce | Bible
Charlotte Jonas | English
Beckett Davis | Bible
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