Summer 2015
Table of Contents
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Meet the Team
Dock, Penn View announce new board and leadership team.
Commencement 2015
The most important advice graduates may ever receive came from a well-known Jewish mother.
Senior Presentations
Senior Presentations offer a window into the transforming experience Christopher Dock has been for its graduates.
Campus Happenings
Girls Track & Field flies to 8th at states Student-athletes compete at the next level Academic and Athletic award winners Dock students take the Math Challenge Faculty and staff recognition Refugee Day Scenes from the All-School Social Class officers and senators for the 2015-16 school year “Spanish on the Label” food drive Dock Softball says thank you!
Alumni Notes
Déjà vu for 2013 Alum of the Year winner Homecoming 2015—Save the date and come help us celebrate the gift of art, and our 2015 Alumni of the Year.
Superintendent’s Message
Measuring the impact
On the cover: The graduates of the Class of 2015, including (l to r) J.J. Franke, Michaela Hill, Emmanuela Lorisme, Madison Downes, and Jenna Groff, are ready to embark on the next season of their lives, well-prepared for the opportunities and challenges they will face. Right: Bobby McFadden and his classmates get ready to take their Commencement walk on June 6th.
Dr. Conrad J. Swartzentruber Superintendent Sharon Fransen Assistant Superintendent Curriculum & Instruction Martin D. Wiens Principal, Christopher Dock Bronwyn Histand Principal, Penn View Jeffrey A. Ambrose Director of Business Services
Igniting Passion for Learning, Faith, and Life.
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Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, in partnership with the family and the church, seeks to develop the God-given abilities of students in preparation for responsible stewardship of life as members of God’s people in a global society. Dock serves youth and families of Franconia Mennonite Conference, Eastern District Conference and those who share Anabaptist values.
Robert D. Rutt Director of Advancement Douglas Hackman Director of Admissions Kathleen Gordon Director of Marketing
Board of Trustees Warren L. Tyson, Co-Chair Mark Bergey ‘88, Co-Chair Katie Longacre, Secretary P. Scott Heckler, Treasurer Ken Clemmer John Duerksen Beny Krisbianto Chad Lacher ‘93 Scott Landis ‘82 James Lapp Rina Rampogu Ruth H. Yoder Lamplighter is published by Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, 1000 Forty Foot Road, Lansdale, PA 19446. It is entered as third-class matter at the Lansdale Post Office. Jay Gordon, Lamplighter Editor Steve Leinbach, Graphic Design
www.dockhs.org
Meet the new
Leadership Team
The integration of Christopher Dock and Penn View Christian School continues to move forward with the naming of a new Board of Trustees and leadership team.
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he combining of Penn View Christian School and Christopher Dock Mennonite High School into a unified school system continues to move forward. Superintendent Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber announced that the integration has received overwhelming approval from the delegates of both Eastern District and Franconia Mennonite Conference churches. In addition, Dr. Swartzentruber announced that a new board and leadership team have been named for the integrated school system. “I am excited to be working with such an outstanding team of leaders,” he said. “We will continue to shape our programs and prepare our faculty to provide the best educational experience for students in the 2015-16 school year and beyond.” Members of the leadership team, most of whom will give leadership at both campuses, include:
Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber Superintendent r. Conrad Swartzentruber received his Doctor of Education from Duquesne University, with an emphasis on Educational Leadership. He also received a Master of Science degree in Vocational Education from Virginia Tech University, and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science from Morehead State University. He has served as Principal of Christopher Dock since 2009. Prior to coming to Dock, Dr. Swartzentruber was the Administrator at Shalom Christian Academy in Chambersburg, PA for 12 years. He has also served as a horticulturalist for Mennonite Central Committee in Bangladesh, and he and his wife Sharon served as country representatives for MCC in Indonesia. The Swartzentrubers live in Sellersville and are
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members of Plains Mennonite Church. Sharon Fransen Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum & Instruction haron Fransen graduated from Bethel College with a degree in English and an English teaching certification for grades 6 to 12. She received her Masters in Education from the University of Pennsylvania’s Reading/Writing/Literacy program, and is currently a doctoral candidate at Temple University, pursuing a Ph.D. in Education in a program entitled “Literacies and Learners,” which emphasizes curriculum, instruction and technology. Sharon has served on the boards of both Penn View and Christopher Dock for the last eight years, and has stepped down to accept this position. Her board service also included membership on the Executive and Education Program Committees of both schools, and she has participated in strategic planning groups for both schools. Sharon is married to Jeff Landis, and they have twin
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girls, Hannah and Kate, who will be 8th graders at Penn View in the fall. She and her family are members of Blooming Glen Mennonite Church. Martin Wiens Principal, Christopher Dock Mennonite High School artin Wiens has served as the assistant principal at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School for the past 16 years. A native of California, Martin spent his first year of higher education in North Newton, KS, at Bethel College, and then earned his B.A. in Political Science from Fresno State University and his M.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California. Two of his favorite life-shaping experiences include a year living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands assisting in the large Mennonite congregation, the Singelkerk, and his sabbatical year with Mennonite Mission Network, living and working in Philipstown, South Africa. Martin worships at Zion Mennonite Church in Souderton.
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Bronwyn Histand Principal, Penn View Christian School ronwyn Histand earned a B.A. in English from Eastern University and an M.A. in English from Arcadia University. She taught at Penn View and Christopher Dock for a total of 11 years, and then served as Director of Curriculum at Dock for 12 years. She has filled a variety of teaching and leadership roles both at Dock and in her congregation at Blooming Glen Mennonite Church. Bronwyn and her husband Steve, both Dock graduates, are parents of Elena (PV/Dock ‘06) and Connor (PV/ Dock ‘08).
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Robert Rutt Director of Advancement ob Rutt graduated from Eastern Mennonite College with degrees in Biology and Secondary Education. Upon graduation, he taught a variety of middle school and high school science courses at Sarasota Christian School before becoming the middle and high school principal. After earning a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of South Florida, Bob and his family moved to Blooming Glen to become the elementary principal and chief school administrator at Penn View Christian School. He served as executive director at Penn View for 23 years before accepting the position of Director of Advancement at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School in July of 2014.
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Bob and his wife, Regina, live in the town of Blooming Glen and are members at Blooming Glen Mennonite Church. They have two children and one grandchild. Bob has served on various non-profit boards in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, and currently serves as chair of the board of directors for Peaceful Living. Douglas Hackman Director of Admissions oug Hackman holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and an M.Ed. in Multicultural Education, both from Eastern University. Prior to becoming Director of Admissions for Christopher Dock, Doug served in graduate student recruitment at Eastern University, as well as in a recruitment coordinator role for the women’s soccer team there. He is a 2003 graduate of Christopher Dock. Doug and his wife Molly live in Lansdale, and recently became the parents of twin boys, Luke and Lincoln.
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Kathleen Gordon Director of Marketing athy Gordon has a B.S. in Marketing and Communications from LaSalle
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University, and a certificate in Fundamentals of Fundraising from Villanova University. She has served as the Director of Advancement for Penn View Christian School since November 2007. Kathy and her husband Jay have three children, Andrew (PV/ Dock ’11), Emily (PV/ Dock ’15), and Jacob (PV/Dock ’19). Her family attends Grace Mennonite Church in Lansdale. Jeffrey Ambrose Director of Business Services eff Ambrose holds a B.A. in Business Administration, with a minor in computer science, and a Masters in Business Administration, both from Moravian College. He also earned a Masters of Educational Leadership from Lehigh University. Jeff has been the Director of Business Affairs for Christopher Dock for the past 19 years. Prior to that, he spent two years as Director of Business Affairs and Director of Development at
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2015-16 Board of Trustees
Quakertown Christian School. He also has six years of bank experience. Jeff and his wife Sharon have two children, Carolyn (QCS/Dock ’08) and Olivia (QCS/Dock ’10). Jeff and his family are members of Swamp Mennonite Church. Donovan Steiner Curriculum & Instruction on Steiner retired in 2014 as Director of the Master of Arts in Education program at Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA, where he was the Jesse T. Byler Professor of Education. Don received a B.A. in Education from Goshen College, an M.A. from Northern Arizona University, and his Ph.D. in Education at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Don served as interim executive director and elementary principal at Penn View Christian School for the 2014-15 school year. Don will work part-time in the 2015-16 school year, focusing on professional development for the faculty of both schools. He will also share curriculum and instruction work with Mrs. Fransen, allowing her to finish her doctoral dissertation.
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(l to r): Katie Longacre, Chad Lacher, Ken Clemmer, Warren Tyson (co-chair), Scott Heckler, Scott Landis, Mark Bergey (co-chair), Jim Lapp, Beny Krisbianto, John Duerksen. Seated (l to r): Rina Rampogu, Ruth Yoder.
Lessons from a Jewish mother The most important advice graduates will ever receive came from a well-known Jewish mother—Mary, the mother of Jesus.
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tretch Dean remembers Jewish mothers from the Norristown neighborhood he grew up in.
“They can command a room like nobody else,” Dean told graduates during Christopher Dock’s 60th annual Commencement on June 6. “I’m so impressed with the power a Jewish mother has to get done what she needs done.” Youth Pastor at Immanuel Church of the Nazarene in Lansdale and a frequent chapel speaker, Dean then launched into an animated retelling of the first miracle of Jesus’ ministry: turning water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana, recorded in John 2. Jesus had a Jewish mother too, Dean pointed out. Mary was at the wedding too, and she noticed the wine was about to run Continued on page 6
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Commencement 2015 Continued from page 5
out—a huge embarrassment for the host. In her compassion, she informs Jesus about the situation. Jesus initially refuses to become involved, but then Mary settles the matter. She turns to the servants and says, “Do whatever he tells you to do.” Jesus has the servants fill six huge pots with water, and when they dip a ladle into one, they taste wine that is far superior to the wine they had been serving. Dean suggested to the 88 graduates of the Class of 2015 that they would have a similar
experience if they, too, heeded the words of this Jewish mother. “The best life advice I have ever been given has been given to me by a Jewish mother, and her name was Mary,” Dean said. “She says to me tonight in John 2, ‘Do whatever he tells you to do.’ I promise you will not regret it.” Listen to the full message from Commencement speaker Stephen “Stretch” Dean on Christopher Dock’s YouTube channel. Read the story of Jesus turning water into wine in John 2:1-11.
Baccalaureate A time for reflection
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amily & Consumer Sciences teacher Rose Lambright offered the faculty reflection at Dock’s Baccalaureate service, and proceeded to share a personal memory or two of each of the Class of 2015’s 88 graduates. That Nathan made quiteBergey an impression on Commencement speaker Stretch Dean. “I’ve been to 37,000 graduations, and I have never seen that,” he said. “And you know where it came from—her heart. A servant’s heart that lays down her own agenda and desires and ambitions so that she can see you be great.” Turning to Dock’s faculty and staff, Dean said: “What you have modeled for the class of 2015 is the servant life of Jesus Christ. You can’t be a radical follower of Jesus Christ without being a servant.” Hear Mrs. Lambright’s faculty reflection on Dock’s YouTube channel.
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Rob Horton
Lauren Pupillo
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Mark C. Psoras
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Lauren Pupillo
Rob Horton
Mark C. Psoras
Lauren Pupillo
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Class of 2015 Brennan Addley Cairn University Psychology Jordan Alderfer Elizabethtown College Actuarial Science Andrew Beiler MCCC Undecided Erika Benner Ken Bloomsburg University Kabakjian Computer Science Diana Berrios Bloomsburg University Special Education Nicole Brouse MCCC Employment at Souderton Mennonite Home Aaron Brunner Employment Towne Restaurant & Franconia CafĂŠ
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Shi (Sonia) Choi George Washington University International Relations Morgan Croissette Indiana University of PA Exercise Science Emily Custer University of Tampa Biology – PreMed Changlin Dai Undecided Rebecca Delp Hesston College Education Emily Derstine Elizabethtown College Music Education Lauren Pupillo
Lauren Pupillo
Yinchen (Bell) Dong Lehigh University Undecided Madison Downes James Madison University Marketing and Sales Huanyu (Peter) Du Undecided David Edenfield Delaware Valley University Crop Science Anni (Anny) Fang University of California, Irvine Undecided B. Sam Fino MCCC Undecided Shannon Fitzgerald Indiana University of PA Physical Therapy Jack Foley Widener University Undecided Sabrina Forde Temple University Kinesiology - Physical Therapy
Lauren Pupillo
John Franke Messiah College Adventure Education
Lauren Pupillo Rob Horton
Seth Frankenfield Wilkes University Undecided Deanna Frederick MCCC Undecided Hongyi (Cassie) Ge Newcastle University Combined Honors John Glancey American University Communications, Law, Economics, Government (CLEG) Emily Gordon Culinary Arts Institute Culinary Arts/Baking & Pastry Arts Jenna Groff Messiah College Sociology
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Seokhee (Stephanie) Han Boston University International Relations
Michaela Hill Edinboro University Nursing Sean Hinson Kutztown University Psychology Madeleine Hunsberger Metro Beauty Cosmetology School Make-up Michael Hunsberger Pennsylvania College of Technology Construction Cassidy Jagiela York College Pediatric Nursing Jessica Jushchyshyn Drexel University Emerging Scholars Program/Psychology Sichen (Lawrence) Ke Stony Brook University Pre-Med/Biology Rob Horton
Bailey Kratz Bridgewater College Business James Kustra Messiah College Economics Morgan Leavy Hesston College Psychology Destiny Lee Valencia College Nursing Min Gyu (David) Lee Penn State University Supply Chain & Information Systems Michael Levengood Philadelphia University Industrial Design
Lauren Pupillo
Ellen Lewis Cairn University Israel & Archaeology Rob Horton
Emma Lewis Muhlenburg College Psychology Jiayi (Ellie) Li University of California, San Diego Undeclared Emmanuela Lorisme MCCC/Culinary Arts Institute Culinary/Pastry Alexis Ludwig MCCC Dental Hygiene Sarah Madaus Temple University Journalism Veronica Martinez Greater Philadelphia Masters Commission Worship Arts
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Robert McFadden Dickinson College Business Tabitha Miller Grand Canyon University Psychology Capril Mirarchi Eastern Mennonite University Special Education Susannah Moore Eastern University Music Performance Eden Nafziger Alvernia University Athletic Training Dylan Nafziger Chicago Steel/Kenai River Brown Bears Lillian Nicholas Loyola University Undecided Hannah Nixon MCCC Criminal Justice Allison Overholtzer John Jay College of Criminal Justice Pre-Law
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Lauren Pupillo
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Yu (Allison) Pan Mount Holyoke College Mathematics and Studio Art Alexander Pulice Penn State University Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Abigail Ramsay American Musical and Dramatic Academy Acting Juan Rivas Duarte Eastern Mennonite University Music Evan Roberts Penn State University – Berks Undecided Brooke Rotelle Manor College Veterinary Technology Morgan Rush Eastern University Entrepreneurial Studies
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Bryanna Russo Penn State University Business Mattea Ruth MCCC General Education Olivia Seavy Carnegie Mellon University Architecture Courtney Sellars MCCC Nursing Alin (Brianna) Shin Berklee College of Music Professional Music Nathan Bergey Mattasyn Shisler Liberty University
Business Management
Kylie Shore LaSalle University Speech Language Pathology & Audiology
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Lauren Pupillo
Bryce Shortall University of Oregon Environmental Science Braden Smith Liberty University Undecided Jenise Swartley University of Tampa Applied Sociology Dennis Swartley Liberty University Business Management Emalene Sylvester MCCC Undecided Anika Thomas Eastern Mennonite University Secondary Math Education
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Evan Trauger Princeton University Biological & Chemical Engineering Kevin Wang University of California, San Diego Undecided Lauren Weidler Eastern Nazarene College Criminal Justice
Rob Horton Lauren Pupillo
Elizabeth Wilkins Wesleyan University International Relations Tarrell Willis Rosemont College Accounting Yuyang (Carey) Xia Undecided Zixuan (Jordan) Xu University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign Agribusiness Joshua Yoder Elizabethtown College Business Management Chi Zhou San Jose State University Undecided
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Lauren Pupillo
Lauren Pupillo
Eliza Wilkins
The public speeches seniors give at the end of their high school career offer a window into the dramatic growth they experienced during their years at Christopher Dock. Alex Pulice My absolute favorite class was Creative Writing. Mrs. Rauch has been my favorite teacher ever since I first had her freshman year. There were some days where I wished I could just be in that class all day. She has helped me in so many ways—through offering suggestions to improve my writing, writing numerous letters of recommendation, or by allowing me to ask my friend Angie Aldrich to the JuniorSenior Banquet with a six-word story during class. My favorite academic opportunity at Christopher Dock was Senior Experience, a week where all the seniors take a week off of classes, and either job shadow or pursue service opportunities. I chose to job shadow my cousin Paul, who is the owner of a startup technology company in Colorado. I was lucky to see every aspect of a small business. It was this week that made me decide that I want to study business in college. Anika Thomas Everybody told me to make sure my senior year was easy, but I did not listen and took on the challenge of three AP classes—Calculus, English, and U.S. Government. Especially in Calculus I needed to ask questions, which was hard for me to do. I learned fourth quarter that if I ask Mr. Yoder questions during tests, I could actually get a 100%, which I did on the third to last test in that class. Maybe if I had asked him questions on tests in the third quarter, I wouldn’t have ended the quarter with a B-, but that’s in the past and we shall forget that. My AP classes helped me work at a faster pace and learn time management. Bailey Kratz I enjoyed my freshman year [at Souderton] overall, but something seemed off. It was only two weeks before sophomore year started when I was sitting in church, making small talk with my mom. We were chatting about a group of friends from Souderton who had gotten in trouble for making
Anika Thomas
some bad decisions. Jokingly, my mom made a comment that sometimes she wished I went to Christopher Dock. That statement got me thinking. I answered her by saying, ‘So do I.’ This conversation captured my interest for quite a few days. I was able to talk to a few people who went to Dock, including Braden Smith, who had transferred mid-way through his freshman year. Braden was kind enough to share his experience and chat about my interest in transferring. Only two days after that conversation with my mom, I officially made my decision to come to Dock. I did not have precise reasons why I wanted to transfer, but I felt God pulling me towards Dock. Bobby McFadden Advanced Math was my most feared class. I never had confidence going into this class due to the fact that I took a whole year off of math. My fear and negative attitude led to a ‘D’ on my first test. I was so upset with myself I was on the verge of quitting. I went to the Guidance Office and talked to Mr. Kabakjian. This is when I got the best advice I have ever received. He told me to stick with it, and that Mr. Yoder is always there after school to help. After that I went to Mr. Yoder for help and on my very next test I received a 100%—higher than anyone in my class, and definitely one of the proudest academic achievements of my life. I went to Mr. Yoder’s room every day after school; I probably should have been paying rent. Hard work does pay off and I thank Mr. Yoder for helping me and I thank Mr. Kabakjian for giving me the advice. Brooke Rotelle If anything, high school has led me to realize how wonderfully blessed I truly am. I take for granted spending life with
Alex Pulice
Bobby McFadden
Bailey Kratz
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SENIOR PRESENTATIONS
Capril Mirarchi
DJ Swartley
Courtney Sellars
You’re gonna miss this You’re gonna want this back You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast These are some good times, so take a good look around You may not know it now, but you’re gonna miss this.
David Edenfield Ellen Lewis
“You’re Gonna Miss This” written by Lee Miller and Ashley Gore. Sung by Trace Adkins
Emily Derstine
Evan Trauger
Capril Mirarchi One thing that stood out to me early on was how open people where, and how at home people felt when I saw them at school. Chapel is an example of a place where I saw this. It was a different experience for me, because I wasn’t used to seeing people be open about their feelings and expressive about their faith. Middle school was a place where singing in chapel and showing your faith wasn’t the “cool” thing to do, but coming to Dock and seeing people be real was refreshing. I went to church all my life and called myself a Christian, but never had a relationship with God. Seeing this in chapel gave me high hopes for high school, that I could be myself and find true friends that wanted to do the same.
Erika Benner
Ellie Li Brooke Rotelle
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the people I love, and coming to this beautiful campus every day and sitting in classrooms with teachers who care about me. I heard a [Trace Adkins] song on the radio the other day (see below), and the words pinpoint exactly how I feel about the end of high school. To all the underclassmen, make the most of your time here at Dock. Take advantage of the amazing opportunities that are placed in front of you, and don’t forget how fortunate you are to be able to attend this remarkable school. I’m sad to leave this place, and after it really hits me that I’m graduating, I’m sure I’ll shed a few tears. But I can’t wait to see what the next chapter of life holds for me, and Christopher Dock has worked hard to prepare me for what the future holds.
Cassidy Jagiela At the end of my junior year, I went out with a bang…literally. On the second to last day of school, I failed to make sure my left side was clear when pulling out of the Dock parking lot and BOOM. I was crushed by a large landscaping truck that had hit my driver’s side door. I walked away with a few cuts and bruises, but the car was totaled. I knew I was lucky and that God had his hand on me. I cried to my dad over the phone since he was in China at the time and he said to me, “you can buy a new car, but not a new Cassidy.” I couldn’t be blessed with more understanding parents. I found myself praying more often and getting back in the routine of reading a devotional before bed because I knew I owed my time to God. After all, He was the one who saved me from that accident. Courtney Sellars I wasn’t sure where I would be going until late in the summer before my freshman year. The only people in my family that attended Dock were my cousins. My mom went to Souderton for her high school years, along with my aunt and uncle. My options were Souderton or Christopher Dock,
but for my mother Souderton was never one of my options. She wanted me to have the best education possible, and so she sent me to Dock regardless of the sacrifices she would have to make. This choice wasn’t against my will because I know that she always has my best interest at heart, and I knew I would make the most of it wherever I went to high school. David Edenfield My only friends didn’t go to school with me. And I wasn’t really good at talking to people and making friends. Then I met Seth Frankenfield; I remember the first day we became friends. I went home and told my parents that I made a friend. It was like I won the lottery, and I just had to tell someone. Seth was nice to me when no one else really was. He always stuck up for me, and had my back. I will be forever grateful for the way Seth treated me freshman year; he is a true friend. DJ Swartley In July my youth group took our annual missions trip, this year to Puerto Rico. Anyone who has ever been on a missions trip has probably gone with the intention of making a significant impact on those you’re going to serve, but generally the ones you go to serve end up making a bigger impact on you. We served at a church laying block and pouring concrete. Within days people who I had never met before were telling me that one day I was going to be a pastor. I couldn’t help but chuckle at this because ever since I was young, people have told me that exact same thing. One person who really made that thought stick with me was a man from my church, John Drescher. He had been a preacher for many years and wrote me a letter saying that he had received his calling to ministry when he was in his early teens, and that I should keep my ears open to God’s calling for me. While we were down in Puerto Rico, John died. I couldn’t help but think about the letter he gave me, and that perhaps God had been calling me in that direction since I was in my early teens, but I just hadn’t been listening. I felt as if I had finally found my calling. Eliza Wilkins As I worked through some friend, family, and internal struggles through writing, I also sought to understand myself spiritually, and reading aided my understanding. A Prayer for Owen Meany helped me get over some skepticism and strip away everything from religion except for God. One of the reasons I was so distant from God was because I thought it was natural for everyone to find God in people, and I often found myself disappointed with the God I saw in others. Owen helped his friend, Johnny, and me not to expect perfection in humans’ reflection of God—and that pulled me closer to my Creator and the created. Throughout high school, I felt separated from the notion of baptism because publicizing my faith made me so nervous. Mr. Derstine, you gave me an avenue for which I could shout hallelujahs in publicized privacy. Thank you for giving me a chance to allow my south pole to connect with the true north. Ellen Lewis One of the best impacts Dock has had on me has been from the teachers and staff. While I’ve only been at Dock for a year and a half, I had a few classes with Dr. Bishop and I appreciated
his teaching style and how he genuinely wants his students to not only learn, but also to grow as individuals. This is a wonderful trait I’ve noticed in many Dock teachers. Being able to go to Christopher Dock is another part of that huge blessing. Something you could never experience at a public school like Souderton has been one of my favorite things about Dock. In Physics class, before we take a test, Mr. Kehs always prays for us. What’s even more awesome is that if he forgets, all the students ask him to. Ellie Li I am so thankful that I could live with the Benners, even though Scott teases me everyday. I appreciate their love and care for me through the past year and a half; I don’t know what I am going to do without their support. Actually, my first experience with church was last year attending Zion Mennonite Church with the Benners. I go to the senior high Sunday School, which are basically the people in my youth group. I really enjoyed hanging out and getting to know each person, because this is probably the only chance I can know people from schools other than Dock. I don’t have any religious beliefs; I didn’t have any opportunity to learn it in China. I am curious about Christianity and I am glad that I could learn about religion at Dock and Zion. Through all the activities I had at Zion, all the chapel speakers, and Bible classes, I gained a better view of what Christianity is like. Emalene Sylvester Faith Walk is one of my favorite classes I’ve ever taken in high school. Faith Walk taught me to be more understanding and accepting of other people, and of myself. It gave me the opportunity to get to know everyone on a more personal level, as well as let myself open up to some people who were complete strangers. It also helped me spiritually. During the time of Faith Walk, my family was dealing with the death of a close family member. While I was going through this, I began to question faith, but not in a negative way. It made me more curious about it, and made me want that relationship with God again. Emily Derstine Touring Choir was the best thing to ever happen to me at Dock. I had been looking forward to it for years and years because both Jason and Alyssa had been in it. Mr. Derstine is hilarious, sensitive, and knew exactly how to make 40-some high school kids sound brilliant. The song selection was amazing. In fact, one song in particular, All Flesh is Grass was my favorite song we sang that year. It moved me so much every single time we sang it. One highlight from our regular season was when we sang at my church and at the end when we all sang Go Ye Now in Peace, Alyssa came up and sang with me. Mr. Derstine has been one of my biggest supporters and sources of inspiration at Dock because he has a huge heart and a lot of compassion for everyone he meets. He reflects the heart of God and through him, I have learned so much about music, life, and how to be a servant of God. Erika Benner Trying to juggle cross country, a job, and difficult classes at school is no easy task. I enjoy math, but this year was one of the worst years in math. I loved learning about it but I found
that when I wouldn’t understand something in advanced math I would just get frustrated and give up. One of the biggest regrets I have had is being afraid to ask for help. I grew enough courage, and was tired of bad grades so I finally went up to Mr. Yoder and began asking him for help. This was by far the best decision I had made. He stayed after school, sometimes until 4:30, and always helped me understand the concepts better. I joined Robotics again junior year. Abigail [Anderson] and I had been doing this every year we’ve been at Dock, and this year we were able to successfully build and program a robot that did well in competitions. It was exciting for us to see everyone look at our successful scissor lift, because scissor lifts had a reputation of not working so well. We got ours to work and even won some matches during DockBots. Robotics has always been a great learning experience for me because I have to work with a team, share ideas, but also build, design and troubleshoot the robot. Evan Trauger Now, what I consider one of the proudest moments of my young life occurred on March 31, almost exactly one year after my father’s cancer diagnosis. After extensive chemo and preventative treatments, my father was in full remission. On top of this news, on this day I was accepted to three Ivy League universities, including Brown University, Columbia University, and my dream school, Princeton University. My summer work and involvement in school and its extracurriculars had finally come to fruition in a way I honestly was not sure would be possible. I set a goal, and I achieved it. Jack Foley My creativity and imagination are two things that I’ve always really loved about myself ever since I was a child, and many of the classes at Dock really allowed me to bring out these special characteristics. Where public schools have all the basic academic classes, we are required to take classes like Kingdom Living, Social Issues, and Modern and Contemporary Thought; these classes really allowed me to think about the important things in life that I truly cared about. In many of the classes here the periods would be devoted to talking and debating our views on different issues in the world, like religion, war, and other political issues. We even have a class here called Conflict Resolution, where every day we would be taught how to solve conflicts between one another using methods like I-messages, where we express our feelings to each other. Every day I would look forward to school because of classes like this. It’s just one of the many reasons why Dock is such an amazing school. Jack Glancey Approaching my junior year, I shadowed a very intelligent student by the name of Evan Trauger. I was looking for a small, close-knit school community where I could succeed in academics, stay healthy, and renew my faith in God. I was not familiar with the Mennonite culture or its wonderful people, but I decided to finish my high school career at this special place based on the friendly environment, open campus, and impressive faculty.
Cassidy Jagiela
Jeni Swartley Sophomore year came with its ups and downs, but through it all God blessed me with the best support I could have asked for. Mrs. Rauch had the generosity to start a grief group with Jess, Lindsey, and me to help us grieve the loss of our family members. It’s not easy for me to open up, but I connected with these girls from day one. Our group provided a safe and loving place where all walls came down and I could share my deepest feelings and challenges with a group of women who loved me and loved the Lord. Thank you for listening to my angry vents, crying with me through the pain, and laughing about everything from boys to pineapple. I don’t know how I would have survived my high school years without these women by my side. Mrs. Rauch, you are a part of what makes Dock so special. I can never thank you enough for the countless hours you have spent taking care of me—not because you are paid to, but because you have a heart that deeply cares for your students. The love and support you have shown me these past years has helped me have the strength and courage to take on whatever this world throws my way. Jessica Jushchyshyn [My mom] was diagnosed with a rare lung disease that summer, but it could be treated with a few pills; all she had to do was recover from surgery first. That didn’t happen, though. Sadly she passed away on July 16, 2012. At her funeral I never laughed and cried so much in such a short time frame. I also couldn’t believe how many teachers and classmates were there to tell me that they are there for me if I ever needed to talk to someone. Two days later, a girl in my grade lost her brother in a car accident. I had never talked to her before until she messaged me on Facebook. On November 1, a girl who was a year older than me lost her sister to a rare form of cancer. We ended up starting a grief support group at school with our teacher, Mrs. Rauch. We thought it would be a great way to help deal with the pain. It was odd that in such a small school there were so many losses, but it was also nice to not be alone in the grieving process. When we first met we didn’t know each other all that well, but once we shared a few funny moments,
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we got used to each other. We also each took turns bringing in photos and anything else that reminded us of the loved ones we lost. We shared many funny stories and even ended up creating a few of our own. We even had the opportunity to lead a chapel one day and talk about what we have been through.
Jack Foley
Jessica Jushchyshyn
Mattasyn Shisler
Susie Moore Morgan Leavy
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Jeni Swartley
J.J. Franke
Sabrina Forde
Veronica Martinez
J.J. Franke I had another great memory on the bus when we were taking the kids home one night. A boy named Fernando, who was about eight years old, sat next to me. He looked sad, so I asked him if he was okay. He said he was fine, but then a few minutes later, he turned to me and asked me, “Do you like life?” I told him, “Of course, don’t you?” He then went on to tell me about how he was afraid to die. This was surprising to hear. He told me that it was because another kid had hit him and it scared him. It made me wonder what else he had gone through that would make him feel that way. For the next 15 minutes, we talked about heaven and Christianity. It was amazing to see how he was willing to open up to me, considering I had only talked to him once or twice before this. I prayed with him after a bit and that certainly seemed to help him feel better. This was the highlight of my Senior Experience. Josh Yoder I believe there is a lot of purpose and thought put into the connection of our academic work and the type of tight-knit atmosphere that is nurtured and built at Christopher Dock. Like many schools, businesses, and organizations, Dock has a mission statement. While I was reflecting on what I wanted to say tonight, I went to the “Our Mission” page of the Dock web site. One of the written objectives of Christopher Dock’s academic program is to “value life-long learning.” In order for Dock faculty to instill the value of life-long learning in their students, they aim to teach problem-solving, critical thinking, and cooperation. For me, Dock has been a learning experience, but not only in the academic sense. I have taken problem-solving, critical thinking, and the ability to work with others from the classroom into my everyday life. I have nothing but great things to say about the education I have received over the past four years. Mom and Dad, it was money well spent. Sebastian Rivas Duarte And that’s basically what Christopher Dock is good at: forming people for the future. I wish I could be a junior here because this is the place where I feel comfortable, a place where my opinions are worthy and meaningful, a place where people don’t care about your language, race, or religion. Christopher Dock is the place where you can sit at a lunch table without feeling fear about whether you will be accepted or not, a place where you truly will be formed for the future. My recorder has been with me since I was four years old. It was the first instrument that I learned to play, and I developed a strong
relationship with it. Now I carry it with me every day, and it has helped me a lot in Orchestra and concerts like Senior Recital. People sometimes tell me the recorder is mostly a child’s instrument, but I truly enjoyed playing it in front of people. Kylie Shore I’m ending my senior year of choir when I sing at graduation this weekend, and I don’t want to. I loved being in Choir. I would just like to say the only reason why I was able to do all of this was because of Mr. Derstine. He is my role model. And I will forever be thankful for everything he has done for me. He taught me that it doesn’t matter if you are good at singing if you aren’t showing any emotion. You can sing in a concert, and never know who is in the audience. Maybe that ONE song that you sing, or that ONE note that you hit will be exactly what someone needs to hear. He is so passionate about his job and I hope that one day I will be that passionate and content with life. I started out with very little confidence in my voice and what I was capable of, and now I know that I’m not the best singer, but I don’t have to be the best as long as I’m doing something that I love. Lawrence Ke I needed a new host family to stay with. Therefore, the Burkholders came to me and asked me if I was willing to stay with them for the rest of the year. Of course, I was so glad to stay with them because of their son, Justin Burkholder. Justin Burkholder is a sophomore at Christopher Dock. He is also the captain of Dock’s JV basketball team. He was a really quiet guy when I first met him; however, when I moved into his house, he always came to my room, asking for beef jerky, playing crazy music loudly, and dancing around in my room. We always talked about cute girls we met in school. He would show me girls’ pictures on Instagram, and I would judge how beautiful they are in my opinion. We have good relationship. Justin is my favorite American friend. Mattasyn Shisler I’ve always looked forward to sports in high school, and my dream since I was little was to be on Dock’s athletic Wall of Fame. I have family members on that wall and I knew it would mean the world to me if I received that honor as well. To my surprise I reached my goal, and was awarded Athlete of the Year along with my friend, Seth Frankenfield. It felt like 8th grade all over again, when we were both awarded Athlete of the Year at Penn View. Some things never change...except maybe Seth’s hair. Michaela Hill Senior Experience was another memory that I will treasure forever because it was the first time I had the experience of being a nurse. During this special week I had the opportunity to shadow Mrs. Shelly, the school nurse at Penn View, my old home. This is what my first paragraph said in my first journal entry: “As I left my house in the ice storm I slipped about 100 times and almost broke my face each time. As I finally made my way to Penn View I slipped walking up to the doors, and performed quite the show for all the children getting dropped off for school. Remember: always make good first impressions.” After this rough first day, the rest of the week went a little smoother. For a few days during the week I had the chance to give all of the kindergarteners their eye exams
for the year. This was, hands down, the most adorable thing I have ever had to do. It felt so good to help these children because life is so much better when you can see it. The number one thing I miss about that week is the look of appreciation the students gave me when they were all “fixed up.” It made the job completely worthwhile and I look forward to those looks when I get a job as a nurse someday. Morgan Leavy As I talked to more and more people from church and from IVFF, like Mr. Kabakjian, Dock kept coming up into conversation. Dock had always been an option for me because most of my family went here including my mom and my sister. Since the only thing I felt I had going for me at Souderton was choir, I thought about Dock as a possibility for my junior year. I knew that I could try out for touring choir, possibly try out for the musical, and be part of a whole new smaller Christian “community.” It was going to be really hard for me to decide on Dock because I had to leave my acapella group that I tried so hard to get into, and I would also be leaving the people I had known for so long. I talked to my parents and sister about it and, after a long time of debating, I decided to step outside my public school comfort zone and transfer to Dock for my junior year. I took initiative right away and contacted Mr. Derstine so that I could try out for touring choir the week after the results were posted. I remember being so happy that he told me right on the spot that I could join the choir for the next year. Sabrina Forde Our teachers work hard and show they care every time a student enters the room. You can see this by their attitude and persistent attention they give to students. Some teachers write a paragraph showing where they will see you in the future, and give you instruction on how you can touch up your work. This shows that teachers really take time to grade your assignment, and are willing to help you make improvements. Our teachers constantly encourage us to turn in “great work” and not to settle for average. The teachers we have at Christopher Dock will never know how much they influenced the decisions I have made, both now and in the future. Seth Frankenfield The day after the last day of junior year, touring choir left for our trip to Europe—the best experience of my life thus far. I was so blessed to be able to experience so many different rich cultures, sights, beautiful churches, all while being with an amazing set of peers and faculty. Our theme for this year was “God is Seen.” I saw God every day of that trip, and for the first time in a long time, I was content with my spiritual life. Thank you to Mr. Derstine, Dr. Bishop, and Mr. Bower, who encouraged us to look for God in all the things we would experience. I grew more spiritually on that trip than I had my whole junior year. Following the final whistle, I became emotional for the first time in a long time. I left my heart on that field. I knew that I was not going to play in college, so my soccer career had officially come to an end. Just as I began to regain my composure on the bus ride home, my older brother Bryce texted me saying, “I’m so proud of you.” I said, “Thanks bro.” And he said, “No, thank you. Just don’t make me cry next
time.” Bryce went on to explain his emotional connection to watching me play, and told me something that made my whole world stop for a moment; he said that he’s my biggest fan and that he wanted me to be the best man in his wedding. Cue the tears. Bryce, I don’t think that statement could have been more ironic. I have been your biggest fan since day one. On and off the field, I’ve been watching and learning from you. You are the biggest reason that I am the person I am today. Even though you missed my game today, you’re missing my speech tonight, and you’re going to miss my game tomorrow because of your honeymoon or some lame excuse like that, thank you for being my best friend. I love you, man. Shannon Fitzgerald
I Am… I am strong, yet sensitive I wonder what the camera really sees I hear barbells slam on a gym floor I see a border collie’s eyes that long to please I want to stop time in a box I am of Irish decent I pretend I know what I’m doing I feel loved by a beautiful family I touch the hands from Heaven I worry about the needs of others I cry when I hit a squirrel on the road I am the product of true love I understand life is short I say I will make a difference, somehow, some way I dream for another family vacation I try to believe in myself I hope I stay on when I climb into a saddle I am strong, yet sensitive
This was a poem that was written for an assignment in Dr. Bishop’s class, Modern and Contemporary Thought (one of my favorites). I specifically remember when we were (forced) one by one to read our work for almost every assignment. Standing at the podium in front of the whole class was something that made my stomach turn upside down. But it is a wonderful technique to make sure everyone puts their best effort into every assignment. It was my turn to present the poem I just read to you when Dr. Bishop, fiddling in the back of the classroom, stops me in the middle of reading, stands up and exclaims, “You know, this would be a wonderful way to start your senior speech at the end of the year! Okay, continue!” I loved the way I was always able to walk out of Dr. Bishop’s class with something to think about. He taught me the importance of “Aha!” moments, for he would have several every class period. Sometimes you need to pause what you’re doing and continue a thought that could potentially teach you something valuable. Sonia Choi My interests were focused on how to help people [gain an] international point of view. I took Micro-Economics and Macro-Economics to learn how money affects the culture, and how people control the money. I took Global Citizens class with Mr. Hackman to learn how to approach international problems. We debated international problems like economy in China, conflicts in the Middle East, nuclear weapons, and many others. We needed to research in order to prepare the debate, so that is when I started thinking more internationally. Whenever I entered the class, I was full of
Kylie Shore
excitement about what I was going to learn. It also reminded me that this is what I really wanted to do for the rest of my life. Christopher Dock significantly changed my life. Even though I am so excited to leave this place and start a new phase of my life, the things I learned from this place will never fade out. I enjoyed walking around the beautiful campus and seeing all four seasons. I am glad that I chose Christopher Dock as my high school. I will be a proud Dock alumnus. Susie Moore I call my senior year the Action sequence because it feels as though everything has happened so fast. Senior year has been a year of many firsts. My first time co-writing and directing a play. The four of us quickly took to looking for a show, but as we started calculating numbers, we realized that we didn’t have enough money to do another copyrighted show. The only option was to write one. So in about a week’s time we wrote our show, “Agreeing to Disagree: The Wizard of Oz, Kind Of.” We worked hard at producing a polished product, and I’d say we did a pretty good job. This show is something I’m extremely proud of. Veronica Martinez My plan [for Senior Experience] was to go to the Walnut Street Theater and see how their practices run and how things work behind the scenes. But that’s not what happened; apparently they lost the paper I signed, so I wasn’t able to go. I had no choice but to go to my church and work there for the week. The thought of that made me upset, I didn’t want to do something as cliché as going to my church. I believed I was going to hate it. But it turned out to be a lot of fun. I got to hang out and help with the sixth through eighth graders. The teacher loved having me there because I was able to help the kids study for tests that were coming up. I had an awesome time. It also helped me realize that I might want to work with children above the sixth grade. Helping out in those classes helped me see that teaching is an option for my future.
See additional Senior Presentation excerpts and photos on the Dock web site.
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DOCK NAMES 2015 AWARD WINNERS
Christopher Dock Award
Citizenship Award
Eliza Wilkins and Seth Frankenfield are the recipients of the 2015 Christopher Dock Award, presented to one senior boy and girl in recognition of all-around campus citizenship, leadership and scholarship during high school. The Christopher Dock Award is sponsored by former Dock English teacher Pearl Schrack.
The Christopher Dock Citizenship Award for 2015 was presented to (l to r) Livia Anderson (’18), Jill Bolton (’17), Natalie Schweizerhof (’16) and Madison Downes (’15). The Citizenship Award is sponsored by Roland and Dottie Yoder and Lee and Ruth Delp.
Sam & Helen Lapp Peacemaking Award Seth Frankenfield (pictured above) is the 2015 recipient of the Sam and Helen Lapp Peacemaking Award from Christopher Dock Mennonite High School.
Dock Science Award Winners of the Christopher Dock Science Fair Award for 2015 included (l to r) Maxwell Howald (’16), Jessica Chung (’16), Evan Trauger (’15), and Sophia Breslin (’18), not pictured.
L. Travis Bechtel Memorial Bailey Kratz was awarded this scholarship, named for the ’91 Dock grad and awarded for excellence in academics, athletics and business. The award is sponsored by business advisors Baum, Smith & Clemens, LLP.
Daniel Reinford Scholarship Capril Mirarchi is the 2015 recipient of this scholarship, named for the former Christopher Dock teacher.
Athlete of the Year Senior Mattasyn Shisler (field hockey, soccer, basketball, softball) and senior Seth Frankenfield (soccer, baseball) are the 2015 recipients of the Athlete of the Year Award. The student-athletes receiving this award represent team-oriented play, outstanding contributions to their team’s success, sportsmanship, and positive leadership.
Dr. David R. Doyle Memorial Award Additional Scholarship Winners Alex Pulice • Harleysville Rotary Club Scholarship Bryce Shortall • SKF Sustainability Scholarship Jenna Groff and James Kustra • North Penn Rotary Club Scholarship Evan Trauger • John Fisher Citizen Scholar Award and the Montgomery County Triangle Club Award
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Olivia Seavy and Bobby McFadden are the 2015 recipients of the David R. Doyle Memorial Award. This award is named for the school’s beloved trainer, Doc Doyle, who passed away in December 2011 after a long battle with cancer. The award is given to one senior male and one senior female student-athlete, selected on the basis of strong team play, leadership, and good sportsmanship.
Subject Area Award Winners Subject Area Award Winners included (l to r): Evan Trauger, Mattasyn Shisler, Allison Pan, Eliza Wilkins, Jack Glancey, Emmanuela Lorisme, Sarah Madaus, James Kustra, Erika Benner, Mattea Ruth, Seth Frankenfield, Emily Derstine, and Susie Moore.
Hannah Nixon Career Work Study
Erika Benner Technology
Jack Glancey Social Studies
Mattasyn Shisler Physical Education
Mattea Ruth Charles Clemmer Art
Susie Moore Drama
Eliza Wilkins English
James Kustra Physical Education
Seth Frankenfield Paul R. Clemens Bible
Allison Pan Mathematics
Sarah Madaus Writers
Emily Derstine Music
Susie Moore Paul R. Clemens Bible
Evan Trauger Spanish
Emmanuela Lorisme Family & Consumer Sciences
Evan Trauger Science
sponsor: Harleysville Savings Bank
sponsor: Class of 1961
sponsor: Moyer’s Chicks/Moyer Realty
sponsor: Moyer’s Chicks/Moyer Realty
sponsor: Jen-Tech Systems
sponsor: Univest Corporation
sponsor: Univest Corporation
sponsor: Living Branches
sponsor: S. Duane Kauffman
sponsor: Gerald and Rhoda Benner
sponsor: Gerald & Rhoda Benner
sponsor: Rockford Realty
sponsor: Rockford Realty
sponsor: Rockford Realty
sponsor: Harold & Ferne Alderfer
sponsor: Kathleen Roberts in Honor of Ben and Sumako Kaneda
Outstanding Athletic Achievement Nominees for this award are recognized in the broader athletic community as outstanding athletes during their season(s), and for bringing highly valued team-oriented contributions leading to league, district or state championships. Dock’s 2015 winners include (l to r) Emily Gordon (softball), Mattasyn Shisler (field hockey), Tabitha Miller (track & field), Bailey Kratz (soccer, track & field), and Eden Nafziger (soccer).
Senior Athlete Award
See the Spring Athletic Award Winners on the Dock Athletics web site www.dockathletics.org
The Senior Athlete Award is given to seniors who have lettered in two or more sports as both a junior and senior. The 2015 recipients are (kneeling l to r): Jordan Alderfer (soccer, volleyball); Cassidy Jagiela (tennis, softball); Emily Gordon (soccer, softball); Bailey Kratz (soccer, track & field). (Standing, l to r): Bobby McFadden (golf, basketball); Emma Lewis (basketball, softball); Mattasyn Shisler (field hockey, soccer, basketball, softball); Tabitha Miller (soccer, basketball, track & field); Olivia Seavy (soccer, basketball, track & field); and Seth Frankenfield (soccer, baseball).
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CAMPUS HAPPENINGS
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD SOARS TO 8TH AT STATES It was an amazing, recordsetting season for Dock’s girls track & field team, as they sprinted (and jumped) to an 8th place finish (out of 82 teams) at the PIAA Class AA Track & Field Championships in May. The girls also won back-to-back District 1 titles for the first time in school history. Congratulations to all the girls and coaches!
STUDENT-ATHLETES TO COMPETE AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL The Christopher Dock Athletic Department hosted a celebration in May for seven graduating student-athletes who have made commitments to play their respective sports at the college level. The seniors were also honored for their Dock athletic achievements. “These student-athletes have developed their God-given abilities in preparation for successful team experiences as part of the Dock mission,” said Athletic Director Tim Ehst. “We believe their experience with Dock Athletics has helped shape them in ways that extend well beyond their athletic successes.” Seniors honored include (pictured seated, l to r): Lauren Weidler — Softball (Eastern Nazarene College, NCAA Division 3); Olivia Seavy — Soccer (Carnegie Mellon University, NCAA D3); Bailey Kratz — Soccer (Bridgewater College, NCAA D3); Eden Nafziger — Soccer (Alvernia University, NCAA D3).
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(Standing, l to r): Brennan Addley — Basketball (Cairn University, NCAA D3); Bobby McFadden — Golf (Dickinson College, NCAA D3); Jimmy Kustra — Baseball (Messiah College, NCAA D3)
CAMPUS HAPPENINGS
DOCK STUDENTS TAKE THE MATH CHALLENGE
DOCK FACULTY AND STAFF RECOGNIZED FOR SERVICE
Congratulations to these Dock students who participated in the Moody Mega Math Challenge, a mathematical modeling contest which spotlights applied mathematics as a powerful problem-solving tool. Students worked in teams to tackle a real-world problem. Pictured (l to r) are Ellie Li, Allison Pan, Joyce Zhang, and Caroline Wu.
Christopher Dock faculty and staff were recognized for service milestones during a luncheon at the end of the school year. Pictured (l to r) are Cathy Schmidt, Assistant to the Principal (10 years); Charlene Rauch, English Faculty (15 years); and Jeanne McClincy, Food Services (25 years). Not pictured: Deb Derstein, Food Services (5 years).
REFUGEE DAY HELPS STUDENTS PRACTICE EMPATHY Refugee Day is an annual tradition for ninth grade students at Dock and is a part of the World Cultures course curriculum. The Social Studies Department plans a variety of activities, simulations, and lessons focused on the topic of refugees for an entire day. Students are encouraged to practice empathy skills and consider what refugees might experience. Student observations from the day included:
be to be a refugee. I didn’t know how much they had to think about and do just to escape where they live.” ~ Abby Nice “The most encouraging thing for me was that some people care and try to help refugees.” ~ Josh Farmer
“I never thought about what conditions are like in refugee camps until we were ‘shackled,’ blindfolded, and sat in tight spaces.” ~ Olivia Berry (see photo, below) “I’ve never thought about the feelings of terror, fear, sadness, and hopelessness that refugees might feel.” ~ Ian Anderson “After doing the simulations in class, it gave me a good perspective on how hard it might be as a refugee.” ~ Lincoln Bergey “I never thought about how there are so many refugees in the world and how their daily life is. I’m beginning to wonder about their life and how the world can help them.” ~ Mia Li “I never thought about how hard it would
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CAMPUS HAPPENINGS
CLASS OFFICERS AND SENATORS FOR 2015-16 During year-end class elections, the following students were chosen to serve as class officers and student senate members: Class of 2016 President - Maxwell Howald Vice President - Jessica Chung Secretary - Madison Scialanca Treasurer - Emma Chimera Senators: Ella Barlick, Tim DiLoreto, Julianna Kabakjian, Brooke Leaman
Class of 2017 President - Megan Swintosky Vice President - Dylan Derstine Secretary - Becca Edenfield Treasurer - Sierra Shore 1st Ad Hoc - Amber Clemens 2nd Ad Hoc - Justin Burkholder
Class of 2018 President - Caroline Beljan Secretary - Emily Groarke Treasurer - Livia Anderson Senators: Madison Buiting, Lindsey Friend, Meredith King
Senators: Alana Bergey, Anna Ford, Matt Schmidt
“SPANISH ON THE LABEL” FOOD DRIVE
DOCK SOFTBALL SAYS THANK YOU! Dock is blessed to work with some of the best local companies in our area, including Bergey’s Electric, H. Mininger & Sons, Schlosser Steel, Matt Shisler Excavating, and Nyce Crete—all of which donated time and/or materials to help get our new softball scoreboard up and running. The team was thrilled to have the scoreboard operational this season, and gathered in early May to say, “Thank you!”
Dock students held what they hope will be the first of many annual “Spanish on the Label” food drives this spring. The project spearheaded by Mrs. Bella Clemmer’s Spanish 3 class and supported by both of her Spanish 1 classes. Students chose a slogan of sorts for their food drive—”The Food Drive Fiesta: Be a fan. Donate a can!” They collected foods with any Spanish words on the label, and all donations were taken to Manna on Main Street in Lansdale at the end of the drive. “It was a fun experience gathering the foods, and increasing our awareness of how much Spanish surrounds us,” said Mrs. Clemmer. “We also enjoyed helping to stock the food pantry before summer, when so many families struggle as children are not able to depend on the consistent meals provided at schools.”
Want to See More Campus Happenings? Look for the Facebook, YouTube and web site logos, which indicate additional content (photos and video) you can access online.
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CAMPUS HAPPENINGS
CHRISTOPHER DOCK’S ALL-SCHOOL SOCIAL
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The tradition that is Dock’s All-School Social and Physics class boat race continued on May 22, with students participating in badminton and ping pong tournaments and a variety of other activities. The day ends with the boat race, in which teams of Physics students create boats using nothing more than cardboard and duct tape—and then race them across Groff Pond. 1. Juniors Colin Bernd, Noah Shreiner and Deanna Clemens won the design award (or should have!) for this Space Shuttle-themed boat. 2. The boat race entry by seniors (l to r) Susie Moore, Eliza Wilkins, Michaela Hill, and Shannon Fitzgerald even came with snacks. No extra credit for the guacamole, girls, but the theme was on point. 3. Juniors Max Howald and Noah Shreiner were an imposing force on the badminton courts with these mesmerizing get-ups. 4. Capril Mirarchi and Rob Penyak made another dashing badminton team.
Seniors Cassidy Jagiela and Jimmy Kustra supervise the badminton action.
Photos by Jodi Tashman
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ALUMNI NOTES Déjà vu for Alum of the Year recipient
2011 Mary Long graduated in May with a B.S. in Mathematics from Shippensburg University, and married Adam Finnemeyer on July 11. They reside in Rockingham, NC.
Christopher Dock 2013 Alumnus of the Year James L. Rosenberger (’64) is about to experience a bit of déjà vu, as he receives a similar award from his college alma mater, Eastern Mennonite University (class of ’68). An internationally recognized statistician and professor of statistics at Penn State University, Jim was recognized with Dock’s Outstanding Achievement Award during the Alumni of the Year Awards presentation in October 2013, and now will be recognized at EMU’s Homecoming weekend this fall. Congratulations, Jim!
2001 Stephanie (Good) and Brandon Rittenhouse welcomed Colton James on May 25, 2015 1998 Tina (Anastasi) and Brad Fleisher had a new addition to their family on June 12, 2014 when Sophia Zoe joined her brother, Joshua.
Jim Rosenberger receives the 2013 Alumni of the Year Award for Outstanding Achievement from Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber.
Visit Dock’s web site to see an article about the way Jim is supporting a new on-campus ministry at Penn State called the 3rd Way Collective—an outreach being headed up by former Salford Mennonite Church Youth Pastor Ben Wideman.
We want to hear from you!
Take a moment to share what’s been happening in your life. marriage birth job change degree, award, achievement, or recognition
1987 Rick Schmid passed away unexpectedly on July 14, 2015.
Send your Alumni Update to advancementoffice@ dockhs.org, fill out the online form at dockhs.org/alumni or mail to: Alumni Notes, Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, 1000 Forty Foot Rd, Lansdale, PA 19446.
Outstanding Achievement Awards
2015 You are invited to attend Homecoming 2015 as Christopher Dock recognizes these Alumni of the Year Award winners:
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Susan Brenneman ‘72 Dr. Brenneman is a researcher at Optum, specializing in health economics and policy. She earned a Ph.D. in Policy Research, Evaluation and Measurement at the University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. in Health Education at Arcadia University, a Physical Therapy degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. in Biology from Eastern Mennonite University. Brent Godshalk ‘75 Brent has considerable experience as an administrator, breeder, project manager, and statistician. He received his B.S. degree from Eastern Mennonite College, M.S. from Pennsylvania State University, and his Ph.D. from North Carolina State University. He spent three years with MCC working to identify crop management practices appropriate for farmers in Bangladesh. He currently serves as a consultant for Plant Impact in Cary, NC.
ALUMNI NOTES Friday, October 16, 2015
7:00 p.m. Fall Concert and 2015 Alumni of the Year Awards & Reception
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Homecoming Weekend
10:00 a.m. 2nd Annual Dock Disc Golf Open, Sellersville Disc Golf Course 10:00 a.m. Founders Brunch, Cafeteria (Invitation only) 12:30-3:00 p.m. Admissions Open House, Longacre Center Commons Burst: Invite a friend! 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Art Exhibits Open (Clemens, Detweiler, Art, and Rosenberger, with music in various venues 1:00 - 6:00 p.m. Homecoming Welcome Center, Rosenberger Academic Center 2:00-4:00 p.m. Dockers Camp (K-grade 6), Rosenberger Academic Center 1:40 – registration begins 2:00 – 2:50 p.m. – Camp #1 2:55 – 3:15 p.m. – Snack 3:15 – 4:00 p.m. – Camp #2 4:00-8:00 p.m. Class Reunions 4:30-6:00 p.m. Homecoming Reception and Reception for Artists, Rosenberger Academic Center 6:00 p.m. Girls’ Varsity Soccer Game, Stadium 7:30 p.m. Coffeehouse, Theater (baristas will serve coffees and teas in Longacre Commons)
reconnect • rediscover • remember Distinguished Service Award
Young Alum Award
Carol Byler Massanari ‘67 Dr. Massanari is the director of Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center (MPRRC), working with states on school-wide positive behavioral supports, literacy, and IEP development. She received her masters and doctorate degrees in special education from the University of New Mexico, and also studied and worked in Nicaragua as part of her bachelor degree program through Goshen College.
Laurelyn Foderaro ‘04 Laurelyn serves as Asylum Officer for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, responsible for conducting background checks, analyzing country conditions around the world, assessing national security risks, and making final determinations on applicant’s eligibility for indefinite asylum/ refugee status in the United States. She earned her master’s degree in public policy at the University of Maryland.
L. Richard Meyers ‘63 Dick retired from the World Bank in 2007 after 20 years of service. He was Lead Operations Officer for the Health, Nutrition and Population Unit of the East Asia and Pacific regions. Postretirement, his service has included consulting with WHO, other agencies and various countries and researchers in the Asia Pacific region to facilitate the formation of a regional observatory on health systems and policies.
Matthew R. Vickers ‘05 Matthew sang in Touring Choir and musicals while a student at Christopher Dock. After his formal training, Matthew participated in the Opera Studio with the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. He apprenticed with Opera on the James in Virginia, where he sang comprimario roles spanning five productions (Pagliacci, Romeo et Juliette, La Boheme, La Traviata, and Don Giovanni). He has also performed in Europe.
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SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber
for everyone he meets. He reflects the heart of God and through him, I have learned so much about music, life, and how to be a servant of God.” One senior described the impact of a teacher who invested much time outside the classroom with a group of students who had recently lost loved ones. The student described the teacher this way: “You are a part of what makes Dock so special…The love and support you have shown me has helped me have the strength and courage to take on whatever this world throws my way.” Another senior noted that teachers don’t want us to “settle for average. The teachers we have at Christopher Dock will never know how much they influenced the decisions I have made, both now and in the future.” You will read many other similar reflections in this issue of Lamplighter. You will read of the impact on students’ journeys
Measuring the Impact H
ow do you measure the impact of something you do? How do you determine the influence of a congregation on a community, a mentor on a child, or a student on her classmates? We work hard through the weeks and months, planting seeds with the hope that growth will occur. The long wait for fruit can stretch beyond our level of patience. We may wonder if the effort is worth the results. Will we know if we are being successful? The impact of a school like Christopher Dock is the compilation of many individual efforts, which makes it even more difficult to measure. At Christopher Dock, we are blessed to have a particular time when we get a sense of the impact of our work. As we concluded another year of school in June, each senior gave a 20-minute speech, summarizing his or her high school journey. As seniors described journeys that had moments of both inspiration and challenge, themes of impact came through their presentations. The influence of teachers on students was striking. One student described a teacher who was “one of [my] biggest supporters and sources of inspiration at Dock because he has a huge heart and a lot of compassion
of our academic strength, guidance department, welcoming environment for international students, and particular classes like Faith Walk and Conflict Resolution. Several years ago both Penn View and Christopher Dock prepared a graduate profile (found on our websites), outlining the “results” we aspired to for our students. The graduate profile articulated the desired impact of our years with a student in terms of academic, spiritual and lifestyle growth and development. As we bring the strengths of our two schools together into one system, the graduate profile provides one of many points of commonality between our campuses. Both the Penn View and Dock campuses have focused on and worked toward this same goal for a number of years now. While it is never easy to measure our impact, we share this moment at high school graduation that provides a glimpse into the results of our efforts from early childhood through grade 12. Our work continues with a new beginning this year. You will read of our new leadership team in this issue. Faculty and staff are working diligently this summer to prepare for August 31. While many students will not notice significant changes in their daily routine, the structure of the new school system will enhance our efforts to prepare students for meaningful roles in our community and the world upon graduation. We are excited for the possibilities to work ever more intentionally toward the goals of our graduate profile—and celebrating those moments when our impact is evident.