Engage Magazine, Winter 15/16

{ WINTER 2015/16 }

I N S I D E feature >

LCS INSPIRES A LIFETIME OF LE ARNING

Angel Davis Uses Her Passion for Books to Serve Her Community

ON THE HORIZON “THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS WE HAVE TO LEARN ARE THE ONES WE THOUGHT WE ALREADY LEARNED!” We all have a lot to learn. We don’t come into this world readily equipped for success. In fact, Scripture teaches us that we have an innate tendency toward sinful, selfish, non-productive behavior. We are all more prone to a “know it all” mindset than to the humble posture of a learner. Our hearts and minds need redemption and restoration to enable us to learn to our full potential.

One aspect of the LCS mission to educate our students in the light of God’s Word is to equip them for a lifetime of learning. The most critical variable affecting the quality of learning in the classroom is the quality of the teacher. Teacher selection should be a primary consideration for the lifetime learner as well. As we move on to adulthood, we have more control over who we select to be our teachers. Formal instruction, personal interactions, the observations of role models, and the wealth of learning available through reading offer an infinite range of opportunities to learn.

The Christian school student is being equipped to use the lens of Scripture to analyze both the content to be learned and the one offering the instruction. Paul encouraged Timothy to “continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it.” (2 Timothy 3:14) A commitment to continued learning from sound teachers is one of the desired futures for the LCS graduate.

We trust you will enjoy this edition of Engage as we share stories of lifetime learners who are advancing God’s Kingdom in a variety of settings.

DR. MIKE SLIGH, Headmaster

MAGAZINE Magazine Editor Sandy Johnson, Communications

WHY Engage ?

Specialist

engage v. to commit; to involve intensely; to begin action

Creative Design Clark/Nikdel/Powell

The title for the LCS magazine describes – in one word – a

Cover Photography Alex Donalson

great deal about our passion for Christian schooling and the

ADMINISTRATORS: Dr. Mike Sligh | Headmaster Steve Wilson | Director of Advancement Luci O’Byrne | Elementary Principal Nancy Bradley | Assistant Elementary Principal Wayne Shimko | Secondary Principal Darren Copeland | Assistant High School Principal

effectual results. This active verb reflects our commitment to fostering lives of vibrant faith, active learning and intentional influence. Teachers engage students, students engage in their studies and co-curricular activities, and children and young people are prepared to engage their culture for the Kingdom. Engage will share encouraging stories of commitments to Christ, engagement in learning and active applications of faith for a lifetime.

Keith Overholt | Assistant Middle School Principal Julie Rice | Director of Enrollment Matt Green | Chief Financial Officer

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Kevin Knowlton – Chairman Jim Wilbanks – Vice-Chairman

IN THIS ISSUE:

Beth Patteson – Secretary Payton Albritton Kristen Bolter

Feature: Angel Davis { 6 }

Dan DeLange

Side Feature: Mark Livesay { 12 }

Dan Green

Campusclamor@LCS { 14 }

David Miller Bill Mutz

Fine Arts Feature: Daniel Barcelo { 16 }

Dean Nederveld

Expressions@LCS { 18 }

Cory Petcoff

Sportszone@LCS { 20 }

Steve Sligh

Staff Scoop { 21 }

John Tucker magazine is published quarterly by Lakeland Christian School and is distributed free

Faculty Feature: LCS Art Teachers { 22 }

of charge to parents, grandparents, alumni and

Cheerfulgivers@LCS { 24 }

friends of the school.

Alumni@LCS { 26 }

Send correspondence to: Lakeland Christian School Attn: Sandy Johnson 1111 Forest Park Street Lakeland, FL 33803 You may send emails to sjohnson@lcsonline.org.

This magazine is printed by Area Litho, Lakeland, FL.

LAKELAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 1111 Forest Park Street, Lakeland, Florida 33803 | Phone 863-688-2771 Fax 863-682-5637 | lcsonline.org | facebook.com/LCSVikings | twitter.com/LkldChristian

THE MISSION OF L AKEL AND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

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is to educate students in the light of God’s word to equip them for a lifetime of learning, leadership, service and worship.

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F E AT U R E

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ANGEL DAVIS

Connecting People to Resources and Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders As a high school student at Lakeland Christian School, Angel Davis just wanted to educate herself so that she could escape Lakeland and explore her love for music.

But as they often do during that stage of life, her plans changed. Now the ’02 graduate of LCS is passionate about serving the community as a librarian supervisor for the City of Lakeland.

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E N G A G E F E AT U R E continued

The short time that Angel spent at LCS prepared

with standing out. While I was okay with standing

her academically and spiritually for life beyond high

out, I also had to learn how to find common ground.

school. She also learned the skills necessary to be a

Everyone that you meet is not going to understand

leader and to be confident in herself.

where you are coming from. You have to be able to

THE LCS FOUNDATION Angel started at Lakeland Christian late in her sophomore year and graduated in 2002. She spent her time singing in the choir and serving as president of the Spanish Club. And while she enjoyed learning about the culture of Spanish-speaking countries,

can understand.”

“I honed my communication skills at LCS, and I learned the importance of being myself. That was a valuable lesson, and it is something that has benefitted me far beyond my time in high school.”

Angel also became more aware of the importance of

Angel also felt prepared to be successful in college –

being active in her own community.

and gives a lot of the credit to Mrs. Oncu for preparing

“I enjoyed my government class with Mr. Curtas,”

her to be a good writer and to pass her AP exam.

Angel said. “He was the first person to explain the

“Unlike some of the students I encountered [in

importance of voting to me. I didn’t always agree with

college], I was capable of writing papers and I wasn’t

what he said, but he was passionate about educating

overwhelmed by homework assignments. LCS

future voters. Because of him I always go to the polls

prepared me to achieve on a college level and I didn’t

informed and prepared.”

need remedial courses.”

“The times that stand out the most to me from LCS

“I will always love Mrs. Oncu and her no-nonsense

are the times that students came together to serve

approach to teaching. She was honest and firm, but

the community and each other. Helping out in the

fair. I appreciated that.”

community with Work-A-Thon, and volunteering during events to raise money for the prom and the senior trip were activities that united us.”

“Our senior trip in New York was also a special time.

It was my first mission trip and it came at such a surreal moment in our nation. I arrived in New York City in May of 2002. Armed guards were still patrolling the airports and the city was grieving. We worked

HER COLLEGE YEARS Although she planned on “escaping” Lakeland once she graduated, Angel now calls it a fortunate change of plans that she stayed because she loves the Lakeland community. She pursued her undergraduate degree at Florida Southern College and received a BA in Sacred Music.

with a local ministry to pass out tracts and talk to

“Growing up, my biggest influences were musicians. I

people. Being in New York at that time was odd

loved listening to music and reading about the lives of

because it was my senior year and I knew things were

my favorite artists. I was a huge Michael Jackson fan

changing for me as a senior, but I could also feel that

and I loved the music from Motown. I felt like most of

the world around me was changing.”

the artists were kids who worked hard to make their

In addition to learning the importance of her civic responsibilities, Angel learned to be comfortable in her own skin.

“I came from a completely different background than most of my peers, and I often had to be okay

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communicate to people in a language that they

dreams come true. I figured that if they could do it, so could I.” During her time at Florida Southern, Angel sang in two choirs, served as an officer for two campus organizations and became the president of a campus ministry. She worked part-time through her entire

college career, sometimes working two different jobs.

Angel eventually earned a master’s degree in Library

She even had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to

and Information Science from Florida State University in

the Bahamas.

2013 and is now a librarian supervisor at the eLibrary

“College is a place where you can explore your interests,” Angel said. “I took advantage of any opportunity that presented itself.”

in Lakeland.

ANGEL’S ROLE AS LIBRARIAN Angel started out as a page in the library – a person

Angel knew before finishing her undergraduate degree

who puts the books on the shelf. In less than a year, she

that she did not want to teach music or lead a church

was promoted to clerk and provided customer service

music program. She had started working full time at the

to library users in the Youth Department. During her

library while in college but was unsure about following

senior year of college, Angel was promoted again – this

that career path.

time to library associate – and was in charge of the Teen

“I had a degree and a stable job, but no clue about what I wanted to do with either one of them,” Angel said. “The more time I spent working in the library, the more I appreciated what the field had to offer.”

Room. She had the opportunity to build relationships with local kids and developed programs for the teenagers.

From the Teen Room, Angel transferred to the Reference Department and had the opportunity to serve adult { 9 }

ENGAGE FEATURE continued

library users. A few years later, Angel was promoted

computers, checking a customer out at the front

to Librarian at the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

desk, requesting materials for someone over the

where she served until 2014 when she received her

phone, ordering new materials and even sometimes

most recent promotion to Librarian Supervisor at

helping library guests use their smart phone

the eLibrary.

or tablet.

“Something that most people don’t realize is that

At the eLibrary, she also leads a small team and

the ‘e’ in eLibrary stands for ‘express.’ We are located

must find the time to do the tasks of a supervisor

in a busy plaza and serve as more of a hub for

including scheduling, handling finances and creating

library services to all ages. We function much like a

reports. Angel also manages the library’s

traditional library, providing physical items for loan,

Facebook page.

but what makes us different is the age and size of our collection. We specialize in the new and now, so our collection is composed of best sellers and debut

Because Angel enjoys serving, her role as a librarian

authors from within the last five years.”

supervisor is a rewarding one.

“In addition to our physical collection of books,

“I am impacting the future of our community in a

audiobooks and DVDs, we house 15 public

positive way,” Angel said. “ Without the library,

computing stations and offer faxing and scanning

many of our neighbors would not be able to

services. My role is to oversee the staff, maintain the

access information, and they would not have the

facility and develop the collection.”

skills needed to use it. Generations build upon

A typical day for Angel means doing a lot of the same things she’s always done: assisting customers with

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SERVING THE LAKELAND COMMUNITY

generations. The parents of tomorrow’s leaders are finding their way today, and I am here helping them.”

“One of my passions is serving the community.

Through my career I am able to do this on a daily basis. Each day I am able to connect someone to a resource of information that they need. Sometimes it’s as simple as finding a book. Other times it’s complicated, and I have to look outside of the library to find the thing that meets that customer’s need.”

“I’ve helped people apply for jobs, put music on their mp3 players, go back to school and find the book with the yellow cover and that one character whose name they can’t remember. In some cases the need is small, but to that person, it means the world. Each of these individuals belongs to our community, and everyone is welcome in the library.”

‘THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME’ Whether Angel will continue to pursue a career in the library is uncertain at this point. She does know that serving others and growing personally are her ultimate goals, and she recognizes the role that LCS played in preparing her.

“Working in the library has challenged me in multiple areas of my life and I have grown from those experiences. I am not certain about where this adventure will take me, but I trust God. He

» Quick Facts:

has already given me so much more than I could

FULL NAME:

have ever imagined. I continue to be amazed at

Angel R. Davis

the opportunities that I have and the doors that He opens for me.”

“At LCS I learned how to study God’s word and how to apply it to my life. That has made all of the difference. When my faith is challenged, I know how

FAVORITE TEACHER FROM LCS: Mrs. Oncu FAVORITE CLASS: Spanish Class

to respond. I will never stop learning, because if

CLASS YOU WISH YOU WOULD HAVE TAKEN:

you’re not learning, you’re probably not growing.”

Art with Mrs. C (Connie Christensen)

“I will always be in leadership, because I understand

BEST LCS MEMORY:

that being a leader doesn’t require a title. I also

Water tubing at Camp Gilead on the senior retreat

understand that you can’t be a leader if no one is following you, and no one will follow you if you don’t know how to serve.”

“No matter where I am, I will always be living out that mission. I was only at LCS for 2 years, but looking back I can see just how important those

CLOSEST FRIENDS FROM LCS: Aneva Matthews, Samon Arnold, Candace Monge and Tara Campbell DREAM JOB: Singer/Rapper

years were. I was in the right place at the right time.”

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SI DE F EATU R E

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON:

Alum Mark Livesay Shifts from Engineering to Classroom In the fall of 2012, the first edition of the Engage magazine featured Mr. Steve Livesay, a favorite teacher of many students and alumni of Lakeland Christian School. Formerly a successful electrical engineer, Steve felt the call to the classroom after using his days off to substitute teach. He moved his family to Lakeland in 2000 and has been at LCS ever since.

When the family moved to Lakeland, Mark Livesay was still in middle school. He spent five years at LCS before going on to earn an engineering degree. And just like the old adage says, it was “like father, like son.”

After a few years in the engineering field, Mark also transitioned into the classroom.

INFLUENCES AND IMPACT OF LCS Mark has fond memories of his years at LCS, both in the classroom and on the athletic fields. He was a part of the National Honor Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes and played both basketball and baseball.

He was also active in his youth group at Lake Morton Community Church.

Mark also felt prepared academically, spiritually and as a leader.

“LCS teachers place high expectations on their students, and college is no different. I went to college knowing how to be organized, how to pay attention and take notes well, how to be responsible and how to be respectful of my professors and classmates,” Mark said.

“Bible classes, like Mr. Bruce Edgar’s apologetics class, taught me to think more deeply about theology.

The leadership opportunities, such as being a class officer or leading FCA, helped me to be more prepared for taking on leadership roles in my career and even leading in the classroom.”

Mr. Edgar was just one of several teachers who impacted Mark.

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“Besides being my father, Steve Livesay had a great impact on me as a teacher. I had him twice during my senior year – for AP calculus and honors stats – and loved both of his courses. His classes prepared me well for both college and career. Not only with regard to content but also with regard to the quality of the work – complete, thorough, excellent and well-communicated.

He also possesses a contagious energy and joy in his work that I would love to replicate as I continue to teach.”

“Of course he also had a great impact on my Christian faith, both at home and at school. His Bible was always open during breakfast, and he always had us involved in the life of the church even at a young age.”

“Bruce Edgar, Mike Musick and Geoff Stabler are three men who displayed excellence in their work and a love for Scripture. All were good examples of hard working, patient, wise men. I enjoyed listening to them speak on any subject.”

A SHIFT IN CAREERS Gifted in the area of math, Mark knew that he wanted to pursue a career that used these skills. He graduated from LCS in 2005 and moved to Gainesville to attend the University of Florida. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

“Right after college, I began working for a local engineering firm, Chastain-Skillman, Inc., which was a great first experience in the working world with great people,” said Mark. “After two years, I moved to a larger engineering firm in Tampa called HNTB, where I worked for about two more years, specializing in drainage design for roadways. I had a great experience at both companies.”

“I teach AP and honors statistics as well as liberal arts math. I work with a range of ages and ability levels and really enjoy teaching all of them,” Mark said. “It’s always a challenge to motivate and encourage, but I try to bring real-life applications and make references to things my students care about to make it as enjoyable as possible for them and for me. I am certainly not there yet, but I am constantly trying to improve.”

In addition to his gifts in the field of math, Mark also knew early on that he wanted to work with youth. He credits his high school youth pastor, Matt Grieves, for cultivating this desire in his life. Even with a successful career as an engineer, Mark still had the desire to move into the classroom.

This shift from engineering to academics also gave Mark the time to serve as a youth pastor at Lake Morton Community Church.

Married to his high school sweetheart, Kristin Norton Livesay (’05), and with two young children—Annabell (4) and Isaac (2), Mark also wanted to spend more time with his family and to pursue ministry roles. So when the opportunity arose to teach at Lakeland High School, Mark knew the time was right.

“I truly enjoy teaching, working with teens and having a better schedule that allows me to have time with my wife, children and other areas of ministry. We are all heavily involved in the ministries of Lake Morton Community Church and enjoy living in Lakeland surrounded by so many family members and friends.”

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{ campusclamor@lcs } Senior Josue Blanco was selected to attend the 2015 Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders this past summer in Lowell, Massachusetts. During the three-day event hosted by the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists, Josue had the opportunity to hear from world renowned leaders including Buzz Aldrin (Colonel, USAF and NASA Astronaut), Mike Rhodin (Senior VP, IBM Watson), Dr. David Wineland (2012 Nobel Prize in Physics), Dr. Cherry Murray (Dean, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Science), Helen Greiner (Founder of iRobot and CEO of CyPhyWorks), Dennis Crowley (CEO and CoFounder of Foursquare) and Bill Westenhofer (Two-time Academy Award Winner for Best Special Effects). Visit www.scitechleaders.com for more information on

In the November Polk Scholastic Chess Association tournament, the LCS Elementary Chess Team of Sean Cardosi, Luke Ghaly, Wenjo Lai, Connor McLoughlin, Braden Tan and Von Wilson captured third place with a team score of 13 out of 16 points. Wenjo also won a medal for a perfect 4-0 performance.

the conference.

Senior Nehemiah McIntosh recently participated in the Congressional Classroom program and spent a week in Washington, D.C. As part of the program, Nehemiah had the opportunity to tour several sites around the nation’s capitol, visit with members of Congress and learn about our nation’s government. This program is sponsored by the Randy Roberts Foundation.

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This past summer, junior Julia Canady attended the Elevate 2015 program at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. She was one of 47 students from around the United States and the countries of Brazil and Singapore. Students worked in small groups to address social issues in their own local communities.

Julia’s team won second place in the competition after developing an after-school nutrition and cooking program called “FEED” to address the high obesity rate in Lakeland. According to the program website, Elevate is a faith-based annual leadership program that utilizes “personalized leadership coaching, seminars with world class speakers, adventure-based learning and a call to take real-world action in response to social problems…”

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This fall, the RISE Mock Trial Team had the opportunity to travel to Boston, Massachusetts, to attend the Harvard Mock Trial Seminar. The team participated in a scrimmage against other trial teams during their time at the seminar.

The group was chaperoned by Mrs. Jennifer Canady (Director, RISE Institute), Mrs. Chasity Branham (attorney coach and LCS parent) and Mr. Greg Cawood (LCS faculty member).

The 2015 LCS Homecoming royalty was crowned at the varsity football game on Friday, October 2.

Congratulations to juniors Lauren Latimer and Tripp Asbridge on being selected by their peers as the Princess and Prince, and to seniors Jenna Cherry and Zack Page on being named this year’s Queen and King.

LCS hosted nearly 550 visitors at the annual Grandparent’s and Grand-friend’s Day in late November. These special guests were treated to an opening program that featured a slideshow of photos and a welcome from Dr. Mike Sligh (LCS Headmaster) and Steve Wilson (LCS Director of Advancement). Grandparents then spent time visiting their grandchildren’s classrooms. Elementary students sang songs, recited Bible verses, read stories and worked on other classroom projects with their grandparents.

In mid-December, the RISE Institute was awarded a $500 grant from the ExxonMobil Foundation. The organization supports math and science educational programs each year.

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FINE ARTS FEATURE

PURSUING THE ARTS: Daniel Barcelo Takes His Design Skills to the National Level When Daniel Barcelo graduated from LCS, he thought he would become an architect. But the active ’09 graduate took his design skills into a different field. He graduated from Southeastern University in 2013 with a BA in Public Relations and Journalism and recently took a job as a graphic designer for Relevant, a nationallyrecognized magazine that highlights faith and culture.

Q: What are some of the activities that you were involved

Q: Which teachers had the greatest impact on you

in during your time at LCS?

and why?

A: Track, Piano, FCA, YMCA Youth In Government,

A: Mr. Dean Johnson. His Mechanical Drawing/AutoCAD

Media Club, Yearbook

class was my favorite and was my first opportunity to really

Q: Do you have any memories of your time at LCS that stand out?

A: Honestly, it was the spontaneous beach trips and bonfires with friends that stand out the most. I also remember the fan bus trip to South Florida to cheer on the men’s soccer team.

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learn any type of design. His dry humor and funny sarcasm made the class really enjoyable. It was there that I learned fundamental design principles that I find carry over into my current career.

Q: Besides teachers, who were some of your biggest influences growing up?

A: My mom has always been such a rock for me. After the

designing various promotional materials for my church’s youth

passing of my father, she continually demonstrated incredible

group, in which I was very involved.

faith and an unrivaled work ethic. She also made sacrifices to ensure my siblings and I received the highest quality education. That drive to learn was instilled even outside of the

Q: What kinds of projects do you do? What is a typical day for you?

classroom, as she made sure that we got the knowledge and

A: My new position mainly involves designing layouts and

experiences to excel in various areas of life.

directing visual content for a national print and digital

Q: What were your career aspirations when you were at LCS? A: I thought I really wanted to be an architect because I actually did very well drafting residential structures in my AutoCAD classes. But it was soon apparent that I did not have the analytical mind for upper level math and engineering classes.

Q: How do you feel that LCS prepared you for college?

magazine. I will also get to produce some in-house photo shoots, create visual content for the website and assist with some aspects of brand-related events.

Q: You started out at The Lakelander and just took a job with Relevant. What are some of your short and long term goals?

A: Working at The Lakelander has been the one of the most important parts of my still very young career. There I got to be a part of an award-winning team that produces a beautiful

A: I don’t think I really appreciated the rigorous academics at

product that rivals national publications in production quality.

LCS until getting to college and easily passing freshmen level

That experience has opened a lot of doors for me, including

courses while some of my classmates found it much

the position I have just taken with Relevant. I am very excited

more challenging.

that this new opportunity will enable me to take the skills

Q: Besides your time in the classroom, what other ways did LCS prepare you for life after high school?

that I was able to develop in Lakeland and implement them for a national and international audience. I’ve always admired Relevant’s ability to truly highlight the intersection of faith

A: LCS presented many opportunities to get involved and

and culture and I’m really honored to be able to help further

build relationships that really affected the way I approached

that mission. Long term, I always want to use art and creative

my college experience. From day one at Southeastern, I was

media to advance brands and causes that are enriching

committed to soaking up all I could and getting the best

communities while highlighting inspiring stories. This industry

possible college experience. I’ve always found myself excited

is very diverse and always evolving so I’m not sure exactly

to take on extra projects and giving my time to causes that I

what accomplishing those goals will look like in the next 20

found worthwhile.

years, but I look forward to the possibilities.

Q: How did you make the decision to get into graphic

Q: The mission of Lakeland Christian School is to educate

design? When did you know it’s what you wanted to study

students in the light of God’s Word to equip them for a

and pursue as a career?

lifetime of learning, leadership, service and worship. The

A: While I was realizing that maybe architecture wasn’t going

they’re at LCS, but for a lifetime. How has that mission

to be my career path, my mom was also starting a business

played out—and continued to do so—in your life?

goal is to prepare students not only during the few years

for which she needed a logo and other branding and design services. So as the most computer savvy person in my

A: Learning, leading and serving is a perfect description of

household I tried my best to help. So in a way my passion for

the way I strive to invest my time and I have to thank LCS for

design was just redirected to another medium.

being the foundation for these habits. Every opportunity I have diligently put these principles into practice has led to growth,

Q: Were there any opportunities at LCS that facilitated your

maturity and promotion in my life. I think the best leaders are

growth in the areas of graphic design? What other outlets

servants and in order to lead and serve effectively you have

outside of school provided opportunities for you to express

to spend time learning about the people you are helping and

your gifts?

the problem you are venturing to solve. Using our gifts to the

A: As I mentioned my AutoCad classes first sparked my interest for design in general. Additionally, Mrs. Barb Moore taught a class that included several graphic design projects.

fullest and serving others I feel is the ultimate form of worship.

I pray that these attributes characterize every area of my life and strengthen with time and experience.

I distinctly remember designing a poster promoting that year’s Junior/Senior Banquet. I also got to hone my skills by

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{ expressions@lcs }

Congratulations to Erica Owen for receiving a second-place award from LEGOLAND Florida Resort for her Kid’s Tag Art design. This popular county-wide competition is sponsored by the Polk County Tax Collector’s Office. Erica was honored at a special awards program at LEGOLAND Florida Resort.

The Tri-M Music Honor Society inducted 11 new members this fall. Congratulations to Laura Greene, Emily McKinney, Brooke Hammack, Alex Barrow, Bradley Evans, Mollie Tew, Noah Russ, Cheyenne Stonick, Triston Laporte, Taylor Anderson and Will Smaha. This year’s Tri-M officers are Vaviel Verner (President), Kara Stacy (Treasurer), Rachel Chapman (Secretary) and Christian Bedwell (Chaplain).

This fall the LCS Art Department held the second annual Portrait Project. High school Art 1 students use a grid method to draw first graders, and the first graders draw the Art 1 students. The results were displayed at a gallery opening event in the cafeteria in early December.

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{ expressions@lcs } Congratulations to our secondary vocalists who were selected to perform at the All-County Choral Concert in mid-November. Students from all over Polk County auditioned, and 25 LCS students were chosen.

High School: Christian Bedwell, Kristen Davis, Abigail Garrard, Brooke Hammack, Laurel Hesseltine, Caroline Kitchens, Cole Singler, Kara Stacy, Cheyenne Stonick, Vaviel Verner 7th-8th Grade: Kelsey Beck, Hailey Caylor, Carter Chaplin, Carlton Howard, Ava Hoyle, Christopher Lamb, Presley Philpot, Miolie Rock, J.T. Stacy 6th Grade: Mary Nanette Boyce, Jada Jackson, Katie Jones, Anna Lowe, Lexi Mulkey, Erica Owen

All-County Band auditions were held in November.

In late October, the LCS Fine Arts department presented four shows of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins. This classic tale of the stern yet charming nanny featured senior Kara Stacy as Mary Poppins, senior Christian Bedwell as Bert, junior Cole Singler as George Banks, senior Kristen Davis as Winifred Banks, sophomore Alex Barrow as Jane Banks and eighth grader Carter Chaplin as Michael Banks.

Congratulations to the following secondary musicians who were selected to perform at the concert coming up in April: 7th-8th Grade Band: Katherine Grubb (clarinet), Hannah Miller (trumpet) 9th-10th Grade Band: Rebecca Chapman (clarinet), Annie Bolter (bassoon) 11th-12th Grade Band: Kacee Strickland (flute), Marybeth Boulerice (flute), Rachel Chapman (trombone)

The extensive cast featured 65 students in grades 3-12, along with four students as stagehands and curtain operators, and numerous parents and volunteers in charge of costumes, set design and construction, hair and makeup, marketing, fundraising, concessions and the cast party.

Mrs. Teri Evans once again directed this major production.

She was assisted by Missy Green (Assistant Director), Nancy Snyder (Children’s Director), Wendy Carl and Jill Jones (Vocal Directors), Lorraine Latham (Rehearsal Pianists) and Amber Salaz and Emily Carl

Congratulations to the six vocalists who were selected by audition to perform in the All-State Choruses. The concerts will be held in Tampa in mid-January.

High School Concert Chorus: Christian Bedwell, Kara Stacy and Vaviel Verner Middle School Mixed Chorus: Carter Chaplin, Carter Ferguson, J.T. Stacy

(Choreography Directors).

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{ sportszone@lcs } The Florida Athletic Coaches Association named its fall football teams, and several Lakeland Christian athletes made the District 13 team. Congratulations to the following athletes: Offensive First Team All-District: B.J. Sirmons, R.B. Marlow, Reed McKown, Josue Blanco, Larenz Deshazor Defensive First Team All-District: Reed McKown This fall, the girls’ varsity golf team won the 1A District 15

Defensive Second Team All-District: Logan Mason

championship for the first time since the 2008 season. The girls finished 67 strokes ahead of three-time defending

Honorable Mention: Turner Miles, Blaine Brading,

champion McKeel Academy. Junior Ashlynn Joyner shot a

Mitchell Green, Wilson Grooms, Larenz Deshazor,

77 to lead the team with a second-place individual finish at

Xander Elliott, Adrian Morris, Will Smaha, Josue Blanco

Lone Palm Golf Club. The team is coached by David Joyner.

With 73 points, the LCS competition cheer squad won With a cumulative team grade point average of 3.776, the

the large, all-girl varsity division at the FHSAA county

girls’ varsity volleyball team was named the 1A Academic

competition in Bartow in mid-December. They received the

Team Champion by the Florida High School Athletics

second-highest score within the all-girl varsity division and

Association. The girls edged out Bradenton Christian,

the third-highest score overall. Congratulations to the girls!

Miami Country Day and Santa Fe Catholic for the top spot.

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{ staffscoop@lcs } In mid-October Mrs. Jennifer Canady, Director

This summer, Mrs.

of the RISE Institute, attended a conference in

Beth Yeater worked

Washington, D.C., for science research teachers.

as a curriculum

Sponsored by the Society for Science & the

specialist for Teach

Public, the weekend gathering gave teachers the

for America (TFA)

opportunity to share best practices, talk through

in Philadelphia,

challenges and learn about the Intel Science Talent

Pennsylvania. Each

Search and the Society for Science & the Public.

year TFA hosts six summer institutes in cities across America where they train several thousand college graduates who have committed two years to teach in urban and rural at-risk school districts. Mrs. Yeater was responsible for teaching 50 corps members how to write lesson plans, manage a classroom, invest parents/guardians in their children’s education, teach using a variety of methods, assess student progress, and differentiate instruction for students with a variety of needs. The corps members then practiced these skills on elementary students at a summer program in Camden, NJ. Mrs. Yeater also led discussions on diversity and how to address biases, stereotypes and archetypes in education. She has been invited to return in the summer of 2016.

Mrs. Beth Yeater, Miss Rebecca Wilsman, Mrs. Gaye Lene Hasha and Mr. Keith Overholt attended the Learning & the Brain conference in Boston this fall. This year’s theme was The Science of Character: Using Brain Science to Raise Student Self-Regulation, Resilience and Respect.

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FACULTY FEATURE

CREATING FOR GOD’S GLORY: Art Teachers Emily Johnson and Kari Clever Share Their Love for Art with LCS Students

FOR THE FALL OF 2013, LCS WELCOMED TWO NEW ART TEACHERS ONTO THE FACULTY – EMILY JOHNSON FOR ELEMENTARY AND KARI CLEVER FOR SECONDARY. NOW IN THEIR THIRD YEAR, THESE TWO SHARE HOW THEY DEVELOPED THEIR OWN ARTISTIC GIFTS AND HOW THEY PASS THESE ALONG TO THE STUDENTS THEY TEACH.

EMILY JOHNSON – ELEMENTARY ART Raised in Babson Park, a small community south of Lake Wales, Emily Johnson has always loved creating things.

for art and her love for children made teaching an easy decision for her as well. She taught in various Polk County schools for 10 years before coming to LCS.

Her elementary school didn’t offer an art class, but her

Emily teaches students in K4 through 5th grade, so she

mother recognized her talent and signed her up for private

gets to instill the basics in the youngest kids at LCS. One of

art lessons. In middle school and high school, her art

her favorite subjects to teach is color theory.

teacher—Ms. Chambers—continued helping Emily cultivate her talent.

“It is especially fun with the younger students as they see how colors mix. Their eyes fill with amazement and wonder.

“The art room was my refuge,” Emily said. “It was on the

We get to talk about how amazing it is that God created

second floor and had huge windows. I had my own space in

colors to mix.”

the back closet of the art room. I could go in there and get lost in my work.”

After graduating from high school, Emily went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Art Education from the University of Central Florida in 2003. She married Conrad, her high school sweetheart. The two have been married for 12 years and have two daughters – Emily, a sweet and reserved seven year old, and Sarah, a spunky and unpredictable two year old. Conrad serves as the worship leader at First Baptist Church at the Mall.

Emily comes from a family of teachers; both of her parents taught in elementary schools before retiring. Her love

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The integration of God and art is one of the things Emily appreciates most about teaching at Lakeland Christian.

“I love that the entirety of a student’s education is based on the truth of the Gospel. Every subject is taught from a biblical worldview,” Emily said. “I hope that my students understand that we may not all grow up to be artists by trade, but we are all made to be creative individuals. We are made in God’s image. He is the ultimate artist. He created all things from nothing. His desire is for us to use our creativity to glorify Him, whether in art, science, engineering, cooking, mechanics, or whatever we do.”

KARI CLEVER – SECONDARY ART Like Emily, Lakeland native Kari Clever grew up with a knack for creativity.

“My mom sews and is pretty crafty, so she would let my sister and me play with leftover material and paint from her projects. When I was younger, I fancied myself more of an experimenter than an artist because I really liked to take things apart and put them back together.”

powerful. Art has the potential to change culture. It has championed revolutions and reform. To shy away from the visual arts is to abandon one of our most potent means of testimony to the lost world.”

“My favorite thing about teaching at LCS is that there is no secular-sacred divide; all belongs to the Father and should be for His glory. Early on in my art education and education in general, I had a school life and a church life – very rarely did they meet. At LCS, there is no fear for

As a high school student, Kari ended up at The Harrison

the academic and spiritual to collide; in fact, they should

School of the Arts and graduated with the goal of

support and encourage one another.”

continuing her art education. She moved to Washington, D.C., to study at the Corcoran College of Art and Design before returning to the University of South Florida to finish her bachelor’s degree in studio art.

Although Kari knew she wanted a career in the visual arts,

“I try to emphasize that every act of creation has the potential to be an act of worship. I can create for my own glory or I can create to communicate truth or reflect part of God’s nature back to him. I recommend choosing the latter.”

her path to education was not as clear-cut. Prior to coming to LCS, Kari and her husband Andrew lived in the Middle East. She taught business English to professionals and government officials and worked with the cultural affairs department of the U.S. Embassy. She had the opportunity to organize logistics for sports camps and she ran an art camp for teenagers.

Now in the classroom, Kari loves watching her students grasp concepts and observe the world.

“I do love when a student starts to really see things.

I know that sounds strange, but rendering a threedimensional object on a two-dimensional piece of paper is no small feat. That being said, when students start to truly observe the things around them and begin relying on their eyes to draw rather than caricatures of objects, I get excited. I love when students get a foothold and begin understanding a concept they once struggled with.

Nothing builds a student’s confidence quite like success in an area where there was once failure.”

Kari is passionate about the value of art and beauty, and she hopes to instill that in her students.

“Art is an elective and is often viewed as an extra, not very important class, or a class for non-academic students,” Kari said. “That could not be farther from the truth. Art is for everyone and is everywhere from the movies we watch

YOU CAN REACH KARI CLEVER BY EMAIL AT KCLEVER@LCSONLINE.ORG AND EMILY JOHNSON

BY EMAIL AT EJOHNSON@LCSONLINE.ORG.

to the clothes we wear, the colors we paint our houses and the bulletins we hand out at church. It is pervasive and

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{ cheerfulgivers@lcs } Annual Giving to LCS: Faithful Gifts, Forever Flourishing Many good things in life are perishable. In fact, most of

That’s why it’s good to look to, count on and invest in that

life’s pleasures simply will not last forever. For instance,

which has lasting value.

the bananas in our kitchens; the azaleas blooming in our yards; the batteries in our gadgets; the success of our favorite teams; prescriptions in our medicine cabinets …and the list goes on and on.

Contributions to the Christian schooling mission of LCS are never perishable. In fact, they sustain the school’s future in countless ways. Giving to LCS enriches curriculum, which enriches minds. Giving enhances the campus, which enhances the quality of school life. Donations provide for technology upgrades and classroom resources, which upgrade students’ ability to learn and succeed in a world of constant change.

Annual giving to The Viking Fund is the primary effort which allows all those things – and much more – to flourish.

Throughout each school year, LCS families, grandparents, alumni, alumni parents and other friends contribute a financial gift to help provide important school

Viking Fund Contributions for 2015-16 Will Help Fund The Following Initiatives:

opportunities. The beneficiaries of the giving? The children and young people of LCS, both today and in the future.

Providing an excellent Christian education is expensive.

Campus enhancement – covered walkways & covered pavilion between gym & cafeteria to expand cafeteria seating

With the breadth and depth of opportunity at LCS, tuition

Technology upgrades/RISE Institute

gifts help in the effort to keep tuition increases as gentle

Instructional support – reading enrichment

as possible.

Financial Aid Support

Gifts of all sizes are helpful and valued.

Those providing $1,000 or more will join The Viking Society by committing to:

and fees simply do not cover all of the expenses for a dynamic school like Lakeland Christian. In fact, Viking Fund

How much should you give? As with all stewardship giving, that’s up to you and God. What’s most important is for all within the greater LCS community to give something.

Participation at a level in keeping with your God-provided resources is the key. Viking Fund gifts provide great

$15,000 Chairman’s Circle

encouragement to the school’s faculty and staff in their

$10,000 Headmaster’s Council

work with the next generation.

$5,000 Blue & White Alliance $2,500 Longboat Legion

Will you prayerfully consider a gift to this year’s Viking

$1,000 Oarsmen

Fund? Remember, any size gift is helpful and appreciated.

All of these giving levels will be invited to the

a check to LCS. Giving commitments for this year’s Viking

Chairman’s Reception in the Spring of 2016.

Fund should be completed by June 30, 2016.

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You may give online at lcsonline.org or you can simply mail

{ cheerfulgivers@lcs } LCS Shield Maidens Advisory Council Established “ABOVE ALL, TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH WITH WHICH YOU WILL BE ABLE TO QUENCH ALL THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED ONES.” - EPHESIANS 6:16 The LCS Shield Maidens are

They are currently working on our first-ever Voyages and

a group of moms who meet

Victories Gala to be held on February 18, 2016.

as an advisory council on the

These moms want to make the LCS experience above

advancement of Lakeland

and beyond for all of the students at Lakeland Christian

Christian School. The Shield

School. The Shield Maidens meet once a month, usually

Maidens have already helped to plan the Student Viking Fund pep rally, the “Tied to Viking Nation” shirts, the Fall

on the first Monday. If you are interested in being a Shield Maiden, please contact Kristen Hitchcock at khitchcock@lcsonline.org.

Festival, parties for both elementary and secondary Viking Fund winners and the colored water balloon fun.

Save the Date!

‘

Sponsorships are available – contact Kristen Hitchcock at khitchcock@lcsonline.org or 863-688-2771 for more information.

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{ alumni@lcs } 2010s

Katelyn (Wilbanks) Foote

Erica Baker (’12) was accepted to the University of Florida Law School. She continues to do very well academically at UF and scored very high on her LSAT scores early as a junior. In addition, she was active with other UF activities and became president of Sigma Kappa Sorority, president of an honor society and University Supervisor of Elections.

Meagan Palm (’12), a volleyball player at Houghton College in Houghton, New York, was recognized with an Empire 8 All-Conference honorable mention for the 2015 season. Meagan led her team and was second in the conference with a hitting percentage of .313. She tallied 239 total kills this season. Meagan was also chosen by Houghton College for the Empire 8 Volleyball Sportswoman of the Year Team. One player from each of the conference teams is selected for “competing with

(’09) married Tim Foote on September 19, 2015. When they’re not baking cupcakes at a local café and saving people’s iPhones at the Apple store respectively, Katelyn and Tim like to travel, climb rocks and hang out with their cat.

They make their home in Birmingham, Alabama.

David Blanco (’08) and Shannon (Wasilewski) Blanco (‘08) welcomed their first child, a son, Oliver Davis, on September 29, 2015. “Ollie” weighed 7 lbs., 4 oz. David is a Quality Engineer at IGT, Lakeland, and Shannon is a former 5th grade teacher at LCS and current stay-at-home mom.

honor and integrity.”

Leslie Schichtel Buchanan (‘08) married Phillip Buchanan

2000s

on June 27, 2015. Leslie Dylan Griffin (‘09) and

is employed at Vanderbilt

Brittany (Burnetti) Griffin

University as a communications

(’09) welcomed their first

specialist. The couple resides in

baby, son Atticus Burnetti

Nashville, Tennessee.

Griffin, on October 15, 2015. He weighed 8 lbs., 3 oz. Dylan will graduate

Melody (Barnes) Metzger

from law school in January, and Brittany is staying at

(‘06) and her husband, Justin,

home with Atticus.

welcomed their new son, Bryce Andrew, on June 8, 2015. He weighed 8 lbs., 8 oz. His big

Tyler Rice (’09) recently finished a two-year fellowship

brother, Landon (2), was anxiously awaiting his arrival

at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda,

and couldn’t wait to hold him. Melody stays at home

Maryland. This fall, he began his doctoral studies

with both boys, and Justin works at USAA.

in Immunobiology at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

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{ alumni@lcs } Members from the

Jason Williams (‘00) and his

LCS Class of 2005

wife Jenny welcomed daughter

reunited at this year’s

Bailey Grace on November 23,

homecoming football

2015. She was welcomed by her

game on October 2.

brother Brooks (2). The family resides in Lakeland.

Jennifer (Boulet) Eikenberry (03’) and her husband, Zachary,

1990s Ben Johnson (’99) and his

welcomed their first child,

wife Sandy welcomed son

daughter Sophia Darlene, on September 16, 2015. After

Benjamin Britt on August

eight years as a middle school teacher, Jenny now stays

25, 2015. He weighed

home with her sweet bundle. Zachary is the current founding CEO of Next High School in Greenville, SC. A serial entrepreneur, Zach is beginning the funding round of his next business venture.

8 lbs., 5 oz. Britt was welcomed home by his sister Norah (2). Both Ben and Sandy work at Lakeland Christian School — Ben as the IT Assistant and Sandy as the Communication Specialist and editor of the Engage magazine.

Congratulations to Daniel Wilson (’02) and his wife, Jessica, on the birth of Myles Peyton Wilson on

1980s In late October, the

June 10, 2015. Myles joins

LCS Class of 1980 held

older brothers Bryce (4 1/2) and Connor (2 1/2). The

their 35th reunion

Wilsons live in Lakeland, where Daniel is a Production

in Wesley Chapel at

Manager for Southern Homes.

the home of Karin Sanchez Gunning.

Nathan Patterson (’00) and

» We love to hear from you.

his wife Lauren (Knowlton) Patterson (‘06) welcomed

News about you is ­important to us and to your

daughter Paige Reagan on July

former classmates. Please email Claudia Powell

16, 2015. She weighed 7 lbs., 2

at ­cpowell@lcsonline.org. Planning your class

oz. Paige was welcomed home

reunion? Claudia can also arrange for use of

by brother Lucas (7) and sisters Riley (5) Embry (4) and

facilities and will offer other helpful tips.

Annisten (2). Nathan is employed by Patterson Publishing.

To view even more alumni updates, please visit www.lcsonline.org/alumni/alum-notes/

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LAKELAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 1111 Forest Park Street, Lakeland, Florida 33803

Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Lakeland, FL Permit No. 1

Sharpening Minds and Shepherding Hear ts.

The LCS 2014-15 Annual Report is now available online at lcsonline.org