Summer 2016 | The Academy Lantern

Lantern

The Magazine of Lexington Christian Academy

The Academy

Summer 2016

LEXINGTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY CLASS OF 2016 COLLEGE ANNOUNCEMENTS NAME

COLLEGE OF CHOICE

David Acevedo..............................................Syracuse University Xergio Aguilar...................University of Massachusetts, Amherst Ryan Ahern...................................................Gettysburg College Stephanie Ananth.............................Carnegie Mellon University Adam Bahou................................... Johnson & Wales University Emma Bergstrom........................................ Wheaton College IL Gabrielle Bodet............................................... Emory University Jillian Bowdring..................................College of the Holy Cross Katherinne Braga........................................ American University Alexander Burns............................................. Bentley University Michael Burrowes...................................Northeastern University Sui Wai “Jeffrey” Cheung..... Emory University - Oxford College Sung Jin “Jeff ” Chung............................. King’s College London Lianna Coté................................Palm Beach Atlantic University Isabella Dassau..........................................Colby-Sawyer College Reuben Duttweiler ............................Roger Williams University Matthew Fong ...................................................Gordon College Gabriella Franchi............................................ Bentley University Samantha Gibson.................................Florida Southern College Bryn Gough...................................................Furman University Jude Guerrier............................................... Norwich University Meaghan Hayes.................................. University of Notre Dame Zhenchao “Zach” Hu......University of California, Santa Barbara Cameron Hudson ..................Rochester Institute of Technology Andrew Jeon ................................... Gap Year, Music in Norway Aubrey King................................................... Hofstra University Julia Lawler................................................... Fairfield University Jed Lee...............................................................Gordon College Louis Lee............................................................. Boston College Henry Lockwood................Hobart and William Smith Colleges Michael Lwanga............................................ Merrimack College Zihan “Airee” Ma..............University of Massachusetts, Amherst Eli Martin..........................................Roger Williams University Isaac McGonagle....................................University of Pittsburgh Erica McIntosh.................................................. Clark University

NAME

COLLEGE OF CHOICE

Connor Meaney............................................ Fairfield University Wesley Michalak........................................... Merrimack College Alexandra Minasian............................................Gordon College Chantelle Moitt............................................Anna Maria College Grace Moore..........................................Northeastern University Arielle Moreira.................... University of Massachusetts, Boston Yechan “Elliott” Na............................................. Boston College Liam O’Toole...................... The Catholic University of America James Palmer............................................... Wheaton College IL Noah Parker............................... Worcester Polytechnic Institute James “Drew” Pelusi........................................Boston University Olivia Petipas...................................................Colorado College Mariana Pinheiro....................................University of Maryland Gabriela Rivera............................................Princeton University Emily Romao....................University of Massachusetts, Amherst Melissa Romao......................................... Quinnipiac University Joshua Romero..............................................Syracuse University Shaelyn Roys..................... Southern New Hampshire University Benjamin Rozonoyer.................................... Brandeis University Lori Sahakian..............................................Connecticut College Olivia Schuh........................................... University of Delaware Svetlana Sheehan........................................Lyndon State College Marianna Soper...............................................Stetson University Matthew Soper................................... Ohio Wesleyan University Courtney Teehan...............University of Massachusetts, Amherst Ruben Walter.............................................. Wheaton College IL Man Ya Qi Wang................................................ Boston College Ziyan “Mina” Wang..........University of Massachusetts, Amherst Delaney Wells.....................................College of the Holy Cross Jamese Word...................................................McDaniel College Shuoyuan “Colin” Xu......................................Suffolk University Angela Zhang...................................................... Boston College Ziqian Zhang..................................................Boston University Michelle Zhou ................................................... Boston College

Lantern

Table

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Contents

The Academy LCA 2016 Academy Lantern

Summer 2016

The Magazine of Lexington Christian Academy

Board of Trustees James M. Bolton ’72, Chair Robert A. Lawrence, Vice Chair Gerald Moore, Treasurer Diane C. Cambourelis ’82, Clerk Robert Bloodworth Kenneth Fong Michael Levitz Paul McGonagle M. Eric Mollenhauer ’89 Stephen Palmer Charles T. Pu Michael Stevens ’87 Beth Somers Stutzman Wallace W. Wadman Benjamin Warf Frank E. Wheatley III David Wilson

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Letter from the Head of School

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Letter from the Director of Admissions

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Faculty News

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Faculty Highlight

6-7 Theatre Performances

8-9 LCA Lions Winter and Spring Season

10-11 Senior Research Projects

In celebration of commencement, several international students and their families joined Head of School, Tim Russell, for dinner at LCA.

12 -13 Christian High School Memorial Chapel 14 -15 First Fruits Fitness Center

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Timothy Russell DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Isaac Milton ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI RELATIONS AND ADVANCEMENT SERVICES

Meghan Reardon CONTRIBUTORS

The Community of LCA

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College and Career Mentoring Program

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Class Day

18-19 Commencement 20 – 21 Alumni Spotlights

22 The Meadow Breeze Experience

23 -24 Class Notes

On Thursday, February 18, LCA hosted a Career Showcase that featured a panel of 4 LCA alumni, with 29 additional alumni joining them for a networking reception for current students and families.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Dorothy Greco, Chip VanderBrug, Paul Johnson, Isaac Milton, and The Community of LCA DESIGNER

Christopher G. Coleman Printed by Cricket Press

ON THE COVER LCA’s First Fruits Fitness Center is now complete! Thank you to the hundreds of donors who made this addition (along with new locker rooms, restrooms, nurse’s office, and trainer’s office) possible. Please stop by any time this summer for a tour of the completed project.

Summer 2016 • The Academy Lantern

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Letter from The Head of School

Greetings,

T

his was a banner year for Lexington Christian Academy as we remember God’s providence in moving our school to Lexington 50 years ago, establishing Boston Christian High School 70 years ago, and the birth of Grace Strodel 90 years ago. We had a wonderful opportunity to celebrate each of these milestones at our first ever CHS Memorial Chapel on May 20, 2016. Over 60 CHS graduates and faculty members joined our community in celebration of God’s faithfulness to our institution.

Elizabeth Evans, Harold John Ockenga, and so many others dreamed of a school with the purpose to train young men and women to be future leaders for Christ’s sake in Boston, this region, and around the world. Our students witnessed a sampling of that vision in the men and women who graduated from the 1950’s and 1960’s at the CHS Memorial Chapel. These alumni have friendships that are not just rooted in a certain time or place, but a fidelity to one another, to God, and the Scriptures that established them early in life and have been their sure anchor all of these years.

Tim Russell celebrates with Grace Strodel for her 90th birthday.

What has become of the memories of Christian High School? What has become of the people that are spoken of with such affection, such as Miles Strodel, Belle Strickland, Grace Pierson, Ray Martin and so many others? To that I say: Look around you! Look at the present faculty and staff; men and women with great skill who love God and share in the CHS faculties’ legacy of investing in students. Look at the young men and women who delight in using their gifts for the glory of God. Think of the hope in those who just graduated to impact this region and our world as they love God and neighbor. Look at all of those who continue to make great sacrifices to continue the mission of this Academy.

Look at Grace Strodel, a woman of God who impacted the world through her investment in students as a teacher, coach, and mentor. She has remained a dear friend to so many of her former pupils, and remains a close friend to Lexington Christian Academy. We continue to be blessed by her wisdom and grace each and every year.

As we look ahead to our 75th anniversary and beyond, LCA is poised with passion to continue to look to Jesus for direction, provision, and benediction. We are, as the writer to the Hebrews said joyfully, “looking to Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith.” May God continue to show favor as we prepare servants for the King and His Kingdom.

Tim Russell speaking at LCA’s Class Day.

Timothy Russell Head of School

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The Academy Lantern • Summer 2016

Letter from the Director of Admission

Dear LCA community,

H

e came bounding out the front door after his Shadow Day and exclaimed “Mom! I’m definitely going here!” This was our first experience at LCA and I was thrilled that my 6th grader showed such enthusiasm after spending a day at the school. Of all the schools we visited, we had finally found the one that was just the right ‘fit’ for our family. The application process began and before I knew it we were traveling up and down Rt. 128 from the North Shore on a daily basis.

Since that first visit to LCA many years ago, so much has changed — the gym has been enlarged, the Science labs have been updated, and the entire structure of LCA has been expanded and it has grown into a beautiful, state of the art facility. So many amazing updates... the Cross Worship and Performing Arts Center, the Art Gallery, the North Campus...and now the long-awaited Fitness Center.

This May I was greeted with another exciting announcement — this time from The Association of Boarding Schools - TABS. Lexington Christian Academy has been accepted as a member of their prestigious organization. We are now ‘officially’ recognized not only as a ‘Day School’ but as a ‘Day/Boarding School’. TABS, known as the primary support organization for college-prep boarding schools across the country, will be a valuable resource and support to our day and residential programs.

Lexington Christian Academy has been accepted as a member of The Association of Boarding Schools.

While this may not merit the same excitement as the new Fitness Center or the opening of the LCA North Campus, it does mark a new and exciting era in the history of the school. Many of us remember the arrival of international students who lived with unknown families somewhere in the Boston area. Others recall long commutes and times of staying over at the home of a friend who lived close to Lexington. With the launching of full boarding as well as a 5-Day boarding option, we can serve the needs of a broader range of families.

Now, years later as the Director of Admission, I look at the LCA profile once again — but now it looks just a little different. LCA continues to have “Christian” as central to all that we do. And now, as a Day/Boarding School, we have entered a ‘new league’ and the possibilities are endless. Students from all over the country — and all over the world — will be able to access our information on the TABS website as they look for a school that is just the right ‘fit’. We are not a typical boarding school but once again have a unique niche in the Boston area as the premier Christian Day/Boarding School. I look forward to hearing students from across New England and around the world say with excitement “I’m definitely going here!”

Cynthia Torjesen Director of Admission

Summer 2016 • The Academy Lantern

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News

Faculty & Staff News

Recognition of

Outstanding Service

Kate Young Wilder Kate Young Wilder has served as Director of College advising since 2009 and has advocated for almost 400 LCA graduates in their application to college. Throughout the past seven years, Kate strengthened LCA’s college advising office in its support of students and parents.

Her students enjoyed her dedication and care, and they benefited from her exemplary communication and support on behalf of them with college admissions offices.

More than just helping students find a college, Kate Young Wilder through her Christ-filled mentoring and care, Kate has helped them discover what’s next for their lives.

Kate joined the LCA community in 2005 as a parent of Jennie (Caley) Kishbaugh ’08. She then started working at LCA as an associate in the Admissions office.

Kate is relocating to Michigan to join her husband John Wilder, whom she married in March. Kate’s colleagues will miss her friendship and support; LCA is grateful for her dedication and service.

Rob Scaro Rob Scaro will be the Director of College Advising.

Having served for three years as a history and English teacher at LCA, Rob has proven himself through his deep engagement with students, his excellent communication skills, and his commitment to LCA’s mission.

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Rob will be especially well positioned for guiding next year’s graduating class since he taught most of them this year in history or English.

We are very pleased that he will continue to build close relationships with students next year as he also teaches a section of AP U.S. History and Rob Scaro coaches boys’ varsity basketball.

Rob joined the faculty in 2013 having previously worked as a lawyer and as an educator. He has earned a B.A. in English and Communications from Boston College, an M.A. in American Studies from the College of William and Mary, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School.

Richard Watts The Richard Watts Senior Math Award, given annually at Class Day, was established in 2016 in honor of Richard Watts in recognition of 40 years of dedicated service teaching math and mentoring at LCA. This award is given to a senior for outstanding work in math.

Richard Watts

Faculty Highlight

Building a Science Foundation

BY KATHY OLIVER, GORDON COLLEGE, BIOLOGY

F

rom the time I started at LCA in 1982 through today, it continues to be an absolute joy to inspire and cultivate a love of science in our students. It is always a pleasure to reconnect with some of the many graduates who are dedicating their careers to the sciences. It is even better when they are able to return to LCA to share their passion with our current students. Tarana Chowdhury ’12, a computer engineer major at Boston University, joined my Earth Science class to share a presentation entitled, “What is an engineer?” Tarana’s interest in engineering was fostered at LCA and she is one of the proud members of the national winning ZeroRobotics Team of 2010.

One of the goals of the LCA science department is to take advantage of the wealth of science expertise in the Boston area. For the past 9 years, LCA middle school students have benefited from the Project Astro partnership with astrophysicist Michael Ratner. This partnership developed out of a professional development course I took sponsored by the Museum of Science. Teachers were partnered with astronomers to advance the study of Astronomy. Every year Michael has brought the AstroLab to LCA and students have climbed through its dark tunnel to see the night sky at the other end.

This year as we aimed to concentrate more on the “E” in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), we tapped into the expertise in our own

community. LCA parents David Cist, Margie Bose and Bethany Eisenberg were asked to help develop an engineering component for the annual 7th grade Geology Fair.

Margie Bose of GEI Consultants in Woburn has shared her background as a geological engineer with the Earth Science students in the Kathy Oliver areas of plates tectonics and geological mapping and most recently with soil testing.

Bethany Eisenberg, Director of Stormwater Services at VHB in Watertown, has been a special guest sharing her expertise about water science permeable pavements with our students. David Cist, Manager of Product and Strategy and Planning at Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc in Nashua, NH has shared his infrared and ground penetrating radar cameras with the students along with a powerpoint showing research with those tools.

I look forward to seeing more professionals sharing with our science students and throughout the Academy. We have many intellectually curious and academically gifted students who are eager to learn. A gift of time and talent to LCA can assist in giving our students a world-class education foundation.

GEI’s Boston Office Hosts Middle School Lab Field Trip

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n May 12, 11 middle school students from Lexington Christian Academy travelled to GEI’s Boston office to tour the geotechnical lab. Doug Aghjayan and Margie Bose, with the assistance of Esad Fazlic, led the tour and discussed the various tests performed in the lab. The students were shown how geotechnical engineers classify soil and measure its strength compressibility and permeability, and how we use those tests in the evaluation and design of our projects.

Doug Aghjayan discussing tests performed at the lab.

The future earth scientists and engineers were then tasked with performing sieve analyses to learn how sand and gravel contents are measured and performing permeability tests to estimate the rate at which water flows through soil. The field trip helped the students learn about some of the basics of geotechnical engineering and how soil influences the design of buildings, roads, bridges, dams, and landfills.

Summer 2016 • The Academy Lantern

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Performing Arts Theatre Performances

Creativity Through Acting

BY CHRISTOPHER GRECO, THEATRE DIRECTOR

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reativity was a central theme this theatre season. We began in the fall with an adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew, in which Aslan the Lion creates the magical world of Narnia with only the sound of his voice. We ended the year with Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing in which “paper bullets” of love and artifice were volleyed, and with excerpts from Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve at ArtsFest.

It’s no accident that LCA student names on the cover of the program for our winter show, 3 of the Above, were sandwiched between Lewis, Shakespeare, and Twain, and in the company of Brecht, Shaw, Sophocles, and Gilbert and Sullivan, all of whose plays have been performed in the Cross Center since its opening in 2013.

3 of the Above was a festival of freshly written plays: The Clown and the Collector, by Liam O’Toole ’16, Red & Gray, by Michael Burrowes ’16, Paperclip, by Ann Rees Berry ’17, and STANDARDIZE ME, devised by the cast with notable contributions by Ben Rozonoyer ’16.

Gabrielle Bodet ’16 (Beatrice) and Cameron Hudson ’16 (Benedict) in Much Ado About Nothing.

The middle school cast of The Magician’s Nephew.

That’s right. We have the audacity (and the courage) to throw in the sound of our own voices to the canon of theatre. And why not? Theatre is a level playing field, more so than film and television. Unlike the multiplex down the street or the latest episode of Sherlock, the student-written plays we performed in the Cross Center were not showing anywhere else in the world. They were as local as we are.

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To state it unmistakably, at the beginning of the school year, none of these plays existed. First drafts of the three student-written plays were submitted in November. Until rehearsals began in December, the group devised show was nothing but a concept based on a Boston Globe article. The fact that it ended up being featured in a Globe article was a delightful bookend to our experiment. (See sidebar.)

We will continue to produce classic works as well as to develop new works for the theatre in our Cross Center laboratory. Productions like this are normally called “workshops.” With theatre, unlike fiction for example, the writing isn’t complete until the piece is tested live. And that’s where you can join the collaboration as our eager audience.

These writers and actors surprised themselves by what they were able to accomplish, and the sound of laughter still rings in our ears.

WEST

By Taryn Plumb | GLOBE CORRESPONDENT

MARCH 18, 2016

In Lexington, students poke fun at SATs in a devilish satire There’s the skateboarder in the midst of an existential crisis. The classic underachiever amid a family of Harvard alums. The decidedly blasé heir to a thriving family business. The perfectionist who will exhaust herself until she achieves the flawless score of 1,600.

Together, this motley assortment (along with several others) sits in its own fiery circle of hell: an SAT exam room.

We all know the pain of test-taking: the pressure, the pent-up anxiety, the battle against the clock.

Students from Lexington Christian Academy have brought that stressful, weighty — some might go so far as to say excruciating — experience to the stage with “Standardize Me,” an original play inspired by the new SAT that debuted this month.

Written and staged by academy students under the guidance of

theater director Christopher Greco, the production has been performed four times, most recently at the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild’s High School Festival preliminary round in Brookline on Feb. 27.

“It kind of feels like a ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit — it’s absurd and it’s satire,” Greco said. “It raises questions about our standardized tests — are they helpful, are they accurate? It shows an inevitability in the need to be tested and the ability to transcend being evaluated. It also brings out the theme of rising to the challenge.”

With 14 actors, a moving, choreographed set of rolling desks, and frequent references to the helltraversing protagonists Virgil and Dante of “The Divine Comedy,” the mockumentary fluctuates between the

Grace Moore’16 and Haley Ahern ’18 in Standarize Me.

Emily Zhou ’19 in Standarize Me.

fantastic and the comedic, the realistic and the tragic.

Mark Bloodworth ’18 received an acting award for his performance at a Brookline High School theatre competition.

Summer 2016 • The Academy Lantern

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Athletics

LCA Lions Winter Season

Jamese Word ’16 was a captain of the Lady Lions’ Basketball team and helped lead them to an EIL Undefeated Championship and was selected as EIL All-League and NEPSAC Class C All-Star. She will play college basketball at NCAA Division III McDaniel College (MD).

The Senior Athletic Award was given to six members of the Class of 2016. To receive this honor, a student-athlete must participate in three seasons of sports for all four years of their high school career at LCA. 2016 Recipients include Katie Braga, Courtney Teehan, Gabriella Franchi, Reuben Duttweiler, Connor Meaney, Shae Roys.

Xergio Aguilar ’16 had a successful season for the Lions’ Wrestling team as he was selected as EIL AllLeague, an EIL Tournament Champion (126 lb weight class), NEPSAC Tournament qualifier, and a National Prep Wrestling Championships Qualifier.

WINTER AWARDS BOYS’ BASKETBALL

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

WRESTLING

• Finished 3rd in EIL Regular Season Standings

• NEPSAC Class C Tournament Finalists

• NEPSAC Class C 2nd Team Selection: Jake Kakar ’17

• 2015-16 EIL Undefeated Champions

•2 015-16 EIL Undefeated Champions, 30-1 Regular Season Record

• EIL All-League: Jude Guerrier ’16, Jake Kakar ’17 • EIL Honorable Mention: Reuben Duttweiler ’16, Trey Scaro ’17, Malik Jackson ’18

• Winners of EIL Open A Pool Tournament • EIL Coach of the Year: Steve Schmidt • NEPSAC Class C All-Stars: Shae Roys ’16, Jamese Word ’16 • EIL All-League: Shae Roys ’16, Jamese Word ’16 • EIL Honorable Mention: Katie Braga ’16, Courtney Teehan ’16, Melissa Romao ’16

LCA retained the Colonial Red Drum after defeating Concord in four out of five games at the 12th Annual Battle of Lexington & Concord held at Concord Academy on January 29. The 13th Battle will take place at LCA on January 27, 2017.

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Lady Lions’ Basketball completed an undefeated 2015-16 EIL season and claimed the league title for the second straight year. The Lady Lions also won the EIL A Pool tournament and defeated Wilbraham & Monson and St. Andrew’s School before falling to Proctor Academy in the NEPSAC Class C Finals at Noble & Greenough. Coach Steve Schmidt was voted EIL Coach of the Year.

The Academy Lantern • Summer 2016

• Winners of 2016 EIL Tournament •E IL All-League: Connor Meaney ’16, Xergio Aguilar ’16, Jason Calandra ’17, Edmond DeAngelis ’17, Zach Schell ’17 •1 0 NEPSAC Tournament Qualifiers •N ational Prep Wrestling Championships Qualifiers: Xergio Aguilar ’16, Jason Calandra ’17, Edmond DeAngelis ’17

Lions’ Wrestling clinched their second straight EIL Championship and had a program record of 30 wins in 2015-16! Key victories over Noble & Greenough, Concord Academy, St. Mark’s, Lawrence, Lexington High School, and Landmark led to a 30-1 record.

LCA Lions Spring Season

Lady Lions’ Soccer standout Shae Roys ’16 signed her National Letter of Intent to play soccer at NCAA Division II Southern New Hampshire University. Roys was a four-time EIL All-League selection, a Massachusetts Prep All-State Selection, and twotime National Christian School Athletic Association 1st Team AllAmerican while playing at LCA.

Annual Athletic Awards Recipients: Walter Sharon ’17 (Boys Coaches Award), Reuben Duttweiler ’16 (George Durward Memorial Boys’ Sports Award), Samantha Gibson ’16 (Girls’ Sports Award), Shae Roys ’16 (Grace Strodel Girls’ Coaches Award)

Starting goalie Peter Walsh ’17 captained the Lions’ Lacrosse team and was selected as EIL AllLeague & New England Regional All-Star.

SPRING AWARDS

Samantha Gibson ’16 was voted EIL Softball Player of the Year for the 2016 season. She also received the award in 2015. Gibson led the Lady Lions to back to back EIL titles and was a dominant pitcher and LCA’s leading hitter. Samantha has committed to play softball at Florida Southern College next year.

BOYS’ LACROSSE

BASEBALL

SOFTBALL

• EIL All-League: Alec Citrano ’17, Peter Walsh ’17

• EIL All-League: Walter Sharon ’17, Dillon Koster ’17

•2 016 EIL Undefeated Champions

• EIL Honorable Mention: Adam Bahou ’16

• EIL Honorable Mention: Jesse Welch ’17, Edmond DeAngelis ’17

• New England Regional Team Selections: Peter Walsh ’17

•E IL Player of the Year/Boston Globe All-Scholastic: Samantha Gibson ’16 •E IL All-League: Samantha Gibson ’16, Shae Roys ’16, Victoria Cusanello ’17, Zian Perez ’17, Abigail Broadhurst ’18

GIRLS’ LACROSSE • EIL B Pool Tournament Champions • EIL All-League: Meaghan Hayes ’16 • EIL Honorable Mention: Katie Braga ’16, Oluwafikemi Faleye ’17

Varsity Baseball spent the 2016 March Break at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Spring Training. The team competed against schools from around the country, participated in strength and conditioning programs, and enjoyed Disney’s world class entertainment as a team.

The Lady Lions’ Softball team completed an undefeated EIL regular season to claim back to back league titles. It was the 4th championship in program history.

ANNUAL AWARDS 2015-2016 ANNUAL ATHLETIC AWARD WINNERS Grace Strodel Coaches Award: Shae Roys ’16 Meaghan Hayes ’16 captained the Lady Lions’ Lacrosse team and scored her 100th career goal during the 2016 season. Meaghan celebrated with her Coach Brittney Murphy and parents Anne and Michael Hayes.

Boys’ Coaches Award: Walter Sharon ’17 Girls’ Sports Awards: Samantha Gibson ’16 George Durward Memorial Award: Reuben Duttweiler ’16 Summer 2016 • The Academy Lantern

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Experience

senior Research Projects

Passions Tested — Goals Met

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committee, faculty and parents.

Michael Burrowes delved into the field of software audio synthesis, advancing his skills in coding, instrument construction, and musical composition and conducting.

He programmed a software synthesizer in Pure Data and created 5 instruments (some handmade and other repurposed game controllers).

Jeffrey Cheung ’16 and Jim Feenstra enjoying Drew Pelusi’s Those devices were then video game. networked together. A piece of music was composed to be played by a five piece band, the synthesizer to be some of the performed at the May 24th event. most challenging pieces of the Michael found the soldering of project. circuits and getting the unique Noah Parker’s deep love for instruments to communicate with robotics was fostered through his participation in LCA’s ZeroRobotics programming and taking a robotics Academics in Action course.

Parker spent the year designing, building, and programming to create a robot that is easily replicable and affordable, making simple bipedal robotics more accessible for education. Each piece of the robot started as a pencil and ruler sketch, modeled, then 3D-printed. These steps were repeated several times, as revisions needed to be made.

The programming proved to be a challenge, but “seeing something [he] wrote cause a robot to move and make decisions was incredible.”

The bipedal robot successfully took several steps during the final presentation.

Finally, Drew Pelusi worked to Michael Burrowes ’16, Drew Pelusi ’16, and Noah Parker ’16 at their Advanced Senior create a 3D first-person video game Research presentation.

ver the course of their final year at Lexington Christian Academy, three outstanding graduating seniors completed capstone projects through the Advanced Senior Research (ASR) program. This intense program allows students to focus deeply on a subject they are passionate about and work towards a goal with a team of mentors and educators.

In this year’s program, Michael Burrowes, Noah Parker, and Drew Pelusi chose subjects they held deep interest in among the fields of academics, arts and service.

The results were presented during a special celebratory exposition on May 24th in front of the ASR

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The Academy Lantern

Senior Research Projects

supporting up to eight players. He programmed the game’s numerous weapons with a recoil effect, allowing players to traverse through the air in creative ways. Drew’s interest in video games is what drew him to programming. He has been programming smaller games for years, and used the opportunities of this project to create a much larger game. Setting up the multiplayer network proved to be the toughest challenge. Drew found it “very satisfying to see how much people enjoyed playing the game” at the final presentation.

David Jackson, director of the program, was thrilled with his mentees’ successes. “The Class of 2016 produced three memorable projects,” said Jackson. “Each had to cultivate their patience, problemsolving, public speaking, and theological reflection on their chosen fields of investigation. As a result, these students are better prepared to contribute in their fields in a way that gives glory to their creator.” Head of School Tim Russell spoke proudly of his students’ accomplishments as well, noting, “These distinguished scholars are not just acquiring rote knowledge, but their interest and inquiry are molding the contours of reality and our understanding of things previously unknown.”

Burrowes appreciated the opportunity that Advanced Senior Research provided for students whose “passions lie well outside of conventional tracks.” He added that, “the program equipped us with the

Noah Parker ’16 with his walking, 3D-printed, bipedal robot.

Drew Pelusi ’16 as people are playing his first-person video game behind him.

tools to research thoroughly, record our work, and present our findings professionally without limiting the content of the projects. It is a very effective addition to the curriculum.”

Advanced Senior Research, described by Jackson as an

“intellectual odyssey,” annually furthers the school’s pursuit of the integration of faith and learning, and serves as another testament to the numerous opportunities that come with an education at LCA.

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Congregation

Christian High School Memorial Chapel

CHS Memorial Chapel

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n Friday, May 20, over 60 alumni and guests join us for the Christian High School Memorial Chapel. Tim Russell’s chapel message that morning focused on the strong foundation that CHS laid for the school we are today. Following chapel we heard from Grace Strodel and David Peterson ’66 (son of Walter Peterson, the chair of the board during the move to Lexington) about the commitment and sacrifice made by the leaders laying the foundation for this wonderful academy. You can view the chapel or the Q&A at www.lca.edu/alumni-events.

Thank you for all who attended to help us celebrate 70 years of educating students. If you were unable to attend this year we will be hosting another CHS Alumni Chapel in May 2017; more detailed information will be available in the Fall.

Grace Strodel “I came to Christian High School at the age of 22 and got a job. We didn’t have a gym but used the YMCA down the street and it was a wonderful place.

I realized that even though I was young I brought with me a blind enthusiasm and a feeling that there was nothing we couldn’t do. We could provide great experiences for the students. I was surrounded by fabulous faculty who had years of experience and great

Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni & Friends celebrate 70 years of Christian education during the CHS Memorial chapel.

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love for students. Together they were able to keep me under control.”

David Peterson ’66 “I remember CHS from being a little boy and my parents talking about the school. I remember the stories my brother and sisters told about their experiences and my parents praying for the school. My dad worked on the board for several years and the time and financial commitment he and others made is the reason we are here in Lexington today. I appreciate the sacrifice they made. I remember as a little boy being with the Strodels on a Sunday afternoon and we stopped on this little street. Dad and Miles got out and looked at this piece of land. They came back about a half an hour later soaked after walking through the wet grass. They were so excited after looking at this land and about the possibilities of what could happen. And here we are today in Lexington.”

Betty Fagerstrom ’50 “Walter Peterson spent many years on the board and I really respected him. I think it is important to realize that the school was supposed to be called Lexington Academy but Walter pushed with the Board for it to be called Lexington Christian Academy.”

Over 60 alumni and guests joined us for the Christian High School Memorial Chapel.

Christian High School Memorial Chapel

Just recently the initial stages of a historical wall have been installed. The original Christian High School sign, the lantern that hung on our Garden Street campus, and photos of our three campuses: Huntington Ave, Boston; Garden Street, Cambridge; Bartlett Ave, Lexington.

Grace Strodel and Janet Arruda (former CHS/LCA faculty member).

Head of School Russell shares a message about the strong foundation that Christian High School laid for today’s LCA students.

Nancy (Peterson) Reisler ’50, David Crook ’54, and David Peterson ’66 under the original Christian High School sign.

CHS/ LCA 75TH ENDOWMENT FUND As we head towards our 75th anniversary in 2021, we are launching the Alumni Endowment Initiative to create a fund that will directly benefit future students, forever. This fund would provide scholarships for deserving students, education for our faculty, and other educational resources.

Q&A time with Grace Strodel and David Peterson ’66.

Will you consider making a gift to the CHS/ LCA 75th Endowment Fund to ensure that future students will be able to receive a quality Christian education?

Summer 2016 • The Academy Lantern

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Campus Up

LCA Fitness Center and Core Renovation Campaign

The Fitness Center and Core Renovation Campaign L

ast summer, the First Fruits Foundation made a lead gift of $500,000 to not only build a Fitness Center, but completely renovate the core of our campus’ first floor, including new restrooms, locker rooms, nurse’s office, and Athletic

trainer’s office. Less than 12 months later, the project was complete and unveiled to our community at Class Day on June 9, 2016.

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LCA’s nurse, Jadien Walter, has already moved into her office next to the first floor restrooms.

Claudine Wright, our Athletic trainer, is now in her office next to the Fitness Center. The shower rooms have been updated to each offer three private shower stalls.

Two additional private bathrooms and showers have been added for coaches, referees, and others.

Faculty and staff have already started using the facility this summer, with students looking forward to joining them when they return this fall. Athletic Director Ryan Patrie ’03 is excited to utilize the space by developing sportspecific training programs for LCA student-athletes and teams. The athletic program will also be able to leverage the fitness center in the recruitment of prospective studentathletes. “The fitness center will enhance our athletic program by

The Academy Lantern • Summer 2016

giving our athletes an opportunity to train in strength and conditioning and allow us to be on par with other independent college preparatory schools and athletic programs,” said Patrie, “It will also allow for students to begin learning about personal health and wellness for life.”

Cynthia Torjesen, Director of Admission, has already taken dozens of prospective families on a tour of the Fitness Center. Her team looks forward to welcoming the many new athletes that will be joining our Academy next year.

Thanks to the diligence of our team, and the decades-long relationship with our construction company, this project was completed under budget! The total cost of the project was $1.2 million. Nearly $1.05 has been committed. Will you consider a gift in 2016 to help us bring this campaign to a close?

pdates “ As an alumnus, I can relate first hand that the new Fitness Center is unlike anything LCA has had to offer in the past! I am excited for the opportunity to use the gym as an athlete myself and for the young studentathletes whom I coach to be presented with the opportunity to improve themselves physically both in the offseason and during the hectic and challenging school year.”

— Bennett Check-Davis ’07, Admission Counselor, Boys Basketball and Baseball Assistant Coach

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Guidance

College and Career Mentoring Program

COLLEGE AND CAREER MENTORING PROGRAM

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he LCA College and Career Mentoring Program kicked off this spring with 9 alumni being paired with current 9th graders. The goal of this program is for students to have support, guidance, and mentoring from an LCA alumna/ alumnus as they navigate upper school, college applications and first jobs. We also hope that LCA alumni will build a deeper connection with their alma mater as they invest in current students. One set of pairings, Chris Picardi ’08 and Noah Levitz ’19, connected several times throughout the semester.

Noah Levitz ’19 I wanted to participate in the mentoring program at LCA because I believe that getting insight about college life and career life from someone who came from a similar background can be very helpful as I begin thinking about things like that.

The best piece of advice that Chris told me was that if I want to get a job right out of college (which I do), I

should look for a college that has job recruiting on campus so that I have connections with multiple companies that I may end up interested in. I would encourage connecting with an alumni mentor because I had a good experience and I feel like I’m more comfortable thinking about what colleges I want to look at and what career I might be interested in.

Chris Picardi ’08 The value of the mentoring program was obvious from the moment it was first presented to me. As a high school student, I had very little perspective when it came to different potential career paths and I would have loved the opportunity to get advice from an alum so early on. Noah already had some very specific ideas about where he wants to attend college, what he wants to do early in his career, and even where he sees himself 20+ years down the road. I was impressed with how much thought he had given to his long term career goals, so we didn’t need to have any of the introductory

conversations that I was expecting to have with a freshman in high school. I gave him as much insight as possible into the career paths that he is currently leaning towards while also letting him know that he should stay open to other opportunities that may present themselves along the way. Since he already has a good idea of what he wants to study and what type of career he wants to pursue, I recommended that he make sure that the colleges he is considering have a strong program in his desired field and to see what companies recruit on campus. I enjoyed being able to dive right into conversations about finance and investments without having to explain the basic concepts to him. It is an extremely valuable program for the students and most LCA alumni have unique career experiences that they can share.

Noah Levitz and Chris Picardi talking during the 2nd Annual Career Showcase in February.

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The Academy Lantern • Summer 2016

Class Day

Class Day

CLASS DAY — JUNE 9, 2016

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lass Day is a time to recognize students, faculty and staff for their achievements of the past year and is the last day of school for students. It is also a time for seniors to be acknowledged for their hard work by being presented with Departmental awards. Students, faculty and staff also heard the Senior Testimony from Arielle Moreira and the Senior Address

by Michelle Zhou, Dr. Kim Winsor, James Talkington, and Head of School Tim Russell.

Salutatorian.

Senior Address (excerpt)

BY MICHELLE ZHOU, SALUTATORIAN The most important thing that sets LCA apart from the average college preparatory school isn’t the AP scores or number of prestigious college admissions. I can smile and come to LCA every day because of this community, filled with love and compassion for its members. I am constantly blessed, amazed and grateful to have learned from faculty and staff that are so incredibly strong in their faith. How incredible it Salutatorian Michelle Zhou shares is to see how God’s order the Senior Address. works in Calculus and then see how he reveals truth through Literature in the next hour. At LCA, we learn how God reveals himself in all that we do: our academic studies, our college application process, and our relationships with fellow students, faculty, staff, family, and alumni. There will be days when it’s not easy being at school, but today BACKGROUND: Middle School and Upper School combined choir share a special song for the seniors.

you’re here, and there’s no other place you could be that would make you who you are in this moment. This is a community with people who love you so deeply that you see a glimpse of God in them. This is a place filled with hope despite all difficulty — a shared hope in Jesus Christ, God’s kingdom and the search for all that is Good, True, and Beautiful.

Senior Testimony (excerpt)

BY ARIELLE MOREIRA My first life lesson wrapped up in words spoken that first day; “interpretation and perspective is key”. My fear was the answer to the questions I asked myself; “Am I standing in the right place? Am I looking at the right thing?” But the more my convictions were challenged and the more my mind opened, I learned that where one is placed matters but how one sows Arielle Moreira shares her into that place matters more. testimony during Class Day. Someone looked at that empty space beside the senior hallway and saw a fitness center, someone looked at an empty space near wetlands and saw a library.

I have stood at LCA for four years and I have seen many things, but this is what has changed the most in me since that first day; I no longer need to stand in the same place to have the same perspective somewhere else. No matter where I go now, there are 3 things I cling onto. The first is that hope is good like when I go to Ms. Borgen’s office and am reminded that I’m not insane. The second is that friendship is a Godly blessing and necessary for human development which I learned through the ways my friends would confront me in love.

And the third and most important is that love is a choice which chooses to sit with the stranger at lunch. One does not need to be old and gray to know these things...well, not if you come to LCA.

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2016

Commencement

C O MM E NC EMENT

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2 016

n Saturday, June 11, 2016, Lexington Christian Academy celebrated the 66th Commencement, when 70 seniors received their diplomas. Honorable Caleb Stegall, Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court shared a Commencement address with the graduates and their families. In 2011, Justice Stegall was named Chief Counsel to the Governor of Kansas in the newly formed Brownback Administration. He served as the top legal advisor in the Kansas executive branch until his appointment to the Kansas Court of Appeals three years later.

He was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Brownback in 2014, following his tenure on the Kansas Court of Appeals. Graduates, family and friends also heard the Senior Testimony from Stephanie Ananth and the Senior Address

by Emma Bergstrom.

The Class of 2016.

Senior Address (excerpt)

BY EMMA BERGSTROM, VALEDICTORIAN

M

y hope is that we continue to live fearlessly, freely, and confidently: fearless of what could happen; free of judgement, self-condemnation and embarrassment; confident in God and his perfect will.

Life is unpredictable (remember the sprinklers during sixth grade Gym class?) and it does not always feel like God knows what He’s doing, but when we ground ourselves in God and put our hope and trust in Him, life becomes full of purpose. My greatest wish for you my friends is that you may remember that in this place Jesus met you personally and completely. I pray that we may use our lives to worship God--our hearts, our souls, our minds, our words, our thoughts, and our actions. Let us learn

Honorable Caleb Stegall delivering the Commencement Address.

more about God and what He is calling each of us to do in our lives. Let us open up our hearts and love those around us. Always remember how we lifted each other up in prayer each and every morning in homeroom, keep praying, God will hear you even at college! Let us search after God because He is the only one who can fulfill us. Personal achievement, success, and good friends are great gifts, but when they are your everything, when they become the ultimate goal of our aspirations, they can stand in our way of experiencing the full life God intended. When we live life, not for ourselves, but rather for our creator, there is a unique sense of accomplishment, freedom, and confidence that can not be found anywhere else. Class of 2016 ~ Go forth, be blessed and have a good life.

Emma Bergstrom gives her Valedictorian speech.

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The Academy Lantern • Summer 2016

Commencement

Senior Testimony (excerpt)

BY STEPHANIE ANANTH

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oming to LCA, I didn’t really know how I could best serve God and had no intention of moving out of my comfort zone in regards to my faith; however, all the way from middle school to right this very moment, my teachers and peers have encouraged me to share my faith and live it out through everything I do and say.

Yes, it is scary to share your fears and your struggles and your failures with your class or even the whole school and their families, but it is so worth it--and not only for me, but hopefully for others. Understanding that my faith and my journey isn’t supposed to be kept to myself but shared with those around me has been a significant point of growth and change in my life, and I am so grateful that it has.

As I (and every graduate) now stand on the brink of yet another point of significant change and growth, for a long time, I didn’t know if I was more scared of not graduating or actually graduating and going to college. I can now say that I am more excited than I am scared, and I can say this because I have seen the senior slideshow so I know I can have some hope for the future, but most importantly, I can say this because I have seen God working in my life and the lives of my friends, which has not only prepared me for the next step in life, but has also given me the confidence to step out in faith, trusting that God will guide my future as He has guided my past, and that He is directing every significant change that is yet to come, including when the world really does end.

Stephanie Ananth gives her senior testimony.

Alex Burns, Zach Hu, Reuben Duttweiler, Elliott Na, and Michael Lwanga.

Gabrielle Bodet, Alex Minasian, Stephanie Ananth, Ziqian Zhang, and Lori Sahakian.

Buzz and Lisa with their son, Michael Burrowes.

Michelle Zhou with her parents Chenny Xu and Hui Zhou and brother, Patrick Zhou ’06.

Arielle Moreira, Alex Minasian, Marianna Soper, and Xergio Aguilar.

Summer 2016 • The Academy Lantern

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Alumni

Alumni Spotlight

JULIE VALLARELLI ’01

Julie Vallarelli is a 2001 graduate of Lexington Christian Academy. She graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with a degree in Business Management and Communications, while playing on an ice hockey scholarship for 4 years. She started working in a small start up medical software company, full time, for 5 years while pursing her RN degree full-time at Regis College & Lawrence Julie Vallarelli Memorial Hospital. Shortly after, she finished her RN degree she started to work at Bear Hill Rehab, while pursing her BSN degree, also through Regis College, which she completed last year.

She also has been assistant coaching the girls varsity ice hockey team at Arlington Hockey School for the past 7 years.

What brought you to LCA? As the youngest of 3 kids, I had very little wiggle room when it came to capitalizing on the coveted “this is our first time around” kinks that new parents tend to make on their first born. And of course, the middle child, well he ensured that they wouldn’t forget to paint the floor with 3 coats of Parenting Mistakes That I Will Never Make Again, rubber sealant. Then it was my turn. My parents had decided for me that I would not be going to a public school, and from there I was given a few choices. For a total “Tom Boy” like myself, private school could only mean one thing — skirts. And Uniforms. And skirted uniforms. The whole concept was downright petrifying. At the time, my next door neighbor, Johnny Cummins, was attending LCA. Johnny convinced me that the secret, adult written, fine print clause that was ultimately meant to trap “Tom Boy” types into skirted uniforms, was officially removed from the dress code. In actuality, Johnny just happened to be a year older than me — leaving me with little kid envy, and a desire to be just like him. So it was settled. I went to LCA. Happily. And wearing jeans.

Do you look back at any particular experience or faculty member at LCA that shaped who you are?

The faculty at LCA truly defined my entire experience at LCA. They took a kid,

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with barely any religious background, and put forth endless hours into molding me into someone who was soon able to appreciate that this life is much bigger than my own existence.

And I am not talking about the time spent in just the classroom. I am talking about the countless hours that teachers, coaches, and faculty mentors spent after school with me, caring about me, guiding me, and answering my endless stack of teenage truth-seeking questions. To name a few: Wendy Lippmann, Josh McPherson, Tom Adams, Ellen Gabrielse, Irene Campbell, and Karen Elliott — I am so grateful for having had them as such amazing Christian role models at that time in my life.

What are your current responsibilities at your work?

I am a Hospice Nurse Program Manager. I am the nurse that steps in when a patient, and in many cases, their family, decide that pursuing possible curative treatments is no longer the goal for the patient. It is my job to ensure that the patient is kept comfortable throughout the entire dying process, and to support both the patient and the family during a time when they may need it the most. A big part of my job, is teaching the patient and their family about the dying process itself. This includes setting expectations and educating the families about the signs that a loved one is preparing to leave their physical life, often months before the actual death is imminent,

Julie Vallarelli coaching the varsity ice hockey team at Arlington Hockey School.

The Academy Lantern • Summer 2016

as well as the symptoms to expect during their final weeks, days, and hours of life.

The other half of my job is to assess the patient, who is often non-verbal, for signs and symptoms of pain, discomfort, anxiety, or difficulty with breathing — all of which are important measures in determining if a patient is comfortable or not. I am then in charge of making recommendations, such as medication changes or implementing various end of life comfort measures, to ensure that the patient remains comfortable throughout their transition into the next life.

How did you get into this field?

This is such a hard question to answer, mostly because I knew I wanted to be a hospice nurse long before I really even understood what it entailed. I knew I wanted to work with people who were dying, and I wanted to be with them, and support them, during such a vulnerable point in their life. I remember when I was in high school, I thought it would be such an amazing way to bring people to Christ, and also be in position where I would get so much out of talking to and learning from the people that I would be caring for. I graduated nursing school in 2012, the same year that I had cared for and lost both of my grandparents both of whom I was extremely close to. After such an emotional rollercoaster that left me learning the hard lesson of realizing that never giving up, may still mean getting an undesirable outcome, I decided to pursue a nursing career that supported a more natural side of nursing — wanting to save and cure everyone. It took working in a sub-acute rehab for 3 years, and then being an Emergency Room nurse, before I was ready to reenter the humbling world of non-curative nursing that I am so passionate about.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

There is nothing more gratifying than speaking up for someone who cannot speak for themselves. It is truly rewarding to identify that a patient needs help, and then putting a plan into action that meets and satisfies that patient’s comfort needs. Often times families will surround the patient, feeling helpless and powerless, feeling like they “just need to do something” to help, and they look to you with these pain stricken eyes for some direction, comfort, and support. It is an honor to be a part of their lives during such an intimate time.

Alumni Spotlight

ANDREW MAY ’01 What brought you to LCA? Lexington Christian Academy offers a holistic education that is based on a Christian foundation. I think sometimes Christian schools get stereotyped as a reformatory option for students who are struggling, but it is impossible to visit LCA without perceiving its commitment to excellence. The academics were rigorous and the art program offered more diversity than the university I eventually attended. I wanted teachers who saw the relevance and power of a Christian worldview, and I wanted to make friends with students who were seeking more than just a college preparatory program. I was not disappointed.

Do you look back at any particular experience or faculty member at LCA that shaped who you are?

I owe a debt to so many of the faculty and staff of LCA. It was Karen Bengston and Chaplain Gregg Meserole that first introduced me to prison ministry, but many of my former teachers have gone on to support our work in Africa. Jim Feenstra has even traveled to some of the prisons where we work. Even after fifteen years I struggle to call my former teachers by their first names, but I am blessed by their friendship.

How did LCA shape your faith? How did you get into this field?

It can be dangerous to be a student at LCA. It was my introduction to prison ministry!

As a fifteen-year-old freshman, I sat in the weekly chapel service listening to an exprisoner named Lennie Spitale. At the time

Andrew May and his wife, Anne (Haig) May ’01 in South Africa.

You are currently the Operations Director for Hope Prison Ministry. Can you tell us about this organization and your responsibilities?

Prison is the starting place for a greater purpose: raising a new generation of Christian leaders for Africa. Drawn from a lost and fatherless generation, these prisoners will return to communities that cannot be reached by teachers, politicians, or even ministers. They are covered with the scars and tattoos that bring a hardened credibility to their message of

“ I wanted teachers who saw the relevance and power of a Christian worldview, and I wanted to make friends with students who were seeking more than just a college preparatory program.” he was coordinating the rehabilitation work for Vision New England, and for a young Christian he was presenting a dynamic vision of faith that I had not experienced for myself.

LCA’s service club arranged my first prison visit to the Billerica House of Corrections, and I had no idea that this was the beginning of my “life sentence.” I also had no idea that one of the young freshmen, Anne Haig, who was on that same outreach would become the love of my life!

change. They are already leaders—our work helps determine whether this is for their communities or for the gangs.

We usually serve eighteen prisons on a weekly basis, and our counseling teams are constantly working with the victims of crime. We offer diverse programs ranging from restorative justice programs for maximum security inmates to outreach camps for the children of prisoners. First and foremost has been our response to

Jesus’ simple invitation in Matthew 25: “I was in prison and you visited me.” We do not go into prison because of some kind of obligation, duty or pity, but because Jesus is already there. You can follow our work at www.hopeprisonministry.org What is the best part about your job?

The best way to describe what I love about my work is to capture a few impossible situations. I cannot claim credit for these testimonies—each one is very clearly an act of God. They have changed me. They have changed the two-hundred volunteers who serve in our ministry. By grace, we have seen: A prisoner returns two guns he has stolen from the police — impossible! Three prisoners have literally gotten away with murder. They have now confessed their crimes so that the victims’ families can know the truth — Impossible! A young prisoner has sworn to kill his father as revenge for the murder of his mother. They hug in front of a classroom full of prison gangsters — Impossible! One of our teachers lost his cousin to a gang murder. He has the courage to welcome the killer into his prison Bible study — Impossible!

I pray that every student coming out of LCA pursues a career where they will experience Matthew 19:26: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

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Meadow Breeze Day Camp

I

n 1966, Lexington Christian Academy moved to its current location in Lexington, MA. Grateful for the community’s support, the school wanted to give back. LCA opened its campus to the local children and their families, inviting them to come to a day camp program. It was here that Meadow Breeze Day Camp was born and, years later, is one of the top summer camp experiences for children and families. More information about the camp can be found at www.lca.edu/meadowbreeze .

Over the years hundreds of LCA alumni have spent their summer break as staff and counselors. This year 42 counselors are alumni of LCA and we wanted to take the opportunity to hear from some of them.

ERIN NEWCOMB ’06 5th year

“My favorite part of working at Meadow Breeze is seeing the campers’ faces light up when they learn something new or make progress in an activity they hadn’t tried before.”

ALEX JOHNSON ’15 3rd year

“My favorite part of working at Meadow Breeze is making relationships with campers and seeing campers come back week after week and year after year. You really get to know campers in your own group, but you also get to befriend campers in other groups through free time activities and such. I also love already having existing relationships with other staff members since we came from the same school.”

“ This is my 25th summer at Meadow Breeze and I feel very blessed to be able to work with such a great group of staff each and every summer. It is also such a joy to see campers coming back year after year. We get to see them grow up and the relationships that we develop with the summer families are very special. This summer has been a little bit different, as my oldest daughter has been able to attend camp for the first time. It is so much fun to ride home with her at the end of the day and hear about all the fun she is having.”

— Scott Stevens ’87, Meadow Breeze Director

THOMAS MUNCH ’15 2 year nd

“I like working at Meadow Breeze because I get to see a lot of the alumni I don’t normally get to see and I get to come back and see how the school has changed since I attended.

It’s also great to work with the kids and be a part of their summer experience, just as the counselors at the summer camps I attended were a part of mine!”

KATHRYN GRIEB ’14 4th year

“I did attend Meadow Breeze as a camper for the giraffe and greyhound groups! My favorite part was definitely arts and crafts because I got to make cool different things every day and I also loved dodge ball because the counselors would get involved and it was

Alumni working at Meadow Breeze Day Camp in 2016.

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a blast. My favorite part of working at Meadow Breeze is having a bunch of great people to work with because it makes for a great atmosphere for not only the staff but the campers.”

ARIELLE MOREIRA ’16 2nd year

“My favorite part is the attachment I get with the campers! They push me to be more energetic and selfless and God ministers so much in my heart in the simplest things I get to do with them. Whether it’s helping them stretch an arrow or handling a misunderstanding about who is out in gaga, I see the connection of why God wants us to be more like children: they’re not afraid to truly enjoy life nor afraid of passionately expressing how they feel.”

Alumni 1954

1991

Edward Barrett writes, “Mrs. Amy Young Burns, accomplished CHS music director of our era, would be proud to know that after all these years, at the age of 79, I have joined the choir of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in West Roxbury. Apparently Mrs. Burns’ musical instruction, and my experience in the CHS choirs, finally resulted in my “better late than never” joining the other choir members in enthusiastically singing each Sunday. I have also developed an appreciation for the scriptural basis, poetry and tunes of the hymns and chants, some of ancient Christian origin. As you know, enhanced by the pipe organ the hymns can be joyful or serious but always emotional. Psalm 150: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord”. Thanks to you, Mrs. Burns, I have finally joined the choir in singing His praises.”

Keri (Claiborne) Boyle is the author of a three-book children’s series being published by HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Book #1 of the series launches this May and is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

It’s called Teddy the Dog: Be Your Own Dog.

1964 Linda VanSchuyver Causseaux has retired from teaching after 46 years in Christian education. She has taught Biology, Chemistry, Ecology, and Earth Science as well as Bible, Art, French, and History as the need arose. She was twice named teacher of the year and was on the Regional Science Fair committee for more than 10 years. She and her husband are presently living in the mountains of North Carolina. They have 3 children and 10 grandchildren.

Class Notes

Tony Wallace, Joseph Rodriguez, and Chip VanderBrug.

2002 Kristina (Martin) Lock and husband Charles are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Weston on June 5, 2015. Weston is the grandson of Jane (Ward) ’77 and Steve ’76 Martin; Great grandson of Phyllis Martin (staff ) and the late Raymond Martin (faculty).

Diane Poirier ’02 is his Godmother.

Kristina is a Vice President at Paint Nite in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Geared for kids ages 0-10 (and for all those who are young at heart), the book tells the “tail” of Teddy the Dog... a feisty and witty divine canine who always wears sunglasses and can best be described as “attitude with fur.” Books 2 & 3 will follow in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

1992 Joseph Rodriguez stopped by LCA for the first time in 8 years. Physics teacher, Tony Wallace (left), and Arts teacher, Chip VanderBrug (right), joined Joseph in front of our Alumni Wall.

Weston Lock, class of 2033.

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Alumni

Class Notes

2003

2012

Ryan and Ashley (Farrell) Patrie were blessed with a baby boy, Jameson Robert, on February 22, 2016. The family recently enjoyed a family vacation to the coast of Maine.

Nathan Grimley and Tory Chin are engaged! They met freshman year and have great memories at LCA.

Class of 2011 reunion.

Ryan and Ashley Patrie with their son, Jameson.

2011

the back row: Amani Haynes, Patrick Menzi-McDonough, Savanah Snook, Mark Doremus (with the glasses), Brianna Figucia, Ryson Porter. From left to right starting at the front row: Stephanie Coppola, Courtney Figucia, Jong Massaquoi, and Molly Porter. Not pictured was Bae Kang who came later. Thank you to all who came and special thanks to Stephanie Coppola for all her hard work to coordinate and make this happen!

Reunions

The class of 2011 met this summer for their 5th reunion. The group included from left to right starting

2016 CLASS REUNIONS

There’s no better time to get reconnected with the school and reunite with friends than Homecoming weekend, October 14-15.

1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 it’s a reunion year for you! As alumni of Lexington Christian Academy, you’re always welcome. If you’re interested in helping coordinate your class reunion, contact alumni@lca.edu.

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The Academy Lantern • Summer 2016

Tory Chin and Nathan Grimley.

We Want to Hear from You! In an effort to better serve the CHS/LCA alumni community, we have worked with alumni focus groups to develop a brand new alumni survey. Answers will be completely confidential and used only by LCA to improve programs and better serve our alumni. Would you please take 10-15 minutes to fill out the LCA/CHS Alumni Survey. You can take the survey online by going to www.lca.edu/alumni and clicking on the alumni survey link at the top of the page. Thank you very much for your participation.

Thursday, August 25th 4:00pm – 6:30pm

Alumni Family Day

Lexington Christian Academy is hosting an Alumni Family Day on Thursday, August 25 from 4:00pm – 6:30pm. This is a wonderful time for alumni and their families to come back to campus to swim in the pool, climb the rock wall, and eat some hamburgers and hotdogs. This is a free event so make sure to register today! We hope to see you there!

Register for the event now!

Call - 781.862.7850 ext.149 Email - events@lca.edu

Staff will be available to give tours and answer questions about the school.

Lexington Christian Academy 48 B a r tl e tt Ave n u e, L e xi ngton, MA 02420 781. 8 6 2 .7850 • l c a . e du The Academy Lantern • Summer 2016

Presorted Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID

Gloucester, MA Permit No. 1

Address Correction Service Requested

1951 • 1956 • 1961 • 1966 • 1971 • 1976

HOMECOMING/REUNIONS 2016 1981 • 1986 • 1991 • 1996 • 2001 • 2006 • 2011

Come Home to LCA October 14-15, 2016 www.lca.edu/homecoming