May 2014 Paws for Thought by Legacy PCA

Paws for Thought The Official Student Newspaper of

LPCA exists to cultivate parental involvement in the educational process of their children, to instill students with a biblical worldview and the passion to stand firm and articulate boldly in defense of their faith, to prepare them for the rigors of college to guide them into independent learning, and to train our students to always give themselves fully to the work of the Lord, because their labor will not be in vain. Truth is revealed by God through Christ “in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3

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MAY 2014 • VOLUME VII • ISSUE VII

Fifth & Sixth Choir Earn ASCI Festival Ribbons

By Bailee Cano

ave you ever been in the spotlight, all eyes on you, everyone depending on you to get your part perfect? Well Legacy’s choir group, from grades five and six, all got blue ribbons and separate medals and ribbons for their performances in this year’s ACSI Music Festival. Each person performing was each put in a category for group songs, duets, and solo songs. “The entire choir received a Superior rating, the best you can achieve as a group,” said Mr.Riley, “Justin Centilli and Own Earl performed ‘A Mozart Canon’ and received blue ribbons, Gracie Phillips sang a solo named ‘Blessings’ and receive a blue ribbon medal, Gracie and Hayley Ming sang a duet called ‘Your Great Name’ and received blue ribbons, and finally Abby Ming and Annaleise Parsons sang a duet named ‘Here I Am To Worship’ and received red ribbons.” Amaya Harrell and Maddie Reid also participated in the group choir. Choir is for students in the fifth and sixth grade and they meet every Wednesday between 11:45-12:40. The choir performed at main event and will be performing at the Spring Concert at the end of the school year, so we’ll hope to see you there. PFT

Be sure to check out Legacy news online at youtube.com/LegacyPrepPFT and on Instagram at @legacypftnews and @legacyprep MAY 2014

Justice in Poverty By Chandlyr Mickan

othing’s better than sitting down next to a street, letting the wind blow through your hair as you ponder life. Right? Sure; unless your clothes are filthy and starting to stink, but you can’t wash them because you can’t afford a washing machine. Your stomach may be full, but most likely not. You’ve tried your hardest to get a job, but people don’t tend to hire a person who hasn’t bathed recently. Maybe there are little children playing on the floor of the miniscule hovel that you somehow own- for the moment. You don’t even know if they are going to get to eat dinner tonight. Poverty is scary. A lot of people don’t like to think about it, so they ignore it, hoping someone else will do something to fix it; to make it go away. I’m writing this to tell you that nobody is going to. It’s up to you. (continued on p. 20)

And the Lord said, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for me?” And Isaiah replied, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

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Mrs. May’s Message

In A Good Place

am often asked (on a daily basis, it seems!) how I think the school year is going. Usually, I turn the question around, because it’s important to me to know what YOU think. But, since you asked, my personal opinion is that this year has been one of the most successful ever. Among other things, I think the reason for this is that we have built a strong, solid foundation committed to fulfilling a God-given vision. Commitment to a common vision stirs hearts to be passionate, and that passion inspires people to pursue excellence no matter the obstacles. As I told a parent very recently, we are not a perfect school, but we want to be! And that desire keeps us working towards and committed to being the very best we can be in ALL areas. One of the areas which has been the subject of a lot of talk lately has been our high school. General questions about curriculum, rigor of academics, college planning and other areas of interest are common every year. Understandably, since this will be our first graduating class, some may wonder how Legacy is preparing our students for college. I believe these questions are legitimate and that it is the responsibility of my leadership team and incredible teaching staff to answer your concerns or misgivings to our best ability. We are confident in what we’re doing, (keep reading and I’ll tell you why!) and would love for you to visit with our juniors and seniors (and their parents) to find out how they’re feeling. If you’ve been keeping up with our Instagram page, you’ve seen that our seniors have been accepted to several different colleges based on their SAT scores and their HS transcripts, and have now made their selections. We are very proud of our young men and women! I found it odd that, after so much success with our first graduating class (100% of them accepted into multiple colleges with the ability to choose the one that offered the most scholarship money), what I am hearing is negativity and mumblings about our capability to produce college-worthy students. I’d like a chance to clear up some of the rumors that have been floating out into the JH and HS masses. One of the stories buzzing around the campus is that we “have gotten rid of all of our Honor’s classes.” The truth is, as I have stated for years at information meetings, all of our courses are offered at an Honor’s pace (after the placement of students into on-level or above-level math). We’ve only offered one “Honors” class, which was part of a pilot program for our ninth grade students in which we divided them into an “honors” group and an “on-level” group. As this year has wrapped up, we do not feel like this distinction is necessary going forward.

MAY 2014

Because of our placement testing, the vast majority of our students are FULLY capable of taking an honors level class. Our teachers are instructed to “teach to the top,” if you will, and feel that the “average” student will work hard to rise to the challenge and the above-level student will continue to excel. As we have followed the pilot program and sought feedback from our teachers, we are confident that we can provide a college preparatory education without Honors or AP designations, at this time. For those of you interested in our decision regarding AP, be aware that students must take an AP exam to receive college credit. The grading is subjective, depending on the person who does the grading, and if your student were to score below a “3,” the student does not receive college credit. Students do not have to take an AP course to take the AP exam. Therefore, we do not feel it is necessary to pay College Board to offer AP courses for something your student can do regardless of whether they take an AP course or not. Others of you may be interested in Dual Credit. We do believe there is a place for these courses in our program. In fact, we have offered some in the past. But, we’ve been advised that it is in the best interest of the student to choose the stronger of the two courses when deciding between a Dual Credit course and one offered on campus. For example, if as a Junior in high school you have an opportunity to take a dual credit college algebra course OR a high school Pre Cal course, the stronger of those two courses would be Pre Cal. Depending on the college, most students would be better off taking the HS course over the one offered for college credit. We also understand it is important to stay on top of the trends and best practices in education and curriculum so we can be sure to meet the standards of most colleges and universities. At our most recent NAUMS conference, college trends were discussed, along with communication with other counselors about this topic at private and non-private schools. I have also had many discussions with my sister, who is a college adviser. We have been given very consistent feedback about the kinds of courses that should be offered on our campus and the impact they will have on a HS transcript. The two most important components of college entrance are a strong SAT score and a solid high school transcript! Without hesitation, I can tell you that we believe we are offering the latter. Because our academics are rigorous, our curriculum is producing results and our teachers are pushing our students, our students are scoring well on their PSAT and SATs. (continued on p.3) 2

Paws for Thought MAY 2014 VOLUME VII • ISSUE VII YouTube.com/LegacyPrepPFT Audra May Executive Editor amay@legacypca.org Daron Jones Managing Editor djones@legacypca.org EDITORS & PHOTOGRAPHERS 12TH GRADE Emily O’Donnell 11TH GRADE Sarah Cruthirds Logan Teal 10TH GRADE Amber Condley Kasen Jones Chandlyr Mickan Tray Wright 8TH GRADE Austin Bennett Clay Burkhard Jacob Campbell Brennan Cone Madyson Conley Sami Evrard Logan Mace Adisyn Mickan Harris Tucker Alexandria Wynn 7TH GRADE Bailee Cano Taylor Davies Anna Catherine Holcomb Noah Lightfoot Jaron Spinler

RFE Better than Ever in 2014 By Kasen Jones

his April, Legacy held it’s 8th annual Race For Education at Burroughs Park. Around 300 participants attended, helping to make the event a huge success. Race for Education is the school’s main fundraiser, and brings in around $40,000 each year. It’s been a great tradition, and offers a fun day for Legacy families. Students collect sponsors from friends and family members, and then run as many laps as they can to earn money. “The event consists of a 1 Mile and 5K run followed by some field games (tug-of-war, sack races, relay races, etc.). At the end of the day, we have a big raffle prize giveaway and hand out awards,” explains Meagan Peters, member of the Booster Club and the Chair of this event. Winners of the 1 Mile race are Brooks Hutton for first, Brennan Cone, then Garrett Chevalier. The 5K Race winners are Josh Micheletti, Brooks Hutton and Casen Hutton, consecutively. The top fundraising individuals was a 3-way tie between Gretchen, Justin and Megan Grimm, Landon Ousley was 2nd and Benjamin Seay was 3rd. The top fundraising grades were 1st (elementary) and 7th (upper school). They enjoyed free Rita’s Italian Ice during lunch as a special reward. This year, several sponsors joined Legacy at the park. Several higher-level sponsors joined us this year, and set up display tables for their company. “We raised over $5,000 in monetary donations from sponsors alone,” she says. Thanks to our students, $36,000 of the school’s $40,000 goal has been reached, and there is still more to count! “The top fundraising individuals came to a 3-way tie between Gretchen, Justin and Megan Grimm, with Landon Ousley as 2nd and Benjamin Seay as 3rd. The top fundraising grades were 1st and 7th. They enjoyed free Rita’s Italian Ice during lunch as a special reward,” said Mrs. Peters. As for next year, “I think it would be so cool to hold Race for Education on our property. Hopefully our campus and stadium will be more developed to make this possible. I would also like to figure out a way to involve more high school students. The field event games are perfect for the elementary school kids, but I would love to find a way to better entertain our older students,” says Mrs. Peters. The Legacy family thanks all our RFE sponsors, and we look to forward to next year. PFT

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(Good Place continued from p.2) Here are some stats for you to chew on: • SAT scores: 92% of our 11th/12th graders scored above the national average in “Critical Reading” and “Writing Skills” • 83% of our students scored above the national average in “Mathematics” • PSAT scores: 10th grade: 100% of the students who took the PSAT scored higher than the national average in “Critical Reading” • 92% of the students who took the PSAT scored above the national average in “Mathematics” • PSAT scores: 11th grade: 75% of students who took the test scored higher than the national average in “Critical Reading” and “Mathematics” • 86% of students who took the test scored higher than the national average in “Writing Skills.” I’d also like to share one other statistic. Did you know that 56% of all college freshman drop out or fail out of college in their first semester? When you consider what’s needed to enter college – high SAT scores, top 10% of your class, etc. – we can know that these students are the brightest of the bright. So, why the fallout? Without question, the number one reason for this high drop out rate is lack of discipline and organization. Through the University Model, which is in partnership with parents, we are able to teach our students to be independent beginning in Kindergarten, so that by the time our children are in middle school, we’re already seeing them form excellent study habits and organizational skills. The “Preparatory” in our title is not just about academics, but so much more! As a last bit of info, I recently served on an accreditation team, where we reviewed all aspects of another private school. After reviewing their academic policies and results, spending some time in their classrooms, and listening to the group of accreditation members, I strongly believe we are in a really good place. Is there room for improvement? Always. But are we on the right track? Absolutely! I am so excited about where we’re headed and can’t wait to tell you about some of the changes in our organization that will be so good for our community. And, in the meantime, if you have questions, we would like to encourage you to come visit with us rather than buying in to rumors and speculation about why we do things the way we do. We try not to keep those things a secret. My leadership team, our board, and our fabulous teachers would like to encourage you to seek out the truth about our academics, and any other area of concern you may have. We are proud of what we’re doing here and are committed to providing you and your student with the best education possible. But, more importantly, we are determined to share the love of Christ with our children so they can spread the Good News to their friends on the college campuses. Our prayer is that we are working alongside you to inspire our students to be college-worthy, character-witnesses for Christ!!” PFT Serving Him and You, Audra May amay@legacypca.org MAY 2014

9th Grade Poll by Adisyn Mickan

What’s Your Favorite Childhood TV Show? Josh Micheletti Blues Clues Landon Davis White Collar Bobby Cruthirds Mythbusters Ryan May Toy Story Meagan Fornero Hannah Montana Becca Bargainer Hannah Montana Parker Primm Blue’s Clues Alex Gibson How I Met Your Mother Matheus Mecatti Spongebob Sam Furber Bear in the Big Blue House Lauren Eddings Bear in the Big Blue House Jake Dye Adventure Time Jason Laycock Teen Titans Natalie Thibodeaux That’s So Raven Abby Kruppstadt Totally Spies Maddy Locke Zoey 101 Makaila Bender That’s So Raven MAY 2014

Marrs Shows a Lion’s Commitment Article by Madyson Conley Edited by Harris Tucker

egacy teaches brilliant students of all ages. Jodilyn Marrs, a tenth grader, is one of them. Marrs is an examiner columnist for the Plantersville newspaper in Grimes County who recently won the “Most Committed Kid” award in the Grimes County contest. Marrs won not only because of her liability and loyalty towards the newspaper, but also because of her involvement with 4-H projects. Her 4-H projects have taught her how to properly assist others when they may need help. “I did a lot of community service and I am involved in the Grimes County community. When I received the award in March, I felt excited,” Marrs says. She was awarded with a $25 cash prize, and an additional $25 in movie certificates. Congratulations, Jodilyn. Keep up the good work. PFT

Lions Girls Get Closer to God By Alexandria Wynn

hroughout the year, girls of all ages have been working hard in leadership, learning about God and what he does for us. Ms. Tamara Brooks taught 7th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade leadership, and Ms. Wenstrom taught 8th grade. “We had several textbooks for 10-12th grade. However, none were workbooks. One was Wisdom on: Growing in Christ, another was Wisdom on: Friends, Dating, and Relationships. We also had a variety of supplemental reading from time to time,” said Ms. Brooks. Ms. Brooks’s seventh graders had several different books. “During the fall we worked through Daring Delivers, and during the spring we did Thinking Like a Christian.” In all of her classes they did a topical overview of the Bible. In Ms. Wenstrom’s eighth grade class they worked through Reach Out Don’t Freak Out and To the Ends Of The Earth, and also studied the books John and Acts. They also read Bruchko and sent a Christmas Shoe Box to kids in Africa. The students all learned that God loves them, and has exciting plans for their lives. PFT 4

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Fifth Graders Bring Past to Life with Wax Museum A Day In The Life of a Past Celebrity Story by Anna Catherine Holcomb Edited by Bailee Cano

ave you ever wanted to live a day in the life of another person? Legacy fifth graders have recently experienced what that feels like by participating in the Living Wax Museum. By dressing up as important people from the past and portraying the person by presenting a one minute speech to students of other grades and staff members, the fifth graders will bring their characters to life. "All year we have been working to prepare for the Living Wax Museum. I start preparing

the students at the beginning of the year by developing their writing and public speaking skills. The beginning of second semester we started specifically working on the projects associated with the Wax Museum. The Living Wax Museum gives us an opportunity to showcase the student's progress in fifth grade; it's the culmination of fifth grade. It demonstrates what the students have learned in history and language arts in one presentation. Each student will be dressed as their character and they will be standing by their tri-board and presenting a speech with a length of about 1 minute," says Mrs. Wenstrom, the fifth grade language arts and history teacher. "My character that I portrayed is Florence

Nightingale, the first nurse," said McKamey Gordon, one of the students. "My character is Dolley Madison and she is famous because she was a First Lady," says Hannah Condley. "I will be acting as Hellen Keller and she was a blind, deaf, and mute person and still wrote an inspirational auto biography," said Allie Jeffus. "It will be hard to dress up as my character because it will be hard to find a space suit to dress in," says Jamie Jones. "I chose Jacqueline Kennedy because she had a hard and interesting life, and I'm happy I chose her because I have had a fun time learning about her," said Ellie Holcomb. PFT

5th Grade Poll by Harris Tucker

What Would You Name Your Own Rock Band? Claire Berglund Awesome People

Hannah Condley Batman

Evan Furber Lunar Eclipse

Jamie Jones The Commanders

Jacob Peterson Unknown

Lillian Berglund Bob

Jocelyn Cone Jays

McKamely Gordon The Gordon Band

Caleb Light foot. MZ

Sarah Quinn The Flying Pigs

Richard Bundy The Cool People

Avery Davis The Band Davis

Julius Hale Lit Up

Joshua Campbell Loaded Diaper

Owen Earl The Spirit Wolves

Amaya Harrell The World Band Rocker

Anina Manning The Dumb Squirrels That Eat Gummy Bears

Lauren Railey The Flying Gummy Bears Who Like To Eat Pie

Michael Carlson Loaded Diaper

Brandon Fornero Super Men

Easton Haveman Superman

Jonah McFarland The Spirit Wolves

Grace Wiley Sockmonkeys

Tucker Carson Loaded Diaper

Caroline Freeman C Freeman

Elizabeth Holcomb Captain Canada

Sadie Micheletti The Sweezie One

Jack Wilson MZ3

Kate Coleman Sockmonkeys

Logan Freevol The Screaming Hedgehogs

Allie Jeffus Sockmonkeys

Abigail Ming Jesus Is Alive

Andrew Wright The Spirit Wolves

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MAY 2014

Miller Finishes State Competition With a Roar! By Jacob Campbell

ecently, Legacy’s tenth-grader, Brenden Miller, went to a state competition held in southwest Houston for his trombone performance. Miller had to perform a solo in front of a large audience to get a good ranking. “In music you get rankings of one, two, or three. I got a one,” said Miller. Rankings in music are different then what you would think. One is the best ranking and three is the worst. Miller said he has fun performing with a friend on stage. “I had a lady named Mrs. Comstock who accompanied me by playing the piano,” he said. Miller has been playing trombone since he was in sixth grade, so this really put his talent to the test. Even though Miller did his best, getting on stage wasn’t easy. “I was a little nervous before I went on stage because I didn’t know what to expect,” Miller said. But he didn’t let stage fright get in the way of a one-time opportunity. “For my category, I performed a one minute classical music song,” he said. Time moves on, but that won’t stop Brenden from doing what he likes. “I am not sure about my plans for the future. I am part of a group of kids that are also from other private schools or are homeschooled. I wish that Legacy had a band because I enjoy playing. For now, I do not know what I plan to do with my music in the future, except that I enjoy it and will continue to play,” he said. Miller had a great time at the state competition and finished with a lion’s roar. PFT

I f y o u c o u l d h a v e o n e s u p e r p owe r, w h a t w o u l d y o u c h o s e ? Second Grade Poll by Sami Evrard

Jonathan Witt Fire

Isabelle Alman Fly

Rachel Robinson Freeze

Tanner Herridge Strength

Christopher Mullins Invisibility

Emma Crescenzo Frost

Brody Belanger Fly

Tayten Schneider Frozen

Jonathan Bundy Web Slinging

Tanner Herridge Speed

Levi Brown Speed

Wesley Kuykendall Earth

Cody Peter Lazer vision

Cason Carlson Fly

Gretchen Grimm Invisibility

Abby Wilson Flowers and sparkle

Kendall Holland Fly

Mallie Ming Frozen

Audrey Byrd Strength

Chase Carrico Unlimited Wishes

Molly Steed Leaf

Jack Mullins Flying

James Tooley Tornado balls

Courtland Carpenter Teleport

MAY 2014

Jaxson Moss Teleportation Madeline Tharp Frozen

Rylee DeYoung Cheetah Cody Peters Laser vision Abby Wilson Sparkles and flower

Andrew Adams Everything

Kylie Murphy Breath Underwater

Manning Gordon Nature

Madison George Ice

Mallie Ming Fly Luke Lilja Strength Rachel Robinson Speed Chase Carrico Unlimited Courtland Carpenter Teleportation Grace Cruthirds Water Isaac Davis Invisible Camille Johnson X-Ray www.legacypca.org

Captain America Sequel Twice as Nice Written by Noah Lightfoot

tan Lee’s wonderful creation, Captain America, has recently starred in the sequel, Captain America the Winter Soldier. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo did an outstanding job creating a blockbuster movie. Most critics say this movie soared past the first Captain America movie. Captain America has joined the S.H.I.E.L.D. division. He has gone on some deadly missions with this new team, but when his deadliest threat comes after him, he’ll need some help along the way. The Russo brothers did an excellent job with the actors. Throughout the movie, the audience was trying to figure out some mysteries, even during some of the craziest scenes. This was one of their best accomplishments yet. Chris Evans returned as Steve Rodgers (Captain America) and put some fun humor perfectly into this action packed adventure. Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson) and a new hero, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie), must help the Captain stop the Winter Soldier. This movie is rated PG-13. If you want to see this movie with your child, there are some things you need to look out for. Throughout the entire movie there is a ton of destruction and violence. There is no gore at all, just very brief blood, such as showing bullet wounds after a battle (this is in two or three scenes). There is some bad language, but it should be appropriate for most kids over 13. This movie was a great addition to the Marvel series. If you go to this movie, be sure to stay after the credits for extra scenes. PFT

Courage

May Character Trait of the Month: Dear Reader, There are things in this world that require you to have courage. If you’re ever scared, I want you to tell me about it. I am your Father in heaven and I watch over you, just as I watched over Jesus when He was on the earth. I am the God of the universe and I promise to go before you, to be with you wherever you go. I will never leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:8). I want to tell you a story about a man named Hezekiah who was the leader of My people, the people of Israel. There was a huge army coming against them and it seemed there was no way they could win the battle. But Hezekiah trusted Me and he encouraged his people with these words, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles” (2 Chronicles 32:7-8). Be confident My child, because when you fight battles with Me on your side, there is no way you can lose. Well Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, started mocking the Israelites saying, “Don’t believe Hezekiah when he tells you God will take care of you. Look at all the other nations we have conquered. No god was able to beat my army and me. We’re the big guns and not even your god can beat us!” Hezekiah and the people were scared, but instead of surrendering they prayed and asked Me for help. Sennacherib kept mocking Me, and all the Israelites too. I sent an angel who destroyed all of Sennacherib’s soldiers, leaders and officials. So Sennacherib went home defeated and left the Israelites alone. The Israelites felt extremely small, weak and helpless when they saw that big army coming against them. My child, when you feel small, weak or scared, remember to praise Me because feeling weak can remind you that I will be your strength and your fortress (Psalm 59:17). I am your loving Father in heaven. My child, I did not give you a spirit of fear but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). Any time you need My Spirit, just ask and I will be there for you. I am telling you the same thing I told Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Love forever, God (2012 Focus on the Family) PFT

6th Grade Poll by Bailee Cano

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SANDWICH? Addie Beck Turkey Alia Neuberger Subway

Brayden Hill Pickle and mayo with no bread Cody Calvetti Cheese

Grayson Murphy Turkey and Mustard Harrison Shook Ham and Cheese

Alice Wagner Peanut Butter and Jelly

Cole Carrico Knuckle Sandwich

Annaleise Parsons Subway Veggie

Grace Lewis Subway

Joshua Vicknair Peanut Butter and Jelly

Audrey Spinale Peanut butter

Gracie Phillips Turkey and Cheese

Justin Centilli Ham and Cheese

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Hayley Ming Peanut Butter

Kayla Henson Subway Kaylee Hill Subway Maddison Reid Meatball Mason Little Bacon and Peanut Butter

Mia Martinez Subway Reagan Mace Subway Sam Bargainer Bacon and jelly Tyler Auger Peanut Butter and Banana

MAY 2014

Lions Sports

Lions Fare Well At State Track Meet

By Adisyn Mickan

s Legacy’s track teams were finishing up a rewarding season, coaches Matt Tarbutton and Ashley Snell wanted nothing more than to see their high schoolers excel at the state championship meet. And excel is just what they did. Sarah Cruthirds (11th) placed 5th discus. Becca Bargainer (9th) placed 8th in triple jump. Ben Bargainer (10th) placed 8th in 100 m. Brooks Hutton (10th) placed 7th in 3200m. Girls 4x200, Becca Bargainer, Sam Furber (9th), Gabby Hogan (10th), and Chandlyr Mickan (10th), placed 8th. Amber Condley (10th) placed 6th 300m hurdles. The girls 4x400 team, including Condley, Furber, Cruthirds, and Mickan, placed 6th. “I was very excited we made it to state,” said Chandlyr Mickan. “I was the third leg in both of the girl’s relay teams. It’s exciting to be a part of something that everyone has worked for, especially when you’re working with your friends.” “The best part of track always involves my friends,” says Mickan. “The track documentary, the conversations while warming up and cooling down, and getting to bond over a common hatred and love of running and heat tops the list of my favorite track memories.” “Track is a lot of fun, but you have to be willing to work hard. It is a good sport for people that like to do things on their own because people aren’t relying on you as much, unless you’re in a relay. It’s a great way to get in shape but still have fun and bond with friends,” said Amber. Junior high track also had a great season. The team competed at seven track meets, with other private schools in the area. “I had a lot of fun for my second year running and meeting new people. My favorite meet was definitely the one at Allen Academy,” said Jacob Cambell, 8th grader. PFT

MAY 2014

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Lions Sports

Tennis Team Serves Up First State Title Story by Austin Bennett Edited by Clay Burkhard

hink about it: Sweat on your brow. You’re one point away from winning the state match, but you know the other team can catch up. Then you score the winning point! The crowd goes wild. You are the TAPPS doubles state tennis champions! That’s exactly what Brooks Hutton and Matheus Mecatti did on April 23, 2014. This was signficant because it was the first state championship of any kind in our school’s history. The Legacy tennis team practiced twice a week, perfecting their team play before the state championship. Mecatti practiced individually four days a week, three hours a day, and Brooks practiced on his own about two to three times a week. “Though it is a very mentally and physically challenging sport, it is very fun,” said Mecatti. Hutton has been playing since he was little but started competing in seventh grade. Mecatti has been playing for 11 years. The pair won the district finals by a score of 6-0, 7-6. They won the state finals by a score of 7-5, 6-4. Way to go Lions! PFT

Lions Step Up To The Plate By Brennan Cone

his spring, Legacy hit a home run by bringing in the experienced Joe Witcraft to manage the newly formed school baseball team. With only 11 varsity players, Coach Witcraft knew it would be a difficult year. “The team that I received early January had not played organized baseball in a while,” said Witcraft. “Half the team had never even played organized baseball. However, by the end of the year, the team I managed looked like a completely different group that brought a will to win.” Even with a 2-11 record the Lions completed their goal. “The team played their heart out to win, and coach Witcraft pushed me to do better in all aspects of the game,” said Bobby Cruthirds. “I love the job that he is doing.” “The goal this season was not to blow other teams away and win,” said Witcraft. “The goal was to solidly establish a baseball team for this great school for years to come.” Travis May and Josh Micheletti won district awards for their offensive performances. With this foundation, the Lions will have some good pieces for next year. “This year was hard and frustrating at some times,” said Ryan May. “But, after this building year, I see a bright future for this team and school.” PFT

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MAY 2014

First Graders Hatch Chicks By Jaron Spinler

rs. DeYoung’s students recently raised a large group of chicken eggs in their classrom. After 21 days of waiting, the chicken eggs finally hatched. They used a special machine that kept the eggs warm and moved them around. Then, after three weeks, the cranking tray that made the eggs move was removed, leaving the eggs to hatch in a warm environment. After they hatched the chicks dried their feathers. They were then put into a bin with food and a floor of wood chips. “The students learned about how God makes things grow and how stages of life are so specific and special. First we saw a chick inside the egg. The next week it began to move. The kids where blown away by God’s work in growing the eggs,” said Mrs. DeYoung. The kids had an amazing time watching the eggs change over time. Mrs. DeYoung’s class has many other animals that live in their classroom. The chickens went home with two volunteering families. The students did amazing at the work of raising the eggs. PFT

Legacy Prep recently took a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. History teacher David Riley planned the trip so that the 10th-12th graders could see and read about the Magna Carta, which is a moving exhibit. “It was incredible being that close to something that we’ve only read about in history books,” said Kasen Jones, tenth grader. “The best part of the field trip was watching the students’ expressions when they realized why the Magna Carta was created,” said Mr. Riley. “It’s one thing for me to be excited about history; it’s another for students to see an 800-year-old document and understand its importance.”

MAY 2014

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Pre-K Rocks! By Alexandria Wynn

he pre-kindergarten class has recently been studying how Jesus is their rock, and how they need to build their life around Jesus. They studied Matthew 7: 24-27: “I listen and obey; I build my life on the rock.” They talked about building houses on rocks and sand, “We had a sign on one wall that read ‘wise’ and another sign on a different wall that read ‘foolish’. I read some scenarios and the students would walk to the sign that they felt reflected the actions of the person in the story. We would then discuss it. For example: My little brother accidentally bumped into me. He said he was sorry, but I got mad and decided to hit him,” Mrs. Landrum said. The class got creative to remind them that Jesus is their rock. “We painted a rock and wrote Jesus on it. We reviewed living and non-living, and talked about whether or not rocks are living or non-living. Students predicted if rocks would sink or float in water and if size would make a difference. Some students were surprised the tiny rocks sunk and some students knew that it would sink. We also sorted the rocks according to size, color, and texture,” she said. PFT

The elementary golfers pose with their coaches. Golf is just one of many fun Friday electives available for the lower school Lions.

Mrs. Tharp’s fourth graders enjoyed Crazy Sock Day!

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MAY 2014

11th Grade Poll by Jaron Spinler

What is Your Favorite Movie? Matt Wenstrom A-Team Adele Mouna Harry Potter Gabe Locke Pulp Fiction Rebecca Schardt Harry Potter Branson Fredricks Man of La Mancha Sarah Cruthirds Emperor’s New Groove Logan Teal Space Jam Kyle Maiz A-Team

Non-Stop Delivers Non-Stop Action Movie Review by Logan Teal

his movie’s title means several different things: non-stop action in the movie, along with the non-stop excellence of the way this thriller was written, designed, and performed. The movie takes place in one setting, a plane. It takes the infamous actor, Liam Nieson, and makes him a hero yet again. Packed with action, confusion, resolution, and even romance, Non-Stop creates a look on what our twenty-first century movie directors can do with special effects and the side of actors we haven’t seen before. The director of this film happens to be Jaume Collet-Serra, who was also the director of the Liam Nieson suspense movie, Unknown. Parents should note that Non-Stop has a bag of colorful words, with the f-bomb used once and referred to twice, along with many other words that need no explaination. The language is choppy throughout the duration of the thriller, but it is not overwhelming like other movies may be. Given that the movie was rated PG-13, and considering that it clearly says in the reasons why it is rated PG-13 that it contains intense language throughout, this should be expected. Language is not the only thing intense in Non-Stop, for the name really lives up to itself. The non-stop intense action can be very inappropriate for some movie-goers. You will find that the very close-up and personal killing of several people can become an overwhelming shock to the unprepared. Note again that it is PG-13 and clearly states that a reason for this is because of intense action sequences and gruesome images, you should know what that means that in full. With all the suspense and thrilling drive this movie gives, you begin to feel like you are in the situation while it is happening onscreen. This movie is a basket of good and bad, having a great story and twists and turns on every corner, but also containing material that could effect ones self the wrong way if not prepared for what awaits them in this action-packed flick. In the end I would most definitly recommend this movie to those longing for a good thrill, and those who are over the age of 13. PFT

4th Grade Poll by Taylor Davies • What is Your Favorite Movie? Madelyn Pierce The Croods

Kylee Curl The Hobbit

Brandon Davies Divergent

Caden Auger Catching Fire

Madison Steed Heaven is For Real

Hassyn Carrico The Matrix

Brock Belanger Dolphin Tale

Ella Mullins Sound of Music

Emilie Carlson Frozen

Anna Kruppstadt Captain America: Winter Soldier

Alison Burkhard Frozen

Lanah Burkhardt Matilda

Carly Wagner Titanic

Addy Polk Divergent

Macey Raines Father of the Bride 2

Emma Little Poltergeist

Layla Faysal Brave

Samantha Palmer Frozen

MAY 2014

Jackson Phillips Catching Fire Collin Dyniewski Captain America: Winter Soldier Carter Hutton I Am Legend Tucker Ming Star Wars: Episode 2 12

Ryan Robinson Batman Carter Hall Jaws Gabe Tharp Star Wars Matthew Moss Revenge of The Sith

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Mrs. Scheler’s 3rd Grade Book Reviews Misty of Chincoteague Written by Marguerite Henry Reviewed by Rebekah In this book, Paul and Maureen Beebe want to buy a horse named Phantom on Pony Penning Day. But Phantom has never been caught. Paul caught her, and she had a filly. Paul named the filly Misty. But Paul and Maureen only have enough money to buy Phantom, and Misty is too young to leave her mother. Can they buy Misty too? My favorite part was when Paul found Misty. I would recommend this book to kids of all ages. The Invention Of Hugo Cabret Author: Brian Selznick Reviewed By: Caleb This book was about a poor little orphan boy named Hugo Cabret who has a broken Automaton. Hugo works so hard on fixing it and finally it works! Read the book to find out what the Automaton writes. My opinion on this book is that it is one of the most fabulous books I have ever read! I would probably recommend this book to a little orphan boy. The Chocolate Touch By: Patrick Skene Catling Reviewed by: Dawson Furber Schools, candy stores, everything chocolate, friendships destroyed, Will John survive? This is an adventure about a boy with a special touch.The journey started at john’s house on a beautiful morning. What will end John’s story? I would recommend this to kids in 1st to 5th grade.

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Skylanders The Mask Of Power Gill Grunt And The Curse Of The Fish Master Written by Onk Beakman Reviewed by Kyra Huckaby Gill Grunt, Zap, Wham Shell, and Spyro must find the water element piece of the mask of power before Kaos does and he takes over Skylands. This book is all about adventure and fun! I recommend this book to people who love adventure. “Wherever Kaos goes next the Skylanders will be there waiting!” says Gill Grunt. Ellie Ever By Nancy Ruth Patterson Reviewed by Emma Ramirez Have you ever lost everything you have all at once? That is what happened to a girl named Ellie Ever Taylor after a hurricane destroyed her home and killed her father. Ellie and her mother start over as caretakers on a huge horse farm in Virginia and Ellie is given a chance to go to a fancy girls’ school called Twin Creeks. At first, Ellie doesn’t fit in very well. Then, after someone sees where she lives, some girls start a rumor that she is a super rich princess and everyone starts treating her differently. She over hears the girls talking about it and decides to play along but never tells anyone the truth. She finds out her Mom has invited all her classmates to her house for a surprise birthday party and she worries about what to do. Will they still like her when they see she isn’t really a princess? She finally decides that no matter what they think, she has to be the very best Ellie Ever and tell the truth about where she lives before they find out at the party. In the end, the girls like her for who she is and everything turns 13

out okay. I really liked this book and think it would be. great book for girls my age to read, because it teaches about honesty and being the best that you can be. Paw Power Reviewed by Madeleine Rinn There is a girl named Maddy and she always believed in magic. One day she got some ceramic cats. The next day one of the ceramic cats came to life! His name was Graykin. There is a bully, her name is Sherry. Maddy has to stop Sherry from bullying forever! How will she do it? My favorite part is when Maddy climbs a tree with her paw power. I recommend this book to all ages of girls. The Kid-Napped King Written by Ron Roy Reviewed by Jordyn Conley This book was about a boy named Sammi. His parents were kid-napped. Then he stays with Dink. Then Sammi gets kid-napped. Josh, Roth, Rose and Dink try to save the mystery but who kid-napped Sammi? My favorite part was when they found the yellow glass. Anyone who likes mysteries will like this book. I give it 5 stars. The Secret Garden By: Frances Hodgson Burnett Reviewed by: Anna Wiley The only family Mary has left is her uncle. Mary moved in to her uncle’s house that has about 1,000 rooms and most are locked. Her uncle’s wife died 10 years ago and her garden has been locked ever since. I would recommend this book to kids ages 8 and older. PFT

MAY 2014

Leadership Classes Show Growth

Third Graders enjoy Market Day and Bibliographies

By Clay Burkhard

By Adisyn Mickan

his year, our leadership classes have covered various topics in the Bible. Students learned more about Christ and grew as individuals. This class is a necessity in order for us to grow. Our 6th grade boys did an overview of the Old Testament. They have studied the Pentateuch, historical books, poetry and wisdom literature, and prophetic literature of the Old Testament. A special emphasis was placed on how the Old Testament points us to Jesus and the need for a Savior. “It’s been amazing to see them learn how the books of the Old Testament fit together. We’re now able to go through the Old Testament from Creation to Malachi and talk about how the Israelite nation progressed from the patriarchs to a united kingdom, and finally to a group of people waiting for a Savior,” said 6th grade teacher Lisa Railey. This year, the 8th grade boys covered the Gospel of John and the book of Acts., as well as learning about missions. “During the year, my students have matured and their knowledge of the bible has grown,” said 8th grade teacher Coach Tarbutton. Lastly, the 9th grade boys covered the attributes of God. By studying those characteristics, we see how our calling is to be like Him and we are a people called to be holy. The boys focused more specifically on sexual purity and everything that entails, including what we wear, listen to, and watch. “9th graders are always interesting because they develop so much over the course of the year simply on a maturity level. This group of guys, though has also come to a deeper understanding of who God is and how that knowledge drives them to lead holier lives. Hopefully and prayerfully, that will drive them to be better leaders at their churches and in their school in now and in the future,” said Patrick Hill. Our leadership classes have covered a lot of things this year and we are proud of them for growing in Christ.

rs. Spinale’s third grade class recently created a biographic presentation, which they showcased to their class. There was a fun twist on the project, however: the class had to dress up like the person that their biography was about. “My favorite part of this project was getting to dress up like them. My essay was about Walt Disney so I got to wear a Mickey Mouse shirt.” Said Presley Mondick. The class put a lot of time and thought into the project. “I feel that they have really enjoyed the assignment and done a great job,” Mrs. Spinale said. Along with the biography essays, the third graders also participated in market day. This is where the class made products to sell. In order to buy the products, the kids had to earn the money by behaving in class, helping around, etc. They changed their prices on the products by looking around and seeing how their classmates changed theirs. They either raised or lowered the prices according to what they thought would suffice. The classes were allowed to pick the products that they would create. There was a variety of things made, like food, toys, supplies, etc. “I made stress balls out of balloons and sunflower seeds. It was really neat to see how simple it was to create items that people use everyday,” stated Will Condley. The children really enjoyed the projects and loved getting to to walk around the room. “Market Day day the kids were so excited to see what others brought and start shopping that once we sat in our seats to start class they started asking when we were going to start market day,” said Mrs. Spinale. PFT

Legacy’s First Prom!

10th Grade Poll by Adisyn Mickan

What College Will You Attend? Ben Barginer Texas

Brooks Hutton Texas A&M

Garrett Chevalier Texas A&M

Kasen Jones Carnegie Mellon

Amber Condley Undecided

Jody Mars Texas A&M

Garrett DeClaris College ran at neighbor’s

Travis May TCU or ATM

Brooklyn Fredricks Harvard

Chandlyr Mickan Undecided

Ryan Gibson Baylor

Brenden Miller Undecided

Miranda Herman Florida State

Caroline Shook USC

Gabby Hogan University of Texas

Emily Slater Baylor

Cole Howden Undecided

Tray Wright Texas A&M

MAY 2014

On April 26, all of the juniors and seniors attended Legacy’s first ever prom. Colby Herman was voted Prom King, Katherine Beeman won Prom Queen, Raymond Camara was Prince, and Emily O’Donnell won Princess. Alex Wilson was Court Jester, Sarah Cruthirds was Duchess, and Matt Wenstrom was voted Duke. 14

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9th grade pig dissections!

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MAY 2014

After Nigeria, it’s Go Coogs for Beeman Story and Photo by Sami Evrard

How will she be helping? “In Nigeria, I will be working in the local hospital as a nurse. Hopefully, I will be able to work under an OBGYN in labor and delivery, and I will help the native women deliver their babies and teach them how to properly care for them. During my stay, I will be sleeping in a local hotel with limited access to electricity and water. I hope to have internet so I can keep in touch with my family and friends.” she said hopefully. She will then return a month later on July 18th. After her long adventure to Nigeria, Beeman will go off to college. “During my freshman year of college, I will be living with my roommate, Faith, in a residence hall for Honors College students at the University of Houston. Faith and I will be sharing a room, but we’ll be sharing a bathroom with two other girls. I will be moving right before I begin school in the fall of 2014.” Although it was a tough choice, Beeman finally made a decision, Biomedical Engineering. “I am studying Biomedical Engineering in the Honors College at the University of Houston. I will start my classes around the same time Legacy begins their fall semester: late August. I chose to study Biomedical Engineering because I love math, science, and medicine. Biomedical engineers typically design imaging machines--like x-rays, CT scanners, and MRI machines – prosthetic limbs, and devices such as cochlear implants. So, I’ll be helping people and advancing the technology of science and medicine every day.” While she I’ll be studying to become an engineer, her real dream is to become an OB specialist. “I want to be a doctor who helps pregnant women whose babies are sick.” PFT

o, this is not the beginning of a new chapter in my life; this is the beginning of a new book! That first book is already closed, ended, and tossed into the seas; this new book is newly opened, has just begun! Look, it is the first page! And it is a beautiful one!” This describes Lions senior Katherine Beeman perfectly. This summer Beeman will be going away for a mission trip, and then in the fall will go on to study at the University of Houston. She will be leaving on her birthday, June 14th, “to go to Lagos, Nigeria, and work in a hospital there. I am traveling with an organization called Medical Missions International. They are located in College Station, so many students from Texas A&M University travel with the organization each summer. Dr. Quartemont, the doctor who built the hospital near Lagos, heads the trips and mentors the students who travel with him.” Before she can help and study, she has to get there. “To get to Nigeria, I’ll be taking a long flight to Europe, where I will have a short layover, and then fly to Lagos.” While in Nigeria, Beeman will be helping people who could die from simple illnesses. “I felt God tugging on my heart to go help people who do not have access to the kind of medicine we have in the United States. Many people die in Nigeria because they cannot afford something as simple as medication or a small procedure. I am very interested in the field of medicine, and I hope to use my interest to help others.”

8th Grade Poll by Alexandria Wynn

What is Your Favorite Book? Jacob Cambell The Bible

Clay Burkhard The Bible

Spencer Burgland Percy Jackson

Molly Jacobs The Fault In Our Stars

Sami Evrard The Bible

Adisyn Mickan The Lucky One

Cody The Bible

Jared May The Bible

Brennan Cone The Movie

Madyson Condley Looking For Alaska

Karlee Brown The Bible

Jay Mondick Barbie

Logan Mace The Wolf of Wall Street

Natalie Hadaway Percy Jackson

Sarah Havemann Specials

Ben Schardt Green Eggs and Ham

Harris Tucker The Giver

Jacey Newburger Hunger Games

Kyra Wright The Fault In Our Stars

Alexandria Wynn House of Night Novel

Austin Bennett Percy Jackson

Malik Manning Hunger Games

Casen Hutton Harry Potter

MAY 2014

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Eighth Graders Work the Circuit By Logan Mace

egacy’s 8th grade IPC class recently did a circuit board project. The best part was that the students got to create their own game with the circuits. The students had to come up with cool creative ways to make the board look not only nice and neat, but functional, too. Brennan Cone said, “It was actually a pretty fun My partner and I made our board look like and electric breaker box, and you were an electrician who had to get all the right answers for it to work.” The project could be either a parallel circuit or a series circuit board. The parallel circuit board was made made of several different individual circuits. The series circuit board was one continuous circuit. So, you had to get all the answers right for it to light up. Although most thought it was fun, some didn’t enjoy the project. Madison Hatcher said, “I didn’t really like the project, mainly because my lights kept burning out before I could make sure it would work.” Overall they learned a lot and many had a good time. PFT

Recertification a Success By Audra May

uccess! What a wonderful day we had as we moved through the recertification process! The group was thoroughly impressed with all we are doing here and was so complimentary of our campus and especially, our community. I want to be sure to thank my leadership team who has worked SO hard to put the evidences and documents in place, make sure we are all on the same page, and just work tirelessly to serve you and our students for God’s glory. I’m so, so proud of them:) Some of my favorite comments of the day were: “The one thing we can see from just our short time here is your committment to community and to excellence.” “It’s hard to believe your school is only nine years old! You’ve accomplished so much more than even some seasoned schools!” “Consider sharing the wealth of knowledge and know-how you have here at Legacy. You have much to share with others!” In the recertification process the team will ask if there is an area we would like to improve and focus on, and also give us their own recommendation. Our suggested area of focus was high school accademics and college preparation. The feedback we received from the team was very encouraging. Here’s what the lead evaluator told us: “Be patient with your High School. It’s still just a baby. Offer quality academics from the bottom up and the rest will fall into place. In reviewing your scores and curriculum we can see the elements are in place for you to be successful. And, the most important aspect is already present; your teachers and co-teachers appear to be dedicated to this model and are working hard. You’re on the right track!” The recommendation made by the committee was to continue to tighten up our security in the portable area. We discussed with them the plans we have in place to fence the area before the start of the next school year, add a PA system to the new building, and add cameras around the premises with monitors at the front desk so that the campus has eyes on it at all times. The star of the show yesterday was my leadership team and the current organizational structure. We spoke at length about our philosophy to ensure every aspect of the school had someone watching over it. The team was also VERY impressed with our Family Ministry area and the importance we have placed on equipping the co-teacher and on shaping the character of our children. It truly is a blessing to serve at Legacy and be a part of this wonderful community. Our prayer for yesterday was above all else, our visitors would see that this is a ministry in which we give our heart and soul to be the best we can be, every day. To a person, each team member stated they would be honored to have their children attending Legacy and that’s the compliment that has kept me smiling. God is good! PFT

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Lions Heading to Big Apple and Washington, DC By Noah Lightfoot egacy has opened up a wonderful opportuL nity for our Lions to make special memories that will last their entire life. In May 2015 Legacy

will be taking students on the God and Country Tour, giving you a Christian view of the world as you travel to New York and Washington, DC. This is a great opportunity for middle and high school students. “Hearing the Biblical perspective of DC will really make what students have learned in class come alive,” said Legacy’s middle school supervisor, Mrs. Joann Manning. The price is $2,329 per person to go on this fun adventure. This includes everything except baggage fees and and extra things you want to buy for yourself during the trip. So if you pay the fee, you’ll have plane tickets, hotel room, a spot on the tour bus, etc. If your students are in grades fifth through seventh, they need at least one parent with them on the tour. “We are taking about 60-70 students. Although, if there’s extra people and a lot on the waiting list, we’ll look into a second tour bus,” said Mrs. Manning. “If students sign up before July 1, 2014, the price will go down $50 per person.” If you are interested in going on this amazing experience to give you a Christian worldview, contact Mrs. Manning (jmanning@legacypca. org) or Tosha Colwell (rncolwell@att.nett) for more info. Don’t miss out, Lions. PFT

12th Grade Poll by Jacob Campbell

What One Word Describes You? Katherine Beeman Straightforward Raymond Camara Energetic Emily O’Donnell Courageous Colby Herman Awesome Alex Wilson Honest MAY 2014

This Star Won’t Go Out By Taylor Davies

ave you read the book, The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green? It was inspired by a 16 year old girl named Esther Earl, who had thyroid cancer. Esther passed away in 2010, but her book, This Star Won’t Go Out, just came out this past January. This Star Won’t Go Out is a book with her diary entries, drawings, and other stories. The intro to This Star Won’t Go Out is written by John Green, who also wrote The Fault in Our Stars, which is being released as a movie on June 6. I recently interviewed Esther’s Mom, Lori Earl, and she told me a lot about Esther. “It has been amazing to see that even with her death, Esther has continued to motivate others. She reminds people to say “I love you” to the friends and family in their life that matter most, but might not hear it often.” Mrs. Earl says. Esther was always encouraging people to say “I love you,” so John Green created a day dedicated to her, Esther Day. Esther’s motto was always “Don’t forget to be awesome!” and it is written all over her diary entries shown in her book. “Others are motivated to make a difference in the world by helping others. Esther lived that way, and her life story encourages others to do more too.” Mrs. Earl said. Esther’s main goal was to encourage and make people happy. Esther’s mom would’ve described her as athletic, affectionate, thoughtful, wise, artistic, an enthusiastic reader, and caring. John and Esther were such great friends, that’s why she inspired the main character in The Fault in Our Stars, Hazel Grace Lancaster. “We feel very privileged to be able to count John Green as a friend--he was Esther’s friend first, of course. John brought tremendous happiness into Esther’s life when he took part in her Make-a-Wish event held here in Boston in July 2010, where she got to meet a number of her online friends in real life, including John.” says Mrs. Lori Earl. John always tried to help Esther in every way he could. “Life doesn’t always give us what we want. The choice really becomes, how do we live life with what we get?” Mrs. Earl said. They have been staying very strong the past 4 years since Esther passed. The reason they’ve been able to stay strong is because of family. They stuck together and were “grateful for their forever within a number of days”, as John Green says in the book. The Fault in Our Stars came out in 2012, 2 years after Esther passed, so she didn’t get to read it. “The person I wanted to read it most won’t get to.” says John Green. I asked Mrs. Lori Earl if she thought Esther would’ve liked the book and she said, “Oh my gosh, she would have fangirl-ed over the book (and movie) to the max! She would have loved Hazel – and especially Augustus. She would have been embarrassed yet so tickled that people said she was like Hazel. She might have had her few criticisms that she would have shared privately with John (just because she could) but publicly, she would have only talked about all the things she loved.” The Fault in Our Stars is going to be a great movie, so go see it in theaters June 6. This Star Won’t Go Out, Esther’s book, is sold at local stores like Walmart and Target for $16.99. I definitely recommend it, it’s one of my favorites. PFT

MAY 2014

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May 9th, the juniors and seniors took a trip to Six Flags in Dallas. The day was called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Physics Day,â&#x20AC;? where high school students around the Houston area came out to test their math skills. Mrs. Hulbert and Mrs. McNeil chaperoned the students as they rode roller coasters, met characters and solved math equations. It was a long trip, there and back, but overall, every student had a blast and learned a lot!

Go Kindergarteners!

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MAY 2014

(Poverty continued from p.1) Now, don’t bombard me with “But I’m only in middle school,” or “I can’t drive yet,” or “I don’t have time,” or “There’s nothing I can do.” I know. People are busy. That’s okay. Having a life doesn’t make you a horrible person. What I’m trying to get across is that it’s a good idea to set aside time in your week, or month, where you can lend a helping hand. Here is a good place to interrupt me, and say ‘If they really wanted to get out of being poor, they would’. And I understand why you would say that, because it seems simple to start working a small job, and either work your way up the ladder or quit that job for a higher-paying career. As soon as you know it, you can buy a place and wash your clothes. It’s not that easy, though. A lot of poverty we see is generational poverty. This means that at least the past two generations of the family have been poor. Generational poverty affects the children who grew up through it in more ways than just physical. Imagine dealing with the nagging thought that ‘You’ll never be good enough’, ‘There’s no way you’re smart enough to graduate’, ‘What makes you think you’ll do better; the rest of your family couldn’t’, and possibly ‘I can’t leave for college, my family needs me’. These thoughts stick with you as soon as you’re old enough to start realizing that other kids have larger lunches than you, and nicer clothes. Not only are these things floating around your mind, but also the homework you have every night, any activities you’re in, the job you probably have or spend most of your free hours begging for, and the siblings you probably have that need to be taken care of. It’s hard enough growing up as it is, and when there are substantial problems you have to take care of at home it makes focusing on things that seem menial in the big picture (like homework or a certain class with that monotone teacher you can’t stand anyway) a lot harder. It’s important to receive a good education and graduate high school, because it’s a far-fetched belief that a person can become successful without basic instruction. The second type of poverty is situational poverty. Situation poverty occurs when a family, whatever class they are, loses their source(s) of income. This can happen by a car accident, which injures a parent and causes them to not be able to work, or an illness that puts a person in the hospital for a time, in which they can’t work or even lose their job. Gambling, addictions, and large debts or bills also cause poverty. While this kind of event may not be permanent, it still calls for careful and scary living circumstances. Multiple reasons exist on why it’s a great idea to start helping out those who are not as fortunate as you. Aside being because God commanded us to, it’s good for the community. A town without poverty will be safer, because there will be less crimes committed when people aren’t in need of things, and the future generations will grow up receiving good educations and in a stable home environment. 15% of Americans are in poverty, according to the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but that’s one out of every seventh person. There are many things a person can do to fight poverty in their community. It’s easy to donate food and clothing to a local homeless shelter or organization, and there are usually plenty of charities that help the poor. Becoming involved in a group that meets on a regularly scheduled time is a great idea, and is easy to plan around. There are also jobs available to those who wish to help others. If you don’t think you have enough time to set aside for this, however, that’s fine. Going a few times to volunteer is better than none at all. There are many national organizations like One, Care, and I Fight Poverty, which have simple processes to get involved in. There are also many more local groups, which are often held in churches and schools. A big association, Attack Poverty, originated from Faith Bible Church in Magnolia. There are also a few Society of Samaritans (SOS) buildings located around Magnolia. These buildings allow lesser income families to buy clothing and house items for a cheaper price, and are non-profitable. It is easy to get involved in helping out with your community. Why not start with the people? “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Hebrews 3:16). Instead of focusing on what you can do to help, try to think about what you will do to help. Make plans to get involved in something, and if you weren’t excited to start before you soon will be. Lots of people volunteer, and it’s a great way to make friends that have similar morals to yours. It’s time to start asking yourself what you can do to help, because it’s not the groups that get involved, it’s the people. “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (Proverbs 10:4). PFT

God’s Not Dead Teaches Lessons Movie Review by Harris Tucker

ecently, director Harold Cronk brought together singer Shane Harper and The Newsboys to make a movie that is sure to put a whole new perspective on Christianity. God’s Not Dead features a Christian student named Blah enrolling in a class with an atheist instructor. Blah has to lead a debate for Christ’s existence against his atheist instructor, while he has to deal with his girlfriend’s demands that he drop the debate and continue to try for a law degree. God’s Not Dead displays what God expects of us as Christians. The movie expresses that if we disown Him, He will disown us. But if we glorify His name He will reserve our soul to eternity with Him. I give the movie a nine out of ten for its message and emotional impact. Although the ending was sudden and unexpected, the movie had a solid structure and a powerful plot. God’s Not Dead should be required viewing for Christians who want to lead a life for Christ. PFT

Did you know that there is now a new set of national educational standards? Common Core State Standards are an initiative to standardize education across the nation. The standards were developed by the National Governor’s Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. The initiative began in 2009. To date, 44 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the standards that were developed. Texas is one of the hold out states, and has rejected Common Core. Governor Rick Perry stated, “Texas is on the right path toward improved education, and we would be foolish and irresponsible to place our children’s future in the hands of unelected bureaucrats and special interest groups thousands of miles away in Washington, virtually eliminating parents’ participation in their children’s education.” As a NAUMS school, Legacy is committed to meet or exceed our state standards (the TEKS). We will continue to use curriculum that has high standards. If you are unaware, one content area is reviewed each year to determine if our curriculum is reaching our school goals. This year we are reviewing our English Language Arts curriculum. Next year history will be reviewed, and so forth. To carry out the curriculum review, a team of administrators, teachers, and co-teachers are assembled. They work to identify strengths and limitations, draw conclusions, and create action steps for the content area being evaluated. Sometimes new curriculum is recommended. Some subjects have one main textbook that cover all of the TEKs and school goals. Other subjects require several books to be united to encompass all of the essential skills and content. Knowledge of Common Core is becoming more and more widespread. With 44 states adopting the Common Core State Standards, curriculum publishers are forced to gear their advertising to alignment with them, or go out of business. You will see some curriculum at Legacy that is marketed as being aligned with Common Core. When you see that marketing statement, please take a deep breath and remember that Legacy has a carefully laid out process for choosing curriculum. None of our current editions are aligned with Common Core. When it becomes necessary to switch to new editions, it will be our job to make sure the curriculum has not actually lowered its standards. We will choose another publisher if necessary. We know one of the reasons you trust us with your children is the school’s commitment to academic excellence, and we do not take that charge lightly. PFT MAY 2014