THE
WARRIOR
“ 16,000
SPRING 2013
Hours of Education” by Dr. Gary Arnold, Head of School
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations … teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19 & 20)
Mention the Great Commission of Matthew 28 and people immediately think of missions or evangelism. But, embedded within the Commission are two key phrases that bring the work much closer to home: “making disciples” and “teaching them.” Once you and I “go” there is much work to be done to make disciples. And, according to Jesus, teaching plays a big part in that process. That’s where Christian schooling comes in. As parents, we are given 6,570 days (18 years) to prepare a young man or woman for the responsibilities of adulthood. Let’s be honest, given your adult responsibilities, how much of that time is truly focused on your child’s preparation for life? Again, that’s where Christian schooling comes in. There are approximately16,000 hours of school from kindergarten through grade twelve. Consider 16,000 hours of life training for your children in a context full of God versus 16,000 hours of life training in a context devoid of God. Assume your children experience approximately 2,500 hours of Christian education in your local church over the course of those same thirteen years. This time in the church setting makes a huge difference and is ESSENTIAL for Christian families. But our children need more in order to effectively withstand the dizzying assault of our secular, post-modern, post Christian culture. The model of 18,500 (16,000 Christian school + 2,500 church) hours of biblical worldview training where truth and life are richly integrated is a powerful model. No doubt, layering the investment of church and school reaps a rich return. Why we do what we do at Little Rock Christian Academy... We believe that the 16,000 hours of school is an opportunity to be seized and an advantage to exploit for good and for God. Who among us would not like more time? Who among us does not desire more time with our children? Perhaps that is exactly how our Father in Heaven feels about you and me. Without a doubt, He desires more quality time. Letting God reign at home, church AND school is a smart way to gain more quality time with Him ... and to fulfill the Great Commission.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Little Rock Christian Academy’s 2009 alumni dominated this year’s University of Arkansas’ Walton Business College graduation. Four alumni were named Walton Scholars and are shown here with their thesis presentations. These students were part of the top 55 out of 1,000 graduates who completed rigorous requirements and maintained a 3.50 GPA. They all graduated Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude.
Where Are They Now?
If you have any alumni news, please visit www.littlerockchristian.com/alumni.
How did LRCA prepare you for college and the world? Anna: I benefited from the school’s values, supportive environment, and commitment to helping students like myself realize their potential— not just in academics, but also in life.
Trent: LRCA was helpful in teaching me
how to learn, not just what to learn. I’m extremely thankful to have been able to grow in an environment that was safe, and allowing me to build the endurance needed to battle against evil in the world.
LAUREN THOMPSON: Magna Cum Laude
Alumni Sibling Spotlight:
Did LRCA execute its mission statement?
Outstanding Student Award
Class of 2011 and 2005
Anna: Yes, I do feel like LRCA lived out its
Beta Gamma Sigma
Trent McKenzie is currently attending the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville majoring in Biological Engineering. Anna graduated summa cum laude from Ouachita Baptist University in 2009 and earned a Bachelor’s degree in English. During her junior and senior years at OBU, she was awarded the Outstanding English Major of the Year award, She was a member of Alpha Chi Honor Society and Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society. She was also on OBU’s president’s list and the dean’s list.
Walton Scholar Leadership Walton
HALL FESS: Cum Laude Walton Scholar Captain U of A Tennis team
CONNER WEISBECKER: Magna Cum Laude Walton Scholar Leadership Walton Beta Gamma Sigma
Trent and Anna McKenzie
How do you value your Little Rock Christian education? Anna:
I can’t place a value on my education at Little Rock Christian. I always felt encouraged and supported by the teachers, who were dedicated to my improvement as a person and as a student. When I went to college, I realized I had been set up for success because of the quality of the education I received. I would want everyone who contributed to my education at LRCA to know that not a moment of their patience, hard work or help was lost on me.
Trent:
LRCA filled four categories of development for me academic, social, physical and spiritual
SHELBY FEURTADO: Summa Cum Laude Walton Scholar Beta Gamma Sigma
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Physically I played basketball which is eerily similar when it comes to ups and downs experienced throughout life. Socially, LRCA was an incredible place to share community with believers who typically came from very solid family backgrounds. I love people, and I loved all the people at that entire school. I am blessed for the time I was able to invest in the people around me and thankful for all the lasting friendships I have because of my time there. Spiritually, I learned more about God by seeing people in leadership positions show the same love and mercy that God showed me through the death of His son. I was able to see that at Little Rock Christian Academy.
mission!
Trent: Yes, I think it was an incredible place
to attend grade school, and I’m proud to be an alumnus of LRCA!
Where are you currently working? Anna: The summer before my senior
year, I got an internship at LifeWay Christian Resources and spent two months as a copy editing intern in the Student Ministry Publishing department at LifeWay’s corporate headquarters in Nashville, Tenn. After graduation, I moved to Nashville to pursue opportunities in writing and editing. I started writing freelance for LifeWay’s teen magazine, EC, and have been published numerous times in that magazine over the past few years. I also began writing Web content for Foundations Recovery Network (FRN), a nationwide network of addiction and mental health treatment centers. Shortly after, FRN hired me as a fulltime copy editor, and within a year and a half I was promoted to executive editor in the marketing department. I continue to write freelance, and last year I was able to do a few projects for Worthy Publishing, a Christian book publisher. (To see what Anna McKenzie is currently working on, go to: www. Foundationsrecoverynetwork.com)
ADVANCEMENT/CONSTRUCTION UPDATE Our campus landscape is once again under construction and renovations are wrapping up as we improve academics, arts and athletics. Renovations to the new 5/6 middle school as well as athletic upgrades in the old EAC will be finished in the coming weeks, with Warrior Hall ready for the start of school. Please pray for the continued safety of our construction workers as well as your Warrior Physical Plant team as they strive to ready campus for our students and teachers.
Warrior Hall
weight room under construction
Jason Carson Director of Admissions and Advancement
NeW El Classroom Cabinets
Exchange Students for 2013-14 School Year Warrior students are exploring the world through the Rotary Exchange program. Students leaving for Europe in 2013-14 will stay abroad a year and return to LRCA next year with new experiences and a broadened horizon. (Left to Right) Marie Claire Dubose - Switzerland; Brooke Whatley - Italy; Harper Ricks - Belgium; Meg Goodrich - France
Grandparent’s Day 2013 Thank you to all the grandparents who came to Little Rock Christian from near and far to support your grandchildren. Your elementary library book contributions totaled just under $20,000, plus an additional $6,000 in legacy books for the middle and high school libraries. We were honored to have you here as our elementary students presented “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”
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ATHLETICS
Warrior Club Golf Tournament Pleasant Valley Country Club
2013 Winners Andy Smith Bruce Johnson Greg Baden Gary Adams
Mark Guffin Meet of Champs winner State Champion Arkansas Democrat Gazette “Track Athlete of the Year” Arkansas Democrat Gazette Gatorade Athlete of the Year Little Rock Christian’s Mark Guffin holds the Arkansas state record in discus. He’s also received an athletic scholarship to the University of Alabama. Guffin is now ranked as one of the top high school discus throwers in the country. After Alabama, he has dreams of following his mentor to Team USA. But no matter how far the sport takes him, Guffin says it’s his father that inspires every big throw. “I know he’s looking down on me from heaven, and he’s smiling a big ol’ grin,”he said.
5A STATE SOCCER CHAMPS! WARRIOR BOYS SOCCER STATE CHAMPS!!! The Warriors take the lead in the state finals in Fayetteville. After a winning season of (19-1-2), the determined Warriors pulled out an exciting victory earning a well-deserved STATE TITLE! Way to go
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Varsity Boys Soccer Team
Head Coach Barry McCaskill: 5A Central Coach of the Year and All Star Coach
Spring Sports Recap
Spring Athletic Signings
Baseball
21-6
Front row left to right: Molli Pugh – Volleyball, John Brown University; Hunter South – Soccer, Hannibel-LeGrange University; Alex Keene – Soccer, Lyon College
• 5A Central Conference Champions • 5A State Runner-up • 5A Central Coach of the Year: Matt Lane
Back row left to right: Drew Dunkum – Football, Hendrix College; Christian Casto – Soccer, Lyon College; Austin DeWitt – Cross Country, Arkansas State University; Conley Harrison – Volleyball, Ouachita Baptist University
Soccer
CLASS OF 2013 64 Senior Athletes
Boys Soccer 19-1-2
• 5A State Champions • 5A Central Conference Champions • 5A Central Conference Coach of the Year and All Star Coach: Barry McCaskill
Four Year Athletic History for Class of 2013 • 24 Academic State Championships • 7 State Championships • 10 State Runners-up • 22 Conference Championships • 15 Conference Runners-up • 12 Warrior athletes go on to play at college level • 29 All-Conference athletes • 17 All-State athletes • 49 All Academic athletes 3.5 or better 3.876 Overall GPA for Class of 2013 Athletes
Outstanding Athlete Awards Female: Markie Schaedig Male: Mark Guffin
Girls Soccer 15-3-1
• 5A Central Conference Champions • 5A Central Conference Coach of the Year: Stefan Jones
Softball 10-9 Track/Field • 5A Central Conference Boys/Girls Runners-up
Charles Jolliff Christian Character Awards Female: Grace Winkelman Male: Jay Hedges
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FINE ARTS
Spring Musical Beauty and the Beast
The LRCA spring musical has increasingly become a highpoint of the school year, and this year was no exception. Beauty and the Beast sparked the interest of high school students who had never before taken part in theater productions. With a cast of 55 and a 16-person crew, the stage came to life with amazing costumes, fabulous music and humor within a story familiar to many. The diverse talent of our student body was exhibited by the set artists, musicians, actors and techies. Six sold-out performances in the EAC gym celebrated the end of an era for Little Rock Christian, as we look forward to future performances in Warrior Hall.
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Visual Arts Awards
Catherine Bostwick-
scholarship cash award winner in the Jr. Duck Stamp competition
Band Awards
Fine Arts Council Luncheon Instrumental Music Awards & Honors 2012-2013 All Region Band: Luke Snyder All Region Orchestra: Cooper Lair
BCS National Championship Performers:
• Geoffrey Flemmons
• Maddie Gregg
• Josie Schaffner
Thank you to the Fine Arts Council for hosting a special lunch for all Fine Arts teachers at Little Rock Christian Academy. They were treated to lunch from Taziki’s, a special ride to and from lunch by way of the decorated golf cart, and a red carpet welcome by LRCA trumpet player Wesley Keener.
Solo & Ensemble: 134 First Division/ 22 Second Division Medals
Choir Awards Warrior Choir Warrior Choir had some wonderful ministry opportunities this spring doing Easter concerts at Wrightsville Hawkins Prison and Chenal Valley Nursing Home, and they finished off the concert year with a glorious Spring Concert. They also competed at the Music in the Parks Festival at Silver Dollar City where, in spite of the untimely snow, they were awarded 2nd place.
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ACADEMICS
Creation Celebration The elementary school enjoyed LRCA’s annual “Creation Celebration.” Fifth grade students planned science experiments, set up booths, and demonstrated their projects to the lower grades at Warrior Field.
5th Grade Market Day During their Economics Unit for Social Studies/History, students made products to sell in a market. The purpose of this unit was to reinforce the concepts of supply and demand, opportunity cost, scarcity, production, and division of labor.
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Lindsey Greenwald Receives French Teacher of Promise Award
Lindsey Greenwald, (2nd from left)
Lindsey Greenwald, LRCA French teacher, was named the 2013 AFLTA Teacher of Promise at the annual conference on Friday, April 26th. Each year the Arkansas Foreign Language Teachers’ Association gives this award to teachers who exemplify excellence in foreign language instruction. Lindsey, who has completed 4 years of teaching at Little Rock Christian, teaches French I, II, III and honors level French classes.
Quiz Bowl 2nd in state
FBLA
LRCA’s Global Business Team earns 2nd place in Business Leaders of the Future Competition. Team members Nathan Bentley, William Goodrich, and Ben Thompson will move on to National competition! The Arkansas competition was held at the Statehouse Convention Center with 2,100 high school students and advisors competing in 59 different business related events.
District Foreign Language Festival Results 2013
On Saturday, March 2nd, more than 30 French, Spanish, and German* students from Little Rock Christian Academy competed in the District Foreign Language Festival. In addition to the numerous medals that were won, almost every student who participated earned scores of Distinguished or Advanced and thus qualified to compete in the state festival on the campus of Arkansas Tech University in Russellville on May 4th.
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ACADEMICS
Graduation 2013
S C H O L A R S H I P S Christian Shewmake, Salutatorian
National Merit Scholarships Everett Mansur Tanner Woodruff
Warrior Club Scholarships Mark Guffin Will Duncan Madalyn Wallace Connor Vaughan
PTF Scholarship Everett Mansur, Valedictorian
Blair Courtney
Friends of the Arts Scholarship Jacob Michael
Hambrice Scholarship 10
Conley Harrison
Walnut Valley Original retires
Linda Neaves
Let me introduce myself. I am Linda Neaves and I am retiring this year. I started teaching in 1977 at Walnut Valley Christian Academy, a vision of Pastor Bud Hart and his wife Carolyn. It began with two teachers and eleven girls meeting in the Bible Church of Little Rock, now the Access school. The Lord brought us a few more students, including some boys, to our first kindergarten class and first grade/second grade combined class. Each year God provided another grade with new families and teachers. I have had the privilege of teaching here all these years and have witnessed many wonderful memories that glorify the Lord. Several things are happening this year that testify to His faithfulness, His provision, and His sovereignty… The elementary school (Walnut Valley Christian Academy) moved out to Highway 10 in the year of our Lord 2000. Previously, the middle school and high school had moved while the school was under major construction. In 2001 God brought all of the grades to the same campus and changed our name to Little Rock Christian Academy. Our 2012-2013 graduating class includes the last students who attended Walnut Valley Christian Academy as kindergartners. The 2013-2014 graduates will be the first class that never attended Walnut Valley Christian Academy. We all watched a small Christian School grow into a Blue Ribbon School, with the largest enrollment of students in an Arkansas Christian School. Debbie Norman is another long time kindergarten teacher who is retiring as well. We could write volumes about teaching here. Alumni bring their children to LRCA. I love to hear this. Families who started in 1977 now have children at LRCA. Several families have children in the same classrooms in the early childhood classes. Several alumni returned to teach here. They desire their families to experience the nurturing Christian education they received. The Lord blesses us continually with His provisions and protection. I wanted you to know some of these details before I leave. The past is very important in honoring our Lord Jesus Christ. I would love to know of alumni who pursued careers serving the Lord. We have children every year trust Jesus to be their Savior in each grade. That alone is absolutely amazing. These children witness to their families and God’s kingdom continues to grow. Hallelujah! I believe God will continue to bless this school as long as it lovingly serves Him first. In His Service,
Linda Neaves 11
STUDENT LIFE Trap Team
Mini-thon for Boston Little Rock Christian Academy student, Erica Jolliff, raises support for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.
The Warrior Trap Team made school history by advancing to the Elite 8 at the State Tournament.
Mr. LRCA
Winner: Brad Stone- the new Mr. LRCA; Runner-up Nick Worley; Mr. Congeniality- Will Duncan The Movement collected $2616.69 which will put shoes on more than 220 children through Samaritan’s Feet!
CONTACT US DIRECTLY Department
Direct lines
Admissions................................... 410-1462 Billing............................................. 975-3435 Elementary................................... 410-1465 Middle School............................. 975-3425 HighSchool................................... 975-3416 Athletics/Warrior Club............. 975-3432 PTF................................................ 680-2039 Fine Arts....................................... 580-2499 Registrar/Records...................... 975-3436 Learner Services......................... 975-3458
Important Back-to-School dates: Warrior Wear Store:
open August 12, 13,15,16
August 12
New Parent Orientation 6pm
August 13
Meet Your Teacher Day 1-4pm (all schools)
Alumni Relations/Giving........... 975-3430 College Guidance....................... 975-3441 Technology................................... 975-3442 Main Line...................................... 868-9822 Littlerockchristian.com............. website
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August 15
First day of school (half day) For back-to-school grade level orientation dates and times along with summer reading information, visit: www.littlerockchristian.com