Norfolk Christian Schools Ambassador Magazine, Spring 2023

AMBASSADOR

NO BRAKES: NCS Track Team's Historic Road to Victory

CELEBRATING LAURA EDWARDS / DR PAUL HARDY / THE GIFT OF NANCY WIEDMAIER / THE BAND PLAYED ON / CLASS OF 2022 LAUREN ABIOUNESS '99 / ALUMNI REUNIONS

Senior Chris Joseph

CONTRIBUTORS

Brianna (Posch) Crapanzano

'13 is our High School English Department Head, teaches Junior and Senior English, and sponsors our school newspaper.

Steve Doyle was Norfolk Christian's Guidance Counselor for 35 years and helped many grads choose their next step. He also taught High School Bible for 20 years and spent 15 sponsoring the Senior trip and graduation

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REUNION RECAPS

128

IN MEMORY

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Laura Harris is our High School Government, Economics, and Personal Finance teacher, where she makes use of her original career in the field of law

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jason Axsom

Meg Hutchinson

Jim Ingledue

Lily Rhodes '24

Amanda Rimmer

Lily Strickland '24

The Legacy of Bob Miller

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A LOOK BACK: THE CLASS OF 2022

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

As I scroll through this edition of the Ambassador Magazine, I marvel at just how much God has preserved this educational ministry to equip Ambassadors for Him Just last year, we celebrated 70 years since Dr Dunlap opened Norfolk Christian Grammar School God's faithfulness is remarkably evident in the stories you will read in this edition Graduates gathering for 50+ year reunions; the moving, redemptive story of our good friend Dr Paul Hardy; alumni excelling in their fields and serving around the world; teachers caring for the NCS community after their passing, and the legacy of Dr Bob Miller's 26 years at NCS Dr Dunlap and the first official Head of School, Dr Garrick, would rejoice over how God continues to equip Ambassadors in this place

Along with the stories of victory, there are also moments of heartache, as we honor NCS family members who went to their heavenly homes before we were ready - Laura Edwards, Donovon Lynch, and two dozen faculty and alumni By God's grace, we "do not grieve as those who have no hope," (I Thessalonians 4:13) but we do indeed grieve

The theme throughout our campuses this year is Transformation Using Romans 12:2, we have challenged students and staff to " not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" When I read the stories of Ambassadors throughout these pages, I see the transformative power of the good news of Jesus Christ

May His Name always be pre-eminent at Norfolk Christian, and may His Ambassadors continue to impact the world for Christ

Daniel L Tubbs Head of School

Finishing Well

Celebrating the Christ-centered life of Laura Edwards

As we prepared this edition of The Ambassador, we faced one task that felt impossible - conveying all we want to say about our cherished friend, Laura Edwards Laura spent 14 years on our faculty before the Lord took her home to be with Him on December 29, 2022 Even though we can picture her dancing in heaven, we miss having her here more than words on a page can express

Laura was that rare woman who simply exuded Jesus in everything she did. In any circumstance, she showed us what following Christ looks like, as a humble servant, inspiring mentor, unwavering prayer warrior, steadfast friend, and fiercely devoted wife and mother. But as much as she loved people, she made sure everyone knew that her true joy and hope were found in her Savior During her three-year battle with cancer, it seemed the weaker her body became, the brighter her spirit shone, with a light that could only have come from Christ Himself

At her Celebration of Life service, where Laura would have been overjoyed to see the countless NCS reunions taking place (but not happy about all the fuss made over her), Norfolk Lower School Director Katie Boyd delivered this beautiful tribute We can't think of a better way to honor our creative colleague, our partner in fun, our bleacher buddy, our diehard cheerleader, our tireless encourager, and our precious friend than to share Katie's words with the NCS family

In her kind and humble way, Laura taught us all how to live and love like Jesus May each of us carry on her legacy, until we meet again

Laura Wells Edwards 1969 - 2022

"My name is Katie Boyd and I had the privilege of working alongside Laura for nearly 10 years I could share a thousand aspects to celebrate her life here on Earth, but Greg has graciously asked me to speak to her ministry through her calling to teach at Norfolk Christian I am going to humbly attempt to capture the impact and legacy Laura has had and will continue to have in the Norfolk Christian Community and beyond. While reflecting upon her school ministry, three themes emerged: mission embodiment, gracious professional, and lifelong learner.

MISSION EMBODIMENT

Many of you know the mission statement of Norfolk Christian Schools: to equip students spiritually, intellectually, and physically to be Christ’s Ambassadors in the world. I’d like to read the verse from which our mission comes:

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

II Corinthians 5:20

Laura embodied this verse through each and every interaction. Whether it be with a student, colleague, or parent, she spurred them on to be reconciled to God through Christ. Granted, she didn’t have to say those exact words to do so It was the manner in which she demonstrated the fruit of the spirit: joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, goodness, faithfulness, and love She equally didn’t hesitate to vocalize her faith in Jesus One of her colleagues expressed to me, “ She shared her faith openly and prayed regularly and my children and I are closer to the Lord as a result. I feel blessed to have known her and miss her dearly.”

During her time at Norfolk Christian, Laura first served as a PK teacher, then the Advanced Academics teacher for our Lower Schools, helping all of our students increase their resilience and critical thinking skills. In each of these roles, Laura made it a point to inspire students with the gospel of Jesus. If you ’ ve watched The Chosen, or read the Gospels, you ’ ve learned the effortless manner in which Jesus goes about His day, sharing the truths of scripture through His actions and words This is very much what we experienced working alongside Laura and observing her daily teaching tasks “You can do hard things through Christ who gives you strength,” I often heard her say to students working through a difficult task or problem. One student shared with me, “She would always have the word “ perseverance ” on her door and she would always tell us that if a problem or anything was hard to keep trying to figure it out and persevere!” Two siblings who had Laura expressed how much they remember her gentle spirit encouraging them to keep persevering For all of these and so many more examples there wouldn’t be enough time to share, Laura embodied the mission of Norfolk Christian, equipping students and colleagues to be Ambassadors for Christ

GRACIOUS PROFESSIONAL

Laura communicated graciously and abundantly, advocating for her students, program, and the school as a whole She could identify and describe aspects in which growth was needed and she desired to work her very hardest because she was working unto God Himself. Her lesson plans were impeccably detailed, student and gospel centered, and ontime. Actually, that’s not true; they were usually early!

Drawing alongside her community in faith came naturally to Laura She was a favored prayer group member and consistently looked to support, pray for, and encourage those around her, myself included Even the folks we met at the Army Corps of Engineers for the Oyster Projects were encouraged by Laura’s presence. Students also felt encouraged and supported by her. One example of this comes from a former student referring to how Laura communicated by video with her and her peers during the pandemic. The students said that in the video “She tells us how proud she was of us all and she couldn't wait to see how we were going to grow in middle school She was very encouraging and she poured her love out to all of us ”

Parents and colleagues would also testify to the gracious professionalism Laura exhibited. The year of her diagnosis, we experienced an unfortunate and sudden need for a 5th grade teacher Amidst much pondering and mapping out how to best support those precious 5th graders, Laura courageously and willingly stepped in to teach the class Words cannot capture my gratitude for her servant leadership during that difficult time One parent of a student who experienced this transition spoke with her son about safe people he could go to if anything ever made him uncomfortable. Here are the parent’s words, “I asked him to list the safe people in his life. He had a short list, 2 from NCS, and Mrs Edwards was one of them She certainly made everyone who encountered her feel safe, valued, and seen I will always be grateful for her willingness to step into 5th grade after the traumatic exit of their teacher She selflessly accepted that challenging position and the weeks that she was with them gave us all such comfort and peace. We knew our children were safe in her hands but would be challenged academically.” For all these reasons and so many more, Laura truly was a gracious professional.

A LIFELONG LEARNER

A third theme of Laura’s ministry at Norfolk Christian is summarized with the phrase “Lifelong Learner”. Laura’s thirst for depth of understanding was demonstrated through her love of scripture. In the context of teaching, her willingness to learn new practices, methods, and lesson content set an example for colleagues and students alike of what it means to be a lifelong learner When educators can posture themselves as learners and model this for their students, growth mindset, grit, and critical thinking are transferred seamlessly from teacher to student

One parent shared this quote from her son when she asked him about his experience with Laura: “Mrs Edwards always knew the right thing to say if I was struggling with a concept ” That is because Laura was able to model what it was like to grapple with a problem needing to be solved. This quality of a lifelong learner certainly has prepared many students to tackle the hard things that life can bring. I’m excited to keep tabs on Norfolk Christian students and the difference they make in this world because of the growth mindset that has been modeled and encouraged by Laura’s teaching!

There are many, many examples of what students absorbed from their experiences with Laura. I’m fairly certain the game Apples to Apples owes the Edwards families some royalties because of the number of kids, teens, and young adults who now love it, after playing it so often with Laura in class! Another student shared with his parents, “I remember some of my favorite memories from the challenge group being an introduction to algebra, and loving the concept when I understood it. I also remember during the language part, analyzing the poem The Road Less Traveled by Robert Frost That poem is still my favorite to this day I also remember her introducing the game Apples to Apples to me and my peers Those of us that were there still love playing the game and look back fondly on the experience ” These examples demonstrate Laura’s love of learning and the impact it had on the students she worked with.

In closing, I’d like to share with you one more highlight (of many) from students’ memories of Laura. One of our students' favorite activities was an annual Wordmasters project, where they were asked to “Dress up like a word” for the day. It was a fun way to demonstrate their understanding of a specific vocabulary word they had studied and was a treasured activity by all who participated Laura always chose a word for herself and came dressed head to toe in things that represented that word's meaning

I’ve recently pondered what word Laura would be dressed up as walking through the gates of heaven? Would it be compassion, mercy, grace? Maybe ambassador, teacher, leader, servant? Or friend, encourager, faithful, inspiration, kind, worshiper? The list of possibilities is endless But everyone here knows as well as I do that no single word could ever capture Laura’s impact and ministry at Norfolk Christian, or anywhere else she dwelled on this earth. And because of that, I envision Laura walking before Jesus with a giant smile on her face and adorning proudly just one word around her neck - HOME For I know that she is truly at home before the throne of God, worshiping Him, probably talking His ear off about her journey and joy for His great kingdom. My comfort, and I pray yours, is looking forward to joining her one day. In the meantime, I am one of many, from colleagues past and present to all of her former students, who is inspired to draw closer to Jesus and love people more like He did, just as Laura modeled for us so well "

House Party

Homecoming 2022

Brought Double the Celebration

HHomecoming has long been one of our community's favorite events In 2022, it was actually two of the year's favorite events, as Hurricane Ian forced a change in some of our planned activities

Friday, September 30th was a beautiful day for our school-wide pep rally and traditional Powder Puff game. By early evening, however, hurricane wind gusts made most of our parking lot activities impossible

The football game went on as scheduled, including a blustery Homecoming Court, where seniors Elise Marsh and Brody Johnson were named Queen and King All other activities were rescheduled for the next home game, our fall teams' senior night A faithful crowd gathered for the original game and some even braved gusty tailgating on that September evening

Senior Night

Homecoming Part Two

On Friday, November 2nd, the second part of Homecoming took place and our Ambassador fans enjoyed a bonus night of great community. Tailgaters packed the parking lot, alumni gathered under the Alumni tent, and fall sport student-athletes were honored on the field with their families Fall coaches took the chance to congratulate each senior and their parents before Athletic Director Tim Bender prayed over the lives and futures of the Class of 2023.

In honor of October and Cancer Awareness month, th held a "Pink-Out," encou students and fans to wear p show their support The cooperated with a beautifu sunset just as the game beg portion of the evening's pro were donated to Sentara's Cancer Center to assist with cancer education, prevention screening programs.

Photo: Jason Axsom

Event Photos: Amanda Rimmer

From Redemption

to Recovery

September 1970 was the first time 14-year-old Paul Hardy stepped foot on the campus of Norfolk Christian A few weeks earlier, his parents had informed the three Hardy brothers that they would be attending a Christian school in the fall. A product of public schools to that point, Paul didn’t know what to expect, but he guessed he probably wouldn’t like it

Unfortunately, those initial feelings were right Coming into a small class, many of whom had been together since grade school, Paul felt like an outsider. He didn’t connect with many in this new group of friends and quickly learned that even kids at Christian schools weren't all nice He still recoils remembering the hurtful “jokes” he endured in those years, which put his worst insecurities on a pedestal for all to see "Gym class was the worst,” he recalls

Looking back now, the Dr. Paul version of that young man knows he was dealing with severe depression, something no one would have considered in the 1970s There were no counselors, no hotlines, no information to identify the underlying issue There was certainly no conversation about teen mental health It was an era when youth were lumped into two categories There were the “good kids” who obeyed their parents and followed the rules, or were good at pretending, and there were the "bad kids" who couldn’t stay out of trouble. Somehow, Paul had suddenly found himself in that second group.

As his social wounds grew deeper and the loneliness became unbearable, Paul's teen

Dr. Paul Hardy on tough love, surrender, and the power of hope.

self turned to an escape he learned to count on - alcohol and drugs It didn’t matter that his Godly parents would be devastated if they knew; it didn’t matter to him that he was violating every rule at his school and even breaking the law In those years, drugs and alcohol were the only things that numbed the mounting pain he felt every day

So - it was no surprise on that fateful morning, during the third quarter of his senior year, when he heard Principal Bob Miller’s voice over the loudspeaker saying those familiar words; “Paul Hardy, please come to the office ” As Paul walked slowly down, he prepared himself for another confrontation about his worsening behavior. He didn’t expect what he was about to walk into

Through some of his teachers, Mr Miller had learned that Paul was doing drugs Paul feigned shock while he listened to his principal state fact after irrefutable fact, but his story didn’t budge He stuck to the lie that he had never touched any substances

He told himself it would be fine, maybe even easier; he just wanted to check the high school box and be done

When he arrived at his new school, Paul quickly realized it was a world where drugs were plentiful and there weren't many repercussions No one there knew his parents, no one kept up with his grades, no one worried about how his decisions would affect his life It was the perfect climate for him to sink deeper into the bottomless pit of substance abuse. Sadly, that is exactly what he did

Paul miraculously walked the stage and gained a diploma that June, but his behavior had gotten out of control, and his dependence on drugs and alcohol had reached a frightening level The distraction they provided grew increasingly more temporary and less

By the end of that summer, Paul was trapped in a place of despair so deep, he wasn't sure he could ever get out.

His attempt didn’t fool

anyone. A committee met over Spring Break of 1974, just weeks before Paul should have become a Norfolk Christian graduate, and he was given the choice to leave or be expelled He and his parents decided that he would leave voluntarily, which meant his only option for graduating was to finish the year at Lake Taylor public high school

fulfilling By the end of that summer, Paul was trapped in a place of despair so deep, he wasn’t sure he could ever get out He looked at the poor choices piling up and didn't like who he had become, but he had no idea how to change.

The Words that Changed Everything

In a moment of pure desperation, Paul cried out to the God he had spent his life hearing about but had never taken seriously There was nothing left for him to lose He didn't know what he

was supposed to say, so he used the only thing he could come up with:

Paul also met his soon-to-be wife Suzie in college and they were married shortly after graduation

As soon as he spoke those words, Paul's heart was flooded with an overwhelming sense of peace and hope. In that instant, he knew God was both real and ready to change him It was a feeling he had never experienced before, and one he never wanted to live without again

Unable to keep quiet, Paul began fearlessly sharing his newfound faith with everyone he could find Most of his friends either ignored, or didn’t believe him; yet for the first time, it didn't matter what people thought He had an unshakeable desire to reach others for Christ so they could experience what he had He simply couldn’t stop talking about the Savior who had rescued him!

God's Plan Revealed

Doug Porter, Paul’s pastor at the time, helped him confirm that this unabashed boldness was God equipping him for ministry So Paul took a huge leap and enrolled at Tennessee Temple University. For the first time, he was excited to be in a classroom Four years later, he graduated as a Secondary Education teacher with degrees in English and Bible It was just the first step in a calling he couldn’t have imagined

During his years at Tennessee Temple, Paul had developed an interest in missions, and became a leader in the “Foreign Missions Fellowship.” Through that group, Paul and Suzie were exposed to missionaries from all over the world God used those servants to turn the new couple's hearts toward the mission field

From Madrid to Mexico

In 1982, Paul and Suzie followed the call and moved to Spain to be church planters After eight years, God called the now family of five to Mexico City, where they started another church While there, Paul earned his master's degree from the Graduate School of Mexico City, and was the school's first North American graduate

The Hardy family loved calling Mexico City home but living in the world’s smoggiest city took Paul’s asthma to a critical level After one too many scary situations, he was ordered back to the States in 1999 for medical rest When their home church learned Paul was returning to Virginia, they quickly brought him on as an Associate Pastor over Missions and Counseling, the two things he was most passionate about This opened up an unexpected world of ministry that Paul discovered he was uniquely equipped for

Fighting Addiction in the 757

As counseling became the bulk of his

"God, if You're real, help me and change me!"

professional life, Paul thou the young man he had Christ He felt a burden to d many people whose live ravaged by substance compulsive behaviors, suffocated by the same h remembered all too well visited Saddleback Churc to learn more about Celebrate Recovery prog home inspired and began own program and curricu

A year later, "Recovery for The organization special individuals with add compulsive behaviors pu through a solution-focuse approach One thing Pa both his counseling expe own life was that the proc people with addicti incomplete Most treatm even many that includ ignored the spiritual c hoped some form of sh would be the catalyst for one deep in addiction reason to feel ashamed need to hear "Just try ha were often the response well-meaning Christian c was determined to do be himself into developin approach that comb treatment methods with truth of the gospel Goin Twelve Steps will equip coping mechanisms Bu power of Christ, those mec

Paul's cross of nails tattoo is a constant reminder of what Jesus did for him

eventually fail Paul's burden is to help as many people as possible learn functional means for overcoming their addictions, while at the same time introducing them to the life-changing truth of Jesus's unconditional love

Nurturing New Lives

As he and Suzie worked with clients in those early years, they saw the need for an extended level of support to keep individuals on track after their programs ended Their answer was to develop relapse prevention programs and ongoing peer and counseling support that became part of the standard recovery protocol. The Recovery for Life Treatment Center was formed

After a decade of serving Hampton Roads, they were blessed to take that extended support a step further. Paul had seen the research, as well as the trends in his own clients, that called for a more structured step-down period in certain cases In 2010, R4L opened its first men's residential home and also added an outpatient-style daily care program for individuals who live in their own homes Both programs use a six month, 90/90 day formula to help people maintain the behavioral changes they've worked so hard to achieve. Recovery for Life now has three residential homes that provide support and accountability for men as they adjust to a healthy life routine

Life is "Hope, help, and healing." As of 2023, Recovery 4 Life has supported more than 10,000 individuals on their journey to conquering addiction Paul and his team have spent tens of thousands of hours shining the light of Christ into the deepest and darkest pits. They've seen lives rescued from the brink of suicide, marriages saved, families reunited, careers salvaged But nothing compares with those moments when someone finally experiences true freedom, the permanent, glorious freedom found only in surrendering to Christ

Beyond Recovery

While the Recovery ministry has taken the lion's share of Paul's time and energy, he has carved out space to use his expertise in the community in a variety of ways He and Suzie developed, opened, and initially ran local Transition Homes for Hope, which have helped hundreds of people adjust to coming out of jail or prison He spent nine years serving as a Chaplain with the Virginia Beach Police Department and still consults on difficult cases. And he is a frequent speaker across Hampton Roads on topics regarding substance abuse, addictions, and mental health

Always an Ambassador

The motto they live by at Recovery for

Despite the difficulties of high school, Paul has remained friends with many in his class and always enjoys NCS alumni events In 1992, Bob Miller awarded him an “honorary” NCS high school diploma He has also served as a trusted partner to Norfolk Christian over the years,

2016. He met with a group of bikers and began riding with them to biker bars and clubhouses It was like being a missionary all over again for him! He loved their zeal for Jesus and for sharing the gospel, and was thrilled when they asked him to Class

supporting the staff and community as a counselor and adviser

Ironically, the young man who couldn't wait to put high school behind him later found that he is actually an avid learner. Paul has gone on to receive multiple degrees, including certification in Transformational Prayer Ministry (TPM), a Master's in Business from Tennessee Temple, and a doctorate in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University. He is certified in Anger Management and is a National Master Addictions Counselor, as well as a Board-Certified Substance Abuse Counselor

Iron Horse Fellowship Biker Church

Paul's latest ministry has him serving as the Pastor at Iron Horse Fellowship, a biker church started in Chesapeake in

At Iron Horse, the Hardys have been embraced by a community of believers that shares their fire for Jesus and feels more like a giant family than a church It's been a joy for Paul to share the adventure with his younger brother Tim '81, who serves as the Chapter Elder for Bikers for Christ

of '74 Mini Reunion in 2019.

Speaking of family, Paul is always quick to mention how crucial the support of his wife Suzie has been through all of life's endeavors She has been his confidant, his loudest cheerleader, and an enthusiastic partner in every ministry they've been led to pursue

They are blessed to have three children who love the Lord, and are now raising families of their own and finding their own ways to serve the Kingdom of God Being "Papa" to his thirteen grandchildren is a greater joy than he could ever have imagined

When Paul looks at his life, his beautiful family, and the ministry God has allowed him to have, it's impossible to express enough gratitude Though it's been nearly fifty years, he is always mindful of that 18year-old who left Norfolk Christian, ashamed, bitter, devoid of hope. To think how radically and completely His Savior changed him makes Paul just as passionate to share that good news today as he was back in 1974 So as long

as God gives him a voice, he will use it to preach the redeeming power and perfect love of Jesus

"Recently, everyone was together at our house for a holiday dinner I mean everyone! Kids were laughing and playing. It was loud! I looked around the room, realizing that if it weren’t for Jesus and what He’s done in my life, I would have none of this! Glory to His Name!"

Paul and Suzie

Photo: Lily Strickland

Making Teachers' Dreams Come True

Former Teacher Nancy Wiedmaier Leaves Faculty a Treasure Trove of New Resources and Equipment

EEvery teacher returns from summer break with visions of updating their classroom spaces and providing all of the extras that make learning more impactful Unfortunately, many of those goals remain a daydream, as bigger necessities take spending precedence

But imagine coming back in August and hearing that a generous donor has left you the most wonderful gift, the chance to purchase anything you'd like to create a more engaging learning environment for your students It may sound too good to be true, but that's exactly what happened for our teachers in August of 2022, when they learned that Nancy Wiedmaier had left a special bequest earmarked just for them

Nancy was a faithful servant of the Lord who spent 26 years teaching Business classes at NCS and leading our High School Business Department Thousands of students learned typing and other skills under her expert direction Outside of the classroom, she was mom to alumni J.D. '87 and George '89 Wiedmaier, and grandmother to Sam '21, Meredith '22, and Morgan, Class of 2026

Nancy was an Ambassador to the core and an avid supporter of the Norfolk Christian mission. She also held a special place in her heart for our faculty. One thing Nancy knew well was that the budget only went so far It purchased curriculum and essential classroom supplies, but there was often no room for the most up-to-date technology or those fun resources that could really help teachers add to their students' experience It was with that heart that Nancy chose to

include Norfolk Christian in her will, dedicating a generous bequest for two things: technology to benefit students school-wide, and a spending fund that allowed faculty to purchase "wishlist" supplies they never dreamed they could get

Teachers were asked to dream big about things they wanted to see in their classrooms Requests soon began rolling in, but teachers weren't sure how much to hope for Until their items started to arrive: chairs, flexible classroom seating, band instruments, enrichment curriculum, scientific calculators for a whole class, and so much more The boxes just kept coming; it was a "Christmas morning" kind of blessing that our teaching team could hardly believe

Along with larger items like Smart Boards and furniture, a favorite request at our lower schools was for new rugs, chairs, and pillows to create cozy class reading nooks. Second grade teacher Catherine Bergethon was able to outfit a warm and welcoming corner in her room that her students love and use daily "Mrs Wiedmaier was my high school typing teacher here at NCS As a teacher myself now, I was blown away by her generous gift! She truly knows and understands a teacher's heart to create a space that inspires and educates students, and her gift provided the "extras" that truly make a classroom inviting We are so grateful!"

Jenna Porter is our Reading Specialist for both Lower Schools It was a dream come true for her to add supplemental materials and training to our reading program "The Wiedmaier Fund has allowed us to supplement our reading instruction with cutting-edge phonics and spelling curriculum that puts us ahead of the curve with new best practice research, as well as new technology and materials for independent student practice. It also provided professional development to our teachers so they could implement the newest reading research with confidence!"

Upper School teachers were delighted to restock specialty art supplies, add supporting curriculum resources, and receive technology like advanced virtual reality headsets and a state-of-the-art DNA fingerprinting lab for biology classes.

Karen Jackson, Director of Fine Arts, has been overwhelmed by how the Wiedmaier Fund has impacted the Upper School Band program They were able to purchase muchneeded instrument replacements, as well as add marching band heavy-hitters like a new sousaphone Mrs Jackson gushed: "There is nothing like seeing the joy on a student's face when you hand them a new instrument to play. The student feels encouraged and valued to have the opportunity to use a brand new instrument that works well and plays easily We are very blessed to have received so much funding from the Wiedmaier Fund this year "

In addition to the many teacher requests that have been met, the technology portion of the Wiedmaier Fund has purchased an extensive list of supplemental technology for use in our classrooms From iPads, laptops, and 3D printers to cameras, drones, and robotics equipment, our students have been blessed with the latest technology resources throughout our three campuses As our staff have put their new supplies into play, they continue to beam at such a kind and loving gesture, which only a teacher could understand

All in all, Nancy Wiedmaier's generosity has touched every student, teacher, and classroom at Norfolk Christian, much like her giving spirit did during her lifetime Not only has the Wiedmaier Fund been a great encouragement to our faculty, the projects funded have enhanced instruction and learning environments at every grade level, and will continue to do so for years to come We are humbled and blessed that this generous servant continued pouring into Norfolk Christian after her earthly life had ended

Karen Jackson

Catherine Bergethon

Jenna Porter

Photo: Lily Strickland

Not A Typical Day on the Course

by Brianna Crapanzano

IIf you’ve ever had the pleasure of attending the John Elder Classic Golf Tournament, you’re probably familiar with a joke that goes something like this:

“Welcome to the John Elder Classic Golf Tournament My name is John Elder, and as always, I am glad this is not the John Elder Golf Tournament ” Chuckles ensue and then the games begin

Memorial

The Golf Tournament has been part of the Norfolk Christian tradition for almost twenty years now, but it didn’t carry the name of John Elder until 2010, when tournament chairperson Matt Tiffany '87 suggested they honor one of NCS’s best teachers - also father of two grads and grandfather of five alumni and current students - by naming the tournament after him.

Photo: Lily Strickland

Tiffany said, “When the focus of the tourney became more about raising money for our teachers and staff, I wanted a name that, by itself, would say all it needed to about WHY we were making that group our focus Everyone who knows Mr Elder knows the kind of teacher and mentor he is Personally, Mr Elder was a role model to me in middle school, some of the most important years of growing up, and continued to be well past 5th grade I also knew that his personality would be great to have out on the course, laughing and making everyone feel welcome Now, people come to play but also to get that putt and picture and hear a new joke from him in the process.”

As much as he loves to joke, John's motivation is serious business: raising money for Norfolk Christian's students, faculty, and staff The Golf Tournament has evolved from a small gathering of alumni and supporters at its inception to one of NCS’s most successful events It now contributes to major projects, like providing new technology for all three campuses in 2021, and a new Activity Bus this year. The 2022 tournament raised a record $85,000 Each year, the distribution of funds is determined based on the needs of the school at the time This year's proceeds went to faculty and staff bonuses, the Annual Fund, which covers program needs for students at all campuses, and the new Ambassador activity bus

Even with that kind of impact, the JEC has become much more than a fundraiser. For many, it is a family tradition and the perfect way to step into summer Of course, this is truest for the Elder family Each year, John, his wife Joy, at least one of their children, and most of their grandchildren are at the event His daughter Chris '96 said, “I love that our whole family can get involved in the tournament Whether we are golfing or volunteering,

Tournament Chairman Matt Tiffany '87 laughs at John's infamous opening joke.

Photo: Lily Strickland

Photo: Lily Strickland

Photo: Lily Strickland

Photo: Lily Strickland

Photo: Lily Strickland

Photo: Lily Rhodes

Photo: Lily Rhodes

AMBASSADOR SPRING 2023

it's always great to be all together for the day." She usually finds herself at the John Elder hole, where her dad takes a swing for each team, and uses his platform to socialize, while telling more jokes that make people groan In fact, this hole is notorious for backing up as Mr Elder works on the perfect putt and the perfect content delivery, but golfers never seem to mind.

If there's one thing that makes this golf tournament stand out from others, it's the smiles "We've had rain, we've had 100 degree heat, and everything in between, but the constant of this event is just a joyful atmosphere," says Rick Nikkel, NCS Director of Advancement and the host of the tournament each year His department puts a lot of effort into creating that atmosphere, with activities for every type of golfer. There are raffles, a silent auction, prizes - both serious and silly - given throughout the day, and snacks, plenty of snacks. "Those seem to be the biggest hits," Amy Moreau, Advancement Program Manager, says "We want our golfers to feel like honored guests ” With that in mind, they are always trying to freshen up the day with fun new twists so that each year is different

Many JEC golfers do feel like honored guests, and because of that, they return year after year. Some are alumni, some are business associates or supporters of the school, and some are just golfers who got word of a neat tournament And they are not the only people who return each year There is a faithful group of NCS staff and friends who show up to volunteer instead of enjoying a summer Friday off "It takes a village to pull off this large event and we have a very helpful and generous village," Moreau adds.

A favorite statistic for everyone involved in the 2022 John Elder Classic was that it had the most Norfolk Christian alumni participation ever With 26 alumni golfers on the course and another 10 alumni volunteers, it was a lively group that represented all eras of NCS. Many come to see one of their favorite teachers as he supports the school. Others use the tournament as a chance to reconnect with classmates while doing something they love. Still others tag along with parents or family for a fun day of improving their skills

Whatever their reason for coming out to the John Elder Classic, golfers inevitably find that it's not your average tournament. The competition is real, the prizes are enviable, but the spirit of the event is much like its namesake: light-hearted, fun, and all about enjoying a day on the course. Not to mention, where else does the most popular hole include a pinch-putter whose favorite greeting is "Have you heard the one about ?"

Photo: Lily Rhodes

2022 GIVING REPORT

Equipping Students Spiritually, Intellectually and Physically

Your generosity in 2022 led to an overflow of thanksgiving to God as we were able to fully equip teachers and students across every campus. THANK YOU!

THE ANNUAL FUND

HIGHLIGHTS

ALL CHARITABLE GIVING RECEIVED JANUARY 1,

HISTORY OF BEQUESTS

2000-2009 $114,833 from 2 donors

2010-2019 $76,612 from 4 donors

2020-2022 $477,049 from 4 donors

BEQUEST IMPACTS

Endowed perpetual tuition aid scholarship Technology in the classrooms to enhance teaching & curriculum

“Beyond their budget” teacher supplies and classroom equipment Endowment fund for faculty benefits

Tuition aid fund

To use where needed most

Make an Impact that

Norfolk Christian has been tremendously blessed in the last two years by unexpected and generous bequests These ordinary people are carrying the Ambassador mission forward in extraordinary ways, making an impact on our students and staff that far outlived their earthly lives

Nancy Wiedmaier

Nancy Wiedmaier was an Ambassador through and through A dedicated teacher in Norfolk Christian's High School and a proud alumni mom and grandmother, she was part of the Norfolk Christian community for four decades

Nancy went to heaven to be with her Savior in June of 2021 Later that year, Norfolk Christian was honored to learn she had bequeathed a sizable gift to the school in her estate It was dedicated to two things close to Nancy's heart, teachers and technology

Having spent 26 years leading the High School Business department, Nancy understood the important role technology plays for students, even more so now than when she was in the classroom Therefore, half of her bequest was set aside for updating classroom technology that would support curriculum and student activities

The other portion of Nancy's bequest gave our teachers the ultimate giftfunding to purchase items on their classroom "wishlists" Read more in our feature article on page 24 To date, Nancy's generosity has funded iPads, cameras, laptops, robotics equipment, classroom furniture, band instruments, and 3d printers, along with many other items. She continues to provide for the "wishlists" of our faculty as they constantly improve their classrooms to create the most engaging student experience

Outlives Your Life Leo & Joann Elizabeth Edler

Leo and Joann were lifelong believers in Christian education When Joann followed her husband to be with the Lord in the fall of 2021, Norfolk Christian was notified of a generous gift given in honor of one of their five grandchildren, an NCS graduate

Leo and Joann's hope of bringing young people to Christ through Christian education will be realized long past their earthly life, as many NCS students are equipped to be Ambassadors for Christ through their stewardship and generosity

Mrs Edler served as the Lower School Music teacher at Norfolk Christian for 25 years. In January 2022, at age 88, Liz went to be with the Lord Norfolk Christian was soon notified that she had bequeathed a significant gift to fund tuition scholarships for students pursuing music studies, with an emphasis on music composition, piano and organ performance Many NCS students grew up with Mrs Edler playing the organ at TAB Church. This generous bequest will allow a new generation of Ambassadors to carry on her legacy

2022 NCS SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES

These scholarships are offered thanks to generous advocates who established and funded each award with a heart to encourage Norfolk Christian students in their academic pursuits

$2,500

Awarded to Emma Wool

Class of 2022

Emma is pursuing her BSN in Nursing at Randolph-

$1,000

Awarded to Elana Lapetina

Class of 2022

Elana is attending East Carolina University

$2,500

Awarded to Elana Lapetina

Class of 2022

Elana is attending East Carolina University

$750

Awarded to Ryle Nugent

Class of 2022

Ryle is attending William & Mary

ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP

The Elizabeth "Betty" Jones Memorial Scholarship

Macon College

NURSING SCHOLARSHIP

The Jenni Prevette Memorial Scholarship

FINE ARTS SCHOLARSHIP

The Virginia Mae Midkiff Memorial Scholarship

The Cathy Turner Memorial Scholarship

FINE ARTS SCHOLARSHIP

GODLY

$3,175

Awarded to Logan McElveen

Class of 2022

Logan is attending Belmont Abbey College

$1,500

Awarded to Lucy Pound

Class of 2023

Lucy is a Senior at NCS

$1,500

Awarded to Maxwell Ewing

Class of 2023

Max is a Senior at NCS

TEACHING SCHOLARSHIP

$1,000

Awarded to James Shepard

Class of 2024

James is a Junior at NCS

Awards to graduating seniors are applied directly to their college tuition while our undergraduates have their awards applied to their NCS tuition costs. The Mark Rodriguez Memorial Scholarship provides an award towards worship leadership development.

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

II Corinthians 5:20

The Doug Sandwell Memorial Scholarship

CHARACTER SCHOLARSHIP

The Barb Thierry Scholarship

MINISTRY SCHOLARSHIP

The Grace Mutzabaugh Memorial Scholarship

The Mark Rodriguez Memorial Scholarship

WORSHIP MINISTRY SCHOLARSHIP

HOW TO GIVE TO NCS

A gift to Norfolk Christian helps us equip all student and faculty Ambassadors through optimal classroom experiences and excellent programming in a Christcentered environment. It may also help you avoid unnecessary taxes.

CASH GIFTS

Make a single one-time donation, or consider a recurring monthly gift. Online giving is available at norfolkchristian. org under the Give option.

Make gifts online at: norfolkchristian org/give or mail a check to:

Advancement Norfolk Christian Schools 255 Thole Street Norfolk, VA 23505

APPRECIATED ASSETS

Appreciated stock or real estate you have owned for more than one year will generate tax savings when donated directly to NCS.

GIFTS IN KIND

Possibilities are limitless. NCS uses and needs many goods and services.

MATCHING GIFTS

Charitable donations by current or retired employees are matched by some companies. Ask your employer.

PLANNED GIFTS

It doesn't have to be complicated to include NCS in your will. We have the resources to help with this or other types of future gifts.

Estate planning is made easy with help from our partners at Barnabas Foundation. You can ensure that the legacy you leave behind reflects your values and leaves a lasting impact on loved ones and charities you hold dear

A Legend Takes His Place on the Field

IIn March of 2020, Rich Rose had no idea he was holding his last Lower School P E class When he set his retirement plan in motion at the beginning of that year, no one could have predicted he would spend the last months of his time at NCS in front of a screen, having no actual contact with the kids who brought him such joy

It was a disappointing way to end a storied career, especially for a man who loves people and had a lot of personal goodbyes to say

When we returned to campus the next fall, Rich's name was a constant topic of conversation Alumni, staff, and parents all wanted a way to honor and show their appreciation for Coach Rose's long legacy.

Out of those conversations came the idea for the Rich Rose Press Box The new press box was set to be installed for Homecoming, which gave us the perfect opportunity to honor Rich's legendary career

Photos: Amanda Rimmer

Then came the crazy idea - what if we made it a surprise? Was that even possible? His family's answer was "Yes!" So for the next five months, the entire Norfolk Christian community, past and present, kept a secret from one man His kids knew, his wife knew, his best friends knew, pretty much everyone who knows him knew But it wasn't until Rich was called to the field that night and saw his sisters from New Jersey joining him that he realized something might be up

Rick Nikkel began to explain:

Rich, we know you came here tonight to support the football team and catch up with alumni. But what you don't know is that our entire community - literally everyone but you - has been keeping a big secret for months, and it hasn’t been easy! I am very proud to reveal that secret

to you tonight

In light of your retirement, the Norfolk Christian family wanted to celebrate all you have done for the school in the 36 years you were with us From teacher, coach, and Athletic Director to behind-thewheel instructor, Camp Director, mentor, and friend - you have trained thousands of students to give their best in every area for the glory of God Your legacy will truly last for eternity In honor of that legacy, and as a lasting tribute to all you have done for Norfolk Christian, it gives me great joy to unveil for you:

THE NEW RICH ROSE PRESS BOX!

Photo: Amanda Rimmer

After Rich regained his composure, Head of School Dan Tubbs presented him with a keepsake graphic that included well wishes and favorite memories from the NCS community It was a wonderful evening of celebrating one of Norfolk Christian's great legends.

The Rich Rose Press Box has been an outstanding addition to Moore Family Field, providing game announcers and coaches a state-of-the-art technical booth.

As for Rich, it's no surprise that he didn't stay away for long Although retired from teaching, he couldn't pass up the chance to help with his grandson's Middle School Boys Soccer team last fall. He had so much fun that he is serving as Coach of the 2023 Middle School Girls Soccer team this spring We couldn't be happier for a new generation of Ambassadors to learn from the one and only Coach Rose. And it's only fitting that they're doing so on the field with a press box that bears his name

Photos: Amanda Rimmer

Photo: Lily Strickland

No Brakes

Norfolk Christian's Track & Field Team is One for the Record Books

For the third year in a row, Norfolk Christian's Track Team is the one to beat in the state Since 2021, they've dominated in too many events to list and racked up dozens of medals to show for it But their victories come quietly, in unfamiliar stadiums with a small group of parents cheering them on. Instead of big games, their meets consist of long, hot days - sometimes blazing hot - with hundreds of athletes waiting

for their events to come up As students take their place on the blocks, they know there are no throngs of fans in the bleachers or crowds on the sidelines to watch them cross the finish line. That just gives them more reason to celebrate each other.

And that is something that comes naturally to this bunch "They're so encouraging to each other," says Team Mom Shana Pryor "Whether it's been a great day or a rough day, these kids are always lifting each other up" The kids aren't the only ones spreading encouragement around Talk to any of the parents in this group and you'll

Photo: Lily Strickland

Photo: Jason Axsom

learn quickly that track family pride runs deep. "They work so hard," is the comment heard most often

That they do With no track on campus, Coach Tony Church pieces together practice space anywhere he can find it, his team often using parking lots, sidewalks, and hallways At this point, they can tell you where to find 100 meters almost anywhere on campus! Doing whatever it takes to get better, regardless of your circumstances, is exactly the attitude he wants his athletes

to have He knows they could train nonstop, but if his team doesn't find the grit that makes them take another step when they want to stop, it's not going to get them to the finish line "All gas, no brakes," is what he often tells them. It seems like they've been listening

Speaking of finish lines, there are two traditions at every NCS Track meet First, they open with prayer, for safety, stamina, and to represent NCS and their Heavenly Father well The other tradition comes later in the event, when Coach Church heads

The Road

Boys 4 x 100 team of Jacob Pryor, Jack Dugan, Josh Davis & Chris Joseph break the NCS time record and take 1st place in the TCIS and State.

Jizelle Holland wins the TCIS championships for the 400m dash and Long Jump and is then a 4-time State Champion for the 100m, 200m, & 400m dashes and Pole Vault.

Josh Davis takes 1st in the TCIS for the 100m & 200m and is State Champ for the 200m dash

elle Holland are nament MVPs

Jack Clark is the TCIS Champion for the 400m Dash.

Chris Joseph comes in 1st for Long Jump in the TCIS and also takes 1st in the State.

Jack Dugan is the TCIS Champion for High Jump

Meet Photos: Jason Axsom

For all their hard work, this tight-knit group also loves to goof around.

to Victory

Girls Track Team places 4th Overall in the State

Boys Track Team Named STATE CHAMPIONS

Coach Anthony Church is named 2021 TCIS Coach of the Year.

Photos: Lily Strickland

The Road

The Boys Track team is Runner-Up in the TCIS.

Jizelle Holland and Chris Joseph are named TCIS Tournament MVPs, Jizelle for the second consecutive year

Chris Joseph takes RunnerUp in the State in the 100m Dash and Long Jump

The 4 x 400 Relay team of Cole Risk, Kyron Jennings, Jacob Pryor, and Leon Battle takes RunnerUp in the State

Meet Photos: Jason Axsom

AMBASSADOR ATHLETICS

to the finish line of every race He has the same word as each runner gets close, screamed shamelessly at the top of his lungs: "FINISH!" It's his last chance to tell them they can do it, and he's not going to waste it Tony's passion is a big reason our studentathletes keep giving it all they've got, and why he's been named TCIS Coach of the Year for the last two years in a row.

In April, the Boys team had the honor of competing at the oldest and largest Track event in the country, the University of Pennsylvania's Penn Relays Our Boys 4 x 4

to Victory

Jizelle Holland defends her State Champion titles in the 200m and 400m Dashes and Pole Vault.

The Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) names her "Performer of the Meet" and "Runner of the Meet" at the State Competition

Relay team came away with a second place finish against teams from around the country and our 4 x 1 team took fourth It was the boost they needed to rev up for 2023 conference and state competitions in May The team is hoping to bring back even more hardware this tournament season, as they've worked to shave hundredths of seconds off their times and beat their personal bests One thing they know for sure, no matter the outcome, is that they're going to take everything they have and leave it on the track Because that's what this team does All gas. No brakes.

For the second year in a row, Coach Anthony Church is named TCIS Coach of the Year.

Sporting News

Girls Basketball on Fire

The 2023 Girls Basketball Team had a record season! Under Head Coach Mike Fariss, this team took NCS to the VISAA State semi-finals for the first time in a decade and had some of the conference's stand-out players As an eighth grader, Justice Brown-Jones was the 4th leading scorer in the TCIS and led the team with 446 points, 76 assists and 212 rebounds She was only outscored by three opposing seniors heading to D1 careers As a sophomore, Abuna Ruop was the ninth leading scorer in the conference with 382 points, but led on rebounds with a whopping 387, also posting 19 double doubles and a handful of triple doubles for the season. Although they're losing senior captains Paige Milligan and Michelle Luhunga, the rest of this fierce team will be back next year to finish what they started The future is bright!

Lacrosse Builds from Within

NCS Parent and FCA Coach Nat Pierce has built the Boys Lacrosse program from only a dozen players in 2019 to more than 50 this year, also adding a rec league and camp program for lower schoolers!

Photo: Lily Strickland

Photo: Jason Axsom

AMBASSADOR ATHLETICS

Mr. B. is Back in the Game

When the 2023 Baseball team found themselves needing a fillin coach mid-season, Mr Baumgardner didn't waste a minute dusting off his glove and heading back to the field Those are some lucky young men!

Record Breaker

2022 grad Saachi Bureau ended her NCS career last May with a new title: Highest Scorer of All Time Saachi didn't just squeak by the historical record, she smoked it, surpassing the previous stat of 34 goals in a season by a whopping 15, ending with 49 goals for the year That's more than any player, male or female, who's ever worn an NCS soccer uniform!

The 2022 Girls Soccer Team went to the VISAA State semifinals for the first time in 10 years and outscored their opponents 67-27 on the season!

Photos: Jason Axsom

And the Band Played On

TThe NCS Pep Band has been a fixture since the 1990s But busy class schedules, changing program offerings, and pandemic restrictions had taken their toll on student involvement in recent years, and that sea of instruments in the bleachers had all but disappeared When new Band Director Karen Jackson arrived in 2020, she prayed for a way to change that Three years later, the band program is thriving, with 74 students in our Upper School bands and another 13 from our Norfolk Lower School who join for special events Hearing them all play together is a thrill Karen thanks the Lord for every day

Photo: Lily Strickland

LOWER SCHOOL CLUB

One of the things that has made a big difference is allowing students to try their hand at instruments from a younger age A new Band Club at our Norfolk Lower School lets fourth and fifth graders experience the excitement of band before they get to Middle School They learn some basics and get to try a variety of instruments to see what they enjoy. That has had a distinct impact on the program as a whole All of the students who were part of the Band Club last year have stayed with their instruments and are now members of our sixth grade

band Giving them that earlier start made them feel accomplished and invested; they couldn't wait to get to middle school and be part of the actual band community

BEYOND THE BAND ROOM

Although Karen is passionate about music herself, she knows not every child will come to her with the same energy. And that's just fine. Because what matters far more than how many bodies she has in the stands is how strongly she believes in the benefits of music education for

Marching Band Performance - September 30, 2022

all There is significant evidence that playing an instrument develops parts of the brain that aren't touched by other activities, helping students achieve more in many other academic pursuits She has seen this in action and knows that students who dedicate themselves to playing an instrument will reap the rewards in many ways

The community aspect of band is something she also wishes every student

could experience They work hard because that's what the Lord deserves from them, but they also have a lot of fun. Karen always reminds our musicians what a privilege it is to learn their craft and be part of this community within a Christian setting In fact, they start every class with a student-led prayer, thanking God for the opportunity He has given them. If students aren't comfortable coming up with their own words, there's a written-out prayer posted that they

Six High School band members auditioned and were chosen for All-District Band in February 2023

From left: Sam Via, Thomas Voukoun, Joshua Pantangan, Landon Pruhs, Autumn Smith, and Oliver Anderson represented Norfolk Christian among public and private area schools

can read "Lord, we thank you for the gift of music and the opportunity to learn an instrument Please give us the patience needed to learn new skills today and help us to support and encourage each other as we learn together. Amen." Karen hopes students will remember those words long after they've left her room, and take them to heart about other endeavors in their lives

Experts in the Field

A highlight for band members in the last two years has been the privilege of meeting and learning from professionals They've had multiple guests from the Virginia Symphony talk about how they developed their own skills and what students can do to improve, no matter

where they are right now

One of those recent visits was a blessing for the entire school, when the Quantico Marine Corps Band stopped to perform for our Upper School on their way to play in the world-renowned Virginia International Tattoo They gave a lively show that had our students laughing, cheering, and hoping for more

After the performance, Marine Corps Band members joined our High School band in the band room, where students got to play next to musicians who are experts on the instruments they're just learning It was an incredible privilege that Karen knows her students will not soon forget

E J Dobratz plays the new sousaphone during a marching band performance in September 2022.

Photo: Lily Strickland

Out of the Stands

As for that Pep Band, they now pack their own section of the bleachers. It has been Karen's dream to outfit them with traditional marching band pieces and give them more opportunities to get out of the stands She was able to do just that this year, thanks to the generosity of several donors to the school. When the Nancy Wiedmaier gift was announced to teachers on their first day back this year, Karen could hardly believe her ears She was one of the first to turn in her wishlist, which was dedicated

The band was also blessed to receive a generous gift from Jerry and Judy Rex, which allowed them to purchase two tenor trumpets called euphoniums and an upright set of bells called a glockenspiel Being able to train students on these new marching band instruments has been a joy for everyone, especially Mrs. Jackson.

As she looks back on all the ways God has blessed our band program in recent years, Karen has one overwhelming thoughtthankfulness She still considers it an overentirely to getting new instruments in the hands of her students She was overjoyed when they were approved Through the Wiedmaier fund, she's been able to buy trumpets and a bass clarinet, as well as that giant white sousaphone that makes such a visual splash when the band

whelming blessing that she gets to use her love for teaching music in a Christian environment Being able to train a new generation to use the art she loves as a way to glorify God is a gift that makes her excited to come to work every day, and passionate about the future of the band and the arts at Norfolk Christian

Through the Wiedmaier fund, she's been able to buy trumpets and a bass clarinet, as well as the giant white sousaphone that makes such a visual splash when the band shows up.

Marching Band and Drumline at the Virginia Beach Christmas Parade in December 2022

Backstage View

District Chorus Crowd

An amazing 21 students from our Upper School choral programs were invited to participate in the 2023 District Chorus!

Gala Photos: Lily Strickland

The Sixth Annual Fine Arts Gala

The 2023 Fine Arts Gala was full of comedy, creativity, and show-stopping talent Head of School Dan Tubbs and Fine Arts Director Karen Jackson hosted the evening event, which included hors d'oeuvres and dessert, as well as silent and live auction items But it was the student performers who stole the night From breathtaking renditions of Broadway musicals, to rap and dance numbers, to inflatable dinosaurs and lifesize ducks, it was a rousing good time that left the audience cheering "Bravo!"

Fifth graders in Mrs. Sansalone's class work on the Marshmallow Challenge

More than Marshmallows

Lower School Teachers Build Confidence and Skills Through STEM Integration

There's a familiar scene in our Lower School classrooms A stack of seemingly unrelated materials with a group of classmates huddled around them, deep in thought. To an observer, it may look like these students are unmotivated or even having snack time But what they're actually doing could change the world

Introducing Engineering Engineering challenges are a key component of our Lower School curriculum all the way down to Kindergarten They're one of the best ways to help students think critically and see that they can find answers to problems that at first seem unsolvable

In the case of our fifth graders, Kim Sansalone likes to re-introduce the engineering concept for their new grade level with The Marshmallow Challenge Each group has 20 minutes to use 20 sticks of spaghetti, a yard of string, and a yard of tape to build a freestanding structure that can bear the weight of a marshmallow Her students typically leave this experiment "super frustrated and unsuccessful," and she's ok with that

Because on the second day, she shows them a Ted Talk from a man who has done this activity with hundreds of people, including adults He explains that out of all the groups who try it, one consistently performs better than any other: kindergarteners. The shock reverberates around the room Then he explains why First, kindergarteners are not worried about who is in charge, or as he puts it, "Who is CEO of the Spaghetti Factory " Second, they start with the marshmallow, then make a critical decision that changes everything They don't stop when the first idea doesn't work They constantly test, try, change, and test again until something accomplishes the goal "Learning this lesson is a

game-changer," says Kim, " because it introduces the concept of iteration, which is crucial in the engineering design process "

In fact, one of the most impactful things about these challenges is that failure is built into the process Beach Campus Director Anna Surratt says: "The best ideas often come out of countless failures It took Thomas Edison 1000 tries before he got a lightbulb to work The Wright Brothers persevered for years before their Flying Machine took flight That kind of tenacity is integral to creating good problem-solvers, so we give our students an environment where trying again and again is applauded "

Saving Sam

While fifth graders were dealing with marshmallows, second graders were rescuing a gummy worm Specifically, a gummy worm named Sam Their first engineering challenge of the year required them to work together to “Save

Sam”, a gummy worm who was helplessly trapped on top of a boat (a plastic cup ) The life preserver (gummy Lifesaver) under the boat wasn't helping him at all Their task was to use two paperclips to rescue him, but they couldn't touch the boat, Sam, or the life preserver with their fingers. They had to figure out how to move the cup and get the gummy Lifesaver around the gummy worm, all while not letting Sam touch the water Not an easy task!

These fun challenges introduce the concept of tackling hard problems in a developmentally-appropriate way

Even our youngest students gain confidence that they can solve difficult problems when they listen and collaborate as a team.

Building the tallest towers in STEM challenges

Photo: Meg Hutchinson

Even our youngest students gain confidence that they can solve difficult problems when they listen and collaborate as a team

Beyond Marshmallows

So what about those fifth grade spaghetti-tower builders? There's good news. After watching the Ted Talk on their second day, every team built a tower that held up their marshmallow! In the process, they learned to communicate and collaborate better, and tested and trouble-shot their designs until reaching an optimal final product That's really what the lesson was about

Mrs Sansalone's students are now experts in the engineering design process Their latest project is building Rube Goldberg machines, which has been a huge hit The idea is to build an apparatus that solves a simple problem in an overly - more like ridiculouslycomplicated way Imagine a 15-step process for picking up a pencil that

involves dominos collapsing, balls sliding down tracks, and plastic animals falling into cages

Asking the Right Questions

Using our framework of Christian Deeper Learning, any challenge starts with a question that ultimately points students back to Christ. For our fifth grade engineers, the Essential Question was: "What Can I Learn About Being a More Effective Problem Solver and Collaborator Through Engineering?"

Beach Campus fifth grade students began their engineering journey a little differently, with a 'Building Background Knowledge' protocol They started with a mystery image, and used a gallery walk to notice and wonder about the project ahead, without any clear statements as to what it would be They were then given reading materials, where they looked for clues When they went back to their mystery image, they understood what their final task would be - using the engineering design

Mrs Bergethon's 2nd graders strategize on how to save Sam

process to create a Rube Goldberg Machine In their study along the way, they created small design projects with electricity, programmed Ozobots, visited roller coasters at the Virginia Air and Space Museum, and much more Now, as they work on their capstone Rube Goldberg design, they are using all of the knowledge they've acquired and filtering it through the process they've become familiar with: brainstorming, collaborating, building, testing, re-building, re-testing, and sticking with that cycle until their design functions well

Becoming Team Players

The importance of teamwork to these activities cannot be overstated Not only do students see that a collective idea is often better than any one person's plan, they are learning the important character traits of humility, kindness, and respect They're learning to cheer when a friend's idea is the perfect answer, instead of being angry or hurt

And after all, that's the real lesson Our constant academic pursuit is to create exceptional thinkers, planners, and strategists Maybe one of these student's ideas really will change the world someday; they will certainly all change their own corners of the world for the better But our true mission is to point them to that place in the context of who Christ wants them to be

Anna Surratt sums it up like this: "As our students walk through these activities each year, they get a new picture of how God has created each mind and set of hands uniquely and perfectly They're able to marvel at how lovingly He has assembled each class to problem solve with each other, and they see the benefits of the specific strengths He has brought together. While they develop new strategies for collaboration, they ultimately look to Jesus, who is the very best team player We learn by following his example of meekness, humility, honesty, and attentiveness "

5th graders at both campuses work on their Rube Goldberg machines

A Few of Our Favorite Things

Understanding the Word

Students in Mrs Miller's first grade class at the Beach learn about the Ten Commandments and how to highlight important things in their Bibles as they read through Exodus

Fun Fact

In September 2022, we posted a reel of Mrs Williams' Beach Campus 5th graders doing an experiment It went viral and garnered over 12,000 views worldwide!

"It was a big day for 5th graders! They designed their own experiments to test the steps in the scientific method with the testable question they agreed on: “Does the amount of Mentos I add to Diet Coke increase the height of the reaction?” They hypothesized it would increase with more Mentos, then tested it 3x. Afterwards, they analyzed their work with a critical eye and considered what they would do next time to make their investigation more scientifically valid."

A Few of Our Favorite Things

Made to Worship

Chapel is a special time where our students get to lead each other in worshiping Jesus!

Kreating Like Klimt

In their Master Artist study, second graders studied the Tree of Life by Gustav Klimt and learned about his technique and influence on art They then made their own Tree of Life masterpieces using gold and mosaic patterns

Photo: Meg Hutchinson

Photo: Meg Hutchinson

100 Years for 100th Day

Our Lower Schools looked far into the future to celebrate 100th Day on February 9, 2023 by dressing as 100-year-olds Beach campus staff brought their canes and walkers to greet students in traffic pattern

Beach Campus Photos: Meg Hutchinson

THE LILY EFFECT

Lily Strickland '24

F

Flip through any of these pages and you will see that God has given an extraordinary gift to 11th grade student, Lily Strickland Lily is a second-generation Ambassador, the daughter of Alan '99 and Lori Strickland, and she has quickly become the resident NCS photographer. Her eye for capturing great photos is surpassed only by her generosity and desire to serve

When it comes to getting subjects to cooperate, Lily has a signature trick that never seems to fail It was born out of taking cabin pictures at Triple R Ranch, where she learned that if she promised campers a silly pose at the end, they would behave and smile nicely for the real shot As it turns out, that tactic works with all age groups! Her final photos are some of our favorite things ever and show so much joy We hope you enjoy this small sampling of Lily's notorious outtakes from the year.

Lauren gives the VFX Hulk proxy a hug in the Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War Art Department offices in Fayetteville, GA.

As a sought-after Art Director has spent the last decade and feel the Director wants likely seen her handiwork, because her job happens you’re really traveling through biggest battle of all time. and complex challenges. family were around the a Lazy Susan, with everyone and fast-paced - and she absolutely can’t imagine doing anything else.

What Does an Art D

For conference the energy. the office. AMBASSADOR SPRING 2023 | 73

A L U M N I F E A T U R E

under the Art Director’s oversight. On the other side of the process, an Art Director also estimates labor and material costs for the film’s prep, shoot, and strike schedules, which include hundreds of workers and multiple locations. So the role takes a rare combination of creativity, management skills, and extreme attention to detail. That’s the space where Lauren has found her perfect fit.

One of the things she loves most about what she does is that every day is different. During pre-production, Lauren’s mornings start in the construction mill, where she makes rounds to all of her sets on stage or location; she ends the afternoon in the Art Department offices, marking up drawings and making notes for the next day Once filming begins, days in the office and on set range from 12 to 16 hours for 4 to 5 months. They're filled with filming and meetings about future action sequences, which are squeezed in for the Director and Production Designer to relay their wishes for the sets and specialty props.

Saying Yes to the Crazy

When she left NCS for the University of

Notre Dame’s College of Business, film had never crossed Lauren’s mind. But as her college years progressed, the business path became less and less fulfilling. During her junior year, she took a bold leap and switched majors to dive into her true passion - art. At the time, it seemed crazy to everyone; it meant adding a fifth year and a whole new set of requirements. Now, she looks back on it as a pivotal moment in life, one when she decided to “Say yes to the crazy” for the first time And she’s thankful she did! That extra year of college put her on a trajectory for a career and a life of adventure she could never have dreamed of.

After graduation, Lauren’s BFA landed her a summer photography internship in LA. When summer ended, she was not ready to leave the West Coast, so she applied for nanny jobs until she could find something more permanent. It didn’t take long before her second opportunity came to live out what has become her mantra:

“Say yes to the crazy.” With her brand new, hard-earned art degree, she accepted a live-in nanny job for a family with three sisters, just like her own family dynamic.

To her surprise, her head of a major film studio. Lauren end up taking care daughters at home, she world with them and process from the captivated. Those bosses second parents to penchant for the encouraged her to career in film by introducing renowned Production Riva. That was the moment everything.

Immediately, Lauren was drawn to the artistic side of filmmaking. It gave her an outlet for the talents that hadn’t seemed to connect before: her love of research, equations, and science; her ability to focus and still keep lots of plates spinning at once, and her passion for creating beautiful things that tell a story.

For the next five years, she had the

life-changing opportunity to apprentice

AMBASSADOR ALUMNI

role by Paramount Pictures for a new film about space and time travel called Interstellar. She later had the chance to go back to Marvel Studios and work on their highly-anticipated releases Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. By 2016, Lauren had proven herself in the industry and began to get Art Director positions on some of the biggest films in production. She has since art directed nine feature films and streaming series (and counting!), including Spiderman: Homecoming, Spiderman: No Way Home, and Loki She has also continued to work with Riva’s long-time crew members, who have shaped her career and become her film family.

What's Next?

As her industry goes, Lauren is already on to projects that won’t hit your screens for years. One thing she could divulge is that she’s currently working on a top secret Marvel streaming project that will most likely come out in 2023!

Although most of her time has been spent on projects for Marvel, Lauren doesn’t work for any studio exclusively. Art Directors, like many union laborers in the film industry, work from project to project. That means her next job can come from anyone and take her anywhere in the world. She has had the opportunity to do films for Sony, Warner Brothers, Columbia, and Paramount, as well as DC Entertainment.

Top: Researching spiderwebs for The Amazing Spiderman with her mentor, J Michael Riva

Bottom: Taking a piece of the Quantum Tunnel from Avengers: Endgame to the SPFX mill

Top: Climbing through the hatch of the "Tug" spaceship set on Independence Day Resurgence

Bottom: Final walk-through of the exterior Jotunheim set before the filming crew lands

Behind the Scenes of the Creative Process

It was there that she helped set of comic book characters 2021, art directing The an intricate production included an 80,000 multiple practical sequences, action sequences, within a set.

Depending on the scope project, Lauren will work 18 months before transient lifestyle has paying taxes in multiple countries and not having place to land. For a decade, to own a car or home. Instead, all of her

A L U M N I F E A T U R E

Top & Bottom Left: Concep Joshua Viers

Bottom Right: White model by Brett Phillips

Always an Ambassador

When she thinks about Norfolk Christian, Lauren’s favorite memories are of high school and the teachers who made such an impact on her. Mr. Swanson always offered a quiet place in the bandroom to

eat lunch, study, or practice. Mr. Miesse cultivated her love for long distance running as the Cross Country coach, and taught her the Calculus skills she uses continually at work. And her absolute favorite classes were Mrs. Royster’s Biology and Mrs. Carter’s Chemistry, where she learned many of the skills she now uses every day.

As for friends, Lauren attributes much of who she is to the class she grew up with in those 12 years at NCS. They were highly competitive but equally supportive, something she’s especially learned as they've made their way into

...her absolute favorite classes were Mrs. Royster's Biology and Mrs. Carter's Chemistry, where she learned many skills she now uses every day.

the world as adults. Many in the Class of ‘99 stay in touch and Lauren loves meeting up with them all over the country, when she can. She’s even traveled as far as Alaska! Although high school seems like a million years ago, she is thankful for the truly lifelong friends she has from her years at Norfolk Christian.

Celebrating with the Class of 1999 at their 20th reunion, which she helped plan.

In the two decades since Christian, Lauren’s whirlwind of the unplanned career has working with famed Oscar-winning and production teams, and most amazing places also had heartbreaking her mentor at the height Through them all, she of the fact that she things millions of people last forever. It’s an incredible well as an overwhelming And though there challenging days, she morning and can’t wait help bring stories to life the world. If you ask favorite thing about her give you the same answer: like I work a day in my life.”

A L U M N I F E A T U R E

KEEPING HIS DREAM ALIVE

It's been two years since Wayne Lynch saw his son for the last time Donovon Lynch, a graduate of Norfolk Christian's Class of 2014, went out for a fun Friday night with friends on

March 26, 2021 Tragically, he never made it home Instead of hearing stories of the evening later as expected, Wayne received the unthinkable news that would change his life forever: Donovon had been killed at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront In an instant, the Lynch family's world was turned upside down Since then, Wayne has spent his days trying to honor the bright, caring young man his son was, and carrying on the causes that Donovon was passionate about

School Life

In his time at NCS, Donovon was larger than life He loved to make people laugh

and was always ready for an adventure with friends He was respectful and hard-working in class, and a fierce presence on our athletic teams Donovon served as Varsity Captain of both our football and basketball teams, where he was known for his leadership, work ethic, and persistence To his Ambassador fans, he was a legend No one can forget the Christian Crazies proudly waving Donovon's "Fathead" in the bleachers, or the sight of him hitting the court in those purple striped warmups that have become iconic

After Norfolk Christian, Donovon spent two years at the City College of San Francisco, where he was a member of the 2015 National Junior college championship football team and

earned an Associate's degree in Behavioral Sciences In 2017, he was recruited by the Head Football Coach of the University of Virginia's College at Wise and made his way back to the East Coast He spent two seasons wearing his famous number 71 for the UVA-Wise Cavaliers, graduating in 2018 with a BA in Sports Management

Building the Dream

After college, Donovon returned home to Virginia Beach with dreams of making a difference in his community An entrepreneur at heart, he began working on projects where he could use his degree and talents By 2020, he was successfully operating three LLC businesses, including a vintage sneaker restoration service, a private security company started with NCS

friends, and a Management Company, "Lead By Example," focused on signing musical artists and athletes, as well as on Event Planning

Although it was nice earning money doing things he loved, Donovon's professional ventures always had a deeper purpose, and his entrepreneurial spirit was no surprise He grew up in a family that believed strongly in building a better world around them His father and uncle were passionate about creating opportunities for local visionaries to shine, so they worked to forge partnerships

with socially responsible businesses and corporations who would direct resources back into their communities Donovon always knew he would follow in their footsteps

In 2019, Donovon was an integral part of organizing a "Community Pitch Tank" with his family, where aspiring entrepreneurs were invited to submit their business ideas for funding consideration At the first "Something in the Water" Festival in April 2019, the Lynch family was honored to award five start-up capital scholarships for $5000 each, in honor of Donovon's mother Marva, who had passed away the year before Donovon was thrilled to be involved in this project from the ground up It was the beginning of what all who knew him thought would be a long life of helping his community thrive

UVA Wise Honor

When Donovon arrived at UVA Wise, he wasted no time finding ways to give back to his new community The project he was most invested in was an outreach to local schools through a renowned program called Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility TPSR promotes life skill development to children and teens through sports and physical activity Donovon had been a dedicated TPRS mentor to students at a local middle school, where he was always quick to lead for the volunteer group when needed and stepped up at any chance

to impact a new generation of youth to choose the right path And he was good at it From a kid's perspective, when the cool, 6'4" football player with the kind voice comes to talk about making good decisions, you listen

The UVA-Wise family was heartbroken to learn of Donovon's death To honor the young man who had done so much for their own community and the bright light he had always been, the University posthumously awarded Donovon the 2021 Don Hellion award, named for the late founder of the TPSR program The award recognizes outstanding individuals who have demonstrated notable contributions to a youth group that uses the TPSR model It could not have been more well-deserved

...when the cool, 6'4" football player with the kind voice comes to talk about making good decisions, you listen.

Always an Ambassador

On October 1, 2021, before our first home football game of the season, Norfolk Christian welcomed the Lynch family to the field to celebrate Donovon with the Ambassador family Wayne and his daughter Lauryn, along with grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends, joined together on the field to celebrate the vibrant young man Donovon was Coach Tim Bender presented Mr Lynch with a keepsake of Donovon's NCS career, and our football team surrounded the family as the community lifted them up in prayer

After the ceremony, Donovon's aunt, Sandra Lynch, performed the National Anthem Wayne then linked arm in arm

with the NCS Senior Captains and made the walk to center field he had watched his son make so many times Once there, he served as the Honorary Ambassador Captain for the pre-game coin toss

It was a moving celebration of a young man whose life was taken far too soon but whose memory will always be part of Norfolk Christian's story

In December of 2021, a special brick was laid in Donovon's honor on the pathway to Moore Family Field

The DWL Foundation

To honor his son's life and legacy, Wayne started the "Donovon-Wayne Lynch Foundation" in 2021 The mission of the foundation is to carry on Donovon's dream of making the world a better place by promoting social and economic justice Led by Donovon's statement "I just don't want to be successful; I want to change the world," the Foundation works to create a world where all voices are heard Major projects include "Re-Imagine America," a symposium that invites students to express ideas for building better communities, and a partnership with the American Institute for Leadership Development and Training, where they conduct “Dialogue” sessions in the Community Think Tank to help solve complex community problems through dialogue

Wayne Lynch joins NCS team captains at Donovon's Celebration ceremony and serves as Honorary Captain for the coin toss

A MISSION FIELD OF THEIR OWN

Like many people, '94 graduate David Fish had always thought of missionaries as pastors or doctors or Bible translators It was not until a church missions conference in 2011 that God began to reveal a plan for his family's life he had never considered

Life After NCS

David left NCS in 1994 to attend Covenant College, where he received a B.S. in Biology and was certified to teach High School in Georgia It was there that he met his soon-to-be wife, Lisa Franklin, and they were married in 1997 After graduating from Covenant, they were both hired as teachers at Westminster Christian Academy, a growing Christian school near Athens, Georgia David and Lisa quickly learned that Christian school teachers wear many hats At WCA, David taught Middle and High School Science classes and coached soccer, while Lisa taught High School Math and Health and PE, and coached basketball and volleyball The days were busy and the multiple subject areas sometimes stretched their comfort zones But they were confident in their calling, having no idea what God was using that hectic time to prepare them for

Over the next ten years, they were blessed with four children - Elijah, Esther, Ezra, and Ezekiel (Zeke). Their young family had found a church home at Faith Presbyterian in Watkinsville, where David and Lisa poured themselves into Small Group Ministry and Children's Ministry David also served as a deacon and, later, an elder

Answering the Call

In 2011, David was at conference at their missionary spoke abo Support for Wycliffe

During that talk, the David's eyes and he s missions work can different vocations just preachers or eva people behind the sc making the work of lines possible Sudden a high school science school math teacher

God’s greater king teachers in another co to that question was Over the next two yea

A L U M N I F E A T U R E

The Fish family

AMBASSADOR ALUMNI

Their role is to teach the American children of the missionaries who serve at Good Shepherd's Fold It's a mission field that had never crossed their minds until those early weeks of searching for a way to use their gifts for God's global kingdom. They discovered that many missionaries have to cut their time short in the field because their own children’s educational needs are not being met So David and Lisa wondered: "What if we could go somewhere and serve missionary families by teaching their children? Maybe those families could then stay on the mission field and do the important work God has called them to do " When they looked back and saw how perfectly God had been preparing them, they knew they had found their unique calling

When Lisa and David arrived at Good

students, including three of their own four kids (Zeke was only two at the time ) Though the crowd was small, the benefit to their fellow missionaries was immediate Instead of being taught through a Ugandan/British educational system, or trying to learn difficult high school subjects on their own, missionary children were being taught in English, using American curriculum and following an American school schedule That meant missionary families could transition back and forth to the U.S. seamlessly, without worrying that their children would be hindered by learning gaps and differences in course matter It also meant students in the Fish's program were being prepared well for American colleges, which was the goal of many missionary families God had brought the vision of supporting those serving on the mission field to life before their eyes

A Decade of Growth

Now in their tenth Shepherd's Fold, Davi watched 12 students have proudly gradu including their oldest so most of those graduat to attend college in happens that Elijah is parents' footsteps and his freshman year at C

Most of the school's gr AMBASSADOR SPRING 2023 | 89

As the school grew, th to grow their family as and David adopted Uganda who became Evangeline Evie has b to their family and is no

A L U M N I F E A T U R E

AMBASSADOR ALUMNI

home last summer and got a tour from the Elkins family - Lisa actually went to high school with Ted Elkins He remembers: "I was blown away by how much NCS has changed in regard to buildings and facilities Much of it was unrecognizable. However, I’m glad to hear that NCS has not changed regarding its mission I still remember that, in the (Ambassador) Gym, it says “Education for Life’s Requirements” over the stage Little did I know that the education at NCS would be preparing me for teaching in Uganda!"

During the summer after his tenth grade year, David went on a missions trip with Teen Missions to Germany His mother recently reminded him that he had written her a letter afterwards, saying God might be calling him to

serve overseas as a missionary. "I had completely forgotten about writing that, but God works in mysterious ways and in His own good timing It was about twenty years after that 1992 missions trip that His Spirit resumed the call on my life."

In 1997, David and Lisa would never have imagined celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary on the mission field, as they did last summer They couldn't have dreamed a beautiful little girl from Uganda would become their fifth child, or that they would raise their family on the other side of the world

Looking back now, they see that every step God took them through was preparing them to carry out His perfect plan, for their family, and for His kingdom

Dropping Elijah off at college in Georgia

Twinning on Twin Day at GSF

LEAP OF FAITH

When 2012 grad Emmanuel Williams started his freshman year at George Mason University, he had a plan. Get a degree in Sport Management and try to stay connected to basketball in some way. Like many young athletes, he dreamed of continuing to play in college, but God had a different plan for him

That plan materialized when Emmanuel took a general education modern dance class to fulfill a fine arts credit. He was shocked to learn that he was actually quite good at it. Not only did he love the creative outlet, his professors saw real talent in him and praised the power and grace of his movement With their encouragement, he decided to continue taking dance classes and see how those skills developed. What he found was a passion that caught him completely by surprise.

A Change in Direction

In 2014, he was accepted into the renowned Dance Program at GMU and pushed himself to learn everything he could. While still pursuing a Sport Management degree, Emmanuel immersed himself in modern/contemporary dance and ballet. His efforts earned him a double major - a B.S. in Health, Fitness, & Recreation Resources with a concentration in Sport Management, as well as a BFA in Dance

The summer before Emmanuel's senior year, he was hired as an intern to manage a dance studio in Pennsylvania. Just a few months later, a professor at GMU saw his Senior dance project and spurred him to pursue his gift of choreography In 2017, Emmanuel submitted his piece to a choreographer showcase It was the first step in a shift to making dance his life's work

AMBASSADOR ALUMNI

An unexpected career wasn't the only life-changing thing the GMU Dance program brought Emmanuel He also met his best friend and soulmate Isabella there They were married shortly after graduation and moved from Northern Virginia to her hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Over the next few years, Emmanuel danced and choreographed professionally for companies in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Lancaster, including The Durang Dance Collective, A-Y/Dancers, DancEthos, Servant Stage Theater Company, and Chamber Dance Company In 2019, he had the privilege of dancing with KunYang Lin/Dancers in Philadelphia, where he grew immensely as a dance artist

The Birth of Luna

In 2020, Emmanuel was blessed to inherit the dance studio where he had interned in college from its former owner He and Isabella immediately began to pour all of their efforts into Lancaster's

Susquehanna Dance Center, where Emmanuel runs the business side of things and teaches Modern Dance and Choreography As School Director, Isabella manages everything for the busy dance school, while also teaching Ballet, Pointe, Modern, and Classical.

Owning the Dance Center not only keeps them busy with students and classes, it gave them the perfect opportunity to do what they had only dreamed of until then - start their own professional dance company In the spring of 2021, Luna was born, with the goal of giving audiences a transcendent experience from which they would leave energized and with a new appreciation for life. As Artistic Director, Emmanuel's creative vision and choreography bring the company's performances to life; he also joins them as a dancer

Another side of Luna brings in one of Emmanuel's favorite hobbies and skills, photography He's been interested in

photography for as remember, but first b skills in Mrs Haaland's NCS In Publication shooting and editing until he got to GMU's that he realized he h the lens, especially energy in performanc now maintains a business under the Lun to running the dan working full-time for A

What's in a Name?

The name Luna come Filipino heritage His sports store in the "Luna Sports" that h homage to with the company. "I’ve gro incredible it is to have other side of the wor

"I'm very proud of m such incredible and l wanted to honor their

Outside of Dance

In life outside of the and Isabella have Westminster Presbyte has deepened their lo Word They were dra deep yearning and se the Gospel throughou

They've also become their small group over Emmanuel had a stron of brothers at NCS tha

A L U M N I F E A T U R E EMMANUEL WILLIAMS '12

Off the Page

2018 Ambassador

About the Author

Madison Capps is an author of fiction for young adults who are looking for a little bit of everything in what they read. She was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia where she resides with her parents and older brother As a working college student at Old Dominion University, she is pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice as well as a life-long career as an author Having dealt with multiple medical issues, she understands the harsh realities of life and seeks to empathize with others who have experienced similar hard times, through her writing

Graduate Madison

Capps

publishes her first full-length novel!

Unknown Reality

By Madison Capps '18

When twenty-one-year-old college student Maya Rivers and her older sister, Malia, are kidnapped, their lives are turned upside down. Maya discovers a secret about herself and Malia a secret that changes everything. The Rivers sisters are Nexus Killian, a rare superhuman species, each with their unique abilities. When they are rescued by the Department of Special Operations, the agency recruits them to team up with two other Nexus Killian special agents. Maya and Malia quickly discover how important their unique reality is. But with their newfound powers comes an envious reaction from one of the DSO’s highest-priority enemies. After Maya suffers a traumatic experience at the hands of this particular enemy, a dormant gene awakens in her, making her more powerful and dangerous than ever before. Will Maya be able to control her new powers, or will they be the reason for her downfall?

WWe often talk about the Norfolk Christian family, that sense of community that unifies students, faculty, staff, and alumni But sometimes we mean family in the literal way For Brianna (Posch) Crapanzano '13 and Jerome Arrington '18, their family connection to NCS began before they were born. Not only are they Norfolk Christian graduates, they are also the children of alumni teachers themselves, and they’ve now returned to our Upper School to teach the next generation of the Ambassador family

For many people, the words "middle school" revive anxieties of an awkward time But for Jerome Arrington, the NCS Middle School hallway feels like home Jerome’s father, Jerome C Arrington, graduated from NCS in 1982 and his mother, Gwendy, has served in the school's Business Office since 2012 So he's spent plenty of time in our buildings He

ROUND TWO

by Laura Harris

Second generation Ambassadors follow in their parents' footsteps.

sister Britni '20 both attended NCS he first day of kindergarten through ation

e discovered his path to teaching in 11th grade, while taking Steve Doyle’s Life Calling class God revealed to him his love of both math and kids, which led him to pursue a degree in Mathematics from Liberty University. In January, 2022, Jerome returned to the Middle School as a student teacher and "Mr Arrington" was born In the fall of 2022, he joined the math department full time, where he now teaches sixth grade math and Algebra I

Students love Mr Arrington’s fun and youthful spirit It's no surprise that being back in our Middle School still brings out his silly side; he has many fond memories of his own middle school years A favorite story he likes to tell is of creating a parody of "Dynamite" byTaio Cruz that was all

about tacos. He and his friends convinced the Head of School to let them sing it over the PA system and flash mobs rushed the Middle School hallway to join them Those were the days!

Mr. Arrington tries to bring that same infectious enthusiasm to Math, which he knows is not every student's favorite subject His goal is to show kids the beauty and creativity of math, and help those who aren't fans connect with it better. “It’s the coding language of the world,” he says, "what God used to create everything I learned that right here in this hallway and I hope I can help students make that same discovery "

Brianna Crapanzano's Norfolk Christian story began decades ago Her grandfather, Tom Upton, taught and served as Principal for the Upper School, and her grandmother, Dr Karen Upton,

was the Lower School Principal for nearly 30 years Brianna's mom Dana (Upton) Posch '88 taught at NCS when her children were young and has served in our Upper School office since 2013 It was no surprise that Brianna followed in the family footsteps as the third generation of Uptons to teach at NCS, but it wasn't her original plan

After earning a BA in English from ODU in 2016, she found herself unfulfilled in her job It so happened that NCS needed an English aide, so she applied She not only got the job, she was asked to take over the 8th grade class the next day “It was wild and unexpected,” she recalls, “but definitely the Lord.” During those first years, she juggled teaching with her own schooling and earned her Master's in

Unplanned twinning with fellow English teacher Laura Harris on dress-down day

Photo: Lily Strickland

English Literature from ODU in 2020.

Like Jerome, Brianna found returning to NCS to teach like coming home Returning to a familiar building with many of her former teachers - now her co-workersmade the transition easier

but also presented challenges. Despite the warm welcome, “The weirdest part was working with former teachers and calling them by their first names I still struggle with that and it’s been six years!” She also finds it very nostalgic to teach in the same classroom where

Mrs. Debbie Carter inspired her to pursue English

As an English teacher, Brianna hopes to show her students how applicable literature is and how many lessons we can learn from a good story. She also challenges them to become critical thinkers and go beyond the surface of an issue to develop their own informed opinions, making them better writers, and therefore, better communicators

Brianna has clearly found joy in teaching “I love the aha moments, where a student has been really struggling and then it clicks,” she says “I get to watch their faces light up and see them feel so accomplished; that is extremely rewarding I also love when students tell me they enjoyed something we read, or when we get to have conversations

about what they’re reading outside of school That’s super cool ”

This year, Mrs Crapanzano is teaching 11th-grade English, AP Language and Composition, Dual Enrollment English, and has also taken on the role of English

Department Head

She looks back on that initial teacher's aide position and realizes what a wonderful plan God had for her

It is such a blessing when our graduates return to train up a new

generation of Ambassadors

Who knows how many future teachers may be sitting in their classrooms right now!

"The weirdest part was working with former teachers and calling them by their first names. I still struggle with that and it’s been six years!"

Class of 2019

MADISON MOREAU

SENIOR: GOVERNMENT & POLITICS GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

When Madison graduated from Norfolk Christian, she was excited to get started with the next chapter in life She had been recruited to play lacrosse for Calvin University in Michigan, and had plans to major in Biology there However, when the pandemic unexpectedly shut the world down, she found herself back at home in Northern Virginia, where her family had moved the previous summer After completing a distance semester at Calvin, she made the decision to enroll at nearby George Mason University, and that's where the future began to come into focus for her

Until that point, Madison had always tried to do well in every subject area, so she hadn't allowed herself to consider which ones she really enjoyed A class in Comparative Politics at George Mason finally changed that She was completely drawn to the analytical aspects of studying political and governmental relationships, specifically on the international stage While she knew she never wanted to be a politician, studying political science and all of the implications it has in the world seemed like the perfect path She made the move to majoring in Government, and she couldn't be happier

In front of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland

In her time at GMU, Madison has been an Undergraduate Researcher on cross-Strait military balances for the Schar School of Policy and Government, a teaching assistant for a class on International Security, and was able to take a study abroad trip to Switzerland and France, where she saw the United Nations and European Union in action

In 2022, Madison had the honor of serving as an Intern with the US Senate, in the office of Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee It's typical for senators to select interns with ties to their state and Madison had lived in Memphis as a military kid As a Senate intern, she received calls from constituents and assisted the staff with official communications and hearing committee prep As she built relationships with National Policy Advisors in the office, she was able to assist with foreign policy research and take notes on Senate Foreign Relations Committee meetings Those relationships eventually led to the internship she now holds with Project 2049, a nonprofit research organization focused on promoting American values and security interests in the Indo-Pacific region

Throughout this unplanned journey, Madison has been impacted by the fact that organizations and departments of our government are not just mass machines; they're made of real people who have individual ideas and

experiences, and who, as she says, "are often pretty extraordinary" She realizes she doesn't fit the mold of many who find themselves in this field, but God has always used that to her advantage Choosing to be honest, genuine, and hardworking in a world known for being cut-throat and self-promoting makes her stand out Some even suggest it's a weakness she should overcome But Madison is thankful that these qualities seem out of place to others, as they point directly to a life dedicated to Jesus

Madison will graduate in May with a BA in Government and International Politics, concentrating in International Relations In the fall, she'll be attending the University of Chicago to pursue a master's degree in Public Policy

Madison with United States Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee

Class of 2017

ZION PURVIS-ALLEN

SENIOR: HISTORY & SOCIAL SCIENCES VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

IIf you know 2017 grad Zion Purvis-Allen, you know it's rare to see him without a big grin on his face His smile and energy are contagious So we weren't at all surprised to learn that he had been chosen for an award at Virginia Wesleyan University that is all about helping others

On January 16, 2023, during VWU's celebration of Martin Luther King Jr Day, the University presented Zion with the 2023 Mavis McKenley ’11 Award, for his active engagement in service activities both on and off campus

“Through his spirit of kindness, Zion works to bridge the gap that exists in today's society by being an active participant in his community and embracing difficult conversations,” said Trustee, alumna, and the award's namesake Mavis McKenley “He is dedicated to social change by continuing to support positive growth for the next generation of young people at Virginia Wesleyan and beyond”

On the Virginia Wesleyan campus, Zion is a Resident Assistant and works at the Marlin Grille, where he is able to constantly

Top: Zion with Mavis McKenley and VWU President Scott D Miller

Bottom: Zion with Virginia Senator Aaron Rouse, Keynote Speaker

interact with fellow students He also cheerfully jumps in on campus clean-up days and is an Ambassador for the school, giving tours to prospective families

Off-campus, Zion has worked on two separate Habitat for Humanity projects and spent a semester getting VWU international students who aren't able to drive to necessary shopping

When asked why he chooses to serve instead of spending his time on other things, Zion is quick to point out that Jesus was a servant He knows that the encouraging spirit he's had since he was a child is a gift from God, and he wants to honor Him with it

It's the same reason he doesn't run from those difficult conversations that come up between humans Even though the world is broken in ways, Zion believes it's up to us as Christians to always be working to make it better As he says: "Jesus would tackle the hard issues head-on and still be able to maintain His love for us I try to do the same Sometimes we can get discouraged when it seems like there's so far to go, but I’m always an advocate for small steps and small change!"

After receiving his undergrad, Zion plans to return to Virginia Wesleyan in the fall to pursue a master's degree in education

VWU President Scott D Miller, Zion Purvis-Allen '17, grandmother Peggy Purvis, and parents Jessica and Darryl McClary Jr

THE MORNING CREW J

Jeff Shoaf remembers his dad Larry playing basketball before school with other faculty members back in the 70s For the last 18 years, it's been Jeff who keeps the game going. He took over after alumni dad Mike Teagle, who organized the league in the 90s and early 2000s, stepped back Luckily for everyone, that was right when Jeff started teaching at our High School

Alumni Basketball League Carries On Tradition

Through the years, dozens of alumni, staff, parents, and even some students have gathered twice a week for friendly competition The alumni ages range from those who have just graduated to ones who've been to plenty of reunions There's always an open invitation, but you'd better like getting up early This league hits the court before school, so players can get their game on and still be at work on time

About 5:40 on Monday and Friday mornings, headlights start pulling into the parking lot

Photos: Lily Strickland

and players make their way to the one unlocked door into the gym They casually split into teams and are in their places by 5:45 am Sometimes Shoaf has to remind the young guys to sub out and give everyone their shot, but the 'veterans' are usually happy to sit the bench for a breather The group plays two games to give everybody minutes and then, they're back out the door by 7:00 am

It's a tradition many of these guys can't imagine giving up When Jeff starts listing the regulars over the years, the familiar names span generations One thing everyone agrees on is that it's a great way to get to know people and stay connected to the Ambassador community

Although the crowd changes with time, Jeff is always happy to see who shows up He never knows if they'll have 10 or 25 but that's part of the fun. And whether someone's been coming for twenty years or it's their first day, there will be a spot for them

There's only one caveat In vintage Shoaf fashion, that single way into the gym gets locked at exactly 5:45 am Exactly He won't make you run suicides for being late, but you will have to stand outside and beat the door until someone happens to hear you. And you might have to sit the bench until you're needed But you'll still be in for a great morning of hoops with some pretty awesome people

that Moe's at Thanksgiving!

We realized a few years ago that groups of young alumni always stopped by to see their teachers while they were home for Thanksgiving Break That made us think, "Hmmm, why not offer to feed them and let those teachers get a proper check-in on how they're doing?"

AMBASSADOR ALUMNI

With alumni up by one point near the end of regulation, Luke Miller (also called )

families from all eras cheered on our Ambassador Boys and Girls Basketball

Photos: Lily Strickland

FAMILY RECEPTION

Class of 2017 R e u n i o n s

It's hard to believe the Class of 2017 is already having a reunion! They gathered on January 13, 2023 to celebrate five years since they turned their tassels and became NCS graduates It was a great time of catching up at the alumni-family-owned "The Fishing Pig" Special thanks to Hanson Hatcher for planning the event and getting everyone together

Class of 2012

The Class of 2012 gathered on July 23, 2022 to celebrate ten years since their graduation from NCS They started on campus with a walk down memory lane Saturday afternoon, where Mr B, Mrs Rob, and Mrs (Debbie) Carter joined them After reminiscing at NCS, they had a fun evening at Beachside Social, full of shuffle-board, good food, and hearing about each other’s adult lives Special thanks to Lauren Bohenek and Connor Clark for organizing such a great weekend!

R e u n i o n s

Class of 2002

The Class of 2002 gathered on December 28, 2022 to celebrate twenty years since they left Norfolk Christian's hallways As thirty-somethings, their everyday lives are full of families and careers, so they enjoyed a night that was all about friends There was plenty of laughter, reminiscing, and stories of crazy high school antics The evening ended too quickly but this tight-knit group knew they would see each other again, long before the next reunion.

R

50 Class of 1972

R e u n i o n s

A lively group gathered on May 13, 2022 to celebrate 50 years since the Class of 1972 walked across the Ambassador stage Honored guests included teachers Barb Thierry, Gary King, and Larry Shoaf with his wife Brenda, as well as Class of ’72 mom Mrs McCune, who graciously hosted the event at Westminster Canterbury in Virginia Beach Miss Thierry reminded her former students that they were her very first class, and thanked them for “training” her so well It was a joy-filled evening of laughter, fellowship and reminiscing! Special thanks to Susan (Moreshead) Brown for months of planning and coordination for this wonderful event!

Classes of the 1970s

Close to 70 people from classes in the early 70s, along with a few from 1969 and the later 70s, gathered at Harbor Park for dinner and baseball, as they celebrated 50 years of friendship after their time at Norfolk Christian These groups have stayed close since they first walked in the doors of NCS in the early 60s. After a year of planning, classmates traveled from all over, even as far away as Oregon, just to spend time with old friends There’s nothing like being part of the Ambassador family! A huge thanks to Becky (Sporhase)

’74 and Gary Owens for working tirelessly to make this a special evening

ish

R e u n i o n s

Ambassadors

Faculty

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God"

II Corinthians 1:3-4

Norma Sporhase March 20, 2023

Barbara Lester March 22, 2023

Laura Edwards December 29, 2022

Jeanette Hilton September 26, 2022

Shirley Allgood June 23, 2022

Don Emmett May 15, 2022

Liz Edler January 23, 2022

Dave Northup December 14, 2021

Angie (Valentine) Polk '84

January 19, 2022

Fletcher Fregin '93

January 11, 2022

Rich West '82 December 6, 2021

Martha (Richards) Hollinger '70 February 1, 2022

Harris) Reinicke '73 August 2, 2022

Judy (Hamilton) Bagent '65 July 2, 2022

Keith Kelly '81 March 15, 2022 Fernwood 81 October 20, 2022

Karla (Yarus) Perry '98 February 19, 2022

Shelby (Crain) Alford '89 February 21, 2023

Sam Boone '73 February 14, 2023

Amy Jo (Mostiler) Dorand December 17, 2022

Kevin Rupert '87 February 23, 2023

Wes Miller '73 November 30, 2022

Dawn (Keatley) Rowley '76 February 4, 2022

Marsha (Norsworthy) Burgess '75 April 4, 2023

The Legacy of Bob Miller

by Steve Doyle

Robert Miller joined Norfolk Christian in 1972 as the High School Principal In 1974, he became Superintendent and remained so for the next 24 years "Mr Miller," "Dr Miller," "Coach Miller," "Bob," he was known by many names through those years One name everyone agreed on was "Servant leader " In more recent years, Bob stopped by campus to visit anytime he was in the area. As he came into contact with former students and colleagues, he would remind each of them of a story he remembered from their time together at NCS He was that kind of people-focused teacher, mentor, and friend

On September 18, 2021, at the age of 87, Dr Robert Miller went home to be with His Lord His legacy at Norfolk Christian is eternal and can be seen in every page of this magazine Recently, Steve Doyle remembered his friend with this story

II just found an old letter that Bob wrote to the staff and faculty at the end of the 84-85 school year He summarized with appreciation those who were leaving NCS due to changes in job, growing family, and others who were moving on to more education This would have been the end of my second year as Director of Guidance - and part of a huge learning curve I had entered when I arrived in August of 1983 At the bottom of that letter, received by everyone, was a personal note to me about the relationships he had seen me build with parents and students. My job, in short, was to help kids make wise decisions about their futures His words to me on that letter were, simply, life changing I will always be grateful for his encouragement

Well before I began my time at NCS, I knew of Bob Miller and Gene Garrick because I had heard them speak at Christian Ed conventions I was well aware of the impact of

Norfolk Christian in Norfolk and, truly, around the world Many considered NCS a model for learning how Christian Ed should be done When I learned of the opportunity to work there, I jumped at the chance I remember talking with Bob and Charlie Schneider in my employment interview and wondering if this was even a possibility By God's grace, they hired me

After I began my time at NCS in August, 1983, Bob almost immediately began the encouragement process He asked

Dave Northup to stay on for part of the 83-84 school year to help me acclimate to my new ministry That was a valuable time. Bob helped me make the job my own and design ways to do Guidance at NCS While he pushed me to do the work and work wisely with the faculty, he also learned that I was a tennis player We played often I think he

considered our tennis time as therapy He often requested “Shteve, I need to hit the little yellow ball ” This was his way of asking to play some tennis Those were good times He was a fierce competitor who, perhaps unknowingly, taught me how to compete Eventually, I learned how to beat him - but not before losing many matches Most of what I learned was his approach to sport - the same as his approach to life Play hard - work at what you do to improve - and win or

*Association of Christian Schools International

lose with grace. That said, he led me and our school with integrity and consistency Every year, he and Gene Garrick reminded the whole staff what Christian Ed was all about We were reminded why we walked into the building every day I will never forget those times.

In recent years, I have spoken to a few former NCS students who were disciplined by Bob Miller - in some cases, they were not allowed to graduate In retrospect, their impressions were of the respect they

gained for him as years went by God has a way of using the actions of a godly man to bring growth and maturityeven when they hurt in the short term While Bob was leading NCS, he was also speaking in numerous places about Christian Education His was a voice of authority and was respected throughout ACSI*,

where he eventually served for years after leaving NCS

At the memorial for Nancy Miller in January, 2019, I made my way to Bob to encourage and console him at the loss of his dear wife. Before I could get a word out, he was encouraging me in my role at school Bob was a selfless man, thinking of others before himself My time at NCS was blessed in large part because of Bob’s leadership I know many would echo my sentiments.

"

...he led me and our school with integrity and consistency. Every year...we were reminded why we walked into the building every day. I will never forget those times."

SUNRISE,

SUNSET

The first official gathering of the Class of 2022 as seniors happened on the beach the day before their senior year began Students, parents, and teachers met at sunrise to pray together and commit their year to the Lord A few weeks later, teachers captured part of the group at sunset on their senior trip. It was shocking how quickly the year went by after these were taken These Ambassadors were soon celebrating college and rehearsing for graduation

Photo: Lily Strickland

The Class of 2022 was filled with parents who are NCS Alumni and former Ambassadors! Pictured at the Senior Dinner: Front rowJeremy Ingram, Bryan Rex '92, Shelley (Dozier) Morrison '82, John Lapetina '80, Luke Jackson '90 Back row - Bill McClanan, JD Wiedmaier '87, Mary Beth (Sims) Rickman '85, Jack Wool '86, Sonny Morrison, Andi (Scharfe) Nugent, Catherine (Clay) Bergethon '90

Celebrating

The Class of 2022

AMBASSADOR ALUMNI

THE CLASS OF 2022

CLASS VERSE

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.”

Philippians 1:9-11

Valedictorian: Georgia Newman

Anani Akpamagbo

Jessica Lynne Ashe

Leon Jerome Battle

Abigail Grace Bergethon

Saachi Siobahn Bureau

Malik Carson

Jack Raymond Clark

Yangming Cui

Shania Jalae Dixon

Jack Ancell Dugan

Jayden Richard Allen Fenton

Franciyana Kamani Freeman

Sadie Elizabeth Gilman

Holden Christopher Giroux

Jasmine Omara Hair

Qihao He

Avery Layne Ingram

Salutatorian: Elana Lapetina

Kylie Isabella Jackson

Brendan Lee James

Chase Alexander Johnson

William Joseph Kilian

John William Knott

Julia Erin Komarnicki

Elana Rose Lapetina

Elijah Martin Lister

Noah Jason Manning

Dylan Christian Matthews

William Walter McClanan

Logan Christopher McElveen

Shelby Leigh Mihok

Madeline Elaine Morrison

Georgia Faye Newman

Anh Vu Tram Nguyen

Ryle Michael Nugent

Elizabeth Margaret Rex

Andrew Stuart Rickman

Gabrielle Janae Robinson

Micari Justin Turner

Tobin Edward Vaughan

Rebekah Grace Weiss

Irene Atieno Were

Jaedyn Lorenz WheatleyCorbett

Ryan Robert Whittington

Meredith Jane Wiedmaier

Leah Rose Williams

Joshua Michael Windsor

Emma Jane Wool

The 60th Graduating Class of Norfolk Christian Schools

June 4, 2022

The Honorable Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia and NCS parent, was the Keynote Speaker for our Class of 2022 Commencement

Ceremony He challenged our graduates to hold tightly to their faith, family, and friends as they head out into the world.

Class of 2022 Senior Awards

Ambassador Award

Elana Lapetina

Leon Battle

Service Award

Elijah Lister

Van McClanan

Logan McElveen

Emma Wool

Citizenship Award

Jasmine Hair

Kylie Jackson

Ryle Nugent

Tobin Vaughan

Leadership Award

Georgia Newman

Jack Clark

Bible Award

Julia Komarnicki

Meredith Wiedmaier

English Award

Julia Komarnicki

Science Award

Georgia Newman

Mathematics Award

Georgia Newman

Social Studies Award

Joshua Windsor

Elana Lapetina

Latin Award

Leon Battle

Spanish Award

Elana Lapetina

Georgia Newman

Technology Award

Leon Battle

Chase Johnson

Athletic Awards

Female Scholar Athlete

Kylie Jackson

Male Scholar Athlete

Leon Battle

Female Athlete of Year

Irene Were

Male Athlete of Year

Jack Clark

C Pass Scholarships

Emma Wool

Jack Clark

Fine Arts Awards

Choral

Franciyanna Freeman

Instrumental

Elijah Lister

Theatre Arts

Shelby Mihok

Visual Art

Noah Manning

Outstanding Achievement

Elana Lapetina

Logan McElveen

C Pass Scholarship

Elana Lapetina

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES CLASS OF 2022

Arizona State University

Baylor University

Binghamton University

Bluefield College

California College of Art

Chowan University

Christopher Newport University

Clark Atlanta University

Cleveland State University

Coastal Carolina University

College of William and Mary

Dalhousie University

East Carolina University

Elon University

Ferrum College

George Mason University

Hampton University

Jacksonville University

James Madison University

Lancaster Bible College

Liberty University

Louisiana State University

Mary Baldwin University

Maryland Institute College of Art

Messiah College

Mount St Mary’s University

Norfolk State University

Old Dominion University

Pace University

The Pennsylvania State University

Pratt Institute

Radford University

Randolph-Macon College

Roanoke College

Salisbury University

School of Visual Arts

Stony Brook University

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Tidewater Community College

United States Naval Academy

Universal Technical Institute

University of Alabama

University of British Columbia

University of Kansas

University of Lynchburg

University of Maryland at College Park

University of Miami

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

University of South Carolina

University of Toronto

University of Virginia

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Tech

Virginia Wesleyan University

Wofford College

“TheLordblessyou andkeepyou; theLordmakehisface shineonyou andbegracioustoyou; theLordturnhisface towardyou andgiveyoupeace.”

Numbers6:24-26

This Just In

"If Only I Had a Green Nose"

Our Lower Schools were proud to host many honored guests for Grandparents' Day on April 20, 2023 The sanctuary at Tab Church was full of smiles as all 300 students from both Lower School campuses told the wonderful story of Max Lucado's Punchinello, who learns how important it is to be who his Creator made him to be.

Photos: Lily Strickland

NEWSIES

We literally had to stop the presses for this one!

On April 29th, our Theater Department closed its fantastic production of Disney's "Newsies," which audiences raved was one of the best NCS shows of all time!

"Absolutely phenomenal show!!!! Broadway level! Loved every minute!"

"the best musical done by a school I have ever seen!"

"I’veseenemallsince1986!Thisshowisrightup therewiththebestever!"

"Amazingshow!"

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