2023 Northwest Christian School’s
CHRISTMAS GIFT CATALOG
Dear Crusader community, Growing up in Iowa, I have a keen Christmas memory that signaled the advent of yuletide even more powerfully than the first snowfall of the year: the Sears and Roebuck Christmas catalog. From 1933 to 2011, Sears and Roebuck published a gigantic glossy treasure trove of trinkets and toys. When the postman lugged this colossal compendium to the mailbox, as kids, we knew it was time to start writing out our holiday wishlist. This massive missive reached its apex in 1968–it peaked at 605 pages and 225 of these were filled with pictures and descriptions of toys! I’m presently working on my sixth decade on the planet and, in all that time, my perceptions of gifts and gift-giving have changed considerably. In fact, as a school whose chief aspiration is Biblical worldview, we aim to move our students from simply understanding the truth that ”It is more blessed to give than to receive” to a place where our students grasp the urgency of the gospel and that they are each uniquely and specifically God’s “Plan A” to see the world changed for the better and for His glory. To celebrate that aspiration, and with a motive to move it forward this year, Northwest Christian has modeled its year-end giving letter after the Christmas catalogs of bygone years. But, rather than gift-getting, this particular catalog is designed for gift-giving. This year, as you prayerfully consider the opportunity to invest financially in the mission of Northwest Christian School, thereby igniting Biblical worldview and a passion for world-changing in the hearts and lives of our students, you have the opportunity to peruse the pages of this mini-catalog, carefully selecting the gift that will mean the most to your family. For those of you old enough to remember Sears and Roebuck, and for all of us young enough to recognize the fact that our world needs Northwest Christian students like never before, please enjoy these next several pages. And, thank you, in advance, for considering a year-ending gift to Northwest Christian School!
Geoff Brown Superintendent Northwest Christian School (623)225-5573 (cell) | (602)978-5134x505 | gbrown@ncsaz.org
CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS As 2023 draws to a close, we are excited to relay that the next phase of our “Build Here, Build There” campus improvement plan–the construction of a new 12-classroom building on the south end of our campus–is underway, aiming for a grand-opening in August 2024. Even more exciting is the fact that this new building is wholly paid for! As we move forward within our “Build Here, Build There” plan, these gifts will allow us to keep the course of dramatic, and needed, facilities improvements.
Build Here Build There This building campaign encompasses three phases of construction. We are presently under construction within Phase 1: A 12-classroom elementary building which will create an additional 92 seats in our elementary school. After the new classroom building opens in August 2024, Northwest Christian will immediately turn its attention towards opening a new state-of-the-art technology center, the Crusader Creation Commons, by August 2025. The Creation Commons will house audio and video recording studios, robotics, HAM radio, eSports, graphic design, electronics, laser cutting, soldering, sewing, gardening, coding, woodworking, virtual reality, Cricut, photography, 3-D printing, animation, and more. The penultimate phase of the Build Here, Build There campaign is the construction of a second gymnasium over our current lunch area–a space that will also serve our students as an indoor cafeteria. Long the most oft-requested item on our annual online parent surveys, an indoor eating space will truly be a gift to our students.
Campus Security Over the last ten years, Northwest Christian has maintained a steady pace of continuous improvements to campus security. Through a combination of generous donors and grant applications (over $100K in grants this past year alone), the school has seen improved fencing, expanded video surveillance, abundant staff training, the use of offduty police officers and more. Your gift in this category will help us to keep the pace with continued improvements in the years to come.
Legacy Bricks The Crusader Legacy Plaza has become a wonderful place to congregate throughout the week–but especially during home football, soccer, and baseball games. Lined with bricks that are etched with dedications, scripture, and the names of both current students and alumni, quite literally this plaza is a repository for legacy and fond Crusader memories. Consider giving here and adding an engraved brick to the plaza.
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TEACHER BLESSINGS Without question, teachers are the frontline workers whose in-the-trenches, tireless efforts make a difference in the lives of students. This Christmas, there is one exciting way that you can let Northwest Christian faculty know that they are loved and appreciated!
Northwest Christian Crusader Benevolence Fund The Crusader Benevolence Fund was established as a means of assisting the families of Northwest Christian School’s staff and faculty during times of significant crisis. Started by a group of teachers and staff several years ago, as part of the stated mission for the fund, these moments of crisis could include serious illness or injury, undue hardship, fire, flood, natural disaster, violent crime, and death of the employee or eligible dependent. Your generous support of the fund allows our families to tangibly experience the love of others within the Crusader community when they need it most.
STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES The popular misconception of private education is that it is reserved for the affluent. This is certainly not the case at Northwest Christian School. Over 60% of Crusaders qualify for and receive need-based assistance. Your gift to support one of these opportunities translates immediately and completely into the ability of students that would not otherwise be able to attend our school to receive a rigorous education rooted in Biblical worldview.
Chris Wisely Memorial Scholarship As a Crusader parent, NCS School Board member, and an alumni of Northwest Christian, Chris Wisely’s boisterous personality, gregarious style, and uncompromising commitment to Christ left a God-honoring mark on our school and community. The Chris Wisely Memorial Scholarship was established by friends and family to provide assistance to single mothers struggling to keep their children enrolled at Northwest Christian. Overseen by both the school and the Wisely family, this scholarship has already assisted four wonderful families this year.
Arizona Tuition Organization (AZTO) Through Arizona’s Private School Tuition Tax Credit Program, AZTO has issued over $35 million in tuition awards to students attending our partner schools. Brett and Lara Roehr started AZTO in 2004 and have been advocates for Christian education generally and Northwest Christian School students specifically. AZTO currently partners with seven Christian schools in Arizona and offers seven award cycles throughout the school year.
Frameworks Scholarships Frameworks is an innovative new Northwest Christian program, utilizing the learning management system and assistance of curriculum developers at Grand Canyon University, which enables students in public and charter schools to take for-credit NCS online courses that are rooted in Biblical worldview. We’ve partnered with Christian worldview leaders including Summit Ministries, Christ’s Church of the Valley, Stand to Reason, Dave Ramsey, Likewise Worship, Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Samaritan’s Purse, Creation and Evolution Science Ministries, and The Trinity Church to create these affordable courses that could be game-changers for public school students.
NCS Band Instruments The exceptional Northwest Christian band program, led by Band Director Debbie Hutson, has a current need for new instruments including a tuba, bass clarinet, double french horn, bassoon, marching baritone, and 1.5 octave chimes. The estimated cumulative cost for these instruments is just over $20,000. Your gift will allow NCS to continue to cultivate our award-winning band program.
Kids Kingdom
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City of Joy Rw anda
MISSIONS LEARNING The onus of Biblical worldview is that Christian ministry is not something that we prepare for…rather, regardless of age or ability, Christ-followers have the opportunity and responsibility to realize His Kingdom in the world today. For Northwest Christian students, this reality is called “Missions Learning”. Every student at every grade level is taught to connect classroom learning to real world ministry. This happens because numerous mission learning partners work with Northwest Christian faculty to provide ministry moments that inspire and educate. This section of gifts highlights three such ministry partners.
Kids Kingdom For fourteen years, Kids Kingdom, a church and orphanage located in Imuris, Sonora, has been the venue for a half-dozen “mission trips” per year for secondary students. However, fourteen years in, these five-times-per-year trips have become less like “missions trips” and more like family reunions! Your gift to Kids Kingdom will go directly towards supporting the costs associated with running an orphanage and the expenses associated with our trips.
The Sutton Project Just over a dozen years ago, Northwest Christian School took on the challenge of providing 150 Thanksgiving meal boxes for needy families within the Isaac School District in south Phoenix. Now, all these years later, this all-school Missions Learning effort has grown to encompass over 1,500 families in nine schools within three public school districts. Northwest Christian students provide countless volunteer hours, meals, food and clothing, tutoring, and the love of Christ as expressed through a unique ministry partnership with CCV Avondale. Your gift to The Sutton Project will position our students to be change-makers within a very needy community.
City of Joy Rwanda The City of Joy Christian School in Rwanda, Africa ministers to families that are one generation from the horrors of genocide. Northwest Christian School has come alongside the City of Joy to provide professional development with African school teachers and students supporting the school in a multitude of ways. Your gift to the City of Joy will underwrite teachers and students traveling each summer.