The Cross & Shield Spring 2024

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PROVIDENCE ACADEMY MAGAZINE | WINTER 2024

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CONTENTS / WINTER 2024 04 MR. HOLLAND Partnering With Parents

06 FINE ARTS Getting to Know Mrs. Huie

08 FINE ARTS A Love For Musical Theatre

11 ATHLETICS Wrestling and Swimming

13 ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP DINNER Support our Annual Need-Based Scholarship Fund

14 ALUMNI EDITION Over 70 alumni share updates with us.

25 DEVELOPMENT Mr. Koscak, Sponsors, Memorial Gifts & Honorariums

CREDITS Mark Koscak, Director of Development Andrea Loy, Design, Layout, Editor, Interviews Jordy Whetsell, Images Samuel Adams, Writer

MISSION Providence Academy partners with parents to equip students to develop spiritual maturity and achieve academic excellence through a biblically-based, Christ-centered, classical education, so they will think and live in a manner which brings glory to God.

PA BUSINESS DIRECTORY

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Partnering with Parents “Providence Academy partners with parents...” This small phrase is the beginning of our mission statement as a school, but it truly sets the stage of what we seek to do every day. We sincerely believe that the primary responsibility of raising, educating, and discipling children lies with parents, as can be seen in passages like Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Ephesians 4, and Proverbs 22:6, and it is our responsibility as a school to come alongside parents in this process.

Not only is this Biblical, but educational research further shows the importance of parent involvement in the success of students in academics (Hara & Burke, 1998; Hill & Craft, 2003; Marcon, 1999; Stevenson & Baker, 1987). Considering what both the Bible and academic research has to say about the development of young people, one can see the immense impact that parents can have on a child’s walk with the Lord, their relationships with others, and how they treat those around them. While Providence Academy can clearly never replace the importance of a parent’s involvement in a child’s life and education, we do seek to complement parents in our goal of seeing students develop spiritual maturity and achieve academic excellence.

A portion of our partnering with parents is accomplished through offering tools that assist you in raising your children.

That is why we developed our Student Services Department.

You will continue to see more resources like our Birds and the Bees conference, Axis, and Right Now Media being made available to you. We want to help you to develop skills from how to help with homework to what to do about technology in the life of your student. All these things are so important to tackle, and parenting is never easy, but rest assured, God is at work in the life of your child, and we are here to help. Thank you for letting Providence Academy partner with you as we assist you in your high calling of parenting.

In Christ,

Ben Holland Head of School

SOURCES -Hara SR, Burke DJ. Parent involvement: The key to improved student achievement. The School Community Journal. 1998;8:9–19.

-Hill NE, Craft SA. Parent-school involvement and school performance: Mediated pathways among socioeconomically comparable African American and Euro-American families. Journal of Educational Psychology. 2003;96:74–83.

-Marcon RA. Positive relationships between parent school involvement and public school inner-city preschoolers’ development and academic performance.

School Psychology Review. 1999;28:395–412.

-Mol SE, Bus AG. To read or not to read: a meta-analysis of print exposure from infancy to early adulthood. Psychol Bull. 2011 Mar;137(2):267-96. doi: 10.1037/a0021890. PMID: 21219054.

-Stevenson DL, Baker DP. The family-school relation and the child's school performance. Child Development. 1987;58:1348–1357.

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FINE ARTS GET TO KNOW OUR NEW TEACHERS Mrs. Huie is our new Middle School Art Teacher. Mrs. Loy sat down with her recently to learn about her life and what brought her to Providence Academy to teach art.

Interviewed by Andrea Loy, Written by Samuel Adams

Describe your journey to faith and how you began teaching art.

I was so fortunate to grow up in a Christian home with multiple generations of believers in my family.

My great grandmother was an especially huge influence on the family. She was a very godly influence and there were several books written about her by the family. I gave my life to Christ at eleven years old, but around the age of 33 was when I genuinely sensed the Lord’s presence in my life. I was drawn closer to the Lord as I studied His Word more and more.

I’ve always worked with young people since I was a kid. I used to lead worship, playing the guitar and singing for a lot of years at many camps. When I graduated from college, I worked as a graphic designer for 13 years while working with youth as well. Over time, I realized that I really wanted to use the skills that God had given me to convey Christ’s love for them, even within public school settings. I went back to get my teaching certification and masters in teaching while raising my own children. I then taught at the high school level for many years in Washington state.

When my daughters were in high school, we moved abroad to work with Nicauragua Christian Academy. I worked as an art teacher, and that was difficult teaching only in Spanish with animals running through the classroom! What a learning experience!

I have a heart for discipleship – I loved working with the kids one-on-one and started discipleship classes with them. It was an opportunity to get to know the kids and to this day, they send pictures of the multiple discipleship classes that are still taking place. I am so thankful for how the Lord has grown that program.

What led you to Providence Academy?

After Nicaraugua, we returned to California where I grew up, and I taught art and Bible in Spanish for seven years before we decided to move out of the state. We looked in North Carolina and in Kentucky and on the way, found Jonesborough, Tennessee, and fell in love with the place. It reminded us of Carnation, Washington which is where we raised our girls when they were young.

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Football Player by Dietrich Guldseth

Ballerina by Abigail Rainey

We moved to Tennessee six years ago and I took a break from teaching to pursue more personal art. I worked for a time on set design at the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre which I loved. However, I felt like something was missing because I really love being with kids and teaching them. So I began to pray about returning to teaching, and asked for peace if that’s where the Lord was leading me. I found the opening for the middle school art teacher here at Providence, and felt immediate peace and certainty about it.

What do you love about teaching art here?

I love teaching art with a biblical perspective – it's truly wonderful. I am excited to continue teaching art, sharing my own experiences of it, and helping students to see that the Lord is the greatest of all time. Kids in middle school are at a point in life where they have a tendency to give up on their own art, and are naturally more critical of themselves.

It’s a great age to begin to help them to see the world from new perspectives, and I love seeing kids who are proud of their work and the things that they are able to accomplish. And they ask so many questions!! They have lots of curiosity and it is a joy to see the lights go on in their eyes when they truly get it.

What are some of your biggest needs in the art program?

I am so fortunate to be in the new building with windows and great lighting! As a program overall, we would love to one day have a kiln where students could experiment with 3D art – middle school is a very tactile age. And as the school and art program grows, I would love more time with the kids and to offer them more chances to experiment with art and invent things on their own. Right now middle school students only get one semester of art during their school year, and that is out of a choice of electives that include choir, orchestra, etc.

*Mia Fox, Gabe Kemp and Price Whitaker create aboriginal sand paintings, above right.

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FINE ARTS A LOVE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE Mrs. Burns gives us an inside look at her life in New York City, her love for musical theatre, her favorite moments with PA students, and how she chooses a play or musical for students to perform.

Interviewed, Written, and Edited by Andrea Loy

What brought you to PA? In 2018, I moved back to my hometown of Bristol from New York City. I lived there for 4.5 years, studying theatre, performing, working a variety of jobs, and trying to break into show business. In the middle of 2017, I felt the Lord tugging at my heart to move back home. When I got here, I talked with Jamin Rathbun of Trinity Arts Center, and interviewed for a potential job, but TAC did not have a position open. Mr. Rathbun knew Jerry Williams, the head of PA at that time. So

he made a connection with Jerry Williams about me.

PA then called asking me to interview for the chorus and theatre job….It was a big blessing to me because at that point I still was not sure what God had for me or why I had moved back home. God made it clear that He had opened the door for me here, and He had been preparing me to fill this role while in NYC. I had a passion for musical theatre, and my education in NYC at the CAP 21 Conservatory trained me in acting, dancing, and choreography. CAP 21 was primarily an intensive program to prepare its students to break into the business. Many teachers taught there during the day and performed on Broadway at night! My previous work experience was in teaching chorus in a public high school, and I had a music degree from Furman, so gathering these skills was essential to prepare me for running the musical theatre program at PA. It’s neat to see how God used this experience in my life to help me in my role here.

What was your favorite class at CAP 21?

Musical Scene Study. We got to partner up with students and perform scenes from popular classic musicals; Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, etc. One aspect I love about musical theatre is that it’s a true American art form. Musical theatre specifically combines a play with song and dance, and while similar to opera, it is not opera. It is unique, not coming to us from another country.

Were you familiar with classical education before teaching at PA? No, my first teaching job out of college was in a public school. I have had many great mentors here and have grown very comfortable with the model. It incorporates naturally into music and theatre classes as the arts are essential to a classical education.

What is one of your favorite moments or experiences from your work here?

My first year here, there was a student who decided to take chorus and drama for the very first time as a Senior. Seeing the Lord reveal his talents to him in the arts was so wonderful. The change in him was

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significant, especially for those teachers who had watched him grow up here at PA as a talented athlete and a somewhat quiet person. He was cast as Aslan in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. He became an artist and a powerful leader in the production. I could see how the Lord used that experience in his life to build confidence in himself. Seeing how the Lord led him to try something new and then meet him there in that experience was really wonderful. Many students who feel they need more confidence or competence in the academic classroom come into an art classroom and find their place. I love that they have a place to pursue the gifts and talents God has given them. The Lord gives us all different gifts and skills, and I love that the program here can be that space.

Another exceptional way the Lord has worked here is that we have a unique camaraderie and atmosphere of support.

Experienced students are always welcoming to new ones. To have the older students mentor and welcome the younger or newer students instills a lot of confidence in them and is a form of discipleship that makes students want to keep coming back and participating in our productions. One year, the star basketball players decided to come out. They were shocked at the warm and welcoming reception they got. It is more valuable to me that we have a great God-honoring community that builds others up than the most talented performers or best show in town.

Tell us about where the program is at now and where you see it going in the future.

Our student population has continued to grow. We had 24 students in our HS play this winter, and for the musical, we have 47 cast members and three stage managers. That is 50 students involved in this production, not including the light and sound team, who will come in at the end. This is the largest group of students we have ever had involved.

In my first year, we had around 28-30 in the musical. That

was the highest turnout PA had ever had. The program has consistently grown every year since. I am glad we have a place for all these students to be on a stage. We have continued to grow our program by adding more than one production per year and now adding elementary and MS productions to build our program as well. This allows more students to be on stage and develop skills and theatre interests at an earlier age.

We added a Set Design and Production class to our school this year. We want to improve the quality of the sets and props so that we can perform with excellence. I create as close to a professional environment as possible to give them that experience and prepare them for life.

A donor recently allowed us to add a new sound system and lights. We are so grateful for this much-needed improvement!

Do you have any needs for the future of the program?

We are so big now that there really isn’t enough room on our stage. We are praying and hoping that the Lord will open the door and provide for a fine arts facility. A more extensive facility would allow for more students on stage and a separate practice facility that does not have to be shared around the athletic schedule. We often hold rehearsals in the cafeteria.

Sharing the cafeteria means blocking, and choreography must be adjusted when moving to the main stage. A facility to match the professionalism already happening in these students would be a big deal.

We currently have a storage unit for costumes and props off campus and no separate space for set design and painting.

Having this space adjacent to the main stage would be ideal.

The maintenance team carries a more significant burden right now in moving items around for us and transporting them from storage. We are so grateful to them, and we hope this can be alleviated by having a storage space for costumes and props in a new facility as well.

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What criteria do you look for when you pick out a play or musical for PA? I look at what the major themes and message of the story are. Can they be reflective of God’s truth, beauty, and goodness? I look at these pretty closely. Can we learn something about God and His character through performing these shows? It doesn’t mean we only do shows that are Christian. Beauty & The Beast and The Music Man are both stories with a redemption arc for the characters. Seeing repentance over wrongdoing in characters is seeing how the gospel works out when God calls us to repent of our sins. When looking at a play or musical, I often ask, are there moments or characters in the show to which we can relate biblical truth? If the show promotes worldly or unbiblical values, we don’t do them. I know the students involved will be impacted by these things. Playing a character is different from just reading about them in a book.

Tell us about Newsies and why you chose it for the spring musical.

Newsies emerged in the early 1990s as a Disney movie starring Christian Bale before he became famous.

Around 2011-12, they took it and wrote it for the stage, and it became a smash hit on Broadway. It’s based on the Newsboys strike that happened around the turn of the century, which affected child labor laws.

In Matthew 25, Jesus talks about "what you did for the least of these you did for me." I spoke with the students about this. We discussed how God calls the church to be at the forefront of helping people in need. That’s what this story is about. These children who are working for little pay are being treated as sub-human. Some of the orphans in the story are stuck in a terrible place and are being mistreated. The story brings light to this situation.

The Lord calls us to help people who are in need. God is a God of justice and uses the church to accomplish this.

This is the central theme I loved about the musical.

When I choose shows, I find ones that will showcase students' strengths that are currently in our program.

Auditions are, of course, open to everyone, but you always know some of the kids who will be participating.

This year, we have so many strong dancers. Many of our students were involved in cheer, so I knew we could showcase their dancing skills with Newsies while giving them a lot of on-stage time.

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Anything else to share?

Families at PA, please come out and see our production.

We benefit from your support of watching us. Bring your extended family and friends. Newsies is a really fun show to watch. Word of mouth is stronger than putting out posters or social media posts. Tell your family and friends that it will be great and invite them. God may use that to bless our program now and in the future.

NEW SPORTS WRESTLING Coach Justin Davis gives us all the details on the Inaugural Season of PA's wrestling team.

Interview By Andrea Loy, Edited by Samuel Adams

How did you get your start at Providence Academy as the wrestling coach?

Prior to coming to Providence, my wife was homeschooling our son, Rowan, and we wanted to look at other options. Once we interviewed and toured the school, we knew there was no other option; we wanted to be at Providence. In terms of coaching, it was brought to my attention that there was a need for another winter sport for boys as basketball was getting flooded with participants. I had wrestled in the past, and I have always loved coaching kids. It simply made sense to try and bring a wrestling program to Providence.

How does your faith impact your coaching?

I was raised in church like many people in this area. But I have learned to take Christ with me in everything that I do. As we started the program, I wanted to find a Biblical text to become our anchor text for the year. The oldest written text mentioning wrestling is found in the Bible in Genesis 32 when Jacob wrestles with God. This text became our mantra for the year because in this Biblical story, Jacob is facing many challenges such as facing his brother and wondering if he would be killed in the process. This relates well to when wrestlers step onto the mat because you cannot hide behind the rest of your team. Wrestling forces you to face your opponent, your insecurities, the internal question of, is this opponent better than me? This text helped me to bring a Biblical perspective to our program.

How did the first year of the wrestling program go?

We started with a wrestling camp in the summer for middle school boys. We only had around eight boys come out, which was worrying because we had already worked to be voted into the local conference. Thankfully, the program started to build momentum and we eventually had 24 sign up to be on the team. We had about 3-4 weeks of practice prior to our first match, and we only had two wrestlers who had competed previously. We really had the simple goal of finishing in the top half of the conference, but by the end of the season, we finished third in the individual tournaments, with three 1st place medals, two 2nd place medals, and a 3rd place medal, as well as finishing third in the team dual. (continued on page 12)

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What were some of your favorite moments of coaching this season?

It was a good year of favorite stories! One of my favorite moments was hosting the first-ever wrestling match at Providence Academy. It was neat to bring something new to Providence for the first time and put our stamp on it. Another time, Caleb Oggero pulled off a crazy upset in a match where he did a unique move that we later nicknamed the Caleb, which he did a few other times in the year. It was his flexibility and athleticism that pulled it off and left us all stunned.

Another favorite moment was in teaching the Lord’s prayer to the team this year. After every practice and before every match, we would all get on the mat and repeat the prayer together. It was a great, foundational way to teach them how to pray and throughout the season, everyone became more comfortable praying it together. We started out with me leading the prayer and everyone repeating to everyone praying in unison to Ford Bowman leading the prayer as the team captain.

It’s also easy to forget that these boys are still kids, especially when looking at a wrestler like Ford Bowman who seems like he has been wrestling for years. Early in the season, he faced his toughest opponent of all year in a match and lost, but later during the tournaments, he faced the same opponent and won, getting gold in the tournament.

What are some of your biggest needs as the program grows?

We have two big needs: first, we need to buy another wrestling mat, which costs around $11,000. Out of the two that we use, one is borrowed from Daniel Boone, which needs to be returned eventually. Second, we really need a dedicated practice space so that we do not need to compete with other after-school activities. This program has really picked up speed quicker than we had thought, and I look forward to seeing it continue to grow in the future.

NEW SPORTS SWIMMING Coach Williams gives us an overview on the Inaugural Season of PA's swim team. By Coach Megan Williams On October 23, 2023, twelve courageous high school students put on their goggles and took the plunge as a part of Providence Academy’s first-ever swim team. Most of these athletes had little to no competitive swimming experience. The PA team was lucky enough to establish a great working relationship with the recreation department of Johnson City and practiced 4-5 days a week using the Memorial Park Community Center Pool and the Freedom Hall pool. The team interacted with the public each day at these facilities, and even more important than swimming, they were able to be Christ-like examples and advocates for PA each day.

Middle school science and logic teacher Megan Williams took the reins as head coach this year. “This team was different than any other swim team that I have ever coached. Because so many of them were so new, we spent a lot of time developing very fundamental skills to build a strong foundation. This was a very coachable group of athletes that embraced learning the technical aspects of the sport. Therefore, we saw incredible improvements over the course of the season.” The PA team competed in seven meets (each meet had several teams competing) within NE TN. Despite their small size, PA came away beating several teams, including some from much larger high schools.

The team is already looking ahead to next season and ways to get more PA students involved with swimming from preK – 12th grade. Stay tuned and make a splash!

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Each year Providence Academy raises money for our Need-Based Annual Scholarship Fund.

This is the only type of scholarship offered at Providence. Around 25% of PA students attend with the help of the Need-Based Scholarship Fund. It is essential to our mission to partner with parents in raising funds to help provide their child with a Christian Worldview.

We hope you will join us at this event, but if you can't make it, please take a look at our online auction. All proceeds benefit the need-based scholarship fund! Auction is live March 4th!

www.32auctions.com/PA2024

Annual Scholarship Dinner & Silent Auction March 12, 2024 | MeadowView Marriott | Kingsport, TN | 5:00 p.m.

Scan the QR code to purchase seats before March 4, 2024.

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ALUMNI THE GRADUATES OF PROVIDENCE ACADEMY Our graduates are treasured members of our community. We recently reached out to them to find out as much as we could on how they are doing and how the Lord has directed their paths.

Edited by Brenna Williams, Alumni, and Andrea Loy, Development

BRANDON HECHT (’03) Brandon graduated from Covenant College with his Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry in 2007. While celebrating his graduation, he also celebrated his marriage to his wife, Becky. He then went on to get his doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from Nova Southeastern University in 2012.

Three years later, Brandon completed his Family Medicine Residency. After completing his residency, he joined the US Army as an active duty physician out of a desire to care for troops that were willing to give their lives for his freedom.

He served from 2012 to 2019 ending his service at the rank of Major. Brandon is now Chief of a primary care clinic for Prisma Health in Greenville, SC. When he is not at the clinic, he spends his time with his wife and three children, Ryan (14), Adelyn (12), and Josalyn (7).

JOSHUA SMITH (’03) Joshua graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in attendance, he obtained his degree in Classics with a Latin emphasis. After completing his undergraduate studies, Joshua went on to get both his MA and PhD degrees in Classics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Once receiving his cap and gown, Joshua determined that it was time for the student to become the teacher. Joshua is currently working as an Assistant Professor of Classics, specializing in Greek Language and Literature, and in The History of the Ancient Commentary Tradition, at Johns Hopkins University and will be celebrating his 10-year anniversary soon.

When not teaching, you can find Joshua spending time with his wife Meredith 14 CROSS & SHIELD | ALUMNI

and their two kids, Catherine and Caleb.

STEVEN BLACKBURN (’04) Steven attended Samford University in Birmingham, AL. After college in 2008, Steven dated his best friend, Allison who he met in 2004 at Doe River Gorge.

In 2010 they were married and began their life together. He worked for a local contractor in Johnson City, and she worked for South Side Elementary School as a counselor. Steven transitioned out of construction and into insurance sales as their family grew and served in the leadership of a local church plant, Red Stone Church. This experience revived the calling in his heart for full-time ministry and in 2014, Steven and Allison moved to Raleigh, NC, so Steven could pursue this calling.

Steven served as a pastor at Vintage Church in downtown Raleigh for three years before accepting a pastoring position back in Johnson City at Redeemer Community Church. In 2020, he stepped away from that role and the couple started their own residential remodeling company, Manifold Properties & Restoration. Steven spends his days remodeling homes and managing their rental properties. Allison works as a realtor, and helps Steven run their business. Steven and Allison have three amazing kids: Finn (12), Johnnie June (10), and Willa (8), all of whom are second-generation Providence Academy students. The five of them live in Jonesborough (God’s country), surrounded by their two dogs, two cats, eight goats, and an ever-fluctuating number of chickens.

MEGAN LOVE (GILCHRIST ’04) Megan graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2009 with her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences with a concentration in Microbiology. Megan then continued her education at ETSU’s Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy. She graduated with her Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2014. During her time at Bill Gatton COP, she met and fell in love with her husband, Ryan. In November of 2021, they were married. They are now residing in Asheville, NC, with their mini Goldendoodle, Nugget. Megan is currently working at Mission Hospital in their Mail Order Pharmacy and is thankful for the life with which the Lord has blessed her.

SARA CORE (HAMES ’04) Sara graduated from Carson-Newman University in 2008. While there she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. Sara went on to continue her education at Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, AL. In 2011, she graduated with her Juris Doctor degree. During her time at Cumberland she met and fell in love with her husband, Houston Core.

They will be celebrating their 10-year anniversary next year! Sara is currently a stay at home mom and volunteers for Freedom House, the non-profit that is run by her husband. They currently have three children, Hadley (7) and John (5), and recently welcomed their infant Millie. Their family enjoys playing tennis, vacationing at the beach, and spending time at their strawberry farm.

JAMES HERINGTON (’04) James graduated from Moody Bible Institute.

While there, he majored in Education and minored in Bible. While attending Moody, James met and fell in love with his wife, Amy. After graduation, James returned to where it all started and became a teacher at Providence Academy. James began working parttime as a 7th-grade Bible teacher and middle school soccer coach. Since then, he has become the head of the Bible Department and coaches the Varsity Girls Soccer Team. James teaches the 10th and 11th grade Bible classes.

He takes his position as head of the Bible Department seriously and is excited to continue strengthening the department to give students an unshakable foundation in the Lord. He also looks forward to taking the Varsity Girls Soccer Team to state. James believes that with time, the PA Lady Knights might one day make state and even win the gold. James and Amy are happily married and have three children, all of whom are second-generation Providence Academy students: Toby (10), Milo (8), and Laurel (5).

BETH O’CONNELL (KOONTZ ’05) Beth graduated from East Tennessee State University with her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health. She continued her education at ETSU obtaining her Master of Public Health (MPH) and her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH). Beth is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health at ETSU. As she continues her professorial career, she looks forward to a promotion and acquiring tenure at ETSU. This year, Beth and her husband, Clay, are excited to celebrate their 17th anniversary.

BYRON MCQUAIN (’05) Byron graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with his Bachelor of

Music majoring in Piano Performance.

Byron later attended law school at the University of Tennessee College of Law and aquired his Juris Doctor degree. Following his time in Tennessee, Byron moved to Illinois to attend the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. There he obtained his Master of Laws (LLM). Currently, Byron is working as a legal consultant with Mercer. He helps the company stay compliant with rules regarding employee benefits. In his limited free time, you can find Byron either playing music or reading. And while he enjoys both his work and his hobbies, Byron considers his greatest investments in life are the moments he spends with his wife, Alison, and their two boys, Stewart (5) and Alastair (1).

CARLY HYLEN (ALTIZER ’06) Carly was the Valedictorian of Providence Academy in 2006. She went on to complete her Bachelor of Science in Biology at Elon University in 2010, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Next she headed to Charleston, SC to get her Master of Science in Marine Biology with a specialty in Fisheries Science from the College of Charleston. Though Carly loved her time scuba diving on the coast, she felt that God clearly called her back home. She is currently a fulltime Instructor of Biology at Northeast State Community College. She works alongside a wonderful team and will be up for tenure in another six years. Carly wants to express how instrumental her teachers both at PA and her continued education inspired her love for teaching.

It was her teachers’ investment and enthusiasm in her that now inspires her to do the same with her college students.

In 2015, Carly married her husband, Philip. Carly feels that God not only led her home to influence young minds, but also to find her life partner. Over the years, they have added two dogs, a

bearded dragon, and a ball python to the household.

REX CARPENTER (’06) Rex graduated from college with his degree in Exercise Science. He is now working as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Cedarville University. He feels blessed to work with college kids and make sure they are strengthening their bodies in healthy, sustainable ways. He is married to his wife, Brittany, and they have three children: Carter (a foster son, 7), Wren (2), and they just welcomed a baby boy in September.

TYLER CLENDENON (’06) Tyler went to the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, for his undergraduate degree and received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry/Biology with a minor in Systems Engineering.

Following his time at West Point, Tyler served as an Army Infantry Officer with the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne, and 101st Airborne. While in service, Tyler received many awards and decorations including: Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, Combat Infantryman Badge, Airborne Badge, and Air Assault Badge.

Following his service in the Army, Captain Clendenon left to work for Softchoice, a Canadian tech company, where he was an account manager and a sales leader. He continued his education at Harvard University, obtaining his Masters in Business. Tyler now leads a sales team across the East Coast at Amazon Web Services. Tyler spends his free time working on his startup, EcoBru, that he co-founded with a classmate from Harvard. Their 5-year goal for this venture is to exceed $100MM in annual revenue. One of Tyler’s long-term goals is to finish his quest to visit every continent. In October of 2021, Tyler married his wife, Lisa Mann. They recently welcomed CROSS & SHIELD | ALUMNI 15

their first baby girl into the world and are excited to experience the joys of parenthood.

DAREN STOLTZFUS (’06) Daren graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2010. Since graduating, Daren has become the Sports Director at WESH-TN, the NBC affiliate located in Orlando, FL. He and his wife, Ashley, couldn’t be happier and currently have two boys: Stone and Bowen.

CAITLIN ALBAN (TOMSKI ’06) Caitlin graduated from East Tennessee State University in December of 2012.

She spent the past 13 years mainly teaching 1st and 2nd grade. In 2018, Caitlin married her husband Bradley. Six years later, they have two kids, Jack (3) and Nora Grace (2). Caitlin is thankful for her years at Providence Academy.

She considers herself blessed to have had the opportunity to grow in the grace and love of Jesus through her teachers, administrators, and peers during her time at PA. WHITNEY HANOR (TURNER ’06) Whitney completed her undergraduate degree at King University. Next she headed to Trevecca Nazarene University for her graduate degree. Whitney will be starting her Doctorate of Medical Science this fall at Lynchburg University. She is excited to continue her education in the medical field, in which she works and instructs. For nine years, Whitney worked at a clinic as a Physician Assistant. Her work there was focused on family practice/ occupational medicine and urgent care.

She now works full time as Assistant Professor at the Physician Assistant Program at Milligan University. When Whitney is not instructing students, she does clinical work at Ballad Health and Providence Medical Clinic in 16 CROSS & SHIELD | ALUMNI

Kingsport. She is currently a member of the Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA) and previously was the Chair of Medicine for Church Missions Network (CMN). Whitney has many goals that she would like to accomplish in the upcoming years.

Whitney and her husband are currently building their dream house. They have also begun Parakaleo Pups, a small business that will breed quality dogs in hopes to positively impact families and foster connections with trained therapy canines. Whitney and her husband, Christopher Hanor, have 4 beautiful children: Grace (9), Graham (7), Mercy (4), and Justice (2). Whitney and her husband recently celebrated their 10year anniversary, traveling to Greece and Turkey. While there, they got to experience following in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul.

BRAD BOSWELL (’07) Brad graduated from Union University in Jackson, TN. While attending, he obtained two Bachelors of Arts in Christian Ethics and in Economics. He also met his wife, Erin, at Union; they married after Brad graduated in 2011. They then traveled to Boston where Brad acquired his Masters of Theological Studies at Boston College. Brad continued his studies next in North Carolina at Duke University, where he received his Ph.D. in Religious Studies/Early Christianity.

After completing his doctoral degree, Brad had the opportunity to continue his research as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Princeton University with the Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies and Committee for the Study of Late Antiquity. The Lord next took Brad and family to Birmingham, AL, where he is now a Visiting Assistant Professor at Samford University in the Classics & Philosophy Department and teaches in the Great Books Curriculum. Brad feels blessed in both his academic

opportunities and in his personal life.

He and Erin have been married for 12 years and look forward to many more.

They now have four daughters: Clarie (10), Lily (7), Brynna (5), and Hallie (3).

RACHEL HIGGINS (LINDLEY ’07) Rachel graduated from Northeast State Community College in 2009. While there, she acquired her degree in dental assisting. Since graduating, Rachel has been working as a dental assistant locally in Johnson City. She is celebrating working 15 years in her craft this year!

Rachel is also a certified group fitness instructor and enjoys teaching others about health and fitness. Rachel and her husband, Sam, have two kids: Jana (16) and Hunter (13).

KATELYN RENARD (O'ROARK ’07) Katelyn graduated from Union University in 2011 with her degree in Biology. She then went on to continue her education at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In 2014, she graduated with her Doctor of Physical Therapy. This year she is celebrating 10 years of practice as an outpatient orthopedic physical therapist. Not only does she deliver excellent service to her patients, but also excels as Clinic Director, this being her 9th year in the position. In 2015, Katelyn and Robinson were married. Since then, their family has grown with two boys ages five and two. Katelyn has lived in Chattanooga for 11 years and has enjoyed every moment. Katelyn is extremely passionate about the importance of Sabbath rest and believes in the significance of living an unhurried life. She aspires to one day either write a book or teach groups on this topic, maybe even do both. When Katelyn is not working, she enjoys spending time outside and hiking. Even more than that, she relishes spending time with her husband and sons. You can frequently find her investing time

with her friends and journaling at the Wildflower Tea Shop. On top of all of Katelyn’s varied interests, she also invests her time in researching and making her own natural household and cleaning products.

TIM BOSWELL (’08) Tim graduated from Grove City College. While attending, he majored in Molecular Biology and captained the men’s soccer team. After receiving his cap and gown, he attended medical school at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN. Once achieving his doctoral degree, he headed to Rochester, MN, to complete his Urology residency training at the Mayo Clinic. It was in Minnesota that he met and fell in love with his wife, Jenna. After residency, Tim and Jenna traveled to the west coast for Tim to complete his Pediatric Urology fellowship at the University of California at Irvine. Tim, Jenna, and their two kids, Zoey (3) and Peter (2), have now settled in Birmingham, AL, where Tim is practicing as a Pediatric Urologist and teaching as an Assistant Professor of Urology at the University of Alabama Birmingham.

RACHEL ADAMS (CHUTE ’08) Rachel graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2012 with her Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education. She taught 1st grade at Providence Academy for five years before becoming a full-time mom. Her husband, Sam, now teaches high school English classes at PA. Their children are Mae, Anna, and Theo. Mae is in 1st grade this year and Anna is a part of the Pre-K program. Their children are second-generation PA students and Rachel's parents were among the five founding families of the school.

CHRIS GILL (’08) Chris completed

his undergraduate at Baylor University.

He then went on to study at the East Tennessee State University – Quillen College of Medicine. Chris completed his Pediatric Residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. Today, Chris practices with his father at First Choice Pediatrics in Johnson City. His children, Ann Marie and Harrison are both second generation Providence Academy students. His daughter, Ann Marie, is in 4th grade and his son, Harrison, is in Kindergarten. Chris attends Red Stone Church with his family.

STEVEN KNAPP (’08) Steven started his college career at East Tennessee State University for two years before transferring to Auburn University to finish with his undergraduate degree in History. Soon after, the Lord led him to consider law as a career. Steven decided he would take a practice LSAT under the tutelage of test masters and if he were to score well enough, he would attend law school. He was unprepared for just how strongly the Lord would give him the go ahead. Steven scored in the 99th percentile, higher than even his teacher.

He took that as confirmation and attended Thomas Goode Jones School of Law at Faulkner Law. Steven graduated with his Juris Doctor and a Masters in Law. His first job out of school was with Intuit-Turbo Tax working in tax law. Since then, he has moved on to bigger opportunities and now works for the Russell County District Attorney Office in Phenix City, AL. Steven hopes to one day run for a spot as a District Court Judge. He recently remarried and feels very blessed. He met his wife, Cassidy, at a sister church of his current congregation, Gateway Church International. Together they have melded their lives and created a family.

They have three children: Rua (9), Kaladin (6), and Elijah (3).

ABIGAIL COMBS (LEPSCH ’08) Abigail graduated from Grove City College in 2012. Following graduation, Abigail taught mathematics for ninth graders through Teach for America in Charleston, SC, completing her commitment in 2014. In 2018, Abigail graduated from UTHSC Medical School in Memphis, TN. While living in Memphis she met Ryan Combs (Birmingham, AL) and they married in 2017. Last year, Abigail completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at UTHSC. Abigail is currently in fellowship at Johns Hopkins University specializing in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. She is thankful to her husband, Ryan, for supporting her through her training. As a mom of two, Thomas (2) and a new baby girl, Abigail is passionate about women’s health and building families.

In her limited free time, Abigail enjoys spending time with her family, playing folk songs with Ryan, skiing, visiting lesser known national parks, fly fishing, mastering new board games, playing tennis, pickle ball, and ping pong.

RACHEL NOREEN (DUNN ’09) Rachel went to Liberty University for her undergraduate, and in recent years, received her Masters of Arts in Teaching through the Liberty online program. She spent the last two years teaching phonics in multiple elementary grades. Rachel and her husband, Kevin, live in Findlay, OH, and welcomed their first child, Jameson, on March 23, 2023.

DERRICK HUDSON (’09) Derrick graduated from Covenant Bible College in 2015. While there, he obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Theology. Derrick currently serves as a Discipleship Pastor at Calvary Church in Johnson City, TN. Now for those of you who know Derrick, you know that he loves life and loves to bring laughter to those around him.

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He has certainly kept his wife Amanda entertained. They are celebrating 13 years of marriage this May! Derrick and Amanda have four children: Gideon (11), Olive (9), Selah (6) and Woven (3). A goal for Derrick, this year, is to finish a book that he has been picking up and putting down for years. Derrick’s ultimate goal while on this earth is to continually LOVE the BIBLE and PEOPLE with all that he is.

RACHAEL HOLMES (LITTLE ’09) Congratulations to Rachael on winning a 40 Under 40 Award from the Business Journal of Tri-Cities TN/VA. This award recognizes Rachael as an accomplished young entrepreneur and business owner. Rachael owns and operates Petite Sweets. Her bakery is located in Johnson City, and she makes everything from cupcakes to custom wedding cakes.

When she is not at work, she spends her time with her husband, Zach, and her beautiful daughters, Charlotte and Ruby.

Her two girls are second-generation Providence Academy students. Her daughter Charlotte is in 1st grade and her daughter Ruby started Pre-K this fall. They are both excited to join their cousins, Payton (6th grade) and Haven (2nd grade).

MEREDITH REDMAN (ELDRIDGE ’10) Meredith currently teaches 4th grade in Kingsport City Schools. She and her husband, Joseph, enjoy helping with their family's farm restaurant-The Kitchen at Grace Meadows. They have two girls, Merritt (1st-grade at PA) and Jolie (1 year).

"I knew when Merritt was born that I wanted her to receive the individualized attention and rigorous education that I was privileged to get at PA. But most importantly, I wanted her to be in an environment where she was surrounded by Jesus, His word, and 18 CROSS & SHIELD | ALUMNI

taught daily about Him. Getting to experience Providence as a parent has given me a new perspective and level of appreciation for the community and the way that they teach and model a Christcentered life for their students from day one. What a blessing it is to know that my girls will grow up in the PA family!”

MARIAH HSIAO (HERINGTON ’10) Mariah attended King University.

While there, she obtained her degree in Early Childhood Education. During her time at King, she participated in their women’s collegiate volleyball team, Freshman to Senior year. Mariah is currently working from home for RDM Contracting. Additionally, she coaches volleyball at Providence Academy.

Mariah and her husband, Nathan, currently have three children, One of which is now a second-generation PA student!

VINCENT JOHNSON (’10) Vincent attended the University of Tennessee Knoxville where he obtained his degree in Journalism and Electronic Media.

Vincent is currently a production manager at ESPN based in Los Angeles.

He spends his working hours in the Stats and Information Group, helping to oversee the content operations of ESPN’s linear and digital platforms.

Within Vincent’s advisement, his group aims to tell unique stories through data, analytics, and historical information.

Vincent’s passion for his job is quite evident, not only in the quality of his product, but also in his achievement of two Emmy Awards as a Producer for SportsCenter, awarded to him in 2020 and 2022. In his free time, you can find Vincent investing time in his health and fitness through activities such as weightlifting and yoga. As far as future goals go, Vincent‘s constant pursuit is that his passions will fulfill and align with what God has called him to do in

life. Vincent feels blessed to have such a supportive family who can share in his accomplishments.

JESSICA KRATZER (HARDCASTLE ’11) Jessica is working full time as an Office Administrator at Host Engineering and part time as an Office Manager at Petite Sweets. When not at work she is spending time with her family. In 2015 Jessica and Andrew were married. They are loving parents to their children Tori, Izaya, Elijah, and Walker.

They had Tori in 2018. The following year they fostered Izaya and Elijah, before adopting them in 2022. Their youngest, Walker was born to them in 2021. Jessica and Andrew are excited to be re-opening their home with the Department of Child Services to take in more foster children.

AMY CASTELLANO (HECHT ’11) Amy and her husband, Nick, are excited about the growth in their family since their marriage in 2018. In 2019 Amy was excited to legally become the mother to Nick's two boys, Charlie and Anderson (9). Today their family has grown with two more children, Ruby (3) and Marco (almost 2). When Amy isn’t homeschooling Charlie and Anderson, she is working with her husband Nick. They own and run several small businesses in the Chattanooga area.

CORINNE SCHMIDT (’11) Corinne graduated from North Greenville University (NGU) in 2016 with her major in Health Promotion and Wellness. Following her days at NGU she lived and worked as a missionary teacher at Macedonian Christian Academy (MCA) in Texas. At MCA, she taught PE, high school math, and coached cross country. In the summer of 2022, she left Texas and moved to Northern Pennsylvania where she is

currently working at a Christian camp, Mt. Gilead Camp, as the camp’s activities coordinator, while also working for the International Gymnastics Camp as a part-time job. Corinne has enjoyed her time there and finds that she likes the change of pace from her job as a teacher.

She would like to complete this year at the camp before potentially seeing if the Lord is leading her in a different direction.

TRINITY FREEMON (HUHN ’12) Trinity graduated from Lee University in 2015. While attending, she acquired her major in Humanities with an emphasis in classics & philosophy. Trinity teaches Latin at Providence Academy, in both middle school and high school. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Scott, with whom she just celebrated five years of marriage. During her summers, you can find Trinity working as a freelance editor (contact her at prolibrisediting.com for job inquiries).

During the summer, she enjoys volunteering at Doe River Gorge, since that is where she and Scott met. On top of that, Trinity relishes the times she can go backpacking.

RUTH FREEMON (’13) If there is one word that could summarize Ruth, it is hellbenders. Ruth was first introduced to hellbenders during her 2015 undergraduate summer research in Tennessee. Since then, she has continued to foster her love for these cryptic animals. After graduating from Lee University in 2017 with her Bachelor of Science in Biological Science, Ruth worked as a conservation biology apprentice at the Oglebay Good Zoo in Wheeling, WV. She cared for the hellbenders in the zoo’s head-start program. Next, Ruth continued her education at West Liberty University, completing her Master’s in Biology in 2020. Her Master’s research focused

on the Eastern Hellbender populations in West Virginia. Next, Ruth was thrilled to continue her work with hellbenders at The Wilds in the Ecology department. The Wilds is one of the largest conservation facilities in North America and is located in Cumberland, Ohio. The Wilds safari park hosts many species of exotic endangered animals for conservation purposes, and conducts research on native Ohio species.

Ruth states, “It's honestly difficult to summarize my job because I get to do so many different things, but it truly is my dream job!” Ruth trains students, works with researchers from many different schools and organizations, performs detailed laboratory work, and helps with prescribed burns of our prairies, just to name a very few things. Ruth wishes she were closer to home but feels blessed to be a part of such a special place. It still strikes Ruth as bizarre that hellbenders have shaped the course of her life as much as they have, however the doors that God opened for her, led her to where she is now, and she couldn’t be happier.

Poppy, and working for Deloitte in their Controllership Transformation group.

JONATHAN HECHT (’13) Jonathan attended the Georgia Institute of Technology for his ungraduate degree.

While there, he received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Jonathan is currently working at Michelin doing quality risk management and tire design in Greenville, SC. As he progresses in his work with Michelin, Jonathan hopes to move overseas to continue his work with the company.

AVERIE VINES (BLACKMORE ’14) Averie graduated from Milligan University with her undergraduate degree in Worship Leadership and Humanities. She then continued her education at Southern New Hampshire University. While there, she obtained her Master's in English. Averie is currently teaching high school English at Providence Academy. Though she is teaching, her love for learning has not died. Averie would eventually like to go back to school to get her doctorate in English. When not educating the minds of her students, Averie and her husband, Eric, enjoy traveling, hiking, and reading. Eric and Averie welcomed their first daughter, precious 6 lb. 7 oz.

Amelia, just this January.

NATALIE SMITH (’13) Natalie graduated from Covenant College with her degree in Business. She then continued her education at The University of Virginia, acquiring her Master's in Accounting. Natalie is currently living in Alexandria, VA. She spends her days playing with her dog,

ANDEE KLUSMAN (ATKINS ’14) Andee graduated from Rollins College in 2017 with her B.A. with Honors in Theatre. After graduation, Andee worked professionally at children's theatres such as the Orlando Rep and the South Carolina Children's Theatre teaching, acting, choreographing, and directing. Three years ago, she and her husband, Perry, decided to move back to Johnson City, and Andee began working at Providence. While here, she has been an aide, substitute teacher, Administrative Assistant to the Elementary Principal, yearbook advisor, and director of the elementary drama program. This year, she found her home at Providence as the librarian. She is currently continuing her education at Liberty University and is so excited to embrace this opportunity the Lord has blessed her with. Andee and Perry look forward to their own daughter Pippa (2) making memories as a future Knight.

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GREYSON BLEDSOE (’14) Greyson graduated from East Tennessee State University, majoring in Media and Communications. Greyson is following in his father’s footsteps and teaching at Providence Academy. Greyson excels at educating the 6th though 10th graders in Latin I. When not in the classroom, you can find Greyson out on the field taking charge as part of Providence's football coaching staff. After attending school together for many years, Moriah Bechtel and Greyson were married in 2022.

MORIAH DELP (BRANTNER ’14) Moriah graduated from East Tennessee State University. After graduating, she received a job at Stealth Belt, a company that specializes in making medical support belts for people with ostomy bags. Moriah has worked with the company for a few years and has moved around through the departments expanding her training and knowledge.

She is currently working as a seamstress.

Moriah and her husband, Justin, recently celebrated their 5th anniversary. How they met though is a scene straight from Disney. Just like in 101 Dalmatians, they were both taking their dogs to the park when the dogs’ leashes got tangled up together. They laughed as they untangled their dogs, and the rest is history. They have a two-year-old daughter named Jacquelyn and just welcomed their second baby girl.

JACOLBY DARR (’14) Jacolby graduated from Tennessee Tech University with a Mechanical Engineering degree. He currently works as a Healthcare Engineer with the James H. Quillen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Jacolby spends his time managing the design and construction of projects as a Contracting Officer Representative. In his spare time, he lends a hand at the family business, Stanley’s Produce in Johnson City.

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STERLING & HAYLEY FOOSHEE (LOYD ’15) Sterling and Hayley have been friends, some might say, since kindergarten. In 2016 they were marreid and since then, Sterling has graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2017 (undergraduate) and 2020 (masters), with his degrees in Digital Marketing. He is currently working as the Director of Operations for Cedar Recovery, an addiction treatment company with 8 locations across Tennessee. Cedar Recovery serves over 2500 patients across the state and is proud to be one of the southeast's leading addiction treatment providers.

Sterling feels blessed to be a part of a company that is making a substantial difference in helping others. Hayley graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2019. While attending she obtained her degree in Interior Architecture. And just like her husband, her pursual of education did not stop there. Hayley is currently acquiring her Master’s degree in Applied Economics at American University. Hayley is excited to take this next step and believes that this will allow her more opportunities and open more doors in her career.

JOHN O’ROARK (’14) John graduated from Northeast State in 2018 with his Associates Degree in Electrical Technology. John then felt a strong calling that the Lord was leading him to invest his time in Gospel ministry.

John is currently finishing up his last semester at LAMP Theological Seminary on a Bachelor’s of Divinity.

Once finished, John plans to become a pastor, if that is the Lord's will. Currently he preaches at Bridwell Heights Presbyterian Church. Additionally, the Lord is allowing John other opportunities to work in Evangelistic and Discipleship ministry in East TN. John’s ministry is called Full Armour Ministries (fullarmourministries.org).

John is also working as an Evangelistic Worker with Reformed Evangelistic Fellowship (REF), a missionary sending organization. John’s work with REF includes street evangelism, evangelism training, teaching small group Bible study, building up his church through preaching, meeting with young men one-on-one, and offering aid to mothers at the abortion clinic in Bristol VA. John enjoys investing his time in teaching Logic and Apologetics at Doe River Gorge’s Gap Year Program for high school graduates. John believes that his primary ministry is to love and lead his wife and children, Josiah (4) and Evangelyn (Evie, 2).

EVAN & KYLER TYREE (WILLIAMS ’14) Kyler and Evan are celebrating their fifth anniversary this year. They feel so blessed to have met and married at a young age that they might have many years together. They welcomed their first child, Rylon, into the world last year.

Evan graduated from East Tennessee State University, where he acquired his degree in Business Administration with a concentration in management.

After graduating, Evan owned his own lawn care and landscaping business for five years, selling it in 2022. Evan transitioned to working for Johnson City Kubota as an Equipment Consultant.

Kyler graduated from East Tennessee State University. While there, she obtained her degree in Social Work.

Since then, Kyler has been working in a psychosocial rehabilitation program.

Kyler is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Church Ministry through Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

They look forward to what the Lord has in store.

KYLE CLENDENON (’15) Kyle graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 2019 with a 4.0 GPA. While there, he majored

in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management. While at UT, Kyle met Hannah and they married in August of 2020. Kyle and Hannah added their German Shephard, Daisy, to the house shortly after. Hannah works at her family-owned company, Innovative Tool Co., as an accountant specialist.

Their company is located in Clinton, TN. Kyle, has worked at the renowned Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain properties in Walland, TN, since July of 2020. In less than a year, he was promoted to lodging manager and is still currently in this position. Kyle feels very blessed in his job and is excited to share that the company made it into the top 500 hotels in the world for 2023!

While Kyle and Hannah both enjoy their jobs, they also enjoy participating in extracurricular activities like soccer and travel.

ELLEN WILLCOXON (DUNCAN ’15) Ellen graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in Accounting.

She stayed on at Ole Miss and graduated with her Master’s in Accounting and CPA (certified public accountant).

While at Ole Miss, Ellen discovered her future spouse, Sam. They married in June of 2022. Currently they are living in Nashville, TN, where Ellen works for Designworks Collective as a Senior Accountant. She enjoys working for a private company with an emphasis on creative products. As Ellen and Sam continue to settle into their lives in Nashville, they look forward to becoming more involved in their community. In their free time, they love cooking together and spending time with friends and family nearby.

NATANIA COBBLE (PAUL ’15) Natania graduated from East Tennessee State University majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Music. After graduating, she continued her education

at ETSU Quillen College of Medicine.

Upon graduation, she will receive her Doctor of Medicine. Not only will she graduate with her MD, but also with her Master's in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health.

While at ETSU, Natania met her sweet love Hunter, and tied the knot in July of 2023. Natania’s next step is to match into residency with her husband, Hunter Cobble. She hopes to become an OB/ GYN to help women feel empowered and knowledgeable about their bodies and the transitions they are going through. They are excited to see where the Lord will lead them for residency and cannot wait to use this opportunity to minister to others. While school is very time-consuming, they plan to use their spare time to visit all the National Parks in America.

REID SMITH (’15) Reid attended Clemson University and graduated in 2019 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Reid continued his education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he earned his Master's in Mechanical Engineering in 2022. After receiving his cap and gown, Reid decided that he was not yet done pursuing his academic career. He is currently attending the aforementioned school for his PhD in Mechanical Engineering, graduating next year, 2025. This past summer, Reid worked as a visiting researcher at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, OH for his dissertation. Reid looks forward to graduating and plans to work in a research position within the aerospace sector.

MCKENZIE WALKER (TRUJILLO ’15) McKenzie graduated from Milligan University where she majored in Biology and minored in Missions and Humanities. After completing her degree, McKenzie married Seth

Walker. Since their wedding, Seth has been working as a mechanical engineer and McKenzie has worked on her medical degree at ETSU Quillen College of Medicine. After receiving her cap and gown, McKenzie plans to do her residency in Pediatrics followed by a fellowship in Neonatology. Her dream is to work as a Neonatologist in our very own Johnson City. She would like to specifically work with newborns diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. McKenzie and Seth currently have two fur babies.

They have an English bulldog named Moose and a French Bulldog named Bear. McKenzie is forever grateful for her time at Providence Academy. Every now and then when she gets the chance, McKenzie enjoys making surprise visits to PA to say hello to Coach Cash, Coach Herington, and Mr. Hudson.

Not only did her time at PA prepare her academically, but also created an environment for lifelong friends, many of whom she is still in contact with today. Most importantly, she is thankful for the faculty and staff for pouring into her spiritual life and helping her grow her faith.

SARAH GRACE AHRENT (’16) Sarah Grace graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2020.

While attending, she double majored in Accounting and Marketing, as well as double minored in Finance and Management. Those who know Sarah Grace know that she has a passion for life. With every day that comes her way, her goal is to try new things. Whether that is something as big as traveling to a new place, or as simple as learning how to bake a new recipe. She wants to grow as a human and make memories with those that she loves.

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NATHAN BOCCAROSSA (’16) Nathan graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2020. While there, he obtained his Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. In 2019, he interned in the Tennessee State House for House Finance, Ways, and Means Chair of the Committee for Susan Lynn. Then in 2020, Nathan became the President of Conservative Coalition and College Republicans at ETSU. After graduation, Nathan worked as a paralegal/legal assistant to an attorney in Bristol, VA. In 2022, Nathan moved to Athens, GA, where he worked for Congressman Paul Broun, MD's reelection campaign and Mike Collin's campaign in the primary runoff election.

Next, Nathan worked for Campaign Marketing Strategies, a consulting firm running several races in the state of New Mexico. Currently, Nathan lives in the Washington, DC area, serving as legislative correspondent and press assistant to Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz, the first woman and republican to represent Texas' 15th Congressional District. Nathan’s future goals are to continue working in politics and to potentially attend law school.

WILL BOWERS (’16) Will graduated from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. While there, he obtained his degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Hospitality Management.

When Will first started his college career, he did not plan on getting involved in hospitality management.

However, after taking a few classes, he found a passion for it. Will is currently working as the Front Desk Manager at The Bristol Hotel. As part of his job, Will wears many different hats and runs point of contact for guest issues and special requests. While he continues in this field, Will hopes to gain experience so that he might move into the role of general manager. Once he has accomplished 22 CROSS & SHIELD | ALUMNI

that, he would like to eventually move from boutique hotels to destination resorts. Will loves working at a boutique hotel. He feels that in this setting there is more human connection instead of just trying to get someone through the door.

When not at work, you can find Will at a Tennessee Vols football game, attending a NASCAR race, or participating in outdoor activities.

JACKSON GRAHAM (’16) Jackson graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in May of 2020.

While there, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting. Jackson then continued his education at UT graduating in June of 2021 with his Master of Accountancy. He is now working for FORVIS LLP, the 8th largest accounting firm in the country.

Jackson works as an auditor out of their Asheville, NC offices. Jackson enjoys his time as an uncle and recently welcomed another nephew into the family. In his free time, you can find Jackson at the Tennessee football, basketball, and baseball games. When in Johnson City, he enjoys attending Redeemer Church.

to move forward. After graduating, he looks forward to joining a company where he will be able to put his electrical engineering skills to work. On another note, a couple of years ago, Henry self-published a collection of his own creative writings. (scan the QR code to read his writings) CAMBRON JOHNSON (’16) Cambron attended Rose-Hulman institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IA, where he double majored in Computer Science and Software Engineering, also minoring in Computational Science.

After graduating, Cambron went to work full time for Epic Systems, a medical software company. Epic currently holds over 75% of patient medical records in the United States. He is excited to be part of such an influential company, working as a Software Development Team Lead in the Radiologist experience functional area. Cambron is currently living in Madison, WI, and is thrilled to have joined the ranks of homeowner.

MALACHI HAYES (’16) Malachi graduated from Walters State Community College with a degree in Agricultural Business. He loved his job working with Onks Greenhouse for seven years before his boss retired.

His future goal is to open his own greenhouse business. Malachi is happiest when he is working among plants and flowers.

CREIGHTON KELLUM (’16) Creighton graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Creighton is currently in his fourth-year as a medical student at ETSU Quillen College of Medicine. After completing his education, he will be entering the U.S. Air Force as a physician. His goal is to pursue a career in Trauma/Critical Care Surgery. In his limited free time, you can find Creighton outdoors skiing, climbing, or running. He also enjoys reading and playing his guitar.

HENRY HOLBEN (’16) Henry is entering his senior year at Milligan University in pursuit of a degree in Electrical Engineering. Henry has enjoyed his time at Milligan but is ready

EVE & ALEX BRADFORD (’17) (LITTLE ’16) Eve and Alex had known of each other for a few years at Providence before eventually dating Eve’s senior year. In 2019, they said, “I do." Eve graduated from East Tennessee

State University in 2020 with her undergraduate degree in Nursing.

Since then, Eve has been practicing as a Pediatric and Labor and Delivery RN. While also working, Eve went back to ETSU graduating as a Nurse Practitioner in 2023. After graduating she started a new job working in Pediatrics and feels blessed in her career field. Alex graduated from King University in 2019 with a degree in Business followed by his Masters in Business Administration in 2022. Alex’s accomplishments at King include more than academics. In 2021, Alex made the All Conference Golf Team, and won King University’s Golf Conference Championship. Eve and Alex recently bought their first home in Johnson City. They feel blessed to have each other and their two cats. They will be celebrating their 5th anniversary this year and look forward to many more!

HOLLIE WRIGHT (MATTHEWS ’16) Hollie graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2021 majoring in International Affairs and French with a minor in Economics.

While attending ETSU, Hollie met and married Harrison Wright in 2020. They have moved to Nashville, TN, where Hollie joined Governor Bill Lee’s administration, working in communications. She is thrilled to be able to support her husband while he is pursuing a dual Emergency and Family Nurse Practitioner degree at Vanderbilt University.

LANE PATTERSON (’16) Lane is currently helping run Morgan Auto Service +, his father’s business. He enjoys spending time with his dad while also working on automobiles. Lane hopes to one day take over the family business and give his dad the retirement he deserves. When not at work, you can find Lane outdoors. He enjoys hiking, camping, or spending time on the lake.

TREVOR TRUJILLO (’16) Trevor graduated from Liberty University, December of 2019. While there, he met, fell in love, and married his beautiful wife, Sarah. They said their vows in July of 2020. Trevor recently left his job with his father, at Johnson City Honda, and is starting his own Automotive Product sales and distribution company. He is proud to say that his father was his first customer! His wife, Sarah, is working at Providence Academy as the Dean of Girls. They are excited to see what the future holds for them.

ELIJAH WILSON (’16) Elijah received his two-year Associates Degree in Psychology at Northeast State, graduating in the spring of 2020. He is now working as a realtor with the Colin & Carly Group at Keller Williams, local to Johnson City. Elijah is very excited to invest in this new venture. He also looks forward to getting involved in the community through his position in real estate. Elijah is forever thankful for the education and Christ-centered foundation that Providence Academy gave him.

AMY FERGUSON (’17) Amy is currently living in Asheville, NC. She is currently working as a full-time artist. Amy runs her own fine arts small business, Peppermint Pace. (Scan QR code or visit www.etsy.com/shop/ peppermintpace) On her page, you can find nature, architecture, and custom paintings.

ALEX STOVER (’17) Alex attended East Tennessee State University where she obtained her major in Radiologic Science. Currently, Alex is working at Bristol Regional Medical Center taking x-rays. Alex is enjoying life, and excited to see what the Lord has in store for her!

PARKER BARNES (’18) Parker graduated from Clemson University in May of 2022 where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences and a minor in English. During Parker’s senior year she was President of her sorority Alpha Omega Epsilon (Xi Chapter.)

She feels blessed to have been a part of a sorority that supports women who are interested or involved in STEM. Parker is currently in her second year of her master's program at East Tennessee State University in Biology with a concentration in Biomedical Sciences. When not in class, Parker is either studying, teaching introductory biology labs as a Teacher’s Assistant, or performing grad research in the Schmeichel Lab at the Quillen Facilities.

(Scan the QR code for more information on her graduate research, and scroll down to find Parker.) Once completing her master’s, Parker would like to attend medical school.

ETHAN COOK (’18) Ethan graduated from Liberty University in the spring of 2022. While attending, he obtained his degree in Electrical Engineering. Ethan is currently working at Grace Fellowship Church as a Production & Technical Assistant. When he started his college career, Ethan did not expect that God would lead him to use his Engineering degree in ministry. Ethan says, “God has been super faithful.” Ethan has had such a wonderful experience working with Grace Fellowship. As his skills and experience continue to grow, Ethan’s desire is that he will continue to see God lead him to where he is needed.

JACKSON HESTER (’18) Jackson graduated from the Honors College at East Tennessee State University with his degree in Business Economics. He now manages the family business, Johnson CROSS & SHIELD | ALUMNI 23

City Appliance Repair, established in 2015 by his father. He is excited to continue in his father's footsteps.

CAMPBELL KELLUM (’18) Campbell graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2023. While there, he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. After receiving his cap and gown, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He is currently in Pilot Training.

LUKE ROBERTSON (’18) Luke Robertson is currently attending Lipscomb University. During his first few semesters there, he worked to obtain the prerequisite classes needed for graduate school. Luke is now working toward his Doctorate in Pharmacy and his Master’s in Healthcare Informatics at Lipscomb. Though he enjoys what he is doing, Luke hopes to be working in a hospital pharmacy or doing research in the near future.

JORDAN CLARK (SPANO ’18) Jordan attended East Tennessee State University, graduating with her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (Magna Cum Laude Honors). While there, she was the Cohort Class President of the Student Nurse Association. After graduating, December of 2021, Jordan obtained her Registered Nurse license. Jordan is currently working at the Johnson City Medical Center as an ICU nurse. She feels very blessed to have received this position right out of college. Though finished with her training at ETSU, she has continued learning. Jordan recently received her TNCC (Trauma Nurse Core Course) Accreditation and her CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse) Accreditation. The next accreditation that she would like to work toward is becoming a SANE (Sexual Assault 24 CROSS & SHIELD | ALUMNI

Nurse Examiner). Jordan is currently celebrating her recent marriage to Devon. They are both exhilarated to start this new chapter together.

ABBIE VILLENEUVE (’18) Abbie graduated from Lee University in May of 2022. While there, she acquired her Bachelor’s of Art in Psychology. Abbie continued her education at Lee in the grad program. She graduated with her Master's of Science in School Counseling in May of 2023. During that time she worked as a tutor, team leader, and behavior specialist at Big City University (BCU). BCU is a grant funded after school tutoring and enrichment program for the Bradley County elementary schools and is free of charge for parents.

Abbie hopes to find a school counseling position in the Johnson City area.

CHRISTIAN and PERRY KATE CHUMBLEY (HESTER ’19) Perry Kate and Christian developed a close friendship at Providence Academy that grew into romance. In August of 2021, Perry Kate and Christian were married. Perry Kate graduated from East Tennessee State University where she obtained her degree in Marketing with a concentration in management.

She is continuing her education at ETSU, participating in the Masters of Science in Digital Marketing program.

Once she has completed her Masters degree, Perry Kate would like to help grow small businesses in the Tri-Cities through digital and social media marketing. Christian graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2023 with a degree in Microbiology with a concentration in human health and minored in health administration.

Christian is currently pursuing his Masters in Healthcare Administration at ETSU. After he finishes his graduate degree, Christian would like to attend West Virginia School of Osteopathic

Medicine to become a physician in emergency medicine.

ALEXA HILDNER (GARRISON ’19) Alexa graduated from Tennessee Tech University in December of 2023.

While there, she obtained her degree in Electrical Engineering. While at Tech, Alexa met and fell in love with Evan. They recently tied the knot and are excited to start their new life together. They have moved to Alabama and are both working for engineering firms.

TIMOTHY BOCCAROSSA (’20) Timmy is finishing up his senior year at Union University in Jackson TN. While in attendance, he is obtaining his degree in Mechanical Engineering. Timmy is not sure quite what he plans to do but is excited to see where the Lord will lead him. When not studying or working on assignments, you can find Timmy hanging out with his friends or working out at the gym.

CLAIRE HUTCHINSON (’21) Claire is entering her senior year at Liberty University. She is majoring in Information Systems: Information Assurance. She is looking forward to completing her degree in the Spring of 2025.

DALTON DARR (’22) Dalton is currently attending Tusculum University. He is studying Studio Art. Once he graduates his goal is to join the animation team for Dreamworks Pictures.

AVA SAMS (’22) Ava is currently attending the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She is on the Premed track, majoring in Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology. Ava is

also wanting to minor in American Sign Language. In addition to her studies, she quickly got to join the UTK Powerlifting Club; in which she is growing stronger and making friends. Ava is absolutely loving her life at college and is thriving in her studies. On Sunday mornings, she has the pleasure of serving with the toddlers at her local church in Knoxville, Sevier Heights. During the week, Ava attends their college ministry, The Walk. She plans on graduating in three years before heading on to medical school. Ava is hoping to return to Johnson City to attend Quillen Medical School at East Tennessee State University. She plans to pursue a career in Ophthalmology.

MERIDITH SMITH (’22) Meridith is currently attending East Tennessee State University. While there, she will be majoring in Biology with a concentration in Biochemistry. Upon entering ETSU, Meridith became a Global Citizen Scholar in the Honors College. So far, Meridith has travelled to England to study the History of Christmas Traditions and joined the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) participating in “Beach Reach”. She has joined a genetic research lab on campus and is a part of an acappella group, Ascension, that is top 18 in the world for collegiate acappella singing. In addition to all that Meridith is accomplishing, she was also elected as a Student Government Association (SGA) Senator for the College of Arts and Sciences.

This past summer, Meridith worked as a camp counselor at Bancroft Bible Camp and studied abroad in Ecuador.

This spring, she participated in a study abroad program in Spain.

EXCLUSIVE ALUMNI O P P O R T U NI TI ES !

Special alumni rates available at www.providenceacademy.com/alumni Please direct questions to padev@providenceacademy.com.

ALUMNI ROOM A special room has been reserved just for Alumni at the MeadowView Marriott prior to our Scholarship Dinner and Silent Auction. March 12, 2024 Encouragement with Dr. Voddie Baucham at 6:00 PM 4:30-6:30 PM | Alumni Reception Special Guests: We will have some of our longer-tenured teachers and some former teachers as guests in the room.

ALUMNI ONLY! Special Encouragement with Dr. Bauchum at 6:00 PM

CLASS REUNIONS 10 Year - Averie Vines, avines@providenceacademy.com 20 Year - James Herington, jherington@providenceacademy.com 21 Year - Brandon Hecht, hecht.do@gmail.com

Special PA Alumni Hotel Rates All the hotels have rooms booked from 3/10-3/13.

Johnson City Holiday Inn $129 a night Johnson City Double Tree $119 a night MeadowView Marriott Kingsport $149 a night

We love our Alumni! We hope to see you all this year at the Annual Scholarship Dinner.

CROSS & SHIELD | ALUMNI 25

WE ARE THANKFUL

by Mark Koscak, Director of Development

At Providence Academy, we are thankful. There are many reasons to be thankful. This is our 30th anniversary, and we are thankful for 30 years of ministry. We are blessed to live in beautiful East Tennessee, and we are blessed to live among a people who are generous, faithful, and free! As I share a list of things that we at Providence Academy are thankful for, I am going to focus mostly on the last five to six years.

Enrollment We are thankful for increasing enrollment. This fall we are expecting close to 850 students. This is about double what we had five years ago. We now have three tiers of classes from pre-K to 12.

Classroom Space Doubling your student body means you need a lot more classroom space. We are thankful for 21 new classrooms, a second gymnasium, a weight room, and more locker rooms. We opened this 37,000-square-foot addition at the beginning of the school year, and we were able to build it for $270 a square foot! We are excited to share that we secured the $10 Million in gifts and pledges needed to fund this addition by the time we cut the ribbon on the new building.

Need-Based Scholarship We are thankful for a community that supports need-based scholarship. At Providence Academy, 25% of our students are only able to attend through the support we raise. This year our goal is to raise $622,000 for families in need for next school year. Need-based support has been a priority at Providence Academy since day one. Through the generous community that we have here, the Lord has provided over $2.25 Million in funding in just the last five years.

Athletics Over the last five years, we have added a football field, a softball field, and lights to the baseball field. These improvements have allowed us to add a girls softball team and a boys jv football team. We also added a wrestling program, a tennis program, a swim team, a track team, and a mountain biking club. We have a lot to be thankful for at Providence Academy!

Fine Arts Our Fine Arts program is flourishing! Over the last five years, we have implemented a K-12 orchestra program that features performing groups in elementary, middle, and high school levels. We have added a drum line, an elementary drama program, and a middle school drama program, and we have grown our high school drama program to include both a drama and a musical each year.

We are thankful for the growth of our fine arts program, and we dream of building a fine arts center on our campus.

Academics Our seniors averaged a 26.2 on their ACT test scores last year as compared to a state average of 18.4. That's a 43% increase over the state average, and it doesn't just happen to be a good year. That ACT score is in the range of what we have consistently scored since our first senior class 21 years ago. 100% of our students receiving need-based scholarship are meeting or exceeding 3rd grade standards for ELA (English-Language-Arts which includes reading) and Math.

Alumni Now that Providence is in its 30th year, there are numerous alumni, doing numerous things, in many different places. See pages 14-25 for more than 70 alumni updates! We are thankful for our alumni!

There are so many reasons to be thankful. We couldn't have done this without the generous community that we call home. This mission that we call Providence Academy hasn't cost the taxpayers a dime! But, most of all, we have a lot to be thankful for because we have a faithful Provider and Guide.

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THANK YOU TO OUR RENEWING SCHOLARSHIP PARTNER A+ Extractions & Dentures is owned by Dr. Jason Cunningham. Dr. Cunningham and his wife Dr. Angela Cameron are parents of Andrew, a Providence Academy Alumni '23 and Alexis, ninth grade. We are thankful for their continued support of the Annual Need-Based Scholarship Fund.

MEMORIAL GIFTS & HONORARIUMS In Loving Memory

In Honor Of

Danny Mills Larry Mullins Kathleen Thompson Patsy Smithson William Cole Peggy Pease

Reed Rhoda

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Providence Academy 2788 Carroll Creek Road Johnson City, TN 37615

MAIN OFFICE: Phone: 423-854-9819 Fax: 423-854-8958

DEVELOPMENT OFFICE: padev@providenceacademy.com