The Compass | 2024-25 Annual Report

SOUTHWEST CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL

Compass

2024–2025 ANNUAL REPORT

From the Head of School

As I handed out the final diploma to this year’s graduates, I marked the completion of my 24th year at Southwest Christian High School. It’s hard to believe that the 2025–2026 school year will represent a quarter century of being part of what God is doing at SWCHS.

In many ways, today’s school is unrecognizable compared to my first year as a new history and Bible teacher in our humble warehouse building on 103 Peavey Road. So much has changed since I joined the SWCHS community in August of 2001—a new campus, more students and staff, and new and expanded programs. Yet even as the school has grown and evolved, one thing has remained constant: an unwavering commitment to our vision of developing mature disciples of Jesus Christ. This commitment came into sharp focus again this year during a moment that was both humbling and deeply encouraging. John Newton—the founder of Southwest Christian High School, the man who hired me as a rookie teacher, and someone who has profoundly shaped my understanding of Christian education—came to speak to our entire faculty and staff.

Mr. Newton’s visit was far more than just a reunion—it was a powerful moment of reflection and renewal. As he stood before our team, he shared the heart behind the founding of SWCHS, bringing us back to the very roots of our mission. He spoke with clarity and conviction about the true purpose of Christian education—not simply to inform minds, but to transform hearts and minds for Christ. He reminded us that everything we teach and how we teach it must be intentionally directed toward cultivating students who love Jesus and desire to seek, know, live, and proclaim the Truth.

For me, hearing Mr. Newton speak to our faculty and staff was a full-circle moment. It brought back memories of my early years as a teacher, learning how to integrate faith and learning in authentic and meaningful ways. His mentorship was instrumental in helping me understand the role of the teacher, the learner, the curriculum, and the Spirit of God in Christian education.

What made John’s message even more powerful was the joy he expressed in seeing the vision alive and thriving at SWCHS today. He was deeply encouraged by the passion of our teachers and the clarity of purpose that continues to guide our teaching and shape our students. He left us with a powerful affirmation: the mission he helped launch decades ago is still bearing fruit—for God’s glory and by His grace.

As we look ahead to another school year, I am overwhelmed with gratitude—not only for what God is doing now, but for His steadfast provision over the past 24 years of my journey at this school. Year after year, season after season, God has proven Himself faithful. I’m thankful for the people He’s brought into this community, for the lives being shaped here, and for a vision that remains steadfast. And while I look back with deep appreciation, I also look forward with great anticipation. May we continue to be faithful in developing mature disciples of Jesus Christ, for His Kingdom and His glory.

In Christ,

Dan Beckering

SCHOOL OVERVIEW

VISION

Southwest Christian High School exists to develop mature disciples of Jesus Christ who seek, know, live, and proclaim the Truth and glorify God through academic, artistic, and athletic excellence.

ABOUT SWCHS

Founded in 1996, SWCHS is a Christian, non-denominational high school (grades 9–12) located in Chaska, Minnesota. In 2024–25, 548 students were enrolled.

VALUES

Truth Discipleship Excellence College Preparation Community

TUITION & AID

Tuition for 2024-25 was $15,385. $929,000 was awarded for need-based financial aid.

2024-2025

Board of Directors

Dan Beckering, Head of School

Nathaniel Zylstra, Chair

Chad Gauger, Vice Chair

Jack Brouwer, Secretary

Jon Nykanen, Treasurer

Jeff Brunsberg

Jim Ferrin

Karen Heddle

Chris Hill

Melissa Molin

John Santjer

Jason Zimmerman

Learn more about who we are and what we believe

DISCIPLESHIP

2nd Annual Detroit Missions Trip

A group of 15 Southwest Christian students volunteered in Detroit, Michigan on February 27–March 3. This is the second year that SWCHS has partnered with MACC Development. The group was led by staff members Brian Goldie and Shani Johnson.

There was an area in Southwest Detroit that flooded a few weeks prior to the group arriving. MACC packed hundreds of food boxes before their arrival, but the group spent their first day sorting donations and bringing food to those who had been displaced due to the flooding. "MACC is doing absolutely amazing work in this area, and there are so many needs that it can be overwhelming," said Mr. Goldie.

Along with helping with the flooding relief, the students played basketball with kids, cleaned sludge from a basement, painted a sanctuary, cleared land of garbage for a church family, and got to know the city of Detroit. They also sat with many from the church and the community development center to get an inside glimpse of their pains, struggles, and efforts to make change.

"Thinking of our time together in those five days holds beautiful, strong, and difficult emotions. Our trip to Detroit was an incredible experience for us. We are all on a journey, none of us has it all together, and we all have our prejudices, hurts, and areas for growth.... We experienced a community with powerful connections, a community that has each other's backs amongst incredibly oppressive and difficult circumstances that go back a long way and are painfully alive today. We were honored to hear the hearts of those who grew up in Detroit, of those who have moved into Detroit, and of those who are immersed in helping it heal, revitalize, and come to Christ."

This is a voluntary trip that SWCHS encourages students to participate in to experience diversity and service outside of their comfort zone. The trip grew from 11 to 15 students from last year, and the school will continue to promote this service project to encourage more students get engaged and involved.

Extracurricular Programs Emphasize Serving

Bi-Annual Service Days Continue as SWCHS Tradition

Twice a year, our discipleship groups step beyond the school and into the community – ready to make a difference. This past school year, our students rolled up their sleeves to tackle yard work, cook and deliver meals, connect with the elderly, and lend a helping hand in local schools.

National Honor Society packing sandwiches for the local ministry The Sandwich Project Minnesota

The volleyball program donated baby items to the local ministry New Life Family Services

The guitar class performing at Trouvaille Memory Care Suites

The Service Committee collected 189 Operation Christmas Child boxes from discipleship groups to send all over the world.

Senior Testimony

by Melvin Maldonado '25

Growing up in a Christian household, I went to church with my parents. They would read me Bible verses, and I would pray every night before bed. I did all the actions necessary to live like a Christian—or so I thought. Coming to Southwest Christian was a huge step for me, but I didn’t know that until my senior year.

Growing up, I never truly had my own faith. For almost all of my life, I was skeptical about my faith, questioning if God truly loves me. I knew about Him, but I did not know Him.

I dealt with a lot of anxiety and depression growing up, and thoughts of self-harm. With these mental health issues, it was hard for me to be the best

Annual Pastor Appreciation Day

person I needed to be. I would not react well with my parents and family, and I would distance myself from my friends and the people I love.

Starting high school, I prioritized playing baseball and using my phone over living for Christ. This was my life for the first three years of high school. During those three years, I struggled a lot with anxiety, and I could not find the reasons why.

Starting my senior year was when everything hit me. I had one of the worst moments of my life, and I felt worthless. I reached out to some of my closest friends about what was happening and how much I was struggling. They ended up reaching out to my mom, which completely changed my life.

Southwest Christian has shown me what a good Christian community looks like. Going to SWC, you are going to find the best friends you could ever have, teachers who only want the best for you, and a community that will ultimately lead you closer to Christ. When I came into the school, I was not expecting to be in such a community that really cared about me, and you could see they cared about everyone. God brought me to Southwest Christian, which put me on a greater path to Him.

Scenes from Encounter

This year's Encounter chapel services featured a powerful lineup of voices from within our own community–students, staff, and faculty sharing their testimonies. We also welcomed guest speakers throughout the year, including Marcus McFolling at the All-School Retreat, Sean McDowell, NFL player Carter Coughlin, and leaders from The Salt Company ministry at the University of Minnesota.

In February, SWCHS had the joy of welcoming over 30 pastors to campus for our annual Pastor Appreciation Day! It was a meaningful morning filled with fellowship and a celebration of our partnership with local churches.

Senior Dominican Republic Missions Trip

Southwest Christian seniors continued the powerful tradition of serving in the Dominican Republic! Due to heavy rains in the DR, the trip was moved from the fall to the spring. Even with this change, the senior class still embraced the opportunity to participate in this impactful trip.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Exploring the Profession of Nursing

In Spring 2025, Southwest Christian launched a new class in partnership with the University of Northwestern-St. Paul: Exploring the Profession of Nursing. With so many SWC graduates pursuing nursing as a career, this has been a valuable elective course for students. This introductory course offers a taste of real-world nursing, enhancing students’ understanding of daily responsibilities and challenges. Students are equipped to make informed decisions about pursuing a nursing career, aligning their personal and professional aspirations with the realities of the profession. This course does not require students to learn the medical ins-and-outs of nursing. Rather, it gives them a high-level picture of whether the nursing profession is a good fit for them to pursue!

Dr. Samantha Sommerness leads this class and came to SWCHS in 2023 after formerly teaching at the University of Minnesota's School of Nursing.

Parent Tim Bristol is the founder of NurseTim and NurseThink, which seeks to prepare students and faculty for Next Gen Learning from Fundamentals to NCLEX®. Mr. Bristol was generous to this start-up course and helped support the purchase of virtual reality goggles and equipment for students to use in its inaugural year. The students were grateful for his involvement and investment in this course!

In March, the class took a trip to Northwestern to use their facilities and meet with the professors involved with the dual enrollment course.

Spring was a great first semester for this course, and Dr. Sommerness hopes to continue to grow this course offering!

Business Consulting Enterprise

Mr. Avery's business course for juniors and seniors remains one of the most sought after classes for students to take. This course, in addition to the first semester entrepreneur course, provides students with the opportunity to earn high school credit as well as 13 college business credits with our dual enrollment partner institutions.

Consulting projects delivered to clients in the business community are the cornerstone of the “learning by doing” philosophy.

The companies that these groups presented at the spring were the following: Irish Titan, Lunds and Byerlys, Grace Church, Radius Manufacturing Solution, and Winnebago.

Racket Sports

Over the past few years, pickleball has surged in popularity, captivating players of all ages and athletic abilities. The blend of tennis, badminton, and pingpong offers a fun and engaging way to stay active, socialize, and challenge oneself on the court.

Mr. Haag’s racket sports class provides the opportunity for students to learn life-long skills— pickleball, badminton, and tennis!

We are grateful for our new athletic complex that features pickleball court lines, allowing students to enjoy the sport throughout the year.

Student consultants lead and deliver the projects, assisted by directors, faculty, and industry mentors. The enterprise program provides students challenging opportunities in leadership, analysis, and delivery; generates meaningful results that improve clients’ business performance; and supplies employers with well-prepared new employees.

Andy Heddle, client and project sponsor, collaborated with SWCHS entrepreneurship group that worked on a consulting project for Winnebago Industries.

SWCHS entrepreneurship team working with Irish Titan, an e-commerce agency, to provide competitive analysis and intelligence research regarding e-commerce growth opportunities.

Student Accomplishments

Valedictorian & Salutatorians

Valedictorian

Brock Walmer

Co-Salutatorian & Polaris Award Recipient

Johanna Santjer

MSHSL "Triple A" Awards

Co-Salutatorian

Briana

Alpaugh

Sydney Foss was honored as Region 4A's Triple A (Academics, Arts, and Athletics) Award female recipient. Logan Kimmel was a Sub-Region Triple A winner.

Super Mileage Competitions

In April, the Robotics Supermileage Team placed in the top 10 out of 21 teams in the Prototype Battery-Electric class at the Shell Eco-Marathon, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They competed against high schools, colleges, and universities from North and South America. Notably, 25% of the competitors in their class were unable to pass the technical inspection.

National Merit Recognition

Commended

Cooper Gunhus

Semi-Finalist

Frahm

Presenting at NASA (Houston)

Alexa Bearder and Nathan Bergman achieved “Finalist” status for their design, earning them an invitation to the NASA Command Center in Houston in April to demonstrate their project to NASA Engineers and Astronauts.

In May, the team brought two cars to Brainerd International Raceway to compete against high schools from across Minnesota. The team placed third in a class of ten and also received the award for “Best Design Proposal,” which documented their design and component specifications.

Julia

Finalist

Saajid Islam

Will Kail, Braden Arsenault, and Julianna Wall placed in the top ten at ICDC.

DECA's School Record Number of International Qualifications

SWCHS started its first DECA chapter in the 2018–2019 school year. This year's DECA chapter achieved nothing short of greatness, with 32 students qualifying for the state competition! These students competed at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Minneapolis from March 2–4.

Out of 32 students, 14 advanced to the finals, and seven finished in the top five of their events—earning bids to compete at the International Career Development Conference (ICDC), on April 27–29, 2025. Will Kail, Braden Arsenault, and Julianna Wall placed in the top ten at ICDC.

These students finished in the top five at the state competition:

• Lillie Abdo – 2nd Place, Entry-Level Employment Interview

• Sadie Hoekstra – 5th Place, Principles of Entrepreneurship

• Braden Arsenault & Julianna Wall – 2nd Place, Start-Up Business Plan

• Brock Walmer & Titus Blatzheim – 4th Place, Automotive Services Marketing Series

• Will Kail – 5th Place, Marketing Communications Series Additionally, Cole Zimmerman, Sadie Vietzen, and Wade Ganske earned bids later that week to attend ICDC!

Knowledge Bowl Returns For Competition

The last time SWCHS competed in “Knowledge Bowl” was in 2018. This year, the program was reinstated with not just one, but three strong teams competing in the Metro Division.

The top team, Levi Abbring, Judah Berry, Wade Ganske, Marcus Rosten, and Nick Van Beusekom, ranked among the top 21 out of 95 teams at the end of the regular season. They advanced to the sub-regional competition, where they performed well, placing 8th out of 35 teams. This qualified them for the Norlander Regional Meet. Additionally, they secured second

place in the Wright County Conference meet in Hutchinson.

Wade Ganske and Nick Van Beusekom received all-conference awards for their outstanding performances.

Coaches Julie Bowers and Pam Schmidt are incredibly proud of all 14 team members and look forward to competing at a high level again next year!

State finalists who qualified for ICDC

ICDC in Orlando, Florida

TEACHING FOR TRANSFORMATION

Southwest Christian has implemented the Teaching for Transformation (TfT) framework for seven years. Teachers design classroom instruction and activities to help students see deeper connections between the content and God's story. Once they've been invited to see the story of God's Kingdom, they're empowered to live that story through their learning work. See the examples below of how TfT is implemented in a classroom:

Connecting Microeconomics and Kingdom Work

by Robbie Burkhart

Our Economics class has partnered with HOPE International for the past few years to connect our deep hope and our economic learnings in class with real-world work on the ground in economic development from a Christian worldview. HOPE International’s mission is to invest in the dreams of families in the world's underserved communities as we proclaim and live the Gospel.

Mr. Robbie Burkhart’s deep hope is that “we would understand how societies and people prosper and flourish and how that can be used to love our neighbor and bring glory to God."

In Economics class, we spend a lot of time understanding the tremendous economic growth experienced in industrial economies over the past 20, 50, and 200 years and what drove that. We also spend time seeking to understand how and why some people have been left behind.

HOPE thoughtfully defines poverty as material, spiritual, social, and personal, and their work

beautifully addresses all facets of poverty. In their savings group experience, students are invited to step into the shoes of real-world people living in poverty and are presented with real economic and social decisions they are facing. Students then work together to make those decisions and talk through the real-world implications, and are then invited to see the real-world impact of HOPE's work as these decisions play out. It presents a beautiful picture of how freedom, capital, discipline, entrepreneurship, community, and Christian generosity can come together to spur human flourishing. We see people grow their economies, find meaningful work to utilize their God-given gifts, develop community, and draw closer to their creator.

My hope is that it not only connects our learnings to real-world work but that the students leave the experience feeling both encouraged and blessed. Maybe some are spurred on toward greater involvement in microfinance.

"Word & Table: Family Bible Interp Project" - Junior Bible Class

by Don Carlson

Deep Hope Learning Target

Formational Learning

Read the full TfT Throughline Descriptions

Student Reflections

Teacher Reflection

STORYLINE

Heaven, Earth, Logos

THROUGHLINES

Image Bearers, Love

To grow strong in soul, refreshed in spirit, as we become mindful and diligent keepers of the wisdom found in the depths of the Christian Story.

I can get better at interpreting Scripture on my own and with my family. I can appreciate different perspectives and interpretations different from my own.

Our FLeX project is designed to bring together a number of foundational exegetical skills we practice together in class (e.g., pattern recognition, narrative and grammatical analysis, etc.), and to take those skills “back home” to the family table. Teens are better equipped to have meaningful study and honest conversation with their parents as they talk through a key Scripture together over a shared meal.

“I have grown in my love and respect for my mother, and we are planning on doing weekly Bible studies now. The process of this project was fun, and it just had a natural flow... Ultimately, I would do it again. I enjoyed it a lot.”

It was so encouraging for me to see so many of my students grow a little bit stronger in their souls, a little more refreshed in their spirits as they practiced seeking wisdom through the study of Scripture at home with their moms and dads around the family dinner table. I love to hear from moms and dads how this project blessed their homes.

CELEBRATING STAFF & FACULTY

Kit Avery Recognized as 2025 Christian Teacher of the Year

Business Faculty, Kit Avery, was recognized as a 2025 Christian Teacher of the Year by the Herzog Foundation on Friday, May 9, 2025. Mr. Avery ‘06 has taught at SWC since 2010 and is the business department chair. He has impacted hundreds of students during his time at Southwest Christian. "Students regularly report a deep appreciation of Kit’s honest and straightforward approach, knowing he will provide clear guidance and constructive feedback that is rooted in Christian business principles," said Principal Dr. Thor Benson. "Kit’s high expectations and clear communication help students understand what is needed to develop and bring a concept to market. He continually leverages his extensive business network and invites local Christian business professionals to offer insight and mentorship to students with their collaborative consulting projects. Kit creates space for students to feel empowered to learn and grow academically, personally, and spiritually. Kit teaches with

Faculty Degree Completions

Dr. Samantha Sommerness completed her PhD in nursing from the University of Minnesota

Mrs. Jane Krause completed her MA in Education with an Emphasis in Trauma and Resilience in Educational Settings through Concordia University-St.Paul.

tremendous intentionality, helping his students to become grateful stewards of their time, talent, and resources, and ultimately, he fosters a deep sense of gratitude in his students for how God has blessed each individual."

In September 2025, the Avery family will be honored at the Herzog Foundation Gala in Washington, D.C., as they participate in a collaborative professional development opportunity.

Years of Service Milestones

20 Years

Brian Goldie

15 Years

Kristie Groen

10 Years

Dr. Thor Benson

Dr. Don Carlson

Peter Welle

Jason Wipf

2024–2025 Staff & Faculty Awards

Each year, we recognize members of our faculty and staff who exemplify excellence, servant leadership, and a Christcentered commitment to our vision. The recipients of these awards are nominated and chosen by their peers. The 2024–2025 award recipients embody the values we hold dear and actively shape the lives of our students both in and out of the classroom. We are grateful for their dedication, their excellence, and their Christ-like example to the students and the entire school community.

Commitment to Discipleship

2025

Mrs. Shani Johnson is a passionate Christ-follower whose daily interactions with students reflect deep care, compassion, and purpose. Through consistent one-on-one support, she walks alongside students in their daily life and moments of challenge, always pointing them to Jesus with biblical grace, care, and consistency. A co-leader and frequent facilitator of Daring Discussions, Mrs. Johnson creates brave and thoughtful spaces for students to engage with meaningful topics through a biblical lens. She also plays a pivotal role in leading our mission trips to Detroit, where her servant-hearted leadership powerfully impacts both students and the community. Mrs. Johnson lives out the deans' deep hope— that students would see themselves as God sees them: fully known, deeply loved, and called to grow in their walk with Jesus. Her joyful, faithful presence is truly infectious and leaves a lasting impression on all who know her.

Department or Program Excellence

Professional Excellence

The Pro-Tech Department continues to thrive under the leadership of Mr. Gary Shelton and Mr. Steve Schirber, offering students meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that prepare them for both professional and personal success. Through courses in engineering, residential construction, and other technical fields, the department provides real-world applications that engage students beyond traditional classroom walls. Mr. Shelton and Mr. Schirber empower students to work collaboratively, explore, innovate, and take risks in an environment where failure is seen as a learning opportunity—not a setback. Their unique approach fosters collaboration, creativity, and resilience, equipping students with problem-solving and teamwork skills that will serve them throughout life. Their program has gained recognition from Christian schools across the country, and more importantly, has had a transformative impact on the lives of their students.

2025

Behind the camera lens, Mrs. Dawn Sandness quietly and faithfully tells the story of our school. Whether at an academic or athletic event, encounter, or an off-site event, Mrs. Sandness is there— capturing moments that reflect God’s work in the lives of our students. With a servant’s heart, she spends countless hours outside the school day photographing and editing images that highlight the gifts, talents, and growth of our students. Her passion is not just for photography, but for storytelling— communicating the Lord’s goodness and celebrating student discipleship and excellence through her visual ministry. Mrs. Sandness’s work amplifies our core values: Truth, discipleship, excellence, college preparation, and community. Her quiet diligence ensures that these stories are told, remembered, and cherished.

Instructional Excellence

2025

Mr. Kit Avery is deeply committed to shaping students into thoughtful, Christ-centered leaders, particularly through the lens of business education. His classes provide not only foundational knowledge but also real-life application, bridging the gap between classroom theory and practical experience. Mr. Avery frequently invites mentors from the business world to engage with students, offering a rich, multifaceted perspective. He strikes an effective balance between structured guidance and student independence, coaching learners to think critically and act responsibly. Kit’s leadership reflects his personal faith, and he consistently models what it means to be a disciple of Christ. His students emerge with a strong sense of integrity, gratitude, and purpose.

Winner: Shani Johnson

2025 Winner: Pro-Tech Team / Gary Shelton & Steve Schirber

Winner: Dawn Sandness

Winner: Kit Avery

Academic Honors

Congratulations

Levi Abbring*

Lille Abdo

Lily Adams-Trost*

Bria Alpaugh*

Lucy Amiot

Aly Anderson

Kaitlyn Anderson

Victoria Anderson*

Alaina Antonovich

Gavin Armitage*

Braden Arsenault*

Caiden Ash

Michael Azanov

Harvey Bachman

Celeste Banks

Carson Barron

Max Baskakov

Anneliese Batdorf*

Jackson Bauernfeind

Alexa Bearder*

Avery Beckering

Brayden Beckering*

Breanna Beckering*

Sienna Bendell

Stella Berenguer

Alena Bergman

Nathan Bergman*

Emily Bergstrom*

Judah Berry*

Saraphina Bettin

Riley Binion

Cole Bjerke

Tabi Blatzheim*

Titus Blatzheim*

Savannah Blohowiak*

Ben Boer

Brooke Boerger

Nora Boll

Greta Book*

Emilyn Bosch

Maddie Brands*

Bennett Breuer

Sophia Brewer

Harry Briggs

Bethie Bristol*

Grace Brown

Luke Brown

Maddy Brown*

Rae Buchholtz*

Zeke Buck*

Zephan Buck

Bella Buesgens

Aubrey Burkhart*

Kate Bychinski

Olivia Byers

Caitlin Cagley

Lizzy Callahan

Nora Cameron

Elena Carlson*

Emma Carlson*

Eric Carlson*

Evie Carlson*

Jackson Carlson

Juliet Carlson

Vera Carlson*

Lyla Carrell

Cosette Carto*

Isa Caven

Sadie Cinnamon*

Bianca Cisel

Brendan Clymer

Emmett Coddington

Alayna Cole

Rachel Cook

Chris Crum Jr.*

Jimmy Dahlen

Evie Danz*

Andrew Davis

Brett Davis*

Chris Davis

Emma Davis

Peter Davis

Josie Dederichs

Eli Dekkers

Drew Denton*

Hope Deutsch

Tori Dodds

Lance Dore

Luke Dore*

Emory Dorsett*

Adam Dye*

Sam Eagen

Kalea Eisfeld

Evan Eisma

Sophia Elliott*

Lucas Engler*

Jordan Erickson

Sophie Ertel

Gianna Faber

Henry Feltmann

Vinny Ferrara

Juliet Fiedler

Wyatt Fiedler

Izzy Fletcher*

Noah Flynn

Sydney Foss*

Emma Fransen

Hannah Friend

Reese Fritz

Wade Ganske*

Isaiah Garneau

Jonah Garneau

Peter Gauger*

Hannah Gednalski

Ruby Geuther

Ella Gordon*

Stella Greenwood

Scotty Greer

Natalie Griep

Charlotte Grimm

Micah Gueldner*

Cooper Gunhus*

Maddy Hamdorf

Emily Hanson

Gisella Harder*

Abby Harmon*

Evan Harvath

Ella Hedberg

Elle Hegstrom*

Eve Hegstrom*

Elle Herz

Nathaniel Hicok

Joshua Hill

Kjersten Hoehne*

Ethan Hoekman

Natalie Hoekman*

Sadie Hoekstra

Emily Hoernemann

Riley Hoffman

Carson Holthusen

Ethan Holthusen*

Jack Horch

Paul Hornor

Thomas Hornor

Eden Hoyord*

Katilyn Hubert

Hazel Hulsing

Jenna Huotari*

Braden Huston*

Dagny Ingram*

Saajid Islam*

Lydia Jaeger

Chloe Johanson

Elaina Johnson*

Eva Johnson

Evan Johnson*

London Johnson

Maya Johnson*

Talbot Jones

Will Kail*

Erin Karlson

Gabi Kennedy

Tiv Kennedy

Megan Kimble*

Henry Kimmel*

Logan Kimmel*

Gwyn Kleinprintz

Nolan Kleinprintz

Brelynn Koehler

Evan Koelewyn

Dylan Koepp

Sara Koester

Nate Krietlow

Tyler Krommendyk

Mason Krueger

Christina Kummer*

Hannah Lassen

Avery Laugen*

Carter Lawrence

Brynn Lawrenz

Maggie Leighton*

Kaia Lein

Claire Lemkuil*

Ben Lindberg

Piper Lindgren

Grace Literski*

Jacob Lodermeier*

Jonah Lodermeier

Abby Loehr

Lindsey Lohrenz

Claire Louis

Nora Lundeen*

Jack Lundgren

Lily Lundgren*

Beckham Lundquist

Elli Lundquist

Isaac Madson

Makenna Mapstone*

Sophie Marshall

Sam Martin

Lizzie Matzke

Allie Mauer

Bennett May*

Jameson McCarthy

Ireland McCormack

Kennedy McHale

Sophia McIntosh*

Ella Meger

Cade Mellema

Caleb Meyer

Carter Miedema

Isaiah Miles

Jake Miles

Madelynne Miner*

Finn Minerich

Daniel Mogollon

Ivan Mogollon

Sonja Molin

Avery Monsen

Ava Nelson

Cora Nelson

Alex Ness

Melia Newman

Andrew Nicholson

Danny Nicholson

Lizzy Nykanen

Lily O'Leary

Ollie Olson

Marian Omann

Caden Orcutt

Sierra Orvik

Kaylee Otto

Ryleigh Paine*

Sophie Phinney

Kaisley Pitstick

Harrison Polman

Wyatt Praznik

Cal Pudell

Brynn Rains

JD Rains*

Jacob Ramirez

Nadia Ramli

Cali Rath

Nathan Rector

Sofia Reeves*

Courtney Rehbein*

Caleb Reisner

Jackson Remus

Sophia Ridgeway

Kiera Riemer

Maddie Ringo

Jemima Robillard

Mercy Roemer

Davy Roers

Ryder Rose

Marcus Rosten

Bryson Rotz*

Lottie Ruch*

Ellie Salyards*

Josie Santjer*

Joey Santjer

Addi Scheidt

Macy Scheppmann*

Claire Schirber

Alex Schmitt

Mateo Schneibel

Michael Scribante

Grace Sell

Vivian Sindelar

Julia Skaret

Colin Skoog

Sydney Skoog*

Joe Sluka

Alyssa Smetak

Seth Smetak

Summer Smith

Grace Sommerness*

Abby Sorenson*

Parker Staal

Max Stapleton*

*National Honor Society member

Eli Stauble

Adelia Stay

Eric Stelter*

Chloe Stiernagle*

Alexa Stratman*

Jed Streed

Rachel Strelnieks

Everett Suter

Naomi Swanson

Finn Swenson

Mackenzie Sykora

Alison Tchida

Brandt Tebbs

Liam Techau

Alaina Terpstra

Avin Thistle*

Genesis Tholkes

Caden Thomas

Cameron Thomas

Craig Thomas*

Genevieve Thorsen*

Isabella Travis*

Hudson Tucker

Samantha Tyson

Brody Uglum

Bailey Ursel*

Maddie Van Beek

Nick Van Beusekom

Nataley Vassar*

Sadie Vietzen*

Katelynnd Voigt*

Allie Volkmann

Amelia Wagner*

Annie Waldron

Kylie Waldron*

Julianna Wall*

Brock Walmer*

Daniel Wechter*

Libby Weckman*

Bennett Wercinski

Brody Wercinski

Abby White*

Max Widdifield

Jack Wiens

Gabi Williams

Kipton Williams

Isabel Williamson-Hughes

CeCe Wilson

Isaac Wilson*

Elizabeth Wolff*

Mackenzie Wright

Sarah Young

Cole Zimmerman*

Elise Zimmerman*

Hailey Zitzloff*

English Language & Composition

World History

ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE

Visual Arts Recognition

MSHSL Section 4A Visual Arts Tournament

SUPERIOR RATING

Ceramics

Eden Hoyord, Tea Pot and Cups

Drawing

Emma Davis, Trash-tacles

Painting

Sophie Ertel, Opal Skies

Video

Calvin Dittrich, The Wrench

Bryson Rotz, Breathe Easy

Gavin Schmid, Breaking Par**

** SPOTLIGHT AWARD

EXCELLENT RATING

Ceramics

Abby Sorenson, Ancient Organic Vessel

Chason Treguboff, Nesting Bowls

Drawing

Emilyn Bosch, Hand Drawing

Graphic Design

Nadia Ramli, The Super Mario Bros Movie

Rachel Strelnieks, España

Caden Vick, Flamingo

Photography

Cameron Thomas, Hands of Hope

Elle Hegstrom, Paul the Apostle

London Johnson, The Mountains

Ellie Salyards, A Walk with the Ancients

Printmaking

Maddy Brown, Water Window

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards HONORABLE MENTION

Lu Amiot, Digital Art

Maddy Brown, Digital Art

Abby Sorenson, Ceramics

Articulate Excellence Red Ribbon Awards

Ceramics

Eden Hoyord, Tea Pot and Cups

Ivan Mogollon, Large Coil Vessel

Ashton Hendel, Large Coil Vessel

Aly Anderson, Large Coil Vessel

Kalea Eisfield, Butterflies Plate

Hudson Tucker, Cross Plate

Evi Harsh, Koi Fish

Kensie Olson, Guitar

Drawing

Caitlin Cagley, Portrait in Color

Sophia Kazmierkoski, Self Portrait

Elizabeth Matzke, Self Portrait

Emma Davis, Duck Days

Henry Kimmel, Self Portrait in Color

Maddy Brown, Self Portrait in Color

Graphic Design

Levi Abbring, Baseball Schedule

Adam Dye, National Parks

Bryson Rotz, Note of the Frontier Currency

Michael Scribante, Cecconi's Rachel Strelnieks, Lemonade

Painting

Erin Karlson, Orange Still Life

Sophie Ertel, Turtles

Photography

Ellie Salyards, A Walk with the Ancients

Cameron Thomas, Ignition

Courtney Rehbein, Paradise Through A Different Lens

Juliet Carlson, Mirror Image

Abby Sorenson, The Splash

Great Commission Artists

Isa Caven, drawing

Evalyn Hanson, stained glass

Saajid Islam, digital photography collage

Ben Kersten, digital photography

Henry Kimmel, ceramics

Elise Miles, painting

Ivan Mogollon, ceramics

Jacob Ramirez, mixed media collage

Davis Wurst, ceramics

The Stephen Harlan Award for

Graphic Design Excellence

Levi Abbring, Grade 11

Michael Scribante, Grade 9

Everett Suter, Grade 9

Katy Waymire, Grade 9

2024-25 POIEMA Editor

Wade Ganske

Music Recognition

2024-25 Honor Ensembles

MMEA All-State Ensembles

Evie Carlson (SSAA - Alto 2)

Sadie Cinnamon (SSAA - Alto 2)

Amelia Wagner (Orchestra - Violin 2)

Cooper Gunhus (Jazz BandVibe/Aux. Percussion)

Wright County Conference

Honor Band

Caitlin Cagley (flute)

Tori Dodds (trombone)

Sam Eagen (alto saxophone)

Logan Kimmel (trumpet)

University of Northwestern-St. Paul Honor Band

Caitlin Cagley (flute)

Tori Dodds (trombone)

Charlotte Grimm (trombone)

Iona Heddle (percussion)

Katherine Zylstra (french horn)

Dordt University Honor Band

Bria Alpaugh (oboe)

Caitlin Cagley (flute)

ACDA-MN All-State Choir

Brayden Thompson (TTBB - Tenor 1)

South Central Music Band

Directors Association

Davy Roers (alto saxophone)

Minnesota Junior Winds

Isaiah Dammann (trombone)

Finn Minerich (trombone)

State Level

Instrumental Solo & Ensemble

Superior Rating

Elisha Berry

Logan Kimmel

Amelia Wagner #

Instrumental Solo & Ensemble

Excellent Rating

Finn Minerich

Vocal Solo & Ensemble

Superior Rating

Lillie Abdo

Alexa Bearder

Paul Hornor

Thomas Hornor

Vocal Solo & Ensemble

Excellent Rating

Finn Minerich

Local Level

Instrumental Solo & Ensemble

Superior Rating

Bria Alpaugh

Elisha Berry

Caitlin Cagley

Connor Cagley

Kinsley Christensen

Isaiah Dammann

Tori Dodds

Emory Dorsett

Sam Eagen

Gianna Faber

Charlotte Grimm

Emily Hanson

Logan Kimmel

Caleb Meyer

Finn Minerich

Davy Roers

Genesis Tholkes *

Nicholas Van Beusekom

Amelia Wagner *#

Katherine Zylstra

Vocal Solo & Ensemble

Superior Rating

Lillie Abdo

Lillian Adams-Trost *#

Sayde Anderson

Alexa Bearder

Avery Beckering

Ben Boer

Bennett Breuer

Evie Carlson

Sadie Cinnamon *#

Sophia Elliott

Sydney Foss

Peter Gauger

Kinley Greer

Scottlynn Greer *

Ethan Groninga

Paul Hornor **#

Thomas Hornor

Hazel Hulsing

Lydia Jaeger

Chloe Johanson **

Elsie Johanson

David Kobielush *#

Jonah Lodermeier

Abby Loehr

Avery Monsen

Lucy Russell *#

Sydney Skoog

Nolan Stone

Brayden Thompson

Nataley Vassar

Brady Vick

Max Widdifield

CeCe Wilson

Elizabeth Wolff

Mackenzie Wright

Duets: Madelynne Miner & Genesis Tholkes **

Noah Butler & Cade Newell

Piano: Daniel Wechter, Cooper Gunhus **

Brass Ensemble: Brayden Beckering, Tori Dodds, Charlotte Grimm, Logan Kimmel, Nate Krietlow

* Best in Site

** Honorable Mention

# Perfect Score (40/40)

2025 NYC Trip

From April 3–6, 2025, a group of 43 students, parents, and teachers traveled to New York City for an unforgettable experience filled with music, learning, and culture.

Our students participated in the Heritage Music Festival, joining more than 1,000 young musicians from across the country. Their hard work and talent were recognized with outstanding results:

• Choir earned a Gold rating and took 2nd place in their division.

• Band and Jazz Band both received Gold ratings, with Jazz Band also placing 2nd overall.

Special congratulations to Amelia Wagner and Logan Kimmel, who were honored with Maestro Awards for exceptional individual performance—an outstanding achievement!

In addition to the competition, students explored many of New York City's iconic landmarks. Highlights included: a Broadway performance of Hamilton, the 9/11 Museum & Memorial, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the American Museum of Natural History, a Hudson River dinner cruise, and a walk through Central Park.

Our music department offers excellent domestic and international opportunities for students to travel and enhance their musical talents. Their dedication to excellence and student growth continues to have a lasting impact on our school community.

Theatre Recognition

The 2024/2025 season was energy-packed, zany, collaborative, and exciting. Our season opened with Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice. An imaginative telling of the origin of the boy who never grew up. In the winter, 19 freshmen and sophomores took the stage in our annual SoFresh production of Oz by Don Zolidis. We concluded our season with the high-energy spectacle, Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical by Dennis Kelly.

Throughout our season, students worked with a wide variety of professionals, including a costumer, lighting designer, vocal director, dance choreographer, fight choreographer, props master, scenic builders, and scenic designers. Students stepped into design, tech, and onstage roles - testing their interests and growing their talents. Many students also broadened their theatre credentials through earning points with the International Thespian Society Troupe at SWCHS. Fifteen students completed the new Introduction to Theatre course that was incorporated into the 2025 elective curriculum.

Fall Play

Best Performer | Leading Role

Tori Dodds

Best Performer | Supporting Role

Lucy Russell

Best Performer | Ensemble Role

Kalea Eisfeld

Hardest Worker

Tori Dodds

Team Player

Evie Carlson

Rising Star

Titus Blatzheim

Morale Booster

Sam Eagen

Outstanding Tech or Crew Member

Bria Alpaugh

SoFresh

Best Performer | Leading Role

Kalea Eisfeld

Best Performer | Supporting Role

Katherine Zylstra

Best Performer | Ensemble Role

Mackenzie Sykora

Hardest Worker

Sydney Foss

Team Player

Emily Hanson

Rising Star

Sophia Brewer

Morale Booster

Brayden Thompson

Outstanding Tech or Crew Member

Jemima Robillard

Spring Musical

Best Performer | Leading Role

Evie Carlson

Best Performer | Supporting Role

Joshua Hill

Best Performer | Ensemble Role

Maddy Brown

Hardest Worker

Wyatt Praznik

Team Player

CeCe Wilson

Rising Star

Thomas Hornor

Morale Booster

Hannah Lassen

Outstanding Tech or Crew Member

Spring

Musical Hennepin Arts Spotlight Education Honors

Overall Performance

Outstanding Light Crew

Honorable Mention

Overall Performance, Ensemble Performance, Costume Crew, Ensemble Acting Performance, Run Crew, Ensemble Vocal Performance, Overall Technical Team

Individual Honors

Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role

Sydney Foss, Lucy Russell

Honorable Mention in a Leading Role

Tori Dodds, Evie Carlson

Outstanding in Technical Leadership

Elena Carlson, Kylie Waldron, Jemima Robillard

Evaluator Shout-outs

Lily Adams-Trost, Emory Dorsett, Ensemble Movement/Dance, Overall Technical Production

Cast and crew of 2025 Spring musical, Matilda.

FALL ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

Gold Standard GPA

3.79 Average GPA

All Conference

Vivian Sindelar

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Silver Standard GPA

3.67 Average GPA

All Conference

Isaiah Stauble

Judah Berry

Cameron Tarman

AC - Honorable Mention

Bennett Wercinski

GIRLS TENNIS

Gold Standard GPA

3.87 Average GPA

Overall Record

9 Wins, 7 Losses

AC - Honorable Mention

Izzy Fletcher

Rachel Strelnieks

Nataley Vassar

GIRLS SOCCER

Conference Champions

Gold Standard GPA

3.87 Average GPA

Overall Record

18 Wins, 1 Loss, 1 Tie

All Conference

Saraphina Bettin

Aubrey Burkhart

Maya Johnson

Isabella Travis

AC - Honorable Mention

Ava Nelson

Gisella Harder

All State - 1st Team

Isabella Travis

Aubrey Burkhart

Saraphina Bettin

All State - 2nd Team

Maya Johnson

BOYS SOCCER

Conference Champions

Silver Standard GPA

3.69 Average GPA

Overall Record

10 Wins, 4 Losses, 5 Ties

All Conference

Brayden Beckering

London Johnson

Andrew Perry

Max Widdifield

AC - Honorable Mention

Albert Baklund

Luke Dore

Lucas Engler

Logan Kimmel

David Kobielush

All State - 1st Team

Andrew Perry (Mr. Soccer Finalist)

All State - 2nd Team

Max Widdifield

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

2nd Place in State

Silver Standard GPA

3.74 Average GPA

Overall Record

21 Wins, 13 Losses

All Conference

Breanna Beckering

Libby Weckman

AC - Honorable Mention

Lauren Paradise

All State

Breanna Beckering

AA State All-Tournament

Libby Weckman

Lauren Paradise

Avery Beckering

WINTER

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Gold Standard GPA

3.78 Average GPA

Overall Record

16 Wins, 12 Losses

All Conference

Aubrey Burkhart

Maddy Hamdorf

BOYS BASKETBALL

Conference Champions

Silver Standard GPA

3.65 Average GPA

Overall Record

18 Wins, 10 Losses

All Conference

Brayden Beckering

Tyler Krommendyk

Isaac Tollefson

AC - Honorable Mention

Jed Streed

Gavin Armitage

Jack Burke

BOYS HOCKEY

Overall Record

9 Wins, 15 Losses. 2 Ties

All Conference

Tate Hardacre

Paul Hornor

DANCE

Silver Standard GPA

3.73 Average GPA

All Conference

Dagny Ingram

AC - Honorable Mention

Jenna Huotari

Reese Fritz

All State Class AA Jazz

Dagny Ingram

Reese Fritz

SPRING

SOFTBALL

Silver Standard GPA

3.54 Average GPA

Overall Record

14 Wins, 8 Losses

All Conference

Brynn Gorman

Tivoli Kennedy

Abby White

AC - Honorable Mention

Emily Hoernemann

Kamryn Johnson

Annie Waldron

BASEBALL

Silver Standard GPA

Overall Record

13 Wins, 8 Losses

All Conference

Melvin Maldonado

Jack Manion

AC - Honorable Mention

Cole Bjerke

Ben Lindberg

Ollie Olson

Zach Trettin

Cruz Winegarden

BOYS TENNIS

Conference Champions 5th Place in State

Silver Standard GPA

3.58 Average GPA

Overall Record

18 Wins, 4 Losses

All Conference

Wade Ganske

Evan Johnson

London Johnson

Cameron Thomas

Brock Walmer

GIRLS TRACK & FIELD

Gold Standard GPA

3.77 Average GPA

All Conference

Kaia Lein (100m & 200m)

State Qualifier

Kaia Lein (100m & 200m)

BOYS TRACK & FIELD

Gold Standard GPA

3.76 Average GPA

State Qualifiers

Judah Berry (4x800m relay)

Luke Brown (4x800m relay)

Isaiah Stauble (4x800m relay)

Bennett Wercinski (4x800m relay)

GIRLS GOLF

Silver Standard GPA

3.74 Average GPA

All Conference

Lily Lundgren

Alice Terwilliger

State Qualifier

Lily O'Leary

BOYS GOLF

Conference Champions

3rd Place in State

Silver Standard GPA

3.71 Average GPA

All Conference

Bennett Breuer

Henry Johnson

Roman Kurvers

Ryder Rose

Jack Wiens

All State Tournament Team

Henry Johnson

Roman Kurvers

Ryder Rose

Individual State Champion

Ryder Rose

GIRLS LACROSSE

Silver Standard GPA

3.55 Average GPA

Overall Record

8 Wins, 7 Losses

1st Team All Conference

Faith Deutsch

Chloe Johanson

Elyse Toews

2nd Team All Conference

Victoria Harder

Haley Zitzloff

BOYS LACROSSE

Team GPA

3.41 Average GPA

Overall Record

9 Wins, 5 Losses

All Conference

Brett Davis

Dylan Trebil

AC - Honorable Mention

Brodie Barrett

Andrew Davis

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

MSHSL Inaugural Season

Silver Standard GPA

3.68 Average GPA

Overall Record

3 Wins, 8 Losses

CO-OP SPORTS

FOOTBALL

(Co-Op with Mound Westonka)

3.2 Average GPA

Season Record

6 Wins, 4 Losses

GIRLS HOCKEY

(Co-Op with Mound Westonka)

Gold Standard GPA

3.75 Average GPA

Season Record

17 Wins, 11 Losses

All Conference

Lizzy Callahan

Gisella Harder

Elli Lundquist

Outstanding Athletic Achievements

State Qualifiers in 4x800m Relay: Bennett Wercinski, Luke Brown, Judah Berry, & Isaiah Stauble

State Record for the Number of RBIs in a Game

Girls Soccer Earns 2nd in Class A State Tournament

Girls Volleyball Earns 2nd in Class AA State Tournament

Boys Tennis Wins Conference Championship Earns 5th in Class A State Tournament

Boys Golf Earns 3rd in Class AA State Tournament

Ryder Rose Class AA Boys Golf State Champion

Boys Soccer Wins Conference Championship

Boys Basketball Wins Conference Championship

State Qualifier in 100m & 200m: Kaia Lein

Melvin Maldonado Broke

(13)

Girls Golf State Qualifier: Lily O'Leary

CLASS OF 2025

116 TOTAL GRADUATES

Where Our 2025 Graduates are Heading

Lillian Arvilla Adams-Trost* Torchbearers Capernwray

Jonah Brian Ahlstrom Undecided

Brianna Rose Alpaugh*** Dordt University, Psychology

Lucy Olivia Amiot North Central University, Psychology

Alaina Christine Antonovich University of Missouri, Health Sciences

Gavin Benjamin Armitage** Carlson School of Mgmnt, University of Minnesota, Finance & Data Analytics

Braden John Arsenault*** Iowa State University, Mechanical Engineering

Albert Franklin Baklund North Dakota State, HVAC/R

Brayden Jay Beckering** Dordt University, Business Administration

Sienna Evangeline Bendell Liberty University, Exercise Science

Elisha James Berry University of Northwestern-St. Paul, Sports Medicine & Kinesiology

Saraphina Ann Bettin* Grand Canyon University, Nursing

Titus John Blatzheim* Bethel University, Business

Harrison James Briggs** Gap Year

Bethlehem Grace Bristol** Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Aeuronautical Science

Anna Grace Brooks* Undecided, Welding & Metal Fabrication

Jack Alan Brunsberg Dunwoody Institute, Electrical Construction Design & Management

Aubrey Diane Burkhart*** Dordt University, Spanish Education

Nora Jewel Cameron* University of Minnesota, Undecided

Elena Sophia Carlson*** University of Northwestern-St. Paul, Psychology

Eric David Carlson* Carlson School of Mgmnt, University of Minnesota, Marketing

Evelyn Barbara Carlson*** University of North Dakota, Kinesiology

Cosette Esther-Lynn Carto*** Bethel University, Business

Elliott Joseph Caven Grand Canyon University, Mechanical Engineering

Julia Renee Corder University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Psychology

Andrew Michael Davis* University of Minnesota Duluth, Biology

Faith Christine Deutsch Iowa State University, Undecided

Lucas Christopher Engler*** Hope College, Finance (Pre-Med Track)

John Benson Erhart

Iowa State University, Business

Jordan Jeremiah Erickson* Grand Canyon University, Business Marketing

Sophie Marie Evenstad Wheaton College, Biology (Pre-Med)

Noah Marvel Flynn Trinity Bible College, Pastoral Ministries

Sydney Kate Foss*** University of Northwestern-St. Paul, Theater

Julia Elizabeth Frahm Gustavus Adolphus College, English

Reese Marie Fritz** Hope College, Business

Jonah Paul Garneau** Bethel University, Electrical Engineering

Peter John Gauger*** Hillsdale College, Biochemistry

Stella Renae Greenwood*** University of Wisconsin-Madison, Genetics

Ethan Kevin Ray Groninga Normandale Community College, Communications

Cooper Finn Gunhus*** Florida State University, Economics

Sofia Renae Halverson Aveda Institute Minneapolis, Cosmetology

Madelyn Leigh Hamdorf* University of St. Thomas, Business

Gisella Lynn Harder*** High Point University, Biology & Spanish

Erik Bjorn Harstad Liberty University, Aeronautics Commercial/Corporate

Evan Patrick Harvath*** Liberty University, Economics & Political Science

Evelyne Mae Hegstrom** University of St. Thomas, Strategic & Business Communication

Ashton Harrison Hendel Texas Christian University, Business

Ava Marie Herkenhoff Grand Canyon University, Sports Management

Paul William Hornor* Junior Hockey

Jenna Rose Huotari** Minnesota State University Moorhead, Speech Language & Hearing Sciences

Dagny Elspeth de Cussé Ingram*** Hope College, Biochemistry

Saajid Michael Islam*** University of St. Thomas, Biology

Chloe Sarah Johanson* Concordia University, St. Paul, Undecided

Elaina Elisabeth Johnson* Army National Guard

Evan Ryan Johnson*** Samford University, Biology

London Richard Johnson* Torchbearers Bodenseehof

Maya Nicole Johnson** Bemidji State University, Biology

William Michael Kail*** Carlson School of Mgmnt, University of Minnesota, Supply Chain & Operations

Logan William Kimmel*** Minnesota State University, Mankato, Aviation, Professional Flight

David Luis Kobielush University of Northwestern-St. Paul, Business Administration

Nathan Jonah Krietlow* University of Kansas, Pre-Law

Tyler Patrick Krommendyk* Dordt University, Sports Management & Marketing

Christina Carol Rau Kummer** Liberty University, Interdisciplinary Business Studies

Weston James Kurvers Grand Canyon University, Business

Avery Grace Laugen*** Hope College, Psychology

Brynn Maria Lawrenz University of Minnesota Duluth, Business

Jack Calvin Liesmaki Realtors License

Benjamin David Lindberg** Northeast Iowa Community College, Welding

Abigayle Paige Loehr** University of Iowa, Business

Lindsey Kay Lohrenz* University of St. Thomas, Undecided

Lily Jane Lundgren** Bethel University, Exercise Science

Ellison Carmen Lundquist*** Samford University, Finance

Mallory Joy Maas Samford University, Biology

Melvin Javier Maldonado University of Jamestown, Exercise Science

Sophie Ann Marshall** San Diego State University, Marine Biology

Colton Ronald Max Grand Canyon University, Business

Cade Stephen Mellema*** Dordt University, Engineering

Isaiah William Miles* Apprenticeship at Randy’s Electric

Daniel Ricardo Mogollon**

Carlson School of Mgmnt, University of Minnesota, Supply Chain & Operations

Oliver Quinn Olson* Grand Canyon University, Entrepreneurship & Finance

Ryleigh Nell Paine** Samford University, Biology

Andrew Mark Perry Grove City College, Business

Sophia Ann Phinney** University of Kansas, Psychology

Haley May Precht Southeastern University, Nursing

Jace David Rains**

Carlson School of Mgmnt, University of Minnesota, Finance & Accounting

Jacob Julio Ramirez South Dakota State University, Aviation

Sofia Young Reeves*** Northern Michigan University, Clinical Lab Science

Jackson Charles Remus** University of Minnesota, Accounting & Finance

Bryson Jeffrey Rotz** University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Film

Lucy Jo Russell Normandale Community College, Music Therapy

Johanna Grace Santjer*** Carlson School of Mgmnt, University of Minnesota, Accounting & Finance

Macy Sarai Scheppmann** University of Wisconsin-Madison, Undecided

Mateo Harold Schneibel* Minnesota State University Mankato, Aviation, Professional Flight

Colin Timothy Skoog*** Grand Canyon University, Business

Joseph Robert John Sluka YWAM Kona Discipleship Training School

Alyssa Charlene Smetak*** Hope College, Dance & Communications

Grace Louise Sommerness*** Baylor University, Business

Maxwell David Stapleton** University of Northwestern-St. Paul, Mechanical Engineering

Alexa Rae Stratman* University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Elementary Education

Lou Henrik Swenson* University of Northwestern-St. Paul, Business Administration

Cameron Christopher Tarman Grand Canyon University, Business

Alison Renae Tchida

Minnesota State University, Mankato, Elementary Education

Cameron Scott Thomas Torchbearers Romania

Genevieve Elise Thorsen*** University of Minnesota-Crookston, Marketing

Isaac Herbert Tollefson University of Iowa, Business

Sophie Shalom Treguboff Gap Year

Zachary James Trettin Iowa Central Community College, Criminal Justice

Katelynnd Charlotte Voigt*** Creighton University, Exercise Science (Pre-PT Track)

Kylie Noelle Waldron*** University of Alabama, Economics & Finance

Julianna Karin Wall*** Baylor University, Business

Brock Alexander Walmer*** Baylor University, Economics & Finance

Elizabeth Lynn Weckman*** University of Northwestern-St. Paul, Business Administration

Isaac Emmanuel Weinacht* Bethel University, Economics

Maxwell Michael Widdifield** Grand Canyon University, Business

Gabrielle Lane Williams* Iowa State University, Kinesiology

Mackenzie Cari Wright** Iowa State University, Undecided

GIVING

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

A generous way to pour into Southwest Christian is by giving your time. Each year, many parents are actively engaged on campus. Southwest Christian recognizes that discipleship is a partnership, continuing through the work of parents at home.

Participating at the Dad's Pancake Breakfast

Committing to be a four-year discipleship group leader

Baking cookies for the Christmas Encounter Chapel

Serving as a trip chaperone

Setting up and taking down musical/theatre events

Being involved in the booster clubs

Attending the gala and other fundraising events

Praying in our Moms in Prayer group

Getting involved with a parent committee (Service Day or Teacher Support)

Judging for our SharkTank class

Speaking at Career Day

We are grateful for the connection to work together with parents. We invite all SWC parents to get engaged with our community!

FINANCIAL GENEROSITY

Building Fund / / This year, we received additional gifts of $61,300 for our building fund, and received pledged payments of $2,042,000. Our athletic complex building campaign was completed on June 30, 2025. We are grateful for every square foot of this new training facility.

Scholarship Fund / / This year we provided $929,000 of tuition assistance to families who qualified for support. God's provision is evident through donors with generous hearts who fully met this need for scholarship funding.

"This gift isn’t going to end when our kids graduate from Southwest Christian. For us, it’s about ending a generational curse of godlessness in both of our families. This gift that we have been given has changed our families."

We are thankful for every gift that supports the many programs we offer. Thank you for your heart of generosity, it makes a lasting impact on all of our students and faculty.

We encourage you to continue to invest in the lives of Southwest Christian students.

Thank you to our 2024-25 donors!

Thank you to our donors who have contributed to the following programs: corporate sponsorships, student scholarships, the athletic complex, fine arts boosters, athletic boosters, robotics, the Christmas offering, classroom instruction, transportation rebate donations, the building fund, and the endowment fund. These contributions do not include donations for the senior missions trip, event registrations, or gifts from anonymous donors. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of donor acknowledgment. Gifts were made between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

INDIVIDUALS

Timothy and Deb Abbring

Steve and Katie Abbring

Paul and Kristen Abdo

Karyn Acevedo

Brian and Akiko Ahlstrom

Martha Alexander and Mike Szymanski

Paul Allen

David and Amy Alpaugh

Mark Anderson and Sandra Hiller

Todd and Krista Anderson

Paul and Cheryl Anderson

Ben and Jamie Armitage

John and Jody Arsenault

Elizabeth Auman

Mitch and Kristen Avery

Alexander and Cindy Azanov

Anna Babcock

Mark and Carrie Bachman

Kim (Fredrickson) Bakken

Jeremy and Bria Banken

Craig and Jody Barbee

Ina Barton

Alexey and Alexis Baskakov

Dan and Suzanne Battcher

Brent and Tricia Bauer

Jeremy and Melissa Bauernfeind

Dan and Laura Beckering

Darin and Tricia Beckering

Jerry and Linda Beckering

David and Laura Boyd Beise

Larry and LuAnn Beise

Jim and Kirsten Bengtson

Douglas and Marcia Benson

Maren Benson

Donnie and Rebecca Berry

Frank and Reenie Berthold

Mark and Jodi Bjerke

Sarah Black

Anne Bodin

Leon and JoAnn Boeckel

Wes and Jocelyn Boll

Steve and Tara Bosch

Chuck and Cindy Bourn

Alycia Breiter

Bennett Breuer

Jim and Wendi Breuer

Dave and Patty Briscoe

Tim and Christina Bristol

Jack and Michelle Brouwer

Tim and Stacey Brown

Jeff and Suzy Brunsberg

Jerry and Gwen Bruzek

Bob and Carol Bryce

Ryan and Sara Buesgens

Adam and Carla Burke

Lauren Burke

Robbie and Ivy Burkhart

Maureen Busch

Brian and Megan Cagley

Sean and Merritt Callahan

Brian and Taria Cameron

Scott and Kristin Campbell

Frank and Debbie Carlson

Jay and Kari Carroll

Ken Castor

Michael and Elizabeth Caven

Wendell Christenson

Daniel and Jana Cinnamon

Derek and Elizabeth Cisel

Ben and Sarah Clymer

Marty and Michele Cole

Steve and Jennifer Colehour

Patrick and Emily Coleman

Dawn Conwell

James and Tricia Corder

Michael and Meredith Coughlin

John and Alisa Craig

Conan and Amy Crum

Cheryl Dahl

Scott and Joey Dake

Louis Dammann

Robert and Jacquie Danz

Greg and Joan Dattilo

Bob and Jen Daub

Evelyn DeBoer

Matt and Lisa DeKam

Andrew and Linda Denton

Tom and Julie Deutsch

Brian and Kimberly DeVries

Todd and Vicki Dillon

Alan and Karen Dirks

Brent and Shannan Dodds

Jeremy and Liza Donabauer

Nathan and Jamie Dorsett

Jim and Wanda Dotseth

Bryan and Sarah Dye

Andrew and Emily Dzurik

Steve and Kristin Dzurik

Donald Eisma

Ben and Deanna Eklo

David and Jessilyn Elliott

John and Danielle Engholm

David and Anne Engler

Duane and Patricia Engler

Marc and Jennifer Ergang

Chris and Corinne Erhart

Tim and Dawne Erhart

Glen and Jeanette Ertel

Carolyn Fasching

Jim and Kristina Ferrin

Ben and Stacia Fetters

Jack and Robin Fiedler

Taylor Filzen

Bill and Adair Flaherty

Darla Flanders

John and Jennifer Fletcher

Mitchell Forss

Paul and Andrea Friend

Brad and Laura Fritz

Scott and Gretchen Ganske

Brad Gass

Tom and Bonnie Gasper

Chad and Gretchen Gauger

Jason and Ellen Gednalski

Jim and Kathy Gelder

Greg and Lynda Gentz

Ted Godbout

Curt and Heidi Greer

Matt and Jodie Greer

Justin and Sally Grimm

Stuart and Jennifer Groninga

Bill and Judith Gullifer

Ben Gunhus

Chet and Lisa Gunhus

Cindy Gunhus

Darcy Gunhus

Hannah Gunhus

Jeffrey and Leda Gunhus

Jenna Gunhus

Kari Gunhus

Paul Gunhus

Gaye Guyton

Kate Hanna

Anthony and Megan Hanson

Craig and Jody Hanson

Andrew and Jenny Hardacre

Philip Hardacre

Cullen and Stacy Harder

Mike and Corinna Harris

Jason and Alexis Harsh

Lynn Harsh

Brian and Tammy Harstad

Jim and Elise Hay

Andrew and Karen Heddle

Randall and Eva Hedman

Gary and Teresa Hegenes

LaRae Heimerl

Perry and Gina Heles

Michelle Helm

Richard and Amy Hendel

Art and Julie Hill

Kathleen Hirji-Walji

Christopher Hjelmberg

Bill and Darcy Hoag

Nick and Shannon Hoekman

Ron and Claudia Hoekstra

Robert and Renae Hoernemann

David and Judie Hoiriis

Tori and Angela Holt

Scott and Carrie Holthusen

Heath and Haley Holtz

Matt and Amy Hotchkiss

Michael and Tara Hough

Cory and Pamela Howell

Jerry and Lori Hulstein

Shea and Kerry Huston

Anthony and Cara Indovina

Michael and Elspeth Ingram

Reid and Joan Jaeger

Paul Johanson

Allan and Erna Johnson

Doug and Karen Johnson

Elwood and Loreda Johnson

Eric and Jen Johnson

James and Coral Johnson

Jared and Skyler Johnson

Nick and Abbie Johnson

Richard and Emily Johnson

Ron and Shani Johnson

Ross and Laura Johnson

Ryan and Laura Johnson

Robert and Navina Jones

Trevor and Nanci Kallop

Greg and Sonya Kaupp

Jim and Julie Kazmierkoski

Sean and Tricia Keating

Dan and Michelle Kersten

Bill and Betth Kimble

Mark and Ranika Klipsch

Tom and Julie Kloempken

Peter and Lauren Knutson

Sam and Paola Kobielush

Kristin Koelewyn

Ryan and Sara Koepp

Tim and Shannon Koschinska

Jeremy and Amber Koth

Brian and Sandy Krause

Patrick and Julie Krommendyk

Elroy and Sara Kuglin

Matthew Kullbom

Greg and Carla Kummer

Heather Kurvers

Trevor and Erin Lankford

Kyle Lassen

Mary Lassen

Michael and Shannon Lawrence

Carla Lawrenz

Tony and Jenna Lein

Dave Lindberg

Chris and Alice Lodermeier

Nancy Loitz

Matthew and Bethany Loney

Terry and Joy Lubben

Tim and Carrie Lundgren

Drew and Jen Lundquist

Bruce and Candy Lundgren

Mary Madsen

Robert and Julie Mapstone

Sarah Marckmann

John and Ann Marie Marshall

Carolyn Martin

Karen Mathwig

Lisa Mattson

Craig and Barbara Mauer

Mike and Jennifer Max

Dan and Lisa Mauer

Judith McCormick

Michael and Heidi McDermott

Marianne McDonough

Jim and Julie McEliece

Helen Meade

Mike and Chick Meek

Harold and Glenda Mellema

Scott and Heather Mellema

Jerome and Sandra Meyer

Don and Jane Mickelson

Ron and Erin Meyer

Michael and Allison Miedema

Ryan and Shelby Miles

Nathan and Kristen Miner

Kyle and Melissa Molin

John and Phyllis Monsen

Paul and Kim Monsen

Scott and Brenda Moore

Sandra Mosley

Vaughn and Bridgette Mulcrone

Mike and Meghan Mullan

Dan and Vicki Murphy

Paddy and Rosa Murphy

Rick and Sara Narvaez

Robert and Jane Neave

Kyle and Joy Nelson

John Newton

Brian and MaryKaye Nicholson

Jon and Deb Nykanen

Shane and Jennifer O'Donnell

Susan Olsen

David and Erin Olson

Nick and Kristina Olson

Richard and Kate Olson

Kevin and Tiffany Ortner

Aaron and Erin Page

Noel and Angi Parks

Matt and Tricia Paschke

Michael and Sandy Pawlyszyn

Christian and Melissa Peitsch

Beatrice Peterson

Tom and Annebet Pettit

Mark and Jacqueline Phillips

Joe and Darcy Piché

Nate and Stephanie Pieske

Scott and Kasey Pitstick

Bill and Beth Piwnica

Cody and Sierra Pollock

Scott and Jennifer Polman

Steven and Nikki Pothast

Sarah Prescher

Hana Qorri Banks

Michael and Kari Quinn

Abe and Tara Quiring

David Rains

Jenna Rains

Ben and Lina Ramli

Jake and Amy Rath

Charles and Mindi Rector

Chad and Misty Reisner

Sam and Jennifer Remus

Paul and Barb Rengel

Andrew and Jessica Rennekamp

Charles and Sharon Rescorla

Carey and Cheryl Rettig

Paul and Christina Ridgeway

Paul and Brook Riemer

Kolt and Michelle Ringer

TJ Ringer

Greg and Leslie Robertson

Josh Robertson

Lois Robertson

Derek and Carrie Robillard

Josh and Lisa Rodriguez

Tony and Gretchen Roepke

Alex and Louise Rollins

Jerry and Kathy Rosamond

Ernie and Katie Rose

Ed and Eileen Rosenwinkel

Jeff and Katie Rotz

Diane Rovang

Christian and Molly Ruch

Lisa Rudquist

Megan Rudquist

Randy and Shelley Saby

Michael and Cindy Salyards

Craig and Dawn Sandness

Adam and Kristen Sandvig

Braedy Sandvig

Greg and Rae Lynn Sandvig

John and Jessica Santjer

Theo and Abby Schmidt

Tim and Pam Schmidt

Dwight and Rhonda Schneibel

Nick Schneibel

Patricia Schutrop

Mike and Joan Schwarz

Lauren Schwen

Steve and Kelly Schwen

John and Amanda Skaret

Ryan and Rachel Skoog

David and Christina Sluka

Char Snegosky

Scott and Carolyn Solberg

Wade and Brooke Sorenson

Jeff and Whitney Squires

Eric and Sharla Stafford

Eric and Tanya Staal

Matt and Kristen Steensland

Dave and Stacey Stelter

Chad and Tiffany Stiernagle

Michelle Strain

Aaron and Alicia Stratman

Mark and Kathy Strelnieks

Pamela Strommen

Tim and Shannon Studenski

Dave and Lucia Stuessi

Shawn and Kate Swanson

Jerry and Susan Tarman

Walker and Lyn Techau

Joe Tewinkel

ORGANIZATIONS

98.5 KTIS

Advanced Imaging Solutions

AquaVU

Awaken Life Company

Bethel University

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota

Bluff High Kennels

Bonfe

Braun Massage

Breakaway Hockey

Capital Consulting Group

Chick fil-A - Chanhassen & Eden Prairie

Christa Foss Real Estate

CHS

City Lifestyle

Coldwell Banker - Kent Stoa

Crown College

Culver's - Bloomington

Delta Air Lines Foundation

Discover Yourself

Dordt University

Duininck Companies

Edgetek Hockey/ETH Apparel

Elevation Wealth Management

Ernest and Sally Micek Family Foundation

Brent and Kelly Thielen

Donald and Kay Thielen

Mark and Kristen Thistle

Erick and Liz Thompson

Sean and Amy Schwake Thompson

Erick and Liz Thompson

Dale and Phyllis Timm

Thomas and Melissa Tollefson

Mike and Amber Trapp

Craig and Chrystal Trettin

David and Mary Beth Tucker

Scott and Jennifer Tudor

Annalee Tupy

Jeffry and Brooke Tyson

Steve and Tracy Ulanoski

Luke and Ashley Urbaniak

Bill and Jean Van Hecke

Peter and Deirdre Van Nest

Jeff and Julie Verdoorn

Jim and Stephanie Verdoorn

Craig and Christine Veurink

Orville and Judy Vis

Paul and Kristen Vietzen

Jeff and Lauri Wagaman

Mark and Karen Wagner

Stacey Wakeham

Ken and Sheli Waldron

Richard and Laura Wall

Eric Wallbruch

Travis and Alexandra Walmer

Fortis Academy

FXR Apparel

Graham Jewelers

Great Clips (Newport Clippers)

Hendel Homes

Hotel Excelsior

JD Nelson & Debra Nelson Charitable Foundation

K.A.H.R. Foundation

Kaufman Roofing

Kruckman Family Dentistry

Kyle Hunt and Partners

Lake Minnetonka Orthodontics

Lamplighter 1031 Advisors - Andy Topco

Lifeline Incorporated

Metro Dental - Chaska

Mint Roofing

MN Salt Company

Morgan Dental

Moss and Barnett Law Firm

Native Nutrition

Old National Bank

OSR Physical Therapy

Ovation Orthodontics

Principal Financial

Priority Medical Billing

RBC Wealth Management - Piché Group

Riverbridge Partners

Mike and Kate Walters

Steven and Angela Watson

John and Katherine Wechter

Chet and Elynn Welle

Larry and Barbara Weidinger

Laurie Weidinger

Margaret Werner

Cory and Heather Wessman

David and Nicole White

Michael and Jennifer Widdifield

Chris and Amy Wiens

Art Wiese

Mark and Amy Wilhite

Benjamin and Christine Willgress

Ed and Debbie Willgress

Jim and Tracy Williams

Aaron and Ann Wilson

Erik and Marissa Winegarden

Stacy Winter

Robert & Lynelle Wittmaack

Nicolyn Woodarek-Wilson

Jake and Elizabeth Woese

John and Diana Wutke

Tim and Lisa Young

Eric and Stephanie Zimmerman

Fred and Kay Zimmerman

Jason and April Zimmerman

Nathaniel and Kari Zylstra

Road Machinery & Supplies Co.

Scheels

Sea Foam Sales Company

Seedlings

Sid and Carol Verdoorn Foundation

Stafford Family Realtors

Stelter Grandparent Notes

The Mustard Seed Landscaping & Garden Center

The Outpost 212

The Tierra Group

Thrivent

Time's Up

TK Marine

Tooth by the Lake

Traditional Capital Bank

TruMix Advisors

Twin Cities Property Finder

Twin City Filter Service

United Health Group

University of Northwestern-St. Paul

US Bank

Valeo Health and Wellness

Veil & Wild Orthodontics

Wells Fargo

Youngstedts Auto

FINANCIALS

As we conclude the 2024-25 fiscal year, we are grateful for God’s continued financial provision for Southwest Christian High School. We consider it both a great blessing as well as a great responsibility to steward those resources well.

A stable financial foundation is central to executing on the school’s vision, and we are glad to report the school enters the new fiscal year in a strong financial position. We experienced strong enrollment trends again in the 2024-25 school year, meeting our budget expectations. We were also blessed by tremendous generosity from individuals and organizations that believe deeply in the vision of Southwest Christian. Giving exceeded budget expectations for the year, allowing us to fully fund our financial need-based aid program. For 2024-25, we offered $929,000 in financial aid, and for the 2025-26 school year we plan to grow that to $1,100,000. We want to make a strong Christian education available to all, and we are grateful to our many generous donors who make it possible.

Effective cost management is also central to meeting budget expectations, and we worked very diligently to this end. Controlling costs in an environment of elevated general inflation is not without challenges, and managing a larger facility with higher enrollment certainly necessitates increased financial investment. We are also very strategic in ensuring we are competitive in compensating our greatest asset, our exceptional teachers and staff.

For the full year, we were able to achieve positive cash flow and add to our financial reserve. A reasonable reserve is critical to a stable financial foundation, funding future capital expenditures, and managing our facility debt.

As we plan for the future, we will work to balance our strong desire to keep our tuition affordable while making the investments needed to provide a tremendous Christ-centered education. We are grateful for your trust and support, and investment in Christian education.

Robbie Burkhart Chief Financial Officer

$929K awarded to families for need-based scholarships in 2024–25

$15.3K tuition for the 2024–25 school year 1 in 5 students received financial aid

TUITION & GENERAL FEES

ACTIVITY FEES / SUMMER CAMPS / FOOD SERVICE

GIVING TOWARD NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS

FACILITY RENTAL

OTHER INCOME

TOTAL OPERATING INCOME

SALARIES & BENEFITS

STUDENT PROGRAMMING

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

DEBT SERVICE

ENROLLMENT MARKETING / DEVELOPMENT

TOTAL EXPENDITURES

ALUMNI

23rd Annual Golf Tournament

The 23rd Annual Golf Tournament was another fantastic day of community, competition, and generosity in support of Southwest Christian High School. Held in June 2025, the event brought together 124 golfers and raised more than $50,000 to benefit SWCHS programs and students. Over $2,500 in prizes were awarded throughout the day, adding an extra layer of excitement to the tournament.

In recent years, we've made a concerted effort to invite alumni to return and reconnect through this event. We were thrilled to welcome 23 alumni golfers this year. It was a great opportunity for former classmates to reunite and enjoy a day on the course while giving back to the school that helped shape them. One of the highlights of the day came from Kendall Hoag '25, who capped off the event with an unforgettable hole-in-one!

If you're an alumnus who enjoys golf, we’d love to see you on the green next year. Whether you're aiming for a trophy or just a fun day with friends, the tournament is a great way to reconnect with the SWCHS community.

Save the date: Monday, June 22, 2026!

2nd Annual Winter Alumni Day

In January 2024, Southwest Christian High School (SWCHS) hosted its first-ever Winter Alumni Day to mark the “grand opening” of the new athletic facility. Alumni were invited back to campus to reconnect and relive their high school memories through friendly games of volleyball and basketball.

Building on that momentum, the January 2025 event expanded to include even more fun and fellowship. A pickleball open gym welcomed alumni of all ages and athletic abilities. At the same time, family-friendly activities like a bounce house and mini golf ensured there was something for everyone, including the next generation of "Stars". About 50 alumni returned to campus with their families, making for a joyful and vibrant afternoon of community.

Winter Alumni Day is quickly becoming a cherished tradition that brings alumni together across graduating classes. It’s a unique opportunity to reconnect with old friends, engage with today’s SWCHS community, and create new memories with loved ones. Seeing children and families enjoy the day is one of the event’s highlights—and even more family-friendly activities are already in the works for the January 2026 gathering.

Save the date: Saturday, January 3, 2026

Kendall Hoag '25, celebrated her hole in one

Alumnus Kevin Horner '14 Reflects on Serving as D-Group Leader

Before Mr. Wass reached out in March 2023, I hadn’t thought about being a discipleship group leader. At the time, I’d been talking with a mentor about opportunities to invest in the lives of younger people—especially since my wife Anna (Hitterdal, ’14) and I had just started coaching soccer at Hope Academy—but I didn’t expect the opportunity to come so quickly.

Beyond the timing of that conversation and God nudging me in that direction, I loved my time at Southwest Christian. I loved my time in d-group with Mr. Beckering, so the decision to reinvest in the ministry at SWCHS was honestly pretty easy.

Although I didn’t—and still don’t—view myself as “qualified” to lead a group of high schoolers, I wanted to be an active part of this community again and to do my best to follow where Jesus was leading, as cheesy as that sounds. Now, I continue to serve because I love it.

I love my guys. I love the opportunity to hang out with them every week, to hear about their lives, learn about who they are as individuals, and (hopefully) challenge them to think deeper, ask good questions, and experience the love and goodness of their Creator. It’s also been special to have one-on-one time with them over lunch and watch them compete outside of school in baseball, soccer and hockey. It’s honestly just an honor to be a part of their lives.

Thinking about my d-group experience in high school has encouraged me to take some of the pressure off to always have “deep, meaningful conversations” and to remember that most of the memories will probably come from shared experiences, good snacks, and just being together every week.

Leading a d-group has helped me grow, too. It’s exposed weaknesses, insecurities, and false identities in me. It’s challenged me to let go of all that and trust that it’s the Holy Spirit doing the work in the lives of these boys, not me. I just get the lifegiving opportunity to go along for the ride.

Featured Alumni

Zach Vadnais ‘07

A320 First Officer, Delta Air Lines | KC-135 Instructor Pilot, United States Air Force Reserve

WHILE AT SWCHS...

During his time at Southwest Christian High School, Zach Vadnais was actively involved in baseball, basketball, art, and theater—a well-rounded student with both creative and athletic passions.

EDUCATION

Zach graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2011 with a B.A. in Economics.

WHERE HE IS NOW

Following 12 years of active-duty service as an Air Force pilot, Zach now serves in the United States Air Force Reserve, flying the KC-135 out of MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.

In January, Zach also began a new chapter in the commercial aviation world, joining Delta Air Lines as a First Officer on the Airbus A320, based out of Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport.

Throughout his aviation career, Zach has logged over 2,800 flight hours across five different aircraft, deployed nine times to the Middle East and Pacific regions, and participated in several high-profile airshows, including the Duluth Air and Aviation Expo, Disney World’s Fourth of July Celebration, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers game-day flyovers.

PERSONAL LIFE

Zach met his wife, Rachel, while attending SWCHS. They now live in Tampa, Florida, with their four children: Ethan, Audrey, Bennett, and Carter. Before settling in Tampa, the Vadnais family also lived in Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Washington.

In his free time, Zach enjoys traveling, outdoor adventures, and cheering on his beloved UNC Tar Heels.

Disney 4th of July Flyover

The Vadnais Family

Honoring The Life of Leif Gunhus '22

Over Easter weekend, we were heartbroken to learn of the passing of one of our cherished graduates, Leif Gunhus, Class of 2022. Leif was deeply loved by God, his family, friends, and classmates who knew and admired him.

Leif was gifted with a brilliant mind, a generous heart, and a joyful spirit. He was a devoted son and brother, and during his time at Southwest Christian High School, he made a lasting impact through his many contributions to our engineering team and his involvement in fencing and trap shooting, where his creativity and intelligence shone brightly.

After graduating from SWCHS, Leif went on to study computer science at the University of Wisconsin–Stout, pursuing a field that reflected his curiosity and talent.

“Some of you have asked if there is anything you can do to help us honor Leif’s brilliant life,” shared his father, Chet Gunhus. “Leif loved his time at Southwest Christian High School, and SWCHS has worked with us to start a scholarship in his name. This fund will support students who, like Leif, have both unique gifts and meaningful challenges.”

The Leif Gunhus Scholarship Fund has raised more than $12,000 thanks to the generosity of friends and family. If you would like to contribute and help continue Leif’s legacy, your gift will make a lasting difference.

May Christ be glorified through the life and memory of Leif Gunhus. Give to the Leif Gunhus Scholarship Fund

Alumni Advisory Board Returns for 2nd Year

Now in its second year, the SWCHS Alumni Advisory Board grew from seven to 11 members for the 2024–2025 school year. These dedicated alumni served alongside staff advisors Dan Beckering (Head of School), Emily Dzurik (Marketing & Communications), and Leslie Robertson (Development).

This year's board included: Jamie Abercrombie ’04, Will Addler '21, Lauren Burke '19, Luke Chase '12, Tony Harris '17, Dan Horner '10, Brayton Kiedrowski ’08, Aaron Rask '07, Bryan Sandvig ‘06, Tove Sweet ’13, Carly Watchorn ‘18.

The board met quarterly and served on one of three committees: Professional Outreach, Alumni Connection, and Fundraising/ Events.

We are thankful for their time, insight, volunteer involvement, and commitment to strengthening the SWCHS alumni community. If you’re a graduate interested in serving on the board, contact Leslie Robertson at l_robertson@swchs. org.

Aaron Rask '07, volunteering at this year's SWCHS Golf Scramble.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

TAYLOR DEHAAN '11

Senior Software Development Engineer

Amazon

Taylor builds science applications for the Amazon Devices business to accelerate pricing decisions. He works across the full stack and has led the design and implementation of several applications and services for his team and the broader organization. Some of his recent projects include a unified API for sharing datasets across Devices teams, as well as infrastructure for publishing science model results to a company-wide data lake to support data analytics.

BUDDY FLAHERTY '08

Technical Business Development Manager

McDaniel Metals

Buddy Flaherty is the Technical Business Development Manager at McDaniel Metals, a Houston-based manufacturing company in the HVAC industry. In his role, he works directly with mechanical engineers and leads efforts to develop new business across the country. He and his wife, Maya, have five children: Knox (10), Noli (8), Tait (6), Bobbie (4), and Millie (9 months).

SAMANTHA (GETZ) JOHNSON ‘07

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

Family Therapy Associates

Samantha (Getz) Johnson completed graduate school to become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She specializes in counseling aging adults with neurodegenerative diseases, as well as individuals in caregiving roles.

BETHANY GULLMAN '05

Associate Professor of Fundamentals of Lawyering George Washington University Law School

Professor Bethany Gullman’s research interests include the advancement of lawyering skills pedagogy, the impact of generative artificial intelligence on legal practice and education, and visual rhetoric. Before entering academia, she worked as an associate at Faegre Baker Daniels (now Faegre Drinker), where she litigated in the products liability and environmental practice group. She also served as an attorney advisor in the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the U.S. Department of Justice.

SPENCER TOY ‘09

Major

United States Marine Corps Reserve

Spencer is entering his 13th year of service in the United States Marine Corps, including five years on active duty and the remainder in the Reserve. He has served as both a Military Police Officer and an Intelligence Officer, supporting operations in South America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. In his civilian career, Spencer works for a contract security company, where he manages healthcare security operations and oversees more than 500 security officers across over 50 hospitals, clinics, and corporate offices throughout Tennessee and Kentucky.

Alumni Updates

Cosette Abigail Gross Sam & Lydia (Palkert) June 24, 2024

Josiah '19 & Lindsey Colman June 28, 2024

Kyle '19 & Anna (Savitt '19) Baker June 2, 2024

Caden '20 & Isabelle (Hoese '20) Boike June 21, 2024

Nick & Tressa (Stearns '14) Sales

Samuel Jacob OIson Spencer '10 & Hannah September 14, 2024

Elsie Joy Lindblom Cassie (Haag '09) & Tyler September 22, 2024

Samuel Lubben Jordan '13 & Erika (Huizenga '13) September 17, 2024

Lily Jayne Velasco Jack '18 & Rachel (Gassen '18) October 2, 2024

Briar Mae Boyd Brandon & Heidi (Schilling '11) September 29, 2024

David & Ellicia (Woolf '19) Braun October 20, 2024

Cody '16 & Sierra Pollock October 4, 2024

Vatche & Rachel (Carlin '14) Baboyan November 9, 2024

Lainey Margaret Cunningham Patrick & Lucie (Miller '09) November 17, 2024

Silas Paul Horner Brian '12 & Emily November 14, 2024

Miller June Flaherty Buddy '08 & Maya November 22, 2024

November

Luca Jane Dzurik

Andrew & Emily (Robertson '10)

21, 2024

Everlee Agape Ooms Kyle & Faith (Vander Galien '12) December 8, 2024

Jordan & Carly (Watchorn '18) Setterstrom

November 30, 2024

Bethany Eliana Wilson Will & Marisol (Wilson '17) December 8, 2024

Nora Grace Gunderson Nathan & Megan (Clause '13) January 12, 2025

Holden Jett Wojta Brycen & Katie (Lubben '13) January 16, 2025

Emery Rae Rosenberry

Josh & Mackenzie (Horkey '14)

December 24, 2024

Theodore Bryan Sandvig Bryan '06 & Jennifer January 4, 2025

Patrick James Knier

Stephen '06 & Annie (Chresand '06) January 31, 2025

Judah Mitchell Neuberger Mitchell & Abby (Vander Galien '14) February 11, 2025

Tilly Lynn Theresa Anderson Luke & Carly (Jacobson '12) February 25, 2025

Emilie Joy Ball Jacob & Marin (Beck '11) February 18, 2025

Brooks Thomas Johnson Cooper '10 & Jamie April 18, 2025

Andrew '20 and Marissa (Agrimson '20) Flanders May 24, 2025

Ryan & Carolyn (Smith '16) Wojtasiak May 23, 2025

Isaiah '18 and Ann Colman June 14, 2025

SEEK, KNOW LIVE,&