Lifelong Learning Trinity TODAY
CONNECTING THE TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY COMMUNITY
EDITOR
KEVIN MCCONAGHY Director of Marketing & Communication
DESIGN/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CLARISSA BERRY ’19 Graphic Designer & Publications Coordinator
ALUMNI OFFICE
BETH HARWELL Director of Alumni
ADVISORY BOARD
DR. JEFF D. WILLIAMS ’88 Head of School
BEV BIRMINGHAM
NATALIE GARD
KRISTY KEGERREIS
JENNIE KESLER
DR. FRAN LEGBAND
CHRISTINE METOYER
AMY EDWARDS PRIDEAUX ’89
BRIAN SPENCE ’98
CAMILLE LANGFORD WALKER ’82
CRAIG WILSON
LISA WONG
JUSTIN ZAPPIA
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
DERIC EUBANKS Chair
WENDY HERMES Vice Chair
STACEY DORÉ Past Chair
JT COATS
MARK DYER
DAVID HARPER
JOHN HINCKLEY ’00
LUCKY LOCKETT
ADAM MCKELVEY
BRANDON WADDELL ’97
CRAIG WENNING
LISA WHITAKER
ABOUT US
TRINITY TODAY is the official magazine of Trinity Christian Academy.
TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 17001 Addison Road Addison, Texas 75001
972-931-8325 TrinityChristian.org
CONTACT US
Send story ideas to Kevin McConaghy at kmcconaghy@trinitychristian.org and alumni information to Beth Harwell at bharwell@trinitychristian.org.
FOLLOW US
FACEBOOK.COM/TCATrojans
TWITTER.COM/TCATrojans
NOTE TO PARENTS
If this publication is addressed to a graduate who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify Beth Harwell at bharwell@trinitychristian.org of his or her new mailing address. Thank you!
Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.
– PROVERBS 1:5
CAMPUS & COMMUNITY
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL 04
FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 05
FACULTY FOCUS 06
PARENT VOLUNTEERS 11
GOOD WORKS 12
CLASS ACTS 22
SENIOR CLASS 28
TCA FOUNDATION 34
Walking in Their Shoes A Day in the Life of Four TCA Students 36
What is it really like to be a student at TCA? Chief Academic Officer Dr. Fran Legband spent four days shadowing four different students across the Lower School, Middle School and Upper School. Discover what she learned about our school, our teachers and our students.
TROJAN ATHLETICS
SPORTS SEASON RECAPS 42
A look back at the year in athletics across all varsity sports, including a pair of state championships.
LEGACY
ALUMNI NEWS 54
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 56
We highlight three alumni who have continued to learn, grow and serve in the years since graduation: Clayr Simnacher Schreiner ’04, Trey Bowles ’95 and Chip Waggoner ’87.
IN MEMORIAM 59 LAST WORD: SUMMER@TCA 60
From the Head of School
Trinity Christian Academy is a place of learning. Our students, of course, learn the foundational truths and skills they need for life. And one of our goals is for graduates to leave here with a love of learning—to remain curious and continue seeking understanding and wisdom throughout their lives.
Over the years, we have also continually learned and grown as a school. Our classes and teaching methods have been developed and refined over time, and our experienced faculty and staff are incredible at what they do. Our new schedule, beginning this fall, is one example of how we are still finding ways to improve.
Constantly learning is part of our DNA. Since returning to TCA a few years ago, this time as an administrator rather than a student, I’ve thought about what defines the culture at our school. Author and speaker Josh Linkner calls the core elements of an organization’s culture “-isms,” since the suffix “-ism” refers to something that is a distinctive principle or practice. Or, as Independent School Management (another “ISM”) defines it, school culture is “the collective attitudes, values and practices that shape the environment within a school.”
This school year, I sought to list out some core TCA “-isms” for our faculty and staff. They include distinctives such as leading with love, viewing our work as a mission rather than just a job, bleeding Trojan blue and white, working together as one team and having a culture of joy.
Several of the TCA “-isms” have to do with ongoing learning and improvement. For example, we are obsessed with finding a better
way, meaning that we believe in continuous growth and development, both as individuals and as a school. We are convinced that details do matter, so we pay attention to even the small things and strive to do them better than anyone else. We are for the student, always driven by what is best for students and their learning, committed to making each day enjoyable and engaging for our students. We have an attitude of yes before no, meaning that we will at least consider and evaluate ideas for improvement in light of our mission and our desire to serve the needs of our community. And we try to do everything with excellence, knowing that we ultimately work for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24) and that Christ deserves our very best.
By standing firm on what we know is true and always learning how to excel still more, we can ensure that TCA remains the best Christian school anywhere.
DR. JEFF D. WILLIAMS '88 Head of School
From the Board of Trustees
Trinity Christian Academy’s Strategic Vision serves as a compass guiding its mission and ensuring its long-term viability. However, in a faith-based institution, the strategic vision assumes an even more profound significance, acting as a blueprint for fostering not just academic excellence but, crucially, lifelong learning rooted in biblical principles. This vision, therefore, becomes a powerful tool in nurturing students who are equipped to engage with the world with both knowledge and unwavering faith.
The strategic vision’s emphasis on spiritual formation aligns directly with the Bible’s call to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). This is not a passive acquisition of information but an active, lifelong pursuit of understanding God’s truth and applying it to one’s life. Trinity Christian Academy’s commitment to integrating biblical faith and learning ensures that students recognize the Bible as the ultimate source of wisdom and the foundation for all knowledge.
The pursuit of academic and athletic excellence at Trinity Christian Academy echoes the biblical emphasis on diligent study and the development of one’s God-given talents. The strategic vision’s focus on critical thinking and problem-solving skills in academics, alongside teamwork, perseverance and sportsmanship in athletics, reflects the Proverbs 18:15 principle that “the heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.” By equipping students with these tools and virtues, Trinity Christian Academy empowers them to engage with the world intellectually and contribute to it meaningfully, all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Trinity Christian Academy’s Strategic Vision recognizes the pivotal role of faculty in shaping lifelong learners. Just as Jesus, the ultimate teacher, invested in His disciples, Trinity Christian Academy emphasizes the recruitment, support and professional development of its faculty. This ensures that educators are not only knowledgeable in their fields but also exemplify lifelong learning themselves, inspiring students to pursue continuous growth.
The emphasis on community within the current strategic vision reflects the biblical importance of fellowship and mutual encouragement. Hebrews 10:24-25 urges believers to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” highlighting the role of relationships in fostering growth. By nurturing a strong sense of community, Trinity Christian Academy provides a supportive environment where students can learn from and with one another, cultivating a lifelong appreciation for collaboration and learning.
Trinity Christian Academy’s strategic vision goes beyond outlining a plan for school advancement. It provides a holistic framework for nurturing students who are not only academically proficient but also spiritually grounded and equipped to make a positive impact on the world. The strategic vision cultivates a mindset of reflecting God’s character and honoring Him in all endeavors. By doing so, the plan encourages students to see learning as an act of worship, a continuous exploration of God’s creation. It integrates continual education and skill development as the Trinity Christian Academy way. More importantly, it is a clear path of refinement and opportunity to serve Jesus for the years to come.
DR. LISA WHITAKER Trustee
Dawn Pownell
28 Years
As Dawn Pownell graduated from Baylor, her friends from the Dallas area “spoke highly of Trinity Christian Academy, praising its strong Christian values and high academic standards.” After further research indicated that TCA required teachers to have previous experience, Dawn spent two years teaching in public school before transitioning to teaching first grade at TCA as soon as she could. “I loved shaping young minds and laying a strong foundation for students’ educational journeys,” she recalls.
After a few years in the classroom, Dawn stepped away from teaching to focus on her growing family. Ten years later, then-Lower School Head Rod Morris reached out, asking if she would return to TCA to teach fourth grade. “Initially, I declined, as my life was full. I was a stay-at-home mom, an active community volunteer and a Bible study teacher at my church,” she remembers. “However, God began working on my heart, and before long, I knew I was being called back into the classroom. That calling has remained steadfast for the past twenty-three years in fourth grade.”
After more than two decades investing in hundreds of nineyear-olds, Mrs. Pownell knows immediately what she would label as the richest blessing. “First and foremost, I am most proud of the opportunity to teach God’s Word openly and faithfully, witnessing His hand at work in changing lives.” Mrs. Pownell shepherded class after class of children into their pre-teen years, serving as an important bridge from Lower School toward Middle School. Furthermore, she reflects, “I have been incredibly grateful for the chance to partner with parents during this important stage of their child’s development as they take the next steps toward independence, responsibility and accountability.”
As she considers her 28 overall years of serving at TCA, Dawn sees continuity in the mission co-existing with flexibility in teaching methods. “The core values of TCA have remained constant throughout all my years here,” she reflects. “However, the most significant and impactful change on our campus has been the advancement of technology in education.”
“I am most proud of the opportunity to teach God’s Word openly and faithfully, witnessing His hand at work in changing lives.”
In her next chapter, Mrs. Pownell says she “feels great peace” and is “praying fervently about His calling” on her life in retirement. “I am walking by faith, one step at a time,” she says. “Additionally, I look forward to spending more time with my grandchildren, actively participating in my church Bible study and embracing the flexibility to serve others.”
Mrs. Pownell’s former students might argue that she has already been serving others through her love for her students. One such student, Juliana Voth from the TCA class of 2022, remembers her time in Mrs. Pownell’s fourth-grade class with warmth and gratitude. She recalls, “I appreciate how Mrs. Pownell always made me feel loved and supported. Whether helping me with a problem or acting goofy while teaching us something new, she always cared for our class like a family. I pray the Lord will bless her always.”
PHOTO BY JEFF MCWHORTER '05
Kristy Kegerreis
26 Years
In 1999, TCA parents James and Shari Robertson told Kristy Kegerreis about the community feel of Friday night lights at Tom Landry stadium. Intrigued by their referral, Kristy pursued a role as Middle School Latin teacher. “I still recall the first greetings by friendly faces in the Middle School such as science teacher Curtis Blagburn and student Laura (Gotcher) Collins ’04,” Kristy recalls. “I was welcomed warmly into this community.” Former student Kristin (King) Gray ’05 remembers, “Mrs. Kegerreis instilled the love of learning about an ancient language and culture through interactive plays and activities that I still remember more than 20 years later, all while showing us all kindness, grace and patience.”
After seven years of serving in the Middle School, Kristy moved into administrative roles, serving as director of administrative programs and, later, as chief of staff. In nineteen years of handling special TCA projects of all shapes and sizes, her fingerprints can be found everywhere from school communications to academic initiatives, campus aesthetics, the TCA website, the Big Blue campus store, Parent-Teacher Fellowship and “First Day TCA” photo opportunities. Kristy also spearheaded the massive project of recertification with TCA’s accrediting agencies. She led this herculean task four times, achieving the highest possible ratings each cycle.
Her son, Brian Kegerreis ’13, sums up her varied and significant contributions this way: “I do not think I am exaggerating when I say my mom had a hand in almost every project over the past twenty years that made TCA what it is today. More important than the scope of her achievements, however, is the example she set: to be diligent, excellent and uncompromising in all her work.”
Former Head of School Dave Delph worked alongside Kristy for over twenty years. He notes that “Her Christ-like character, pursuit of excellence, strategic insight and passion for pouring into the next generation of Christian leaders have significantly influenced virtually every area of TCA. I can’t imagine having led TCA without her!”
Often Kristy’s work involved unforeseen assignments that popped up unexpectedly, from dozens of COVID-related details to the most welcome surprise of all: a visit from American Idol. “The highlight of my time at TCA was planning the American Idol hometown visit for Jack Blocker ’17,” Kristy recalls happily. “The entire TCA community brought their gifts together to serve and celebrate with Jack, his wife Georgia ’16 and their families.”
On a day when the national spotlight shined on Addison, Kristy and her team made sure to showcase the faith, community and warm welcome she has always prized at TCA. “The American Idol producers and crew told us they had never been treated so well, from air-conditioned vans with cold water bottles driving them around campus, to a catered lunch in a quiet spot after filming.” This Christ-like welcome for Jack Blocker and the ABC team clearly had an impact, and many Trojans were thrilled when the broadcast included Middle School Assistant Head Brian Spence praying over the Blockers on national television.
As Kristy departs TCA, she leaves behind half a lifetime of faithful investment in the TCA mission. She will begin her next chapter with a relocation to Raleigh, North Carolina, home of her son Brian, his wife Caroline and her one-yearold granddaughter Elsie. A careerlong commitment to learning will be bookended with teaching, as she will return to the classroom. After serving the TCA community for 26 years, Kristy sums up the changes succinctly: “I’ve celebrated new facilities, faces and programs like preK, STEM, engineering and the Middle School house system. But the core of TCA remains the same: our commitment to truth and our desire to educate and develop the whole person for the glory of God do not change.”
“I’ve celebrated new facilities, faces and programs like preK, STEM, engineering and the Middle School house system. But the core of TCA remains the same: our commitment to truth and our desire to educate and develop the whole person for the glory of God do not change.”
Adria Warner
25 Years
Adria Warner’s story at Trinity Christian Academy began long before she stood at the front of a classroom. In 1985, a young Adria Johnson started attending TCA as a third-grader. She fondly recalls the excitement of that first day, not knowing then that she would still be at the school 40 years later.
After graduating with the TCA class of 1995, Adria earned a scholarship to Stephen F. Austin State University, where she competed on the track and field team while studying kinesiology and art. In 2000, she returned home to TCA, this time as a teacher. Over the next 25 years, she would serve thousands of students in the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools.
Mrs. Warner is remembered fondly for her creativity, her competitiveness in the annual teachers vs. seventh-graders basketball game and her care for those around her. In addition to teaching, Mrs. Warner took on leadership roles within the faculty community, speaking on faculty panels, offering staff devotionals and blessing her colleagues with original spoken-word poetry. People often mention the wisdom she poured into both students and coworkers. “Adria speaks with thoughtful insight, offering reflections that are both gentle and precise—sparking curiosity and nudging growth with richly dense, well-chosen words,” says fellow MS/US Visual Arts Teacher Nikki Stinson.
Visual Arts Head Jon Millet ’84 knew Adria first as an art student and then as a coworker. “Beyond her incredible talent as a teacher and artist, she is a person of deep faith and has been a mentor and spiritual leader to her students and fellow teachers,” he explains. “Her deep wisdom and discernment have had an eternal impact on many people’s lives. TCA has been blessed by her presence, her positive and encouraging energy, her godly life of humility and the joy that she exudes on a daily basis. She has left an indelible mark on the school for 25 years and personally on me as her colleague and friend. She will be dearly missed.”
This summer, Mrs. Warner and her family begin a new chapter in a new state. They are moving to Chapel Hill, Tennessee, where her husband, Robert, has accepted a position as a managing
director at Horton Haven Christian Camp. Their involvement with this ministry began for Robert as a teenager and has continued throughout more than two decades of married life together.
“We plan to live on-site and serve alongside another dear community of believers,” Mrs. Warner explains about their move to the camp.
Mrs. Warner says she will “miss everyone terribly” and expresses gratitude for the years spent growing and serving at TCA.
“...If knowledge could take root and wisdom grow a garden, then you would know the extent of a prayer answered and taste just a tiny morsel of what God has done through this special place.”
“If you could prepare the soft ground of a forgiven heart, plant a single seed of truth, feel the gentle breeze of an encouraging glance or a joyful word, if you could see love poured out, if knowledge could take root and wisdom grow a garden, then you would know the extent of a prayer answered and taste just a tiny morsel of what God has done through this special place,” says Mrs. Warner. “You are my family for which I’m so grateful! I’m especially indebted to Jon Millet and the whole art department for the unique ways you have brought purpose and belonging to me and countless others. We take you with us as we go!”
24 Years Julie Scheer
For Julie Scheer, the move to TCA began as a literal one as she sold a house and moved across the metroplex to relocate closer to the school. “In the fall of 2001 my dear friend and longtime TCA teacher Didi Henderson was trying to convince me to teach at TCA after several years of homeschooling my two sons. Then-Head of the Lower School Rod Morris offered me a third-grade teaching position, so we sold our home and moved to Plano!”
A year later, Mrs. Scheer moved to an administrative role as academic support services coordinator. She served TCA families through screening students as well as meeting with parents and teachers to form a plan for success. “I also had the blessing of working with reading and speech therapists, as well as the Learning Lab teacher, who would see students one-on-one or in small groups to provide support such as finishing classwork or taking tests,” she says. Julie’s investment in each child as an individual makes an impression and is not soon forgotten; as Molli Gullatt ’32 recalls, “Mrs. Scheer spent her own time to do a birdhouse with me. I LOVED it!”
Countless parents recall their academic support services meetings with Julie, which often served as life-changing pivot points in their child’s educational journey. After a child had received educational testing or evaluation, Julie often helped parents understand thick packets full of psychoeducational jargon, translating percentiles and bell curves into real-world solutions. “As a mother of a Lower School kid with a learning difference, I remember how Julie comforted me, walking across the room to bring me tissues,” recalls Zoe Ellen Azzi. “I walked out of that meeting feeling like not only my child’s education was valued but also his soul as well. Julie helped create a practical plan of action so my child could not just survive, but thrive.” Head of the Lower School Anne Badger agrees: “Simply put, Julie’s gift is to honor every student and family who walks through her door.”
Anna Garcia ’25 echoes that observation of Julie’s peaceful tranquility. “I remember Mrs. Scheer’s help with technology as well as KTCA, always coupled with a warm, sweet spirit and a calming presence,” she recalls. Miranda Aviles ’25 remembers the same joy, noting that “Mrs. Scheer always had a smile on her face when she greeted me at the Lower School entrance.”
As Julie celebrates retirement after twenty-four years at TCA, she looks forward to the future with firm faith. “I am looking forward to new opportunities, wherever God may lead me,” she says. “I will enjoy more time with family and friends. TCA will always be in my heart and in my prayers!”
“TCA will always be in my heart and in my prayers!”
40 YEARS
Annette Metz – Accounts Receivable/ Accountant
30 YEARS
Jan Marshall – US Humanities Teacher
25 YEARS
Steve Kimbrough – US Government/ Economics Teacher
Adria Warner '95 – MS Art Teacher
20 YEARS
Brandon Graham – P.E. Teacher
Brian Spence '98 – Assistant Head of MS
15 YEARS
Anne Badger '90 – Head of LS
Veronica Esclamado – Database Manager
Sara Fusco – Assistant Head of MS
Allison Lee – Third-Grade Teacher
Marcus Moore – P.E. Teacher and Coach
Mary Helen Nine – Manager of Events and Volunteers
Camille Walker '82 – Director of Campus Events and Volunteers
10 YEARS
Barry Birmingham – MS Latin Teacher
Bev Birmingham – Assistant Head of LS
Julie Brown – General Counsel, Director of HR
Natalie Floyd – LS Academic Specialist
Shawn Ledebur – MS Counselor
Leslie McCabe '90 – Admission Associate
Karen Smith – PreK Teacher
Megan Solis '05 – Kindergarten Teacher
Aileen Vidaud – STEM Teacher
Tricia Westover '86 – Educational Tech Specialist
5 YEARS
Jamie Donahue – US Math Teacher
Mary Elizabeth Carter-Kappes –Technology Admin Support
Greg Fanucci – Assistant Director of Safety and Security
Sam Huynh – Technology Support
Years of Service
We are grateful for the way so many people faithfully devote their careers to making the TCA community what it is. At the close of the 2024-25 school year, we honored these faculty and staff for notable work anniversaries:
10 20 40
Katie McMullin – US Math Teacher 30 25 15 5
Parent Volunteers
TCA has many faithful parent volunteers who play important roles throughout the school year, selflessly serving fellow parents, students, faculty and staff. They serve meals, make mums, organize banquets, run concessions, manage uniform resale and lead prayer efforts for the school. We are tremendously grateful for all that they do.
Special thanks goes to the coordinators of different events and activities:
FACULTY AND STAFF
APPRECIATION LUNCHEON
Margaret Junker, Stephanie Martin, Leigh Klotz and Margaret McDonald
HOMECOMING MUMS
Karie Helt, Susan Mattox and Jessica Rice
CONCESSIONS
Amanda Applewhite
SENIOR BANQUET
Katherine Flatt
UNIFORM RESALE
Paige Green
MPACT
Julie Wenning and Chrissy Lankford
AND A BIG THANK YOU TO THIS YEAR’S PTF BOARD:
President – Natalie Gard
Vice President – Wendi Byerly
Secretary – Lacy Ingram
Treasurer – Shelby Smith
PHOTO BY JEFF McWHORTER '05
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
PHOTO BY KEVIN McCONAGHY
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CHAN
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CHAN
PHOTO BY MICHAEL CHAN
PHOTO BY KEVIN McCONAGHY
PHOTO BY JEFF McWHORTER '05
Good Works
OUR MISSION
TCA desires to educate and develop the whole person for the glory of God by helping equip each student to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, and to become a faithful disciple of Him.
Senior Awards
TCA Good Citizenship Award
Katie Craighead, Brett Yanof
Bible
Anna Garcia
Humanities
Senior Humanities: Ava Dewey, Tee Parker
Senior Thesis Capstone: Karys Karlow, Claire
Millet
Government: Luke Oliver
Economics: Jameson Dunigan
Leadership: Meredith McGraw, Brett Yanof
Mathematics
Honors Anatomy & Physiology: Hannah Claire Heflin, Ava McNaught
Field Ecology: Jonathan Cook
Honors Engineering Design: MC Petersen
Technology
Honors Game Design: Caleb Olson
Honors Web Computing: Anna Garcia
Honors Tech Intern: Matthew Cortez
Visual Arts
AP Art Award: Ava Dewey, Ana Sofia Zuniga
World Language
AP Spanish IV: Sergio Zuniga
Acres Scholar
CFortyongratulations to Karys Karlow for being named a National Merit Scholar and a Forty Acres Scholar at the University of Texas at Austin! The Forty Acres Scholars Program is designed to inspire and nurture leaders and help them use their talents to benefit society. Scholars are chosen through multiple rounds of application and interviews. Besides receiving full funding for their tuition, a living stipend and a book stipend, Forty Acres Scholars have opportunities for enrichment activities including international travel, service opportunities and professional and personal development.
Finite Math: Max McConathy
Business Calculus: Ella Shaul
AP Calculus AB: Gavin Farley
Performing Arts
Spring Show Award: Tee Parker
Choir
Choral Director’s Award: Nate Miller, MC Petersen
Outstanding Musician Award (Bass): Nate Miller
Theater
Outstanding Theater Student: Ava McNaught Band
Outstanding Musicianship: Jackson Duke Science
AP Biology: TJ Friesen
AP Chemistry: Maddie Wilmotte
AP French IV: Ava Dewey
Yearbook
Ella Eubanks, Ella Stewart, Avery Wells
Prefect Selection
The TCA student body is led by senior prefects. Prefects are chosen at the end of their junior year through an application and interview process and serve throughout their senior year. Thank you to the 2024-25 prefects for their service: Head Prefect Tee Parker, Academics Prefect Tiegan Friesen, Admission Prefect Jaylan Beckley, Publicity Prefect Katie Craighead, Service Prefect MC Petersen, Student Life Prefect Ryan Elms and Unity Prefect Ella Eubanks
And congratulations to the 2025-26 prefects: Head Prefect Lucy Anderson, Academics Prefect Nathan Youn, Admission Prefect Greer Goldenberg, Publicity Prefect Lauren Prideaux, Service Prefect Olivia Hammond, Student Life Prefect Ryan Janacek and Unity Prefect Avery Womble.
PHOTO BY JEFF McWHORTER '05
PHOTO BY JEFF McWHORTER '05
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
TAPPS Academic
Competition
Congratulations to these individual award winners from our TAPPS academic team:
Current Events
• Andrew West – Second Place
Literary Criticism
• Karys Karlow – Seventh Place
Math
• Sophie Huang – Second Place
• Caleb Kim – Sixth Place
Ready Writing
• Landon Studer – First Place
• Claire Millet – Seventh Place
Science
• Gavin Farley – Sixth Place
• Nathan Youn – Eighth Place
Social Studies
• Daniel Russ – Fifth Place
• Samuel Qian – Sixth Place
• Lucas Cavazos – Eighth Place
Spelling
• Trey Nunnally – Sixth Place
Yearbook
• Yearbook – Sixth Place
Book Awards
Kendall Truitt – Dartmouth Book Awards, awarded by the Dartmouth Alumni Association to a junior student who demonstrates achievement inside and outside the classroom
Olivia Tristan – University of Virginia Jefferson Book Award, awarded to high school juniors who embrace creativity and innovation while demonstrating citizen leadership by working to improve their community
Nathan Youn – Yale Book Award, awarded for outstanding scholarship, character and intellectual curiosity
Science Olympiad
The TCA Science Olympiad team competed at the Tarleton State Regional Tournament. This is the team's first year to participate, and they won third overall out of the 13 teams participating, many of whom have competed for several years. Several students also won individual awards. Way to go!
• Josef Vidaud & Boaz Henderson – Air Trajectory First Place
• Gavin Farley – Astronomy Second Place
• Caleb Kim – Fossils Second Place
• Boaz Henderson & Jackson Welwood – Helicopter Second Place
• Sebastian Lee & Brent Baker
– Optics Third Place
The Honor Roll
FIRST TRIMESTER
Summa Cum Laude
SENIORS
Brody Bacon
Jenna Barker
Hannah Belf
Eliot Brookshire
Laura Cook
Chloe Copeland
Emerson Dale
Benjamin Davis
Ava Dewey
Jackson Duke
Ryan Elms
Ella Eubanks
Gavin Farley
TJ Friesen
Anna Garcia
Gael Garcia
Courtney Haggard
Annabella Hays
Hannah Claire Heflin
Emma Helt
Abby Jun
Karys Karlow
Brynn Lawrence
Elijah Liu
Kelsey Long
Brooks Loukas
Katherine Lowrey
AnnMarie Martinez
Molly Mattox
Ava McNaught
Sean Meador
Claire Millet
Sloan Nelson
Maya Nguyen
Luke Oliver
Caleb Olson
Addy Orozco
Tee Parker
Lilly Parrill
MC Petersen
Sophia Pfannstiel
Rachel Rice
Noah Rodgers
Shealy Seitz
Mae Sharpe
Ella Shaul
Hudson Smith
Gabe Speck
Ella Stewart
Leighton Thornton
Avery Wells
Zane Williams
Maddie Wilmotte
Ava Wolff
Zoe Wong
Josh Wood
Riley Wright
Daniel Yang
Ana Sofia Zuniga
Sergio Zuniga
JUNIORS
Hannah Adams
Lucy Anderson
Caroline Antush
Olivia Arnold
Brent Baker
Kieffer Barclay
Nicky Bayliss
Bliss Bell
Clary Bogda
Delaney Borud
Ella Bricker
Caroline Broyles
Lucas Cavazos
Theo Cheung
Tyler Chiang
Sarah Chung
Hannah Grace Coleman
Scotty Drake
Grace Fuller
Olivia Hammonds
Caroline Hatton Boaz Henderson
Hermes Ryan Janacek
Annabelle Johnson
Caitlin Johnson Hayden Key
Collin Kilgore
Chloe Kimbrough
Sebastian Lee
Reid Lindsay Price MacFadyen
Charlotte March Mary Mosley
Beck Nelson
Kate Overmann
Sam Pickett
Carsen Prideaux
Lauren Prideaux
Samuel Qian
Mary Siino
Avery-Kate Spence
Shea Spivey
Adysen Thibaudeau
Cavanaugh Tripp Olivia Tristan
Truitt Violet Truly Annie Turner Katelyn Westover
Wilburn Camille Williams Avery Womble Kennedy Wood
Woods Nathan Youn
SOPHOMORES
Hannah Applewhite Iris Bell Milena Berezhna
Boylan
Brewer
Collins Lauren Couturier Caroline
Good Works
Grades 9-11 Awards
Bible
Junior Bible: Nathan Youn
Humanities
9: Ellie Hammonds, Reid Moise, Jackson
Pattillo, Lola Petty, Hank Womble, Daniel Russ
10: Milena Berezhna, Andrea Johnson, Evelyn Keramidas, Grace Powers, Grayson Tucker, Andrew West
11: Hannah Adams, Lucy Anderson, Caroline Broyles, Scotty Drake, Mary Mosley, Nathan Youn
Mathematics
Algebra I: Bri Eidsvig
Algebra II: Taylor Ramsey
Calculus A: Sophie Huang
Calculus BC: Nathan Youn
Geometry: Anna Gurganus
Honors Algebra II: Evelyn Keramidas
Honors Geometry: Austin Webb
Honors Trigonometry/Intro to Calculus: Olivia Hammonds
Statistics: Cavanaugh Tripp
Performing Arts
Band
Band Member of the Year: Connor Clarke, Reid Johannsen, Rylann Mikeska, Jon Ross
Director’s Award: Avery Womble
Louis Armstrong Jazz Award: Duncan Ramsey
The Honor Roll
FIRST TRIMESTER
SENIORS
Emma Ruth Ball
Peyton Boaz
Parker Burch
Luke Clark
Katie Craighead
Jamo Dunigan
Sophia Latham
Gisselle Mariscal
Shelby Martgan
Lucy Massinger
Everett May
Meredith McGraw
Brennan McNaught
Nate Miller
Ainsley Pool
Reagan Ramsey
Macrady Roeder
Lexie Ronde
Elizabeth Rylander
Gigi Simmons
Noah Simpson
Bennett Tucker
Brett Yanof
JUNIORS
Ellery Barton
Lacie Betts
Annie Blocker
Sean Brownfield
Kevin Carter
Reese Cherry
Brandon Chou
Brooke Davis
Pierce Davis
Julia Erhart
Jack Ferem
Hunter Flatt
Greer Goldenberg
Wagner Graham
Chase Griffin
Mateo Griffin
Cameron Ham
Lily Jeane Hayes
Annabelle Hestwood
Dannica Jenkins
Ella Krone
Campbell Laible
CK Lyons
Pauline Malickal
Charlie Montgomery
Macie Munoz
Nora Newman
Samantha Niederhofer
Addison Rackley
Jaime Ramirez Leyva
Taylor Ramsey
Katie Scott
Ava Solomon
Katie Spears
Scotland Stewart
Outstanding Musicianship (Brass): Brian Rodriguez
Outstanding Musicianship (Woodwinds): Sophie Huang
Servant Leadership: Mason Kilgore
Choir
Outstanding Musician (Alto): Chloe Kimbrough
Outstanding Musician (Soprano): Charlie Cox
Outstanding Musician (Tenor): Trey Nunnally Theater
Advanced Drama: Hannah Applewhite, Caroline Broyles
Drama I: Sawyer Bland, Jordan Macatee
Drama II: Chloe Belew, Taylor Ramsey
Spring Show Award: Charlotte March
Theatre Director’s Award: Tesla Galvis
Service
Presidents Volunteer Service Award – Gold: Matthew Carter, Caleb Kim
President’s Volunteer Service Award – Bronze: Brady Grantham, Katie Spears
Science
AP Physics: Sebastian Lee
Biology: Julien Gean
Chemistry: Wynne Whitehead
Honors Biology: Parker Reed
Honors Chemistry: Izzi Opsal
Landon Studer
Hope Taylor
Hannah Yeager
Jonathan Yeh
Victoria Zuniga
SOPHOMORES
Lilly Bain
Chloe Belew
Andrew Beumer
Nataleigh Brown
Zoe Dorroh
Kate Engram
Zachary Fitzgerald
Presley Griffin
Hunter Haas
Kendall Hamrick
Audrey Herd
Caden Jobe
Natalia Kattan
Brandon Lankford
Grayson May
Carolyn Nguyen
Beck Olinghouse
Emilia Powers
Jackson Rhodes
Trent Sedberry
Piper Seely
Lyla Swaldi
Kat Taylor
Drew Thompson
Raylee Toney
Sadie Wayman
Andrew West
Thomas West
Wynne Whitehead
Olivia Whorton
Hutton Wright
Zach Zeleskey
FRESHMEN
Sawyer Bland
Jordan Brown
Matthew Carter
Ryan Chou
Chanel Dolan
Eden Dudley-Berry
Hayden Dunn
Molly Ellis
Julien Gean
Knox Grzych
Mason Kilgore
Blake Kruse
Jeff Kunkel
Ally Matthews
Ellie Mattox
Margot McClintock
Cashdon McKinney
Cooper Nolen
Owen Oliver
Lola Petty
Miles Pool
Physics: Boaz Henderson, Olivia Tristan
Technology
AP Computer Science: Grayson Tucker, Cavanaugh Tripp
Honors Python: Brady Lee
Honors Entrepreneurship and Marketing
Strategies: Emi Nguyen, Austin Sonju
Visual Arts
3D Design: Austin Webb
Honors Digital Art: London McKinney, Janet Lu
Honors Drawing/Painting/Printmaking I: Andrew Beumer, Stella Stinson
Honors Drawing/Painting/Printmaking II: Hayden Key, Carsen Prideaux, Adysen
Thibaudeau
Honors Photography: Iris Bell, Izzi Opsal
Honors Sculpture: Milena Berezhna, Annie Turner
Product Design: Emi Nguyen, Emilia Powers
World Language
French I: Winnie Henderson
Honors French II: Sarah Wong
Honors French III: Theo Chung
Honors Spanish II: Natalia Kattan, Will Loukas
Honors Spanish III: Grace Fuller
Spanish I: Olivia Spence, Isabella Wallace
Spanish II: Sadie Wayman
Spanish III: Blakely Wade
Camden Haas
Campbell Quisenberry
William Radovic
Sloane Romo
Arie Roossien
Elle Rosinski
Jon Ross
Max Scott
Harry Stoops
Isabella Wallace
Peyton Walton
Leighton Weber
Hank Womble
Sadot Zuniga
8TH GRADE
Renee Abshire
Brooks Barton
London Boyd
Jackson Carrier
Hillary Cashin
Caitlyn Collins
Allie Cooksey
Hunter deVenny
Jenna Doyle
Drew Fletcher
Harper Foley
Ella
Crosby Gard
Rachel George
Hagan
Herrell
Hulme
Ibeto
Kattan
Kutz
Matthews
Micek
Wagers
Kinsler Balli
Hadley Bland
Gilly Bonifaz Ellie Davis
Andy de Manincor Mattie Donnan
Donovan Dryden
Katie Ehmke
Cameron Evans
Max Guirguis Haven Gulbas Jonathan Haight Kinslee Hays Quentin Ho
FIRST TRIMESTER
National Latin Exam Awards
Congratulations to the 30 seventh-graders and 24 eighth-graders who were recognized for their achievement on the National Latin Exam. At TCA, we use a Latin curriculum that is a high school level course, so our students are competing in many cases with students older than they are and in higher grades. We are proud of them for pushing themselves to go beyond the “status quo.”
Special recognition goes to seventh-grader Sean Huang for making a perfect score on the exam!
Eighth Grade
Summa Cum Laude (Gold Medal): Harper Foley, Tyler Basom, Gavin Hamrick
Maxima Cum Laude (Silver Medal): Riley Lindsay, Ben Solomon, Chloe Voss, Rachel Sutton
Magna Cum Laude: Sam Whitmire, Warner Stone, Grace Kim, Lila Hulme, Tatum Giles, Weston Kutz, Camden Haas, Mateo Kattan, Henry Dickinson, Rachel George, Jack Solomon
Cum Laude: Olivia Stone, Griffin Sedberry, Jenna Doyle, Clark Welwood, Cannon Seiferd, Hunter deVenny
Seventh Grade
Summa Cum Laude (Gold Medal): Sean Huang, Hanna Furr, Zoe Ramireddy, Emily Miller, Henry Chen, Leo Nima, Leslie Maddox, Tanya Chiang, William Patillo
Maxima Cum Laude (Silver Medal): Jonathan Haight, Preston Tom, Cora Scott, Gillian Futrell, Daniel Smith, Michael Russ, Eve Griffin, Karolina Haas, Luke Dorsey, Jianne No
Magna Cum Laude: Landon Tapella, Kate Fitzgerald, Quentin Ho, Kinslee Hays, Taylor May
Cum Laude: Henry Pierce, Chloe Li, Ally Oujezdsky, Kyla Nelson, Luke Boaz, Andrew Frieberger
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
ACSI International Math Competition Winners
These exceptional Middle School students persevered through three challenging rounds of competition, tackling complex mathematical problems that demanded ingenuity, creativity and precision. We are incredibly proud of your hard work and achievement—well done!
• Jiannie No – Second Place, Seventh-Grade Computation
• Henry Chen – Fourth Place, Seventh-Grade Reasoning
• Ryan Foley – Fourth Place, Sixth-Grade Reasoning
Good Works
Eighth-Grade Nonprofit Winners
The Honor Roll
SECOND TRIMESTER
Summa Cum Laude
GPA OF 4.2 OR HIGHER
SENIORS
Emma Ruth Ball
Jenna Barker
Hannah Belf
Eliot Brookshire
Chloe Copeland
Benjamin Davis
Ava Dewey
Jackson Duke
Ryan Elms
Ella Eubanks
Gavin Farley
TJ Friesen
Anna Garcia
Gael Garcia
Annabella Hays
Hannah Claire Heflin
Emma Helt
Abby Jun
Karys Karlow
Brynn Lawrence
Elijah Liu
Kelsey Long
Brooks Loukas
AnnMarie Martinez
Molly Mattox
Ava McNaught
Claire Millet
Sloan Nelson
Maya Nguyen
Luke Oliver
Caleb Olson
Addy Orozco
Tee Parker
Lilly Parrill
MC Petersen
Sophia Pfannstiel
Rachel Rice
Shealy Seitz
Mae Sharpe
Ella Shaul
Hudson Smith
Ella Stewart
Avery Wells
Maddie Wilmotte
Zoe Wong
Josh Wood
Riley Wright
Daniel Yang
Ana Sofia Zuniga
Sergio Zuniga
JUNIORS
Hannah Adams
Lucy Anderson
Caroline Antush
Olivia Arnold
Brent Baker
Nicky Bayliss
Bliss Bell
Clary Bogda
Delaney Borud
Ella Bricker
Caroline Broyles
Lucas Cavazos
Tyler Chiang
Brandon Chou
Sarah Chung
Hannah Grace Coleman
Brooke Davis
Scotty Drake
Grace Fuller
Greer Goldenberg
Wagner Graham
Olivia Hammonds
Caroline Hatton
Boaz Henderson
Hayes Hermes
Ryan Janacek
Annabelle Johnson
Hayden Key
Collin Kilgore
Chloe Kimbrough
Sebastian Lee
Reid Lindsay
Price MacFadyen
Charlotte March
Mary Mosley
Beck Nelson
Kate Overmann
Carsen Prideaux
Lauren Prideaux
Samuel Qian
Ava Solomon
Avery-Kate Spence
Shea Spivey
Adysen Thibaudeau
Cavanaugh Tripp
Olivia Tristan
Kendall Truitt
Violet Truly
Annie Turner
Katelyn Westover
Avalon Wilburn
Camille Williams
Avery Womble
Kennedy Wood
Elizabeth Woods
Nathan Youn
SOPHOMORES
Hannah Applewhite
Iris Bell
Milena Berezhna
Lily Brewer
Caris Collins
Lauren Couturier
Caroline Craighead
Andrew Crawford
Wyatt Gard
Brady Grantham
Jillian Gulbas
Anna Gurganus
Hunter Haas
Sophia Haas
Sophie Huang
Andrea Johnson
Natalia Kattan
Evelyn Keramidas
Caleb Kim
Ethan Lewis
Noah Liu
Will Loukas
Kapp McKelvey
Rylann Mikeska
Emi Nguyen
Beck Olinghouse
Izzi Opsal
Boyd Pou
Emilia Powers
Grace Powers
Allison Rylander
Grayson Tucker
Sadie Wayman
Caleb Wenning
Wynne Whitehead
Sarah Wong
Wendy Yang
Isabelle Yiu
FRESHMEN
Will Anderson
Matthew Carter
Nathan Cheung
Hayden Dunn
Bri Eidsvig
Addy Gadoci
Ellie Hammonds
Winnie Henderson
Lena Hotchkiss
Brady Lee
Janet Lu
Jordan Macatee
Greyson McCauley
Margot McClintock
Anya Ouimette
Jackson Pattillo
Lola Petty
Kinley Poole
Duncan Ramsey
Parker Reed
Daniel Russ
Olivia Spence
Mack Sykes
Austin Webb
Hank Womble
8TH GRADE
Tyler Basom
Hunter deVenny
Henry Dickinson
Scarlett Dougherty
Harper Foley
Tatum Giles
Gavin Hamrick
Mateo Kattan
Anne Charlotte Pittman
Ben Solomon
Olivia Stone
Chloe Voss
7TH GRADE
Luke Dorsey
Hanna Furr
Sean Huang
Leslie Maddox
Mollie McKelvey
Emily Miller
Preston Tom
For the second straight year, eighth-grade Bible class students took part in a nonprofit competition. Each eighth-grader researched and gave a presentation to classmates on his or her favorite nonprofit. The top 12 were selected as finalists, with those students presenting again to a panel of judges. The judges chose three overall winners, with the winning students receiving $10,000 each to donate to their selected nonprofits, courtesy of a generous TCA donor. Congratulations to the three winners:
• Stella Key and Hope Story, which provides support and encouragement to parents of children diagnosed with Down syndrome
• Grace Kim and Korean American Youth Artists of Texas (KAYAT), which connects Korean-American children with their ancestry and spreads awareness of Korean culture
• Davis Wenning and Family Legacy, which empowers vulnerable and orphaned children in Zambia to live out their God-given potential
Stella Key
Davis Wenning
Grace Kim
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
Eighth-Grade Awards
Art: Parker Lowe, Adeline Micek, Grace Kim, Tatum Giles
Band: Cannon Seiferd, Isaac Quiroz, Weston Kutz, Miller Ingram, Michael Pigneri
Bible: Barnabas Award: Thomas Clack, Riley Lindsay, Parker Lowe
Bible Memory: Logan Jackson
Choir: Chloe Voss, Stella Key, Brooks Barton, Warner Stone, Trinon Volbeda, Davis Wenning, Knox Giles
History/English: Harper Foley, Gavin Hamrick, Chloe Voss, Hunter deVenny, Riley Lindsay, Grace Kim, KK Ball, Tatum Giles, Davis Wenning, Sam Whitmire
Latin: Olivia Stone, Grace Kim, Mateo Kattan
Math: Henry Dickinson, Grace Kim, Harper Foley, Tatum Giles, Warner Stone, Tyler Basom
Science: Tyler Basom, Gavin Hamrick, Tatum Giles
Speech/Drama: Lila Hulme, Charlie Hagan, Drew Fletcher, Riley Lindsay, Shepherd McMullen
Technology: Ben Solomon
The Honor Roll
SECOND TRIMESTER
SENIORS
Brody Bacon
Parker Burch
Laura Cook
Matthew Cortez
Katie Craighead
Emerson Dale
Jamo Dunigan
Courtney Haggard
Sophia Latham
Katherine Lowrey
Gisselle Mariscal
Shelby Martgan
Lucy Massinger
Everett May
Max McConathy
Meredith McGraw
Brennan McNaught
Sean Meador
Nate Miller
Ainsley Pool
Reagan Ramsey
Noah Rodgers
Macrady Roeder
Lexie Ronde
Elizabeth Rylander
Gigi Simmons
Noah Simpson
Gabe Speck
Pauline Malickal
Macie Munoz
Nora Newman
Sam Pickett
Addison Rackley
Jaime Ramirez Leyva
Taylor Ramsey
Katie Scott
Mary Siino
Katie Spears
Scotland Stewart
Landon Studer
Hannah Yeager
Jonathan Yeh
Cheung Julia Erhart
Flatt
Galvis
Hestwood
Karr
Victoria Zuniga
SOPHOMORES
Andrew Beumer
Lauren Boylan
Nataleigh Brown
Cohen Carreker
Grant Daelke
Preston Dean
Zoe Dorroh
Zachary Fitzgerald
Elizabeth Furlich
Presley Griffin Kendall Hamrick Kennedy Harris
Kate Jackson Reid Johannsen
Jordyn LaCour
Brandon Lankford
Grayson May
Lucas McIntyre
Carolyn Nguyen
Trey Nunnally
Drew Parrill
Jackson Rhodes
Trent Sedberry
Piper Seely
Jackson Shaul
MJ Smith
Austin Sonju
Drew Thompson
Raylee Toney
Josef Vidaud
Andrew West
Olivia Whorton
Hutton Wright
Zach Zeleskey
FRESHMEN
Sawyer Bland
Jordan Brown
Nixon Choi
Ryan Chou
Eden Dudley-Berry
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR
The seventh- and eighth-grade choir road-tripped to Houston for the annual TPSMEA Concert/Sight Reading Contest. The singers had a great time, represented TCA well and sang difficult music unbelievably well. All choirs received straight ones or superior ratings and the Mixed and Girls Choirs won sweepstakes with all ones in concert and sight reading!
Eleanor Fusch
Julien Gean
Abby George
Knox Grzych
Mason Kilgore
Blake Kruse
Jacob Lee
Jayden Lee
Ellie Mattox
Cashdon McKinney
Reid Moise
Cooper Nolen
Owen Oliver
Campbell Quisenberry
Sloane Romo
Arie Roossien
Jon Ross
Max Scott
Eli Thomson
Isabella Wallace
Peyton Walton
Leighton Weber
8TH GRADE
KK Ball
Brooks Barton
Hillary Cashin
Allie Cooksey Sadie Curran
Doyle
Fletcher
7TH GRADE Lacy
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
Good Works
Lower School Virtue of the Month Winners
Each full month during the school year, Lower School students learned about a different virtue or character quality. And each month, one student from the whole school was recognized for best displaying that virtue in the classroom. Congratulations to these virtue of the month winners:
• September (Wisdom): Owen Tyroch
• October (Self-Control): Madeline McCray
• November (Generosity): Roman Gruner
• January (Resilience): Emma Vail
• February (Compassion): Dylan Hollmuller
• March (Cooperation): Knox Hinckley
• April (Hope): Mikaela Graham
AR Rising Stars
Second- through fourth-grade teachers each chose one student who has shown a desire to read, progressed in their Accelerated Reader goals and enjoyed reading throughout the school year. The following students were chosen by their teachers to receive this award: Sofia Solis, Brynn Mosier, Hannah Rose Hinckley, Harvey Kronbach, Levi Junker, Meg Cunningham, Mason Pavey, Zach Tauzel, Sam Henderson, Logan Littrell, Sam Farr, Bear Bryson, Lauren Smith, Saylah Trigg and Channing Long. Congratulations to all of these students!
Operation
Christmas Child
GPA OF 3.5–3.79 The
SENIORS
Peyton Boaz
Jonathan Cook
Carson Harris
Sofia Herd
Avery Irvin-Hartline
Soren Ouimette
Cole Pritchard
Brayden Rice
Maggie Speck
Caleb Su
Reece Walker
Parker Walton
Zane Williams
JUNIORS
Connor Anderson
Sloan Broekemeier
Avery Bunch
Lilly Grace Dobrient
Peyton Eastep
Jack Ferem
Graham French
Chase Griffin
Mae Johnson
Maddie Karr
Parker Matthews
Megan McMullen
Charlie Montgomery
Samantha Niederhofer
Reed Peron
Rhett Roberts
Grayson Sedberry
Presley Simpson
Hope Taylor
Jackson Welwood
SOPHOMORES
Lilly Bain
Charlie Cox
Kate Engram
Riley Gadoci
Kaki Hanna
Reese Howard
Sophie Hughes
Ellie Lord
Jackson McConathy
Grayson Morris
Thomas West
Kaylee Zelaya
FRESHMEN
Zach Brownfield
Owen Burch
Vanessa Dessommes
Chanel Dolan
William Flatt
Court Hatton
Vance Hernandez
Brody Klotz
Jeff Kunkel
Mae Larsen
Bentley Long
Ally Matthews
Cullen May
Miles Pool
Luc Reynolds
Elle Rosinski
Harry Stoops
Walker Zolfo
Sadot Zuniga
8TH GRADE
Renee Abshire
Nicholas Beaty
Jackson Carrier
April Cashin
Caitlyn Collins
Crosby Gard
Jax Goldenberg
Harper Griffin
Everleigh Herrell
Chloe Ibeto
Reagan Johnson
Lilly Low
Kate Martin
Madeline Morrison
Caroline Muccio
Griffin Sedberry
Channing Stone
Trinon Volbeda
Mason Wagers
Cum Laude
Miller Walk
Zaneta Wallace
7TH GRADE
Hadley Bland
Luke Boaz
Donovan Dryden
Easton Franz
Preslee Hernandez
Quentin Ho
Emma Imadomwanyi
Charlotte Johnson
Laurel Lockett
Katie McIntire
Connor Morris
Kyla Nelson
Oliver Opsal
Brynn Redmond
Rowan Spence
Kate Sturdivant
The fourth-grade mission project, Operation Christmas Child, is focused on sharing the love of Christ with children in warand famine-torn countries who might not receive any other Christmas gifts. Each giftfilled box is delivered by Samaritan’s Purse. The fourth-grade students challenged the TCA community to bring boxes to help the LS collect over 1,000 boxes this year.
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
PHOTOS BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
Brandie Rodgers Recognized as Excellent Educator
Congratulations to TCA Second-Grade Teacher Brandie Rodgers on being recognized as an SMU Excellent Educator by NBC! Mrs. Rodgers was chosen out of all teachers in the entire DFW area based on nominations from parents. As part of the award, she was featured on NBC 5’s Texas Today show, and TCA received a $1,000 check from SMU.
All-State Band
Congratulations to TCA students Sophie Huang (clarinet) and Brian Rodriguez (trumpet) for being selected as members of the 2025 Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB) All-State Band. More than 10,000 high school band students from across Texas auditioned in twenty-two different regions for a place in their respective all-region bands. The top chairs in each region advanced to one of five area auditions across the state, and only 286 of these students were selected for all-state honors. The ATSSB All-State Bands presented a concert in February. Way to go, Sophie and Brian!
THIRD TRIMESTER
Summa Cum Laude
SENIORS
JUNIORS
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
Good Works
COLLEGE ATHLETIC COMMITMENTS
Several members of the class of 2025 will be continuing their athletic careers in college. Congratulations to these collegiate student-athletes:
Gaje Allen Kishwaukee College, Basketball
Jonathan Cook Austin College,
Nate Miller Texas Christian University, Golf
The Honor Roll
THIRD TRIMESTER
SENIORS
Jaylan Beckley
Peyton Boaz
Parker Burch
Chloe Copeland
Matthew Cortez
Katie Craighead
Luke Forrister
Gael Garcia
Abby Jun
Sophia Latham
Katherine Lowrey
Lucy Massinger
Brennan McNaught
Sean Meador
Nate Miller
Ainsley Pool
Macrady Roeder
Lexie Ronde
Ben Schumacher
Gabe Speck
Caleb Su
Leighton Thornton
Bennett Tucker
Ava Wolff
Brett Yanof
Jaylan Beckley Oklahoma State University, Football
Matthew Cortez University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Football
Soren Ouimette Southern Nazarene University, Football
JoVahn Bernard Southern Arkansas University, Baseball
Jameson Dunigan University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Football
Sophia Pfannstiel Queens University of Charlotte, Swimming
JUNIORS
Caroline Antush
Kieffer Barclay
Nicky Bayliss
Lacie Betts
Annie Blocker
Sloan Broekemeier
Kevin
Theo Cheung
Brandon Chou
Lilly Grace Dobrient
Julia Erhart
Jack Ferem Tesla Galvis
Cameron Ham
Caroline Hatton
Annabelle Hestwood
Ryan Janacek
Dannica
Kennedy
Addison
Jaime
Harrison
Baseball
PHOTOS BY JAY PARKER
Visual Arts Competition Winners
TCA visual arts students found success at multiple competitions this year. At the Emerging Texas Artists (ETA) Exhibition, 19 out of the 51 total artworks chosen came from TCA students, who also won four of the 10 awards announced at the reception. Hayden Key won the Jurors Choice Award, Milena Berezhna won third place and Claire Millet and Wendy Yang both received Honorable Mentions.
In photography, TCA students won 12 out of the top 30 awards at the 2025 Black and White Images High School Photography Competition in Fort Worth. They also garnered 16 honorable mentions. First place winners were Blakely Wade in the Experimental category, Addy Orozco for Photojournalism, Olivia Tristan for Short Film and Avery Kate Spence for Still Life. Ava Dewey, Hayden Key and Izzy Opsal won second place in their respective categories, while Kate Black, Theo Cheung, Kaki Hanna, Jeff Kunkel, and Claire Millet each took home third-place awards. Ava, Izzi and Kate also received honorable mentions, as did Bliss Bell, Milena Berezhna, Annie Blocker, Avery Bunch, Katie Craighead, Taylor Lang, Janet Lu, William Radovic, Gigi Simmons and Noah Simpson
Cum Laude
GPA OF 3.5–3.79
SENIORS
Jonathan Cook
Eli Griffin
Colin Hamilton
Sofia Herd
Everett May
Soren Ouimette
Parker Walton
Zane Williams
JUNIORS
Connor Anderson
Avery Bunch
Peyton Eastep
Graham French
Chase Griffin
Maddie Karr
Rhett Roberts
Brian Rodriguez
Presley Simpson
Noah Stinson
Jackson Welwood
Avery Wetzel
SOPHOMORES
Tristan Barber
Ben Bowman
Phoebe Brantley
Cohen Carreker
Riley Gadoci
Sophie Hughes
Jordyn LaCour
Jackson McConathy
Lilly Nugent
Sophie Shoults
Blakely Wade
Thomas West
Kaylee Zelaya
FRESHMEN
Sawyer Bland
Jordan Brown
Zach Brownfield
Nixon Choi
Connor Clarke
Sam Davis
Gage Gruner
Court Hatton
Vance Hernandez
Brody Klotz
Jeff Kunkel
Mae Larsen
Bentley Long
Ally Matthews
Cullen May
Pool
Rice
Rosinski
Stoops
Thomson
Zolfo
8TH GRADE
Lillie Kate Anderson
Nicholas Beaty Ryan Butts April Cashin
Thomas Clack
Caroline Davis
Henry French
Jack Frisbie Crosby Gard
Reagan Johnson
Lauren Lampe
Bryant Lankford
Lilly Low
Maynor
Madeline Morrison
Caroline Muccio
Isaac Quiroz
7TH GRADE
Hadley Bland
Donovan Dryden
Cameron Evans
Quentin Ho
Emma Imadomwanyi
Jackson Lang
Laurel Lockett
Katie McIntire
Elly Orozco
Brooks Pinkston
Brynn Redmond
Lilah Roossien
Kate Sturdivant
Abby Tapp
Willa Waddell
Eagle Scouts
Congratulations to Kevin Carter, Matthew Carter, Grant Daelke, Reid Johannsen, Jeff Kunkel, Cooper Nolen, Tee Parker, Jackson Pattillo, William Radovic, Parker Reed and Mack Sykes for earning the rank of Eagle Scout this year. Becoming an Eagle Scout takes years of hard work and service, and we are proud of them for their achievement!
Addy Orozco "Hammock"
TCA Short Films
Lower School
FALL PICNIC
PreK students enjoy perfect fall weather as they share lunch with their parents on the new TCA football field. PreK’s fall picnic is a great way to celebrate the new friends and community these students and parents are forming in their first years at TCA.
FATHERS AND FIELD DAY
Every year, the Dads Club hosts a field day for our Lower School students. Classic field day games like wheelbarrow races and threelegged races are the perfect end to a great year in Lower School!
BONJOUR FROM KINDERGARTEN’S FRENCH CAFÉ!
After sampling fine French cuisine with their parents in a quaint bistro in the Lower School rotunda, students present the tales of their classroom adventures through France. In their studies, they’ve travelled to famed art museums, seen historic landmarks and, oui, picked up a few phrases in French to get them through their travels.
PIONEER DAY
After learning about American pioneers, second-graders experience a day of pioneer life. They sit as quietly as possible in pioneer school to avoid the dunce cap, diligently sew buttons, test out sourdough with homemade butter and make music with spoons and washboards as they sit around a campfire.
CELEBRATE ASIA DAY
Kindergarten students listen to a special music performance from US students who are members of the Korean American Youth Artists of Texas. This exciting concert comes at the end of their unit learning about Asia.
PHOTOS BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
Middle School CLASS ACTS
DREAMY DRAMA
Middle School students shine in their fall production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Their hard work and dedication, all led by the devoted Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Davidson, made for an excellent musical that showcased the many talents and passions of our Middle School students.
UNDER PRESSURE
Eighth-grade students craft miniature bridges in science class. After construction, each bridge will be rigorously tested for strength. The testing will determine if their brief foray into civil engineering paid off, or if their bridge will crack under the weight. No pressure, eighth grade!
PHOTO BY JEFF MCWHORTER '05
ORDER OF OPERATIONS
Sixth-grade students spend the morning in the operating room… the order of operations room, that is! Putting their new math skills to the test, students use the order of operations to diagnose and safely operate on their “patient” as well as nail their math assignment.
HONORING VETERANS
Members of Mrs. Davidson’s seventh- and eighth-grade boys choir sing the national anthem to open a local Veteran’s Day celebration. Their performance is a small way to thank veterans for their service and honor those who have given their lives to protect and provide for our freedom.
ROMAN FORUM
A storied TCA tradition, Roman Forum is one of the most exciting days for our fifth-grade students. They work together to create products and sales pitches—in both English and Latin— to be used in an open-air market straight from ancient Rome. After counting and dividing their earnings, students donated $1,808 to Feed My Starving Children.
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
Upper School CLASS
HOMECOMING DRESS-UP DAYS
HOMECOMING ROYALTY
Seniors Katie Craighead and Tee Parker are named Homecoming Queen and King during halftime of the Homecoming football game. Homecoming week culminates in this beloved night where we welcome alumni back to campus and celebrate the current Upper School students as they embody the timeless values and traditions of TCA.
Students ditch their uniforms for a week of wild dress-up days to celebrate Homecoming. Themes range from “Adam Sandler Day” to “Rhymes Without Reason,” and our Upper School students sure know how to dress the part!
PHOTO BY JEFF MCWHORTER '05
PHOTOS BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
SPRING MUSICAL
Students take to the stage for their production of Into the Woods. The late rehearsals, rounds of running lines, choreography lessons and busy tech weeks make for beautiful spring musicals that highlight our students’ incredible storytelling abilities. We look forward to the show every year!
AP ART SHOW
The Trinity Art Gallery (TAG) proudly hosts the AP Art Show each spring. Senior AP Art students cap off their time in TCA’s art program by developing and creating incredible pieces that show off their many talents. We see the world through these artist’s eyes and are blown away by their talent and insight.
FUTURE LEADERS
Parents of juniors pray over their children at the end of the Junior Leadership Inauguration. This ceremony officially charges our students with the leadership of TCA as they prepare to become the senior class. Dr. Williams encourages students to embrace and model Christ-like service for the glory of God to be made known on TCA’s campus.
PHOTO BY JEFF MCWHORTER '05
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
Class of 2025
On May 16, Trinity Christian Academy sent forth its 55th graduating class. The 108 graduates now move on to the next step in their educational journey. The TCA class of 2025 applied to a wide variety of colleges and universities in 37 states and three different countries. They earned a total of 460 acceptances to 112 different schools and received nearly $12 million in scholarships.
We are proud of their achievements and how they have learned and grown in academics, athletics and the arts, as well as in service to the community and our Savior. Congratulations, class of 2025!
Last First Day of School
Seniors show up in style for their last first day of school. Decorated cars parade into the senior parking lot as seniors proudly wear the senior uniform shirt for the first time. This first of the lasts and lasts of the firsts kicks off the class of 2025’s final year as TCA students, and they know how to celebrate!
Senior Pep Rally
Pep rallies showcase the school spirit and unity of the Upper School. At this special senior pep rally, the Upper School celebrates the hard work, achievements and joy of the senior class prior to the last home football game. Senior band and drumline members, cheerleaders and dancers perform one last time, but with some unique additions: the senior football players join the cheerleaders and dance team for classics like the fight song.
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL CHAN
Lower School Parade
Wearing T-shirts declaring where they’re headed after graduation, seniors take a trip down memory lane as they walk through the Lower School hallways one last time. They wave goodbye to old teachers and the classes that “adopted” them for the year while Lower School students and teachers cheer them on, wave streamers and throw confetti.
Uniform Desecration Day
The TCA uniform is barely recognizable under ribbons, signatures and bandanas on the senior’s last day of school. Having faithfully worn the plaid and button-downs, seniors (lovingly) destroy their uniforms and adorn them with the colors, mascots and sayings of their chosen college. The mix of college logos and TCA plaid is colorful and creative, but it shows a greater reality: TCA is woven into the fabric of their lives, and they will take this place with them wherever they go.
PHOTO BY HAVEN BURGOON '16
PHOTOS BY MACI MARKOE & KEVIN McCONAGHY
Class of 2025
Senior Banquet
At this year’s Senior Banquet, every senior received a “Royal Envelope,” which is a keepsake filled with heartfelt letters from family and friends. Additionally, each senior was also presented with a character quality. A character quality is a positive trait that best describes a senior’s character. This year, the character qualities were written by faculty or staff members who, after spending years in the classrooms with the students, know each of them well.
Senior students chose Upper School Bible Teacher Jeremy Gregory as the faculty speaker for the event, which also included a video presentation and memories shared by students.
Thank you to Senior Banquet Chair Katherine Flatt, along with the entire committee, for all their work to make this event such a special night for the seniors and their parents.
BY
PHOTOS
MICHAEL CHAN
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED ESTABLISHING AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP AT TCA?
Did you know?
• You can start a named endowment with a gift of $25,000.
• Endowment gifts are invested, not spent, and a portion of the earnings are used each year to provide STA for a student.
• You can establish a named endowment to honor or remember someone who made a significant impact on your life.
• A plaque is added to the TCA Foundation Endowment Wall in the Upper School when gifts to a named endowment reach $100,000.
• To date, the TCA Foundation endowment includes 49 named STA endowments that were established by TCA families like you.
• $350,000 is projected to be distributed from endowment earnings to provide STA for the 2025-2026 academic year.
BY JEFF
Contact Belinda Branstetter at bbranstetter@trinitychristian.org for more information.
TCA Foundation
Extending the Impact of a Generous Life
Jim and Ruth Valesano firmly believe God orchestrated events for them to meet a single mother who desperately needed help to keep her children at Trinity Christian Academy. They never saw her again, but her story lingered in their hearts.
Jim Valesano, loving father and grandfather to Linda and Jim Rossi, Gia ’88 and Emmett Berryman, Caroline and E.L. Boykin, Kathryn Rossi ’05, Anna Ward ’14, Amy Boykin, Leah Boykin and Molly Berryman ’21
Moved by compassion for the struggles many single parents endure, Jim and Ruth established The Valesano Scholarship for Single Moms in 1991. For more than 30 years, Mr. Valesano faithfully contributed to the endowment, and each year a portion of the earnings are distributed as Student Tuition Aid (STA) to help a single parent afford a TCA education for her children.
The Valesano family roots run deep at Trinity Christian Academy, and the family’s legacy is far-reaching. As TCA parents and grandparents, Jim and Ruth know the value of a Christ-centered education. Mr. Valesano served on the TCA Board of Trustees and the TCA Foundation Board for 15 years, and their children and grandchildren continue to be a special part of the TCA community. “I remember nights when my dad and Bill Millet (former TCA trustee) would pour over the needs of families and try to piece things together to provide for their tuition. Many times, Dad would end up giving additional gifts to make up the difference,” recalls Linda Rossi, Jim and Ruth’s daughter and TCA alumni parent.
“I was blessed to spend a considerable amount of time around Mr. Valesano during my days as a student at TCA,” said Dr. Jeff D. Williams, head of school and member of the class of 1988. “He was a great man who loved the Lord, his family, his church and TCA. I will never know all the amazing things he did for TCA, but what an honor to live in his legacy today.”
Mr. Valesano was both a compassionate servant leader and a wise steward. In his later years, he made qualified charitable distributions (QCD) to TCA from his IRA. A QCD allows individuals age 70½ or older to donate up to $108,000 total to one or more charities directly from a taxable IRA instead of taking the required minimum distribution (RMD), and the distribution is not treated as income to the donor.
“Giving a QCD directly from an IRA typically saves a donor significantly more in taxes,” said Joe Foster, president of Foster Financial Group and TCA alumni parent. “In addition,” added Foster, “an IRA can be a very tax-efficient asset to donate as part of your estate, and your family can inherit other assets that may be received tax free.”
Mr. Valesano passed away in 2024, and consistent with the life of generosity he led, he made a final gift to TCA through his estate. Now one of the largest endowments at TCA, the Valesano Scholarship will continue to provide tuition assistance for children of single mothers year after year.
TCA is exceedingly grateful for the generosity of the Valesano family.
PHOTO
MCWHORTER '05
Thanks to you, the 2025 Trinity Classic Golf & Tennis Tournament and the Trinity Classic Online Auction hosted by TCA Foundation were a great success. We are grateful for our sponsors, golf and tennis players, volunteers, auction donors and bidders. Thank you for your generosity and support of Student Tuition Aid (STA)!
• $207,298 Total Raised (cash and gift-in-kind)
• 15 Tournament Sponsors
• 148 Golfers
• 74 Tennis Players
• 28 Auction Items
• 172 Bids Placed
The tournament was held at Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco. Golfers enjoyed a day of friendly competition, with 37 teams playing in two flights on two courses, with fun contests like hole-in-one, longest drive, putting contest and air cannon advantage shots. The golf tournament concluded with a fiesta dinner and awards ceremony on the patio. Golfers shared, “It is a very well-organized and fantastic event, and one that I look forward to every year that it is played,” and “It was so much fun! I got to meet a lot of new dads. Definitely an event that is aligned with the mission of community at TCA.”
Tennis players enjoyed a round-robin format playing in two flights against multiple teams. The sold-out event included morning and afternoon tournaments and a luncheon. Due to high demand, an additional morning tournament was added the following week.
Special thanks to the tournament golf chairs, Andy Burgess and Clay Parks, and tennis chairs, Emily Bogda and Monica McGraw
GOLF TOURNAMENT WINNERS (FAZIO COURSE):
First Place (Flight 1) – Mark Denny, Sam Robinson, Ben Bates, Mike Ellis (-22)
First Place (Flight 2) – Tanner Harrington, Will Harrington, Ty Middlebrooks, Austin Wylie (-22)
Second Place (Flight 1) – Adam Goldenberg, Chip Tardy, Justin Thompson, Shayne Whitehead (-19)
GOLF SPONSORS:
The Long Family
The Burgess Family
The Bogda Family Parks Coffee Texas de Brazil
Second Place (Flight 2) – Mike Bogda, Trent Foley, Matt McGraw, Drew McMullen (-21)
Third Place (Flight 1) – Rob Causey, Deric Eubanks, Chris Prideaux, Tim Ticknell (-17)
Third Place (Flight 2) – Cameron Daugherty, Reagan Allen, Oscar Luna, Colin Pedigo (-20)
GOLF TOURNAMENT WINNERS (DYE COURSE):
First Place (Flight 1) – David Wright, Lindsey Hughes, Stefan Almanza, Bill Deraleau (-23)
First Place (Flight 2) – Kenny Doré, Deuce Arthur, Doug Ekstrom, Wes Hay (-25)
Second Place (Flight 1) – Jonathan Solomon, Ben Solomon, Jay deVenny, Greg Foster (-21)
Second Place (Flight 2) – Brandon Waddell, Kelly Fisher, Hunter Dehn, March Rechner (-23)
Third Place (Flight 1) – Kelly Tipton, Anthony Broussard, Barry Potts, Chris Wright (-19)
Third Place (Flight 2) – Kirk Thompson, Clint Eastep, Bryan Townsend, Guy Wayman (-22)
GOLF CONTEST WINNERS:
Closest to the Pin (Fazio Course) – Joel Radtke
Closest to the Pin (Dye Course) – Grayson Wafford
Straightest Drive (Fazio Course) – Adam Goldenberg
Straightest Drive (Dye Course) – Rocky Cherry
Longest Drive (Fazio Course) – Justin Thompson
Longest Drive (Dye Course) – Lindsey Hughes
Putting Contest – Regan Allen and Dru Landrum
MARCH 24 TENNIS TOURNAMENT WINNERS:
First Place (Flight A – Morning Session) – Margaret McDonald and Brittany Bandy
First Place (Flight B – Morning Session) – Brittany Dillenback and Carley Arnett
First Place (Flight A – Afternoon Session) – Seth Thatcher and Yousef Kattan
First Place (Flight B – Afternoon Session) – Laura and Spencer Siino
MARCH 31 TENNIS TOURNAMENT WINNERS:
First Place (Flight A) – Erica Boltz and Heather Hunt
First Place (Flight B) – Graceann DeVlieger and Courtenay de Manincor
Higginbotham
AER Manufacturing
EZ Locator
Skin Cancer Consultants and Elevate Medical Spa Scott & Reid
Fast Electric, LLC Supreme Roofing RHR Builders
Preston Forrest Capital Chick-fil-A
Promote Your Business & Support TCA!
Would you like to promote your business within the TCA community? Corporate sponsorships are a great way to gain exposure and support Trinity Christian Academy. We have exciting new corporate sponsorship opportunities:
• Digital ads
• Video board commercials
• Signs and banners
• Spirit items
• And more!
Space is limited — secure your spot today for the upcoming 2025 fall sports season!
Contact Beth Harwell at sponsorships@trinitychristian.org or 972-447-4747 for more information.
PHOTOS BY JAY PARKER & HAVEN BURGOON '16
WALKING IN THEIR
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF FOUR TCA STUDENTS
PHOTOS BY JEFF McWHORTER '05 AND KEVIN McCONAGHY
THEIR SHOES
BY DR. FRAN LEGBAND Chief Academic Officer
What is it really like to be a student at Trinity Christian Academy? To sit in their chairs, move through their schedules, carry their questions and absorb the lessons that shape both mind and heart? These were the questions that I set out to answer—not from behind a desk, but from the perspective of our students themselves. My name is Dr. Fran Legband, and I’m the Chief Academic Officer at TCA. But I wanted to get a first-hand look at what our students experience in their classrooms. I’ve been a teacher and a parent here at TCA; this spring, I got to try my hand at being a student.
To learn about what our students learn and observe our teachers in action, I decided to spend four full school days shadowing four different students in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10. From the early-morning locker chatter to classroom instruction, from scientific calculations to lunchroom conversations, this journey offered a rare window into the rhythms and realities of student life at each stage. More importantly, this experience solidified my belief that we are fulfilling our mission to educate and develop the whole child for the glory of God in the most effective way possible, through our amazing teachers.
The experience revealed more than just the pace of the day or the rigor of the curriculum. It uncovered the courage it takes for a student to ask questions, the joy of authentic learning moments, the quiet strength of faith woven into conversations and the subtle impact of every adult and peer relationship along the way.
What I learned in my student experience here at TCA was unexpected. I didn’t discover new insights about academics, but instead what I discovered was about formation, the work beneath the work here at TCA. To lead students well, we must first walk where they walk.
MY DAY AS AN EIGHTH-GRADER:
y first thought as I dashed from my office across campus to Mr. Thelen’s Bible class was, “Oh no! I’m going to be late!” But my mild anxiety was immediately replaced with interest at Mr. Thelen’s opening statement: “Today, we are going to begin a project that can change someone’s life. It may be yours.” He had my attention. Mr. Thelen and MS Media Specialist Mrs. Hatton laid out a project in which students would each select a nonprofit organization to research. They would then craft a presentation about why their chosen nonprofit’s work matters and why it would be worthy of a donation. The student I sat next to, Kate Martin, selected Dallas Life, a local homeless ministry. The students used adult vocabulary like “budgetary transparency” and “financial responsibility” as they searched for information. The teacher reminded them that the purpose of the project was to find organizations that love God and love people well.
After the bell rang, we went to study hall in Mrs. Nile’s classroom. There was a fair amount of freedom during study hall, and Kate was given permission to go see her History/English teacher, Ms. Pearce, to ask some questions about an essay that was soon due. In Ms. Pearce’s room, a small group of students was gathered around her desk discussing their essays. There was a quiet buzz in the room: on task, energized, working.
After study hall, we went to Mrs. Thompson’s science class. We all sat on stools at lab stations, but Mrs. Thompson said, “Let’s earn those seats! Everybody up!” All of us stood, and the only way we could sit was to answer a review question. Everyone answered at least one, and we all earned the right to sit.
Mrs. Thompson seamlessly and winsomely wove in a Christian worldview during a review of the solar system. Then it was “our” turn: each student gave a presentation on an assigned planet or celestial body, accompanied by a hands-on visual. Many students made cake balls or snacks to resemble their subject, so we got to enjoy a muchneeded snack as we were educated on the planets and moons. The last presentation was on Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter. The blue cake pops with white sparkly icing made Europa a moon not to forget! The students had no cellphones, only one another and some fascinating aspects of God’s creation to think about. I was on a sugar high and an educational high, too.
Next up was choir. Mrs. Davidson, our MS choir director, called us to attention. We warmed up our voices, stretched, switched places to better match others with like voices, and we sounded AMAZING. I enjoyed moving around, standing up and making noise! It was the perfect counterbalance to classroom work. Eighth-grade boys and girls have a lot of energy and some wiggles, but they can sing like angels under Mrs. Davidson’s leadership.
After lunch and and some fun conversations with fellow students at recess, we were back in History/English class with Ms. Pearce, interacting with her in a presentation on the end of World War II in the Pacific Theater. I saw kids shine who had been reserved in other subjects. And even different students came to life in Mrs. Baker’s algebra class at the end of the day.
What I learned was that our eighth-grade kids experience a fun, engaged, fast-paced day full of variety and care. I saw teachers who loved their content and loved their students, seamlessly integrating a Christian worldview into their classes. No wonder “life is better in the middle” here at TCA.
“I saw teachers who loved their content and loved their students, seamlessly integrating a Christian worldview into their classes.”
MY DAY AS A TENTH-GRADER: MARCH 21, 2025
Since Upper School students don’t travel in sections, I was matched with a sophomore named Caris Collins. She was so welcoming as I pulled up a seat next to her in chemistry. Mr. Daniel greeted us warmly and set our objective for the day: to discover the properties of liquids. We discussed and saw examples of vaporization, condensation and vapor pressure, noting the enthalpy of vaporization. We batted around boiling points and surface temperatures, doing a good amount of math. Along with learning some science, I learned that Mr. Daniel loves his students and his subject. I also learned that cohesion and adhesion have spiritual implications. We cohere with those like us; we stick together like a water molecule! Adhesion means attraction between unlike molecules, what Jesus does when He’s in community with us. Chemistry will preach!
After class came a 10-minute break. I asked Caris what she would do during the break, and she said, “We go talk with our friends!” The Upper School holds to a no-cellphone school day, so the halls were full of laughter and talking. We met up with Caris’s friends and chatted about soccer and the upcoming musical before heading to Spanish.
Señora Forster instructed us (in Spanish) to pick a book from the shelf to read. I selected an illustrated book, A Puerco Le Gusta Hacer Selfies (The Pig Who Likes to Take Selfies), which fit my knowledge of Spanish. The other students read at various levels of expertise. We rotated through journaling, group discussion, watching a short video on grandparents in Latin-speaking countries and taking a quiz. Señora Forster handed out a clever assignment in which students wrote a “text” in Spanish about what they learned about grandparents, and then we talked about our own grandparents in groups.
After Spanish, we went to lunch. We enjoyed salads, salmon and vegetables, plus good conversation on the patio.
Walking into the Black Box Theater for Drama II had a whole different feeling to it than walking into a classroom. Our teacher, Kristi Robison-Rasnic (K-Rob), opened class with a warm greeting and a fun assignment: each student would craft a miniature version of a stage set from a musical of their choice. They brainstormed titles, including Into the Woods, which would soon be performed on the TCA stage. I was struck by the cleverness and creativity of the assignment, as well as the immediate engaged response by the students. The freedom of thought and movement for the students exercises completely different parts of their brains! Our students are required to have a fine art credit, and these classes create a space for innovation and giving back that is unmatched in other disciplines.
Caris and I left drama for our last class: Algebra II with Mrs. Rosario. You might think that having math last period on a Friday would not make for a very exciting end to the week, but you would be wrong! The students were energetic as they pulled up their homework on their tablets and reviewed with their teacher. Mrs. Rosario’s easy manner with the students created a relaxed give-andtake discussion of the work. Then she called us all to the whiteboards around the room to work review problems before ending with a quiz.
She wrote a graphing equation on the board for students to solve and plot. They worked, struggled, asked questions and problemsolved together. It was a perfect workshop setting. Algebra II is challenging, but the instructional methods are so involving that most students don’t seem to notice the difficulty! After the quiz, it was time for the weekend.
Life in sixth grade is characterized by fun! I began my day shadowing Knox Walton in Mr. Megison’s science lab. From the ceiling made to look like clouds to the basketball hoop in the front of the room, I knew that this was going to be different.
Mr. Megison opened class by saying, “Now that we’ve finished our zipline testing, it’s time to review our project assignment!” He then proceeded to question the students on the finer points of the metric system before discussing how to put data in tables.
Knox and his tablemates analyzed zipline test data. The students had sent a Furby down a zipline multiple times to see how far and how fast it could travel with various weights applied. They worked to illustrate their data in graph form. I’m very well educated, and I was struggling to keep up with these enthusiastic and knowledgeable sixth-graders! I learned that science with Mr. Megison is SO inspiring.
Next, we went to math with Mrs. Lowe. She had the daily math problem on the board and went over answers to the previous night’s homework. Mrs. Lowe moved about the room asking questions, answering ones posed to her and generally organizing the kids in her space. She defined terms we would need: permutations, combinations and probability. Today was a day for probability experiments. We flipped coins, selected colored blocks out of a bag, rolled dice and thought conceptually together. The students thrived; the critical thinking, the variation in examples and experiments, and the group dynamics were masterful!
Our next class was History/English. By this point, the sixth-graders had already accepted me as part of their group, and we chatted as we walked to Mrs. Bain’s room.
On this day, the kids were in a multifaceted geography unit: they studied map skills, found locations on the globe and researched a country to present to the class. We played Battleship to practice latitude and longitude before conferring with neighbors about mystery locations of ships based on clues Mrs. Bain gave us. The winning group got a treat, while another group had to sing a pirate song. A third group had to “walk the plank” and “swim in the ocean,” which was the hallway outside the classroom.
me think of a fairy godmother. Getting sixthgraders to settle in for classwork after lunch and recess can be difficult, but the experienced Mrs. Peabody didn’t miss a beat. She shuffled children around the room, getting everyone ready for the adventure to come. The adventure was translating Latin, and the students loved it! You would have thought she asked them to shoot baskets, they were so involved. She collected homework, gave that night’s work and sent all of us on our way to P.E.
Four kids “walked the plank” out of the room and, with not an ounce of inhibition, dove to the floor and backstroked around the hall in the “shark-infested waters.” Oh, the freedom of being 11.
In the second half of the class, students researched their assigned countries. Fingers flew across keyboards as they gathered facts and took notes. The level of independence and collaboration in this class was impressive.
Then came lunch and recess. Lunch included hamburgers and French fries, but for 11-year-olds, recess is the real treat. The gaga pit was the big draw for this age group.
Next was Latin. Mrs. Peabody was the most hospitable of teachers; her warm greeting and her twinkly eyes made
I personally was too tired to play the game in the gym with my classmates. The energy of 6A was impressive! After P.E., 6A split up to go to their selected fine art. I went back to my office to put my head down on my desk. These kids are unstoppable, as are their teachers.
MY DAY AS A FOURTH-GRADER: APRIL 24, 2025
My last shadow day was in Mrs. Pownell’s fourth-grade class, assisted by a precious student, Abigail Kim. We enjoyed the KTCA broadcast by fellow fourth-graders, including pledges to the American and Christian flags, a sports report, the weather report, the lunch menu and a sweet devotional from Mrs. Scheer. After introductions, we lined up and walked to specials.
First stop: Mr. Garcia’s Spanish room. Students translated and read a cute book about a duck, all in Spanish! Then we walked across the hall into Mrs. Carreker’s art room. Her instruction was so clear, almost musical! Students set about making figures out of clay. Working with our hands was so therapeutic! What a gift.
Back in the classroom, Mrs. Pownell gathered us all together on the floor to discuss idioms. We had fun discussing what statements like “the cat got your tongue,” “go the extra mile” and “butterflies in my stomach” meant. Mrs. Pownell had a way of drawing everyone in; we all wanted her to read more and ask us more questions. Then it was time for a pronoun test. Abigail and another student passed out cardboard desk dividers to give everyone privacy for the test. I’m pretty sure as a high school English teacher I did well on that test…but not so much with the long division race that followed!
After a snack break and a parade around the room and even some pushups to get our “math brain” ready, we sat down to work some long division problems with dry-erase markers. Wow! So stressful, but the competition was so fun! The kids did great, and we shared answers and victories. I’ve never had so much fun in my life learning math. Mrs. Pownell was the wizard of wonder, the ringmaster of arithmetic. I was smitten. I was sad when we had to pack up for lunch.
For lunch, I had a sandwich, a fruit cup and a great conversation about team sports with the cutest fourth-graders from my class. They were so smart and engaging. I had to cut my day a little short with them, missing recess and music, but otherwise thought that being in fourth grade for most of the day was soul-filling.
I learned a lot during these four days as a “student,” including a few observations of small ways we can further improve the student experience moving forward. But the biggest thing I saw was how excellent our teachers are at educating, inspiring, discipling and caring for our students, and how those students are being well-prepared for the future.
“What goes on in these classrooms and these halls is holy work, arranging truth and beauty in the souls of eternal beings.”
FORMING THE FUTURE
Ispend my time as Chief Academic Officer setting strategy with the three school heads, solving problems of policy or leading the academic specialists in curriculum and instruction. I work with admissions and with biblical worldview to dovetail the school mission with our initiatives. But all of this, all of it, is FOR the students. The teachers are the stars, but the students are our “why.” Shadowing Kate, Caris, Knox and Abigail and their classmates reminded me of the reason for all the hours of preparation, the money spent on materials and on buildings. Teachers are forming the hearts, souls and minds of students with the gospel. What a privilege to walk in the shoes of the students for a few days. What a privilege to receive the gift of learning, imagination and inspiration that each instructor I observed gave their classes. I am more convinced than ever that Dr. Williams is right: the Christian school is one of the last great hopes of society. What goes on in these classrooms and these halls is holy work, arranging truth and beauty in the souls of eternal beings. Thank God for TCA and for the teachers, administrators and staff who fulfill our mission and for our students who make it all worth it.
FOOTBALL
Trojan football flashed offensive potential throughout the season. TCA posted a winning record (3-2) at home this year, outscoring opponents 148-72 in those wins. The highlight of the year was a 56-32 win over district rival Nolan Catholic in a win-or-go-home game on November 9 at Tom Landry Stadium. Senior Soren Ouimette rumbled to the tune of 218 yards of total offense and three touchdowns for a Trojan offense that scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to earn a spot in the TAPPS postseason.
Congrats to the following Trojans who earned TAPPS postseason honors: Jaylan Beckley, Aiden Coppage, Matthew Cortez , Hudson Ingram, Soren Ouimette and Ben Schumacher
VOLLEYBALL
The Trojan volleyball program was battle-tested this season. Of the squad’s 28 total matches played, only eight were played from the comforts of campus. The highlight of the season was a stretch from late September to early October, during which the Trojans won three of their four matches, dropping just one set combined in those wins. In district play, the Trojans secured several key district wins, the most thrilling being a come-from-behind victory over Nolan Catholic on October 17, where the Trojans won the deciding set 15-6.
Congrats to the following Trojans who earned TAPPS postseason honors: Olivia Whorton, Ellie Lord, Nora Newman, Zoë Wong, Nataleigh Brown, Natalia Kattan, Anya Ouimette, Karys Karlow, Sarah Wong and Emma Ruth Ball
CROSS COUNTRY
Five Trojans placed in the top 20 on a crowded leaderboard at the cross country district championships in Fort Worth on October 17. Eliot Brookshire medaled to lead the way for the Lady Trojans, placing fifth overall with a personal best time of 12:33.33. Joining Brookshire in the PR category were Hayden Dunn (20:15.09), Vanessa Dessommes (14:28.05) and Sofia Herd (15:16.40).
Another milestone of the season included Gabe Speck breaking the all-time boys 5K time with a mark of 16:59.20, breaking a record that had stood since 2014. In total, all 10 members of the varsity cross country roster set new personal bests this year under the leadership of Coach Marcus Moore.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Lady Trojan basketball took a tremendous step forward this year. The 2024-25 campaign featured a winning regular-season record (14-9) and an incredible seven-game win streak from midDecember through early January.
Senior Ella Eubanks earned a First Team AllDistrict bid. The fourth-year forward spearheaded the TCA offense this season, playing a pivotal role in the Lady Trojans’ playoff victory over Loretto Academy for the program’s first postseason win in almost five years. Jordyn Lacour and Anya Ouimette were tabbed TAPPS Second Team All-District selections. Lacour, a second-year point guard, took a tremendous step forward in her development this season, and Ouimette, a freshman forward, rounded out the Lady Trojans on the All-District roster.
WRESTLING
It was a great season for the varsity wrestling program. The Trojans competed across the metroplex and even traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, to take part in the Prep Slam Tournament. The team is slowly growing and developing into a championship-level program. This year, the squad had 12 wrestlers on the roster, with several placing in JV and Varsity tournaments throughout the season. Parker Walton placed second at the Arlington Invitational in the 150-pound class.
Will Ledebur and William Radovic placed third in JV at the Reece Warrior Invitational. At the Raider Invitational, Walton and Ledebur placed fourth in the varsity division, and Austin Sonju placed second in JV. Caleb Olson capped off the season with a second-place finish in TAPPS at 157. As a team, TCA placed eighth out of 20 teams, which is outstanding for a developing program.
BOYS BASKETBALL
The Trojan basketball program finished the year just one game shy of the 20-win mark. TCA went 7-4 at home and a commanding 11-4 on neutral courts against some of the best teams in the state of Texas. The highlight of the season was a comefrom-behind win over Liberty Christian on senior night on February 7. The Trojans – trailing by double digits entering the fourth quarter of play – held the Warriors to just five points for a dramatic 72-66 win over one of the top programs in the state.
Another feather in the cap of this year’s boys varsity basketball team was its outstanding record against UIL programs, where the Trojans posted a winning record (4-3) against public schools.
Congrats to the following Trojans who earned TAPPS postseason honors: Gaje Allen, Amassia Dayian, Brennan McNaught, Sloan Nelson, JJ Price and Reece Walker.
GIRLS SOCCER
The Lady Trojans won eight games during the 2024-25 campaign, going .500 in district play and 3-3 from the home pitch at Tom Landry Stadium. The biggest win of the season came in the form of a 5-0 win over the Texas Storm on December 19. The lopsided win was part of a three-game winning streak for the Lady Trojans from midDecember through early January, in which TCA won four of five games played, including a 1-0 win over Parish Episcopal in the district opener.
Congrats to the following Trojans who earned TAPPS postseason honors: Hannah Adams, Phoebe Brantley, Caris Collins, Ava Dewey, Emma Helt, Evelyn Keramidas, Lilly Nugent, Addy Orozco, Ainsley Pool, Mae Sharpe and Peyton Walton
SWIM
Sophia Pfannstiel further cemented her place in the TCA record books during the 2024-25 winter season. The senior broke her own school record with a 57.05 time in the 100 Fly at the TAPPS Swim Championships in San Antonio this year, securing her fourth solo state championship in as many years. The fourth-year Trojan leaves the program as the school record holder in eight events, boasting a combined seven podium finishes in four trips to the state meet.
“I’m proud of the work this team put in this season,” says Coach Sean Sell. “From a remarkable regional meet to the countless hours refining every stroke, this squad embodies resilience, determination and unwavering spirit.”
BOYS SOCCER
The Trojan soccer team put together several exciting performances during the 2024-25 campaign. The team played its best soccer down the home stretch of the year, going 2-1 in home district matches and finishing one game back of the two seed in the district standings. The Trojans took down district rival Nolan Catholic in a penalty kick shootout on January 3 before turning around and knocking off Liberty Christian by a score of 3-1 in the district home opener just a few days later.
Congrats to the following Trojans who earned TAPPS postseason honors: Connor Anderson, Riley Gadoci, Grayson May, Levi Montgomery, Jackson Rhodes, Hudson Smith and Lowell Summey.
TRACK & FIELD
Trojan track & field put together one of the strongest seasons in program history. The girls team won the Tom Landry Invitational on March 28, and the boys team also earned a spot on the podium with a third-place finish. The Lady Trojans made further history with a first-place finish at the district championships on April 11. TCA’s 234.50 points at the two-day event secured the school’s first girls district championship since the 1980s.
Twenty-two Trojans qualified for the TAPPS track & field championships in Waco, with TCA’s very own Kevin Carter winning the boys pole vault state title for the second year in a row. Additionally, the girls 4x200 team of Ainsley Poole, Shea Spivey, Lilly Nugent and Ella Eubanks broke the school record set back in 2008 with a blazing fast time of 1.45.77.
BASEBALL
Trojan baseball put together another stellar season under the leadership of Coach Pat Leach. TCA was a game away from the state tournament for the second time in four seasons, and is one of only a few programs that has earned five consecutive TAPPs area playoff bids.
The steady improvements that have benefitted the baseball program over the last several years continued this season, as new state-of-the-art lights were installed around the baseball field. History was made on May 5 when the Trojans hosted the first night baseball game on campus since the program was initially constructed in the 1970s.
Congrats to the Trojans who earned TAPPS postseason honors: JoVahn Bernard, Colin Hamilton, Ryan Janacek , Caaden Jobe, Everett May, Beck Nelson, Sloan Nelson, Brayden Rice, Bo Sykes and Brett Yanof
SOFTBALL
Trojan softball played its best down the stretch of the season, winning three of their final five district games played. The highlight of the season came in a 12-2 win over district rival Nolan Catholic on April 11. The Trojans lit up the Vikings for 21 hits, six of which went for extra bases. The program also achieved stellar accomplishments outside of the game, as brand-new state-of-the-art lights were installed around the softball field, solidifying the Trojan Softball field as one of the nicest facilities in all of North Texas.
Congrats to the Trojans who earned TAPPS postseason honors: Hannah Grace Coleman, Ellie Hammonds, Ella Krone, AnnMarie Martinez, Kate Overmann, Mae Sharpe, Ella Stewart and Peyton Walton
POM
The TCA varsity pom team stepped into a new era this year – blending tradition with a new vision and fresh energy. The season was filled with standout moments, including earning a second-place overall finish and being named two-time Officer Grand Champions at the Crowd Pleasers Dance Competition. They concluded the season with a Spring Show that left the audience excited and curious for 2026 and a stellar performance at the Texas Legends game that gained them an invitation back next season.
Congratulations to Lilly Parrill for being named First Team All-State, to Anna Garcia and Olivia Arnold for earning Second Team All-State recognition and to Lena Hotchkiss for receiving an All-State Honorable Mention.
GIRLS GOLF
The girls varsity golf team was comprised of seniors Abby Jun and Sophia Latham. The duo proved to be wonderful players and dedicated members of the TCA golf program. “These two women are incredible student-athletes with diverse interests beyond the game of golf,” says Coach Susan Cannon. “I appreciated their dedication to the program.”
PHOTOS BY JEFF McWHORTER '05
TENNIS
Fans of the varsity tennis program had numerous opportunities to watch our Trojans in action this season. Of TCA’s nine regular-season scheduled matches, the Trojans played at home for seven of them, winning six of seven matches played. The highlight of the season was a strong showing from the Trojans at the district championships on March 25. TCA received stellar performances from the girls doubles teams of Lily Brewer/ Lauren Boylan and Reese Cherry/Clary Bodga The two tandems fought their way through the tournament bracket before playing each other for the district championship. On the boys side of the bracket, Hayes Hermes battled his way back through consolation play, winning four consecutive matches to ensure his play in the state tournament in singles play.
Congratulations to our Trojans who earned TAPPS academic postseason honors: Clary Bogda, Reese Cherry, Hays Hermes, Parker Matthews and Mary Siino
PHOTOS BY JEFF McWHORTER '05
CHEER
This year, the TCA varsity cheer team won the TAPPS Large School Small Team Championship in Waco, Texas. The Trojans dominated the Traditional Small Squad division, garnering a superior rating en route to the program’s second consecutive TAPPS title.
Katherine Lowrey and Ella Bricker earned First Team All-State selections to headline a TCA roster loaded with talent. The two were joined on the All-State roster by fellow Trojans Courtney Haggard, who garnered Second Team All-State honors, and Reagan Ramsey, who earned All-State Honorable Mention.
Sealy Seitz was named a jump finalist as well. The cheer title is not only the program’s second in a row but also the third in school history.
Trojan Cheer also won a championship back in 2015, marking the first TAPPS title in team history.
PHOTOS BY JEFF McWHORTER '05; CHAMPIONSHIP PHOTO BY JAY PARKER
BOYS GOLF
The TCA boys varsity golf team won its eighth consecutive state championship in Glen Rose, Texas. The Trojans (438, 6-over par) lifted the tournament trophy after a two-day battle against thunderstorms and course conditions, playing through the mud and rain at Squaw Valley Golf Course for a five-shot victory in an abbreviated 27-hole tournament.
Just four strokes separated TCA and state runner-up TMI Episcopal (443, 11-over par) after the first 18 holes on Monday. Following a sequence of lightning delays on Tuesday, the Trojans returned to the waterlogged course and received stellar contributions from seniors Sean Meador and Nate Miller. Meador shot 3-under in the shortened second round, while Miller went 2-under on the day to give the Trojans extra breathing room on the tournament leaderboard.
The TAPPS title was the 12th for Coach Marshall Edwards and the 22nd for the storied boys golf program. Seniors Nate Miller and Sean Meador end their TCA careers as four-time state medalists. Carson Harris was the third and final Trojan who garnered TAPPS state medalist honors.
Alumni News
THE TCA ALUMNI BOARD'S MISSION is to strengthen, serve, and advance the TCA community by connecting alumni and alumni parents relationally, professionally and spiritually.
Each year, the TCA Alumni Association hosts events that reflect our three foundational pillars: Relationships, Professionalism and Spiritual Growth. These gatherings invite alumni back to campus to reconnect with old friends, beloved teachers, coaches and teammates. They offer meaningful opportunities to reminisce, spend time with family and build new connections within the TCA community.
Below is a highlight of the events we hosted during the 2024-25 school year:
PREK AND KINDERGARTEN LEGACY DADS’ BREAKFAST
LEGACY BREAKFAST for legacy families
FALL PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING EVENT featuring a panel discussion on finance
HOMECOMING 2024, honoring the 1994 district champion varsity football team
LUNCHEON FOR 2024 ALUMNI MOMS
ALUMNI ADMISSIONS PREVIEW exclusively for TCA graduates
DADS' MUSTER BREAKFAST led by Bob Dyer
ALUMNI BASKETBALL GAME, recognizing alumni men who scored over 1,000 points during their high school careers
ALUMNI VS. VARSITY BASEBALL GAME AND COMMUNITY CARNIVAL
SPRING PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING EVENT featuring a fun evening of pickleball and connection
UPPER SCHOOL DRAMA PRODUCTION: INTO THE WOODS, with free matinee tickets for alumni and their families
SENIOR TREATS, offering special breakfast goodies for our graduating class
SENIOR ALUMNI T-SHIRT AND PIZZA LUNCH, welcoming them into the alumni family
SENIOR LINKEDIN CLASS to prepare them for college and their future careers
SPRING COLLEGE VISITS to Texas A&M, Baylor, the University of Texas, and the University of Oklahoma to visit TCA alumni
THE TROJAN TRADITION, our quarterly electronic newsletter, plus social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, to keep alumni connected
We hope to see you at one or several of our gatherings this school year. Stay connected, and stay Trojan True!
Legacy Breakfast
Homecoming 2024, 1994 District Champs
Alumni Basketball Game
Alumni vs. Varsity Baseball Game
Spring Professional Networking Event Senior Treats College Visits
Fall Professional Networking Event
Homecoming 2024
Community Carnival
Welcome, Class of 2025 –Our Newest Alumni!
We officially welcomed the Class of 2025 into the TCA alumni family this past spring, marking the beginning of their lifelong connection to our community. With 108 graduates, this class is filled with purpose, promise and potential. We’re excited to see the impact they will make—and we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.
We look forward to seeing them back on campus at their first Homecoming Alumni Dinner on October 3!
2025 LEGACY GRADUATES
Chloe Copeland Shannon Remke Copeland '94
Lucy Massinger Amy Stupka Massinger '94 Martin Massinger '94
Alumni Board Members 2025–26
Tyler Galvin ’15
President Lane Conner ’99
President Emeritus
Justin Arnett ’02
Vice President of Athletics
Meredith Wait Biery ’04
Vice President of Relational
Daniel Davidson ’13
Vice President of Professional
Matthew Galvan ’16
Vice President of Spiritual
Michael Novakovich ’13
Vice President of Administration
Hayden Freeman ’13
Craig Fusch ’00
Connor Galvin ’13
Jared Grabow ’96
John Hale ’95
Dalton Heath ’13
Hutton Lunsford ’08
Kate Lynch ’97
Haleigh Lee Manhkong ’09
Chris Millet ’82
Clayr Simnacher
Schreiner ’04
UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS
Our fall calendar is full of exciting opportunities to celebrate Trojan spirit together. Mark your calendars and join us for these special events!
LEGACY BREAKFAST
Thursday, September 25
7:30–9 a.m.
All legacy families are invited! Students will receive their legacy T-shirts to wear to school that day and enjoy breakfast with their families. Lower School students will be picked up at 8 a.m. and escorted to class so parents can stay and connect with fellow alumni.
HOMECOMING 2025
Friday, October 3
6 p.m.
Upper School Commons and Patio
Join us for a night of celebration! All alumni and their families are invited to enjoy the football game, the alumni art show and the alumni dinner; all are free to attend. Special recognition will be given in honor of the 25th Anniversary of the 2000 varsity football team’s state championship.
CLASS REUNIONS
Saturday, October 4
We’re celebrating milestone reunions for the classes of 2020, 2015, 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, 1990, 1985, 1980 and 1975. Keep an eye out for more details as your special weekend approaches!
ALUMNI NETWORKING EVENT
Thursday, October 23
6 p.m.
Upper School Commons and Patio
Join us for a professional panel on entrepreneurship, followed by time to network with alumni and other members of the TCA community.
ALUMNI-ONLY ADMISSION PREVIEW
Tuesday, October 28
9:30–11 a.m.
This exclusive admission preview is designed just for alumni who are considering TCA for their own children. Hear from fellow alumni parents and tour the campus from a unique perspective.
Leighton Thornton Lisa Ramirez Thornton '94
Sam Roman Whitney Barrett Roman '94
Claire Millet Chris Millet '82
Meredith McGraw Matt McGraw '94
Annabella Hays
Melissa Quest Hays '86
2025 Legacy Graduates
PHOTO BY JEFF MCWHORTER '05
Clayr Simnacher Schreiner ’04
The Simnacher family envisioned a Christ-centered education for their children as well as one that prioritized academic excellence. “I vividly recall the day I received my acceptance letter in third grade,” describes Clayr Simnacher Schreiner ’04. “My mom opened the mail, and we both jumped up and down!”
As she grew up, Clayr found that TCA ignited a passion for learning and taught her to seamlessly integrate her deepening faith into every aspect of life. “I vividly recall pivotal lessons in ninth-grade biology as Mrs. Crouse delved into how our faith intricately connects with science. Suddenly, I perceived academics through the fresh lens of studying math or history to uncover God’s truth in all aspects of life,” she recalls. “In 10th grade humanities with Mr. Bradley, I learned to ask probing questions and think critically engaging with Machiavelli’s The Prince Mr. Millet taught that art is not merely paint on canvas but a powerful vehicle for cultural influence. The teachers at TCA truly exemplify the school’s mission of developing the whole person for the glory of God.”
After graduating from TCA, Clayr moved across town to Southern Methodist University.
“My TCA foundation was invaluable in college,” she says. “One day, my sociology professor caught me reading my Bible before class, and since we were required to read the Quran in his class, he specifically asked me to stand up and defend the Scriptures. TCA instilled in me the confidence to anchor my life in biblical truths.”
Clayr at TCA continued as she earned a Ph.D. in Counseling Education and Supervision from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2021. Recently, she moved back into the classroom in the role of teacher, serving as adjunct professor at B. H. Carroll Seminary in Irving. “I am genuinely excited to introduce my students to the integration of psychology and theology,” she says. “I am inspired by a quote from Abraham Kuyper, who states: ‘No single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest, and there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ is not Sovereign.’”
“TCA INSTILLED IN ME THE CONFIDENCE TO ANCHOR MY LIFE IN BIBLICAL TRUTHS.”
As she launched into adult life, Clayr recognized the importance of integrating her faith into her professional life, which drove her to seek higher education. She ultimately earned a Master’s in Marriage and Family Counseling at Southwestern Baptist Seminary and then a Master’s in Theology at New Orleans Baptist Seminary. She invested over a decade counseling children and families.
“To me, counseling became a form of soul care — a mission of hope,” she says. “Soul work goes beyond cognition or behavior to address the deep need for something greater than oneself. By thinking Christianly about psychology and neuroscience, I could combine evidence-based strategies with biblical truths when helping clients who are humans made in the image of God.”
The lifelong learning habit inculcated in
Beyond the classroom, Clayr has come full circle as a TCA parent. “I have been married for 10 years to my best friend, Marcus Schreiner, and together we are raising Sophie, who just completed kindergarten, and a three-year-old son, Henry, as well.”
Thinking back on her TCA foundation, Clayr says, “Having spent over 24 years in diverse academic settings, I can wholeheartedly say that my most cherished teachers were those at TCA.” Now repeating that model of discipleship and academic depth in her own classroom, she carries the TCA mission into a new generation.
Trey Bowles ’95
The Bowles family chose kindergarten at TCA for Trey beause of the combination of sincere faith and strong academics. “They wanted to make sure I was raised in a Christian environment and taught Christian principles, while also getting a great education,” Trey reflects. “Back then, the tollway ended at Forest, so we had to drive up Inwood to get out to TCA.”
Strong Christian male role models played a key role in shaping Trey’s young life, from Kyle Morrill’s eighth-grade Bible class to Dave Delph’s seventh-grade math class. “I remember Ed Aronson teaching us that ‘proper preparation prevents poor performance,” Trey recalls. “I’ll never forget Barry Morgan taking us to four state championship games in football. Many amazing men of God spent time investing in our lives through sports. They taught me not only the power of teamwork, discipline and working hard, but also how our relationship with Christ was preeminent above all.”
Even three decades after graduating with the class of 1995, the relationships Trey formed at TCA have deep roots in his heart. “I’ll never forget being a counselor at Sky Ranch or the friendships that I continue to hold today. Many friends at TCA shaped me, held me accountable and helped me believe more in God’s character and faithfulness. Most importantly, I met my wife at TCA!”
After high school, Trey played football at Samford University before transferring to Baylor University, where he studied business and marketing. He married Taylor (Wise) Bowles ’01, and they are now the proud parents of Landry (13), Fuller (11) and Bennett (8).
Even long after graduation, Trey’s career as an entrepreneur involves constant learning. “Having built businesses in a variety of different marketplaces, I am curious to consistently learn new things; this provides opportunities to learn, grow, excel and win,” Trey says. “TCA definitely taught me to be curious and to believe in the gifts God gave me. TCA teachers taught me that if I worked hard enough and committed to learning, being coachable and accepting that mistakes lead to growth, I could do anything.”
These lessons instilled in his childhood at TCA have launched Trey into a variety of business and ministry opportunities. Early on, Bowles was at the helm of the popular peer-to-peer file-sharing company Morpheus, which had more than 110 million downloads of its application in the first year of operation. “I’ve applied foundational truths learned at TCA in the for-profit space when I worked in media, writing television shows and promoting films,” Trey explains. “But they also apply in nonprofits. I’ve had the opportunity to help build NGOs, including the Dallas Entrepreneur Center, Engage Dallas and the IF:Gathering led by my great friend Jennie Allen.”
In addition to business and ministry roles, Trey invests in public policy as a member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Washington, DC, and he also serves on the board at the Center for
American Entrepreneurship. His commitment to lifelong learning is reflected not just in our nation’s capital but at home in Dallas as well, as Trey launched the entrepreneurship department at SMU and serves as adjunct professor there as well as developing entrepreneurial curriculum for public school students in Dallas. Recently, Trey has focused on work as an investor and family office owner. His commitment to lifelong learning continues in his current chapter. “If I ever stop learning, that is when I will stop having fun and being productive. Sometimes risk ends in failure, but we keep learning,” Trey reflects. “God’s given us a certain amount of time on earth, and we can’t take anything with us. So if we can use the gifts and talents He’s given us to learn, grow, serve and give, that is worship.”
“SOMETIMES RISK ENDS IN FAILURE, BUT WE KEEP LEARNING .”
Chip Waggoner ’87
“In over twenty-five years in television journalism, I have seen exhilarating police rescues, dynamic car chases and heroic fire rescues. I even survived a near-death helicopter crash. Yet, none of these adventures compared to the off-camera events of my life.”
These gripping words from TCA alumnus Chip Waggoner ’87 open his newly published book, MIP (Miracle in Progress): Discovering God’s Perfect Plan in Our Lives. But long before that, Chip walked the halls of Trinity Christian Academy, unknowingly preparing his future challenges. The Waggoner family chose TCA in 1983 for its faith-first education. Chip fondly recalls his time at TCA. “I loved my history class with Kyle Morrill; I believe it was his first ever class,” Chip recalls. “I also loved serving as class president, singing in the choir and rehearsing for Fiddler on the Roof.” Other highlights included a trip to the state baseball finals and receiving the Trinity Spirit Award.
After TCA, Chip studied journalism at TCU and then landed a role as anchor at KDFW Fox 4, where he earned an Emmy Award. He and his wife Wendy have been married 28 years and have two children: Benjamin, 24, and Kate, 21. A deacon and Sunday school teacher at Park Cities Baptist Church, Chip’s love for music continues as he sings with the PCBC choir. His connection to TCA remains strong. Chip’s niece Charlotte March recently starred in Into the Woods on the TCA stage, and his nephew Michael March will begin his freshman year this fall.
The journey of MIP began about 20 years ago, when a family friend encouraged Chip to write a book. “She went on to explain that it would be a mighty testimony to share our journey raising a child with unique challenges, warts and all. She was right!”
Chip proceeded to draft the manuscript. “MIP (Miracle in Progress) is a candid reflection of our soul-searching struggle when we learned that our unborn son would be born with complex challenges,” he shares.
Years later, Chip met fellow TCA alum Tom Stickney ’93 at a Sunday school event. “In that conversation, God put it on my heart to confide to Tom my difficulty in finding a publisher for my manuscript,” Chip recalls. “But then Tom told me about his TCA classmate, Charity Barker Bradshaw ’93, who had a publishing company called LifeWise books. Within a week, I was speaking with Charity; by the end of our conversation, she was sold on the project!”
Charity, who spent her TCA years creating in the art department and serving as school mascot, is now a speaker, author and publisher. “What stood out most about Chip’s book was his transparency about the challenging yet wildly rewarding journey of raising a child with medical complexity,” she says. “Yet, with God’s grace, Chip was able to find and focus on the positives throughout the process and watch Benjamin not only meet but exceed all expectations and predictions.”
“GOD GAVE US THE MOST PRECIOUS GIFT OF ALL—LEADING US ON A PATH THAT BROUGHT US STRAIGHT TO HIM .”
Chip reflects, “What I once feared could be one of the worst things to happen to us turned out to be the greatest blessing. God gave us the most precious gift of all—leading us on a path that brought us straight to Him.”
Looking back, he credits TCA for preparing him years in advance. “The idea of a Christ-focused life took hold during my high school years at TCA, and it helped solidify my foundation in faith.”
In Memoriam
AMY LYNN UTSEY
ALUMNI PARENT
June 27, 2024
PAULINE CROSLIN
ALUMNI PARENT
June 28, 2024
DONNA JEAN HEWITT ROCHON
ALUMNI PARENT
July 10, 2024
JEFFERSON EDWARD “JEB” BRIDGEMAN ’85
ALUMNI
July 15, 2024
THOMAS EDWARD MCCABE
FORMER TCA FOUNDATION BOARD
MEMBER & ALUMNI PARENT
July 25, 2024
JAMES A. VALESANO
FORMER TCA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEMBER, TCA FOUNDATION BOARD
MEMBER & ALUMNI PARENT
August 3, 2024
LISA ANNE POTTS
ALUMNI PARENT
September 7, 2024
DANIEL JOSEPH WALDRON
ALUMNI PARENT
October 1, 2024
MAXWELL MICHAEL MAYES
FORMER TCA STUDENT
December 9, 2024
BRADLEY D. FRIESEN PARENT
December 10, 2024
SHAWN MCMANIGLE-MILLER
ALUMNI PARENT
January 6, 2025
MARY LOUISE MOORE
ALUMNI PARENT
January 9, 2025
CYNTHIA BAKER MOOCK
ALUMNI PARENT
January 17, 2025
PETER MICHAEL PODESTA, JR. PARENT
January 30, 2025
JENNIFER "JENNY" MANN STOVER ALUMNI PARENT
March 4, 2025
BRIAN BENNETT MYERS ALUMNI PARENT
March 11, 2025
SHANA LEHMAN ROBISCH '91
ALUMNI
April 25, 2025
BOB ADAMS
ALUMNI PARENT & PAST FACULTY
May 5, 2025
Even when the school year is over, the fun and learning at TCA do not stop. Students of all ages take part in dozens of Summer@TCA classes and camps, practicing athletics and art skills, studying science and literature, exploring new hobbies and making new friends.
TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
