7301 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270 (704) 366-5657 Fax: (704) 366-5678 ISSUE 1 n www.charlottechristian.com 2014-15 JANUARY 2015 APRIL 2015 1-2 New Year’s Holiday 3 Good Friday SCHOOL No School No School CALENDAR 5 Classes Resume 6 Easter Monday 5-9 US J-Term No School 19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day No School MAY 2015 20 Employee In-Service Day 22 US Exam No School 25 Memorial Day No School FEBRUARY 2015 26-28 MS/US Exams 13 Winter Break - No School 28 Last Day of Classes Employee In-Service (Half-Day) 16 President’s Day 29 Employee In-Service No School MARCH 2015 30 Class of 2015 16-20 Spring Break Commencement No School VOICE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL - 2014-15 OF CHARLOTTE THE MAGAZINE Together We Feed SENIOR STAFF Head of School Barry Giller Chief Financial Officer Terry Efird Lower School Principal Sharon Humphrey Middle School Principal Ken Rogers Upper School Principal Allen Nielsen Director of Academics Theresa Kasay Director of Admissions Cathie Broocks Director of Athletics John Kasay Director of Communications Laura Goodyear Director of Human Resources Shannon Edwards Director of Institutional Advancement Ken Griffin The varsity football team won the NCISAA State Football Championship for the third year in a row, marking the fourth football state title for Charlotte Christian. THE MAGAZINE OF CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2014-15 n ISSUE 1 CONTENTS FEATURES 2 #iamaKNIGHT Three members of the Charlotte Christian community share why they love being a Knight 5 EXPANDED READING KNIGHTS PROGRAM Updated lower school reading program cultivates excitement for reading 8 POETRY SLAM Eighth grade students have fun with creative writing 9 3-PEAT Varsity football team tallies third straight state championship 14 SHARING THE LOVE OF CHRISTMAS AND ENDING CHILDHOOD HUNGER JK-12 students collect books and toys and pack food to help hungry children in Charlotte 5 ACADEMICS 9 ATHLETICS 11 FINE ARTS 13 SPIRITUAL LIFE & SERVICE 17 COMMUNITY 20 CAMPUS NOTABLES 23 DEVELOPMENT PHOTO CREDITS Send story ideas to Accolade Staff [email protected] Chip Case Communications Staff Send alumni news to Colter Corish [email protected] Eva Crawford Meadow Wood Send address changes to The varsity football team won the NCISAA State Football Championship for the St. John Photography [email protected] third year in a row, marking the fourth football state title for Charlotte Christian. BARRY GILLER, HEAD OF SCHOOL BARRY Dear Charlotte Christian Community, #iamaKNIGHT is a new feature on our website that debuted this fall. This series of short videos highlight what makes Charlotte Christian a special place and features alumni sharing how Charlotte Christian has greatly influenced their lives following graduation. The alumni in the videos include a mom and law clerk whose own children are now enrolled at Charlotte Christian, a professional athlete, a pediatrician, and an actor working in New York City. These former students are using the foundation of a Charlotte Christian education to impact the culture for Christ all across our country. In a recent edition of a national Christian magazine the following advertisement caught my eye: #iamaKNIGHT The ad is for a new Bible study curriculum that promises to help Christians “live clean in a contaminated world.” I agree with the Bible study author that we do indeed live in a world that is contaminated by evil, the onset of which began with the fall in Genesis 3. My concern with the message presented is that it asks for Christians to be delivered from culture. I do not believe this is our ultimate calling; rather than fleeing culture we should aim to influence culture. When Jesus walked the earth, He did not desire to deliver His disciples from the culture surrounding them. He prepared them to enter culture and be agents of change. Jesus often walked right into the difficult cultural issues of His day, including speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, eating at Zacheus’ home, healing 10 outcast lepers, and forgiving the sins of a woman with a checkered past, while calling on those who desired to be delivered from culture to throw the first stone. Our school’s mission statement calls for us to train and develop students who will impact the culture for Christ. By definition this will require difficult decisions, messy situations, and hardship, but that is what following Jesus is all about. The promised rewards will be great, though some if not many will not be realized in this life. I Am A Knight and proud to be one because we do not flee from the burning issues of our culture, but rather run into them hoping to redeem them for Christ and His Kingdom. God Bless, Barry Giller Head of School 1 CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2014-15 n ISSUE 1 #iamaKNIGHT #iamaKNIGHT What makes a Charlotte Christian Knight? It is not just wearing blue and white. A Knight is someone who looks forward to the annual Windy Gap retreat or nuggets of wisdom from Mr. Angley’s math class or packs food for impoverished children each year. Knights study hard in the classroom, work together on the field, perform well on the stage, and faithfully serve others in the community. Charlotte Christian Knights annually volunteer to chaperone field trips or faithfully pray over class lists. Knights help other Knights become lifelong learners. Knights value a faith in Christ and the importance of being in a place where “everyone knows your name.” Upper school math teacher Mr. Bob Angley, eighth grade student Chinelo Afulukwe and lower school parents and alums Wade (‘95) and Emily McPhaul (‘95) are all proud to be Charlotte Christian Knights. CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2014-15 n ISSUE 1 2 BOB ANGLEY, #iamaKNIGHT Upper School Math Teacher: A Knight who shares his nuggets of wisdom Mr. Angley has been in In November of 2012, then junior Sarah York (’14) wrote a blog education for 47 years. for the Knights’ Student Blog as an ode to Mr. Angley. Here is After teaching in the is an excerpt from, Nuggets of Wisdom. “This title comes from public school system for a phrase the students made up for a man that truly represents the 30 years, he came to essence of Charlotte Christian School. A dedicated follower of Charlotte Christian in the Christ, a role model for students and teachers, and someone that fall of 1997 and knew never fails to impact those he comes in contact with. Who may you he was destined to be a ask? Mr. Angley.” Knight. “I immediately fell in love with the “Now, to give you a real glimpse of the sense of community and place,” recalled Mr. warmth Charlotte Christian has, I decided to explain Mr. Angley Angley. “The people really care for each other. There is a sense ‘Nuggets of Wisdom.’ I cannot take all the credit for this clever of caring for students that is really special here.” title. Fellow students and I created this name after the numerous stories and lessons we’ve learned from our AP Calculus teacher, He teaches Algebra II, Geometry, Geometry Honors, Pre- Mr. Angley. You see, AP Calculus can be a difficult and very time Calculus and Calculus in the upper school. While math focuses consuming class. For example, doing the quotient rule on a fourth on numbers, problems and equations, Mr. Angley is able to power polynomial, then taking its first and second derivative to relate with the students beyond just the subject. With more than find local and absolute extremas sounds a little demanding right? four decades of wisdom from the classroom, he humbly shares In light of these difficult problems, I look forward to this class life lessons with the students that they appreciate hearing. They every day. I absolutely love learning and discovering new ideas, share a mutual respect as he calls them his children and they but I’ve learned something extremely important through one of Mr. become part of his life for that year. Angley ‘golden nuggets of wisdom’: Never become so consumed in life’s daily tasks that you fail to see God’s greatest gifts. “In a calculus class one year there were three girls that had completed every homework project all year long,” said Mr. “I took away this life lesson after visiting Mr. Angley’s room to Angley. “When one of the girls came into class the last day, receive additional help during my study hall. (It has become a she said this was the last time and she began to tear up. She recurring study hall activity with fellow classmates - a visit to Mr. understood that she learned a lot about herself and accomplished Angley for math help and wisdom!) I walked in and sat down, so much and they were going to miss being part of the journey. waiting for him to finish talking with one of our new foreign I really appreciate the relationships that they develop and they exchange students. Overhearing the conversation, she seemed are trying to do something difficult and trying to do it well.” upset about her progress in her math class. Mr. Angley took the time to connect with the student and encouraged her to remember Mr. Angley has the opportunity to connect with the students an important thing about her new adventure in America: Yes, to outside of the classroom as well. Over the years he has been always desire to do her best in her studies, but never to become involved with both the varsity ladies’ basketball team and the so consumed in getting that “A” that she loses sight of what her junior varsity football program.