Welcome to St. Croix Lutheran Academy high school graduation
The faculty and staff of St. Croix Lutheran Academy are happy that you have accepted the invitation to join us on this very important milestone day in the lives of the graduates of the Class of 2021. Today’s service is both a graduation exercise and a service of thanksgiving and praise to our Lord on behalf of our graduates.
We join you, the many families, friends, and relatives, in expressing our congratulations to each of our graduates with sincere wishes for God’s richest blessings as they now leave our school and enter the next phase of their lives.
As our guests, we extend to you our warmest Crusader welcome! We hope that you will be able to come and visit us again.
Class Verse When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaiah 43:2 Pre-service Music Sarah Sauer
Processional Praise the Lord with the Drums and Cymbals Sigfrid Karg-Elert The assembly will please remain seated for the Procession. Order Invocation Rev. Jon Enter, Campus Pastor of Service Greeting/Opening Remarks Dr. Todd Russ, President
Anthem Be Thou My Vision arr. Dan Forrest Croixaliers
Scripture Reading Jeremiah 29:4-7, 10-13 Rev. Jon Enter, Campus Pastor
Hymn How Firm a Foundation Christian Worship 416 Please join in singing as you feel comfortable.
1. How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in his excellent Word! What more can he say than to you he has said Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
3. “Fear not, I am with you. Oh, be not dismayed, For I am your God and will still give you aid; I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand, Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.”
4. “When through the deep waters I call you to go, The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow, For I will be with you your troubles to bless And sanctify to you your deepest distress.” Graduation Address Rev. David Huebner, Campus Pastor
Class Speaker Micah Boehm Selected by the Class of 2021
Authorization to Confer Diplomas Mr. Richard Gibson, Principal
Presentation of Graduates Mr. Richard Gibson, Principal
Awarding of Diplomas Dr. Todd Russ, President Anthem In Christ Alone Christian Worship Supplement 752 Sung by the Class of 2021 The assembly sings verses 1 & 4. The class sings verses 2 & 3. 1. In Christ alone my hope is found; 3. There in the ground His body lay; He is my light, my strength, my song. Light of the world by darkness slain. This cornerstone, this solid ground, Then bursting forth in glorious day, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. Up from the grave He rose again! What heights of love, what depths of peace, And as He stands in victory, When fears are stilled, when strivings cease! Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me. My comforter, my all in all. For I am His and He is mine, Here in the love of Christ I stand. Bought with the precious blood of Christ. 2. In Christ alone, who took on flesh; 4. No guilt in life, no fear in death; Fullness of God in helpless babe. This is the power of Christ in me. This gift of love and righteousness From life’s first cry to final breath Scorned by the ones He came to save. Jesus commands my destiny. Till on that cross as Jesus died, No power of hell, no scheme of man, The wrath of God was satisfied. Can ever pluck me from His hand. For every sin on Him was laid, Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the death of Christ I live. Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.
Closing Prayer and Benediction Rev. Jon Enter, Campus Pastor
Closing Hymn May the Mind of Christ My Savior Christian Worship 467, stanzas 1, 2, 5, 6
May the mind of Christ my Savior, Live in me from day to day, By his love and pow’r inspiring, All I do or say.
May the Word of God dwell richly, In my heart from hour to hour, So that all may see I triumph, Only through his pow’r.
May I run the race before me, Strong and brave to face the foe, Looking only unto Jesus, As I onward go.
May his spirit live within me, As I seek the lost to win, And may they forget the channel, Seeing only him.
Recessional Now Thank We All Our God Johann Sebastian Bach
The assembly will please remain seated until the recessional of the graduates is complete. Please limit the taking of PHOTOGRAPHS to the processional, the presentation of diplomas, and the recessional. Please exit the building out the hallway 1 doors. Weather permitting, the graduates’ RECEIVING LINE will be outside along the south driveway. Please stay off of the grass at the front of the building. Special thanks to Southview Garden Center for providing shrubbery for the graduation service and to Volkswagen of Inver Grove Heights for sponsoring recordings of this graduation service for each graduate through Town Square Television. All song lyrics appearing in this worship folder comply with copyright laws and are printed with permission from the publisher and/or under CCLI license #2434159. Sydnie Lucille Angus Minnesota State University, Mankato Zachary John Arndt Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN Temitayo Fawosiyat Asuni Gap Year Ariella Onoshiothieme Awudu v University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Aurora Amieminoghena Awudu v University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Charis Rebekah Birkholz N R College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, MN Faith Johanna Blauert Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN 2021 Lukas Clarke Blomquist Minnesota State University, Mankato Micah Daniel Boehm N R Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN Graduates Elizabeth Alexandra Bornschlegl F N Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN Jacob Ethan Brose University of Minnesota, Duluth Joshua Caden Brose University of Wisconsin, Stout Logan Thomas Bushaw Century College, White Bear Lake, MN Owen Paul Bushaw Bethel University, St. Paul, MN Lauryn Violet Carney Inver Hills Community College, Inver Grove Heights, MN Faith Renee Carrabon R Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ Cilin Cheng v University of Wisconsin, Madison Katrina Ohka Conrad North Central University, Minneapolis, MN Kevin Aaron Cordova r Century College, White Bear Lake, MN Lucas Jay Dahlke N University of Wisconsin, Stout Chi Le Linh Dao v University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Cael Thomas Degener Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount, MN Carmen Liliana Diaz R University of Minnesota, Duluth Huy Quang Dinh University of California, Davis Levi Jonathan Doering University of Northwestern, St. Paul, MN Hailey Hazel Douma v R Creighton University, Omaha, NE Eric Du University of Minnesota, Twin Cities William Binroy Everett University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN Caden Robert Fischer R North Dakota State University, Fargo Taite Ying Marie Fischer V N R Loyola University, Chicago, IL Lydia Genevieve Freeberg N R University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire Nano Fukuda University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Lydia Jane Gehring N Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee Christian Kennith Gosch Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN Alyse Dorothy Greene R Winona State University, MN Hanqiang Gu v University of Washington, Seattle Samuel Earl Hahm Minnesota State University, Mankato Abigail Lynn Harper N R South Dakota State University, Brookings Lucia Jean Hauge N University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire Arata Hirayama Japanese University Yubin Hwang N University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Ana Rebecca Ibarra-Rojas Employment Yuhao Jin University of California, Riverside Jacob Donald Johnson Minnesota State College Southeast, Winona, MN Marko Zoran Jovanović Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN Makutrak Junktanasombut r University of Minnesota, Twin Cities William Jason Kapanke Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount, MN Leah Mei Koenig N R Luther College, Decorah, IA Allison Jennifer Kom N R Valparaiso University, Indiana Katya Madeleine Krieger N R University of North Dakota, Grand Forks SeungHwan Lee Boston University, CT SoYeon Lee N R University of California, San Diego Austin James Lemke Marian University, Fond du Lac, WI Parker Evan Lewis R Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN Hannah Jane Little v R University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire Clare Elise Longueville v Minnesota State University, Mankato Zachary James Longueville Saint John’s University, Collegeville, MN Mervin Elias Eminiel Makundi Vesalius College, Brussels, Belgium Blake Robert Martin N R University of Arizona, Tucson Connor James Mielke R Minnesota State University, Mankato Marissa Lynn Miller Employment Cadence Madison Moe University of Wisconsin, River Falls Mackenna Christie Moon N R University of St. Thomas St. Paul, MN Kotomi Morishita R George Washington University, Washington, DC William Dolan Mueller University of Minnesota, Duluth Kaoru Nakazawa Japanese University Lindsey Marie Nelson R University of North Dakota, Grand Forks Mukwelle Mboe Ntuba Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis, MN Phelipe Haniel Oliveira Primo Washburn University, Topeka, KS Samuel Thomas Olson Normandale Community College, Bloomington, MN Joshua Michael Osskopp Employment Callie Jo Marie Otto v University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire Qi Pan R University of California, Davis Luis Guilherme Pereira Kishimoto Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ Nithi Pipatkittikul University of Iowa, Iowa City Elliana Bonnevieve Prigge N Bethel University, St. Paul, MN Baoling Pu N New York University, New York City Andrew Robert Raasch v R University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN Logan David Rasmussen Scott Community College, Davenport, IA Camila Belem Rubio Dougherty Family College at St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN Risa Sakamoto v R Japanese University Wynn Madison Sandman v R South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD Diana Veniaminovna Sergeyeva University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Lauren Bethany Shult N R Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo Juel Ann Skrien R Study Abroad - Italy Veljko Stankovic Serbia University Isaiah Manuel Steber Minnesota State University, Mankato Veronika Grace Stob Century College, White Bear Lake, MN Erin Kaye Taack Minnesota State University, Mankato Wenxiao Teng Syracuse University, New York Amelia Grace Thiel N R Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN Georgia Marie Thomas Century College, White Bear Lake, MN Emily Elizabeth Tietz v Gap Year Huy Binh Nhat Tran RMIT, South Saigon, Vietnam Thomas Graeme Troeth Australia University Joseph Vincent Tschida r The College of Saint Scholastica, Duluth, MN Katherine Rose Tschida University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN Kana Tsuruta N Grinnell College, Iowa Kendra Grace Valleau r R Martin Luther College, New Ulm, MN Thy Viet Vo Pennsylvania State University, University Park Joseph Steven Weber Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ Cody Zhihan Wu Century College, White Bear Lake, MN Katie Elizabeth Wurst r Chippewa Valley Technical College, Eau Claire, WI Abby Lynn Wyss N University of North Dakota, Grand Forks Haotian Yu University of California, Irvine Qinyuan Yu Arizona State University, Tempe Tianyi Zhang N University of Washington, Seattle Yebai Zhao Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ Yunhuan Zheng University of Washington, Seattle Yichen Zhu N R University of California, Santa Barbara Natalia Elizabeth Zimmermann Undecided
Symbols by graduates names: FValedictorian, V Salutatorian, N Summa Cum Laude, v Magna Cum Laude, r Cum Laude, R National Honor Society Faculty Dr. Todd Russ, President Mrs. Sarah Kuschel Mr. Richard Gibson, Principal Ms. Kristin Lehmann Faculty Mr. Lucas Boehm Mr. Chris Maki Mr. Joel Burmeister Mrs. Rebecca Maki and Ms. Crystal Carmichael Mrs. April Marquardt Mr. Grey Davis Mr. Michael Marquardt Mr. Tony Drkula Mr. David Mielke Board of Rev. Jon Enter Mr. Ben Olson Mr. John Fenske Mr. Cory Olson Regents Mr. Adam Frey Ms. Ellen Pieper Mrs. Rachel Grev Mrs. Abby Plocher Mrs. Rebecca Hillstrom Dr. Ryan Rathje Rev. David Huebner Ms. Sarah Sauer Mr. Jonathan Huebner Mr. Brent Schacht Mrs. Erin Hulse Mrs. Karen Scislow Mr. Ryan Hulse Rev. Dustin Sievert Mr. Mark Kaiser Mrs. Leanne Stob Mr. Nate Kallies Mrs. Cate Strehlow Mrs. Lorna Kapanke Mr. Jeff Strehlow Mr. Drew Kock Mr. David Tess Mr. Jonah Kroll Mr. Paul Weihing Mr. Karl Kuschel Mr. Roger Zolldan Board of Regents Mr. Roger Toomey, Chairman Mr. David Rupprecht Mr. Ward Blomquist Mr. Corey Schmiedeberg Rev. Todd Engel Mr. Roger Toomey Mr. Ron Hunt Mr. Michael Valleau Rev. Brian Krueger Mr. Todd Wondrasch Mr. Chad Little Mr. Jeremy Wood Rev. Zach Pudlo Mr. Timothy Ziemer Mr. Clayton Raasch
Recognition of academic accomplishments is distinguished by various colors and cords:
l The class Valedictorian and Salutatorian wear white cords. l National Honor Society members wear gold cords. Explanation l Latin award recipients receive a medal with the St. Croix Lutheran Academy seal on the front. This seal (left) is also printed on the of diplomas. The seal is an adaptation of the first “logo” designed for the school in its beginning years. Latin awards recognize the Academic student’s hard work and dedication throughout their high school years in the following way: Awards Award GPA (Grade Point Average) Summa Cum Laude 4.00 and above (red ribbon) Magna Cum Laude 3.90 - 3.99 (white ribbon) Cum Laude 3.80 - 3.89 (gray ribbon) Mission Statement St. Croix Educating the total student – spiritually, intellectually, and physically – in a caring, Christian family community. Lutheran Academy Purpose Mission St. Croix Lutheran Academy is a Christ-centered educational ministry sharing God’s love with all students. Purpose
We carry this out by pointing students to the truths of God’s Word in the Core Values Bible, by helping students strengthen their relationship with their Savior Jesus, and by sharing the good news of his love for all with those who do not yet know him as their personal Savior.
Core Values
St. Croix Lutheran Academy holds to the following core values:
• Biblical World View - We believe that the Bible is God’s unchanging truth, the foundation for all learning and life, and the message of God’s saving grace for all.
• College Preparation - We challenge and support students and staff to develop and utilize their God-given gifts in order to become productive leaders in the school, church, and local/international community.
• Excellence - We pursue excellence in all aspects of Christian education - academics, athletics, and the arts - to the glory of God.
• Global - We embrace the culturally diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and gifts of individuals to enrich excellence and to enable one’s personal ministry.
• Student Focused - We recognize that all students are unique, and we strive to put their needs first, as we help them develop spiritually, academically, physically, socially, and emotionally.
Embracing a global Christian perspective is a key objective of St. Croix Explanation Lutheran Academy. To celebrate the diverse student body, graduates wear national or cultural stoles during the service. On one side of the stole will be of the school logo. On the other, the flag of the student’s home country. Some African-American students will be wearing Kente cloth academic stoles as a Stoles symbol of ethnic pride. History
Although the inspiration for the foundation of St. Croix Lutheran Academy high school goes back to January 1957, the Twin City Lutheran High School Association was not officially formed until June 1958. At that time the first instructor, who also served as the first principal, was called, and classes for the first academic year, 1958-59, were conducted in the basement of St. James History of Lutheran Church, West St. Paul.
In 1960, the student body and faculty moved into the first permanent school St. Croix building on the campus at 110 Crusader Avenue, West St. Paul. In 1965, the second building, containing additional classrooms and a gymnasium, was Lutheran erected. These two units were combined with the addition of a library and multi-purpose room in 1975. Academy In 1990, the physical expansion of St. Croix Lutheran Academy took a dramatic turn. A major fundraising/expansion campaign was inaugurated, with the goal of completing much needed expansion and renovation of the existing facility. The price tag was high and fervent prayers were directed to our omnipotent Lord to make the vision possible. Midway through the campaign, the Lord answered our prayers in a wonderful way. Archbishop Brady High School, located two miles northeast of the Crusader Avenue site, was closed and placed on the market for sale. Because the Brady school property was much larger and met all current and future needs at a cost substantially less than expand- ing the Crusader site, the purchase of the campus on Oakdale Avenue was completed in April 1992.
After thousands of hours of work by hundreds of volunteers, and with the necessary contracted work completed by professionals, the Oakdale Avenue site was renovated and remodeled, and a beautiful “new” and expanded St. Croix Lutheran Academy was ready for the first day of school in September of 1992.
Since moving into the building, God has allowed the school to expand in many ways: 1998 - Dormitory opens to house international students. 1999 - International program begins. 2002 - Outdoor athletic facilities are added and updated. 2005 - The St. Croix Lutheran chapel is added and dedicated. 2009 - The middle school is opened. 2015 - The 152-bed dormitory is added and dedicated. 2017 - The school name is modified to St. Croix Lutheran Academy. 2021 - A new front entrance and fine arts addition is completed.
As more and more young people and their parents come to appreciate the value of a Christian secondary education, planning continues for expansion of facilities; curricular and extra-curricular offerings; and additional staff members to accommodate increasing enrollment. The Lord has truly blessed the devotion to Christian education of the founding fathers and those who took up their lead. May the devotion and concern of the present and future generations continue to provide for this ongoing ministry to young people and their families.